Parker Hudson Kelly was born to be awesome.
This photo of him sitting on a pink suit case with a water gun in his hands is CLASSIC Parker. The kid just reeks of awesomeness.
It is a pleasure to have this opportunity to celebrate him on his birthday and tell you a bit about my GIGANTIC little brother, Parker.
Born to our family on June 11th 16 years ago, the last of nine kids, he arrived on the large side. Tipping the scales at 9lbs 15oz he was already cooler than any of the rest of us. As you can see I was pretty excited when he joined our family.
I still remember sitting in Miss Lettera’s math class watching the clock. My mom was in labor and there I was doing stink’n stupid geometry. (Having had two children I would prefer to be in labor over doing geometry). This was in the days before cell phones…we just had to wait, and wait, and wait until word came that our little brother had touched the ground and was officially one of our merry little band. When we knew he was with us, safe and sound, we did a jig of happiness.
He was an awesome little kid. Fun, kind, and deep. He has always been a deep thinker and he also feels things in a very deep way. Recently he and my mom were talking together and discussing each member of our family, he summed up each one of us brilliantly in one sentence. I still think about that and am gobsmacked by it.
He also has a heart of gold. When he was little my mom explained the plan of salvation to him – you know, the classic drawing. We later found this picture she’d drawn for him taped up on his closet wall, and in his little boy, scratchy handwriting he had written the phrase, “GOD’S RULES”. Parker cares about keeping those rules, and oh! how I love him for it.
The golden heart of that little boy still beats strong and true in his grown-up man body.
And I know I am his very proud, and rather bias older sister but all I gotta say is, “Hey, Zack Efron – you ain’t got nothing on my brotha!”
He is a handsome feller. Attention all you single ladies out there -just for your info, he is as nice as he is handsome.
I hope he wont mind me mentioning that he still puts his head on his mom’s shoulder, he also puts his arm around his sisters when we are walking along together, he gives great hugs (not wimpy ones – like some of this other brothers who have had to endure some criticism on this subject) he loved to snuggle as a little guy – and he is still keeping it real in the snuggle department today.
Parker is funny. He really gets me laughing. He is also very, very creative. I wish I could show you some of his short films. They are awesome.
Parker has the same heroes for a long time. He dressed up as one of them on a Halloween many moons ago. Can you spot him in the crowd?
I’ll give you a clue.
He is still dressing up like this particular hero today. Here he is pictured this past Christmas.
All silliness aside, Parker has been through some pretty big challenges in the last few years. He has faced them courageously. It has been a lonely, hard road – but he has kept his faith and kept going until he came out on the other side.
I love you, Parker.
Thank you for being such a great brother.
Thank you for being such a swell uncle to my little girls.
Thank you for being a great son to mom and dad.
Thank you for being a good friend to all who are blessed to know you.
YOU ROCK!
(I started this post with one of my very favorite photos of Parker and I end it with another of my favorites. CLASSIC Parker! Long may he reign!)
June 11th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
So true (to everything stated)! Parker is a champ. And Zac Efron’s got nothing on him. You’ll be happy to know that Tess and I got him some of his very own aviator shades so he can look stunnah whenever he feels the need. Love you, PK!
June 11th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Thanks Liza! You’re a great sister! I must say you got some awesome photos of me. I’m speechless. What can I say? I love you all dearly.
June 12th, 2009 at 5:40 am
I say, “Here! Here!” Parker is the greatest, sweetest, most wonderful person ever. When I went to school in England he was the one I missed the most(hope that doesn’t offend anbody). But He was just a baby and I remember thinking how sad I was going to be to miss ANY of the adorable things he did. And he is just as cute today as he was way back when! I love you, Parker! Happy Birthday!
June 14th, 2009 at 8:02 am
wow. i cannot believe parker is so grown up!!! i still remember the little snuggle-wart four year old parker who had a new invention to show me every time i came over to your house. parker, you have long been one of my favorite people in the universe, and i look forward to seeing what magnificent things you continue to do! p.s. i’m still sorry about the yeti prank . .. please forgive?
June 14th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
I remember back in the day when Parker was still in dipes, Mom would say, “Brynn, would you go put Parker down?” What can I say, you don’t earn the title “Baby Whisperer” for sitting around eating cheetos. (Although, I’ve done plenty of that in my day, as well). So, the hard part with Parker was not getting him to fall asleep. That was cake. The hard part was actually putting him in the crib or bed without getting him to wake up again. You see, Parker needed a warm body near him in order to fall asleep, and the minute that body was yanked from his side, he was up again. Slowly, carefully, I would inch myself away from him. Sometimes I would put a pillow in my place, trying to trick him into thinking I was still there. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. All I know is that Parker is still as tender as ever.
I remember coming home from school once and even though it was really early in the morning there was Bette, Tess and Parker running down the stairs to great and hug me, each wearing their red onesy pajamas. I remember telling mom how happy it made me to see them still wearing their onesy pj’s. She said it wouldn’t be long before they would be too big to wear them. How time flies.
I say that Parker is as tender now as he was when he was a little gus, but I should point out that even now as I write this, he is shooting rubber bands at me with his new rubber band gun. And although I miss the little Parker spud, I wouldn’t for all the world replace him for the grown up version. Who then would laugh at my random jokes (the cow wearing organic jeans) or show me the latest strong bad video? On Parker’s birthday I was trying to write a rap for Parker. As I spouted out random lyrics, I looked at Ben to see what he thought. Ben gave me his classic “that’s too silly” head shake. “But,” I said to my husband, “It’s for PARKER. Don’t you understand, Parker would love this. Parker would get this.” And sure enough, he did.
Thanks for being someone I can forever be silly with, Parks. I love you brotha!