Displaying post extracts from specific category using loop

I’m trying to create a ‘features’ box on my homepage to show extracts from the two most recent posts from Category A.

I can get it to display posts but not from the correct category. How can I do this.

Here’s what I have:

<?php if (have_posts()) : ?><br />
		<?php while (have_posts()) : the_post('category_name=Parent Category 1&showposts=3'); ?>
		<h2 id="post-<?php the_ID(); ?>">
			<a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to <?php the_title(); ?>">
			<?php the_title(); ?></a></h2>
			<?php the_time('F jS, Y') ?>

			<div class="entry">
				<?php the_excerpt('Read more...'); ?>
			</div>

			<p><?php comments_popup_link('No Comments »', '1 Comment »', '% Comments »'); ?></p>

			<?php endwhile; ?>
			<?php endif; ?>