Friday, January 29, 2016

Sing, Sister, Sing

Kids grow fast. I seem to notice something new each day. This week we've been preparing one of the rooms to become sort of a play area so we are trying to find the gates and foam flooring, etc, then you have to think of all of the safety items. Walker just turned six months old and is a little weed. At the doctor we figured out last time they went a little crazy with his height and said he was 86%... so I spent a month bragging... they think someone didn't write it down right because he is still 27 inches. He's either not growing or he's really 68%! Either way doc thinks he will be a thin giant. He eats all sorts of fun foods and is really loving his toys. He's a lot of fun to play with... and he loves cartoons! Yes, yes, "screen time" is the devil, but he loves it and I can get a few things done so it's just fine to see him light up. He doesn't watch too much, just a bit while I'm having my coffee and sometimes during the day. The other day after I got home from working out he and Nick were actually watching cartoons together! I had a nice laugh!

We've been planning our trip to Hawaii and Texas in the Spring, too! I am very, very excited!!! A little nervous to get it all ironed out, but very excited!!!

We've been having a tough time with sleep. I laugh because on Facebook life is seen in highlights. I say this because I finally posted something about our fight with sleep and other moms said theirs had the same thing! I thought I was alone! It's easy to post cute pictures and funny thoughts making it seem life is all rainbows, but babies are tough work!!! They're cute, fun and the best things in the world, but they are also the toughest human beings on the planet. Walker is demanding and stubborn, much more than Nick or I!!! I thought we were the most stubborn people ever? So this week for some reason Walker decided to go back to his crib after a month of screaming bloody murder. He reverted all the way back to his rocker and pack n' play the past month. I realized every time I woke up, he woke up! I never sleep through the night and he sensed it somehow! Now, he still wakes up every two to three hours... but atleast it's in his crib? One day... one day... Anyway, I'm sure we could still be looking at sleep training because we suck at it for lack of better words... but, for now, let's just say a big thanks to God that Walker is falling asleep earlier in his crib! I just don't know if we can let him cry it out at 3 AM... We have been letting him cry a few minutes at that time before we go in there just to see if he will roll back over and sleep. Yes yes yes, the world gives you so much advice... but, you gotta do what works best for you! For us, Walker is very stubborn. His naps are very short... maybe 45 minutes max and that is just him. The doctor told us some babies just don't and won't take two hour naps. Gosh darn. Oh well... we are taking it as it comes. We do let him scream during the day because he cries when he's bored or annoyed with us.  He's crying right now because he's tired of his toys and I'm on the computer and Nick is playing golf... As my Dad says he used to tell me, "Sing, Sister, Sing."






Monday, January 25, 2016

Family Ski Trip

 

Family vacations are huge memories in Nick and I's minds. We want Walker to go on many gathering memories along the way. We took W up to Mt. Charleston this weekend so Nick could ski and I could just feel the lovely mountain air. I have always found peace in the silence of the snow.

 





 Nick skied all day and came to check on us every hour. It is a small ski area, very family oriented so I talked to people and just played with Dubs all day. It wasn't that exciting for me, but to see the happiness in Nick's face made it worth it. I think Walker loved the snow, too! We went to a local bed and breakfast for the night. It was a really neat thing. The people were so kind and the place was so cozy! We just watched TV and ate! Nothing fancy, but perfect for us. Walker is in some sort of phase that he awakens a few times a night. I finally got a few hours straight last night... thank God! So that was the only tough part about it! Atleast we had a great view as we were up a few times that night! He awakens chipper so I guess that's all that matters! We left right before a snowstorm hit. It would have been neat to stay if we weren't going to drive in it.



While we were playing in the snow my family attended a 60th wedding anniversary. One thing about living far away is the tough part of missing big events. Ever since I can remember I have been obsessed with family. I just love my family! I like the feeling and I love that it is just such a special thing.

Vanala & Joe Carl, Wayne & June, Donna & Bill - All married over 50 years
I am the only grandchild, but I was raised to believe cousins were the grandparents' siblings offspring, etc! That's just how I see it! I was so happy my Dad got to go and see all his favorite family members. One thing we will instill in Walker is this same love. Nick's family is close as he has four aunts with kids and grandkids, too. Brenda's family is now ours and have wrapped their arms around us. We are excited for W to get to know his cousins when we visit Oklahoma and when we get to see Alyssa's family as it is hard as they are in North Dakota. One day I would hope to live closer to grandparents, but for now we visit as often as possible so Walker gets that love and we get to see our favorite people! As I stated before, 60 years!!!! That's so very special!!! I come from a hard working, loving, special, blessed family. Nick and I both do. We are pretty blessed, not lucky, blessed!!!

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Christmas 2015

 

Yo, it's Walker. I'm taking over this blog since Mommy is slacking. Let's talk Christmas into the New Year! I had a really great first Christmas! We headed into Texas first to Papa Mark and Nene's house! They have a really cool puppy dog named Chewy that loved to lick me. We took a lot of walks with Chewy!



I had a fun time playing with Papa Mark and Nene. One thing Papa Mark figured out is how much I love cartoons. We made me a little pallet in the floor and found the cartoon channel. I went crazy! The lights and sounds are just way too cool for me! My parents should just forget watching their stupid shows because they are going to watch cartoons from here on out. There's always good food at this house. Nene is a really good cook and she let me sit in her kids' 35 year old high chair! How cool is that?!

  

 Aunt Stephanie came over so we just had to take pictures! 

 

These people love a lot of gifts. I heard them tell Mommy that next year since there are 8 grandkids we aren't doing the millions of gifts anymore. She was really sad. I think I deserve lots and lots of gifts because Santa thinks I am the best kid in the world. Mommy is just crazy because growing up it was just tradition you got a lot of gifts. I didn't really care about gifts this year because they say I am too young. Actually I slept through most of the gift giving. They all just wore me out! One of my favorite gifts was a blanket made by Nene. It is sooo cool. The best thing is she made it just for me to cherish forever. Mommy keeps trying to steal it, but I always find it.
 

Papa Mark makes really cool stuff from wood.  He builds chairs from scratch, tables, all sorts of things... so Mommy was so excited when he cut her a few Texases out of wood. He told her she could do what she wanted with them. I took a nap and she went outside with him to the work area and they made one with my name burned into it! I think she had fun making memories with her dad. 



I also must show off my new quilt made by Mrs. Nutting. My mommy just loves quilts and finds it beyond special when anyone makes one! Here it is!

 

We headed to Dallas the day before Christmas Eve ready to hit Big Jim and GG's house. Christmas Eve is so crazy at their house. Mommy thought I needed to be dressed perfectly for church and I decided to show her it didn't matter that much so I went insane when she put me in my perfect outfit. Daddy thought it was ugly so she changed me and we were pretty much late for church. The Bennetts and the Teters all came over to join all of us. I got passed around a lot. I don't know who all these crazies are, but they seem really nice. I was really cool to all of them until I just got tired of it and decided to scream. I know I'm cute.

 

I got to meet lots of Mommy and Daddy's friends on the visit. I wowed them with my cuteness. Sometimes I screamed at them because I was just annoyed with everyone and wanted to chill out. 

Hayley's twins, Parker and Emery

Melissa's daughter, Georgia
Gunner
Caroline and Colby
Sean & Karen's daughter, Guinnie
On Christmas Day we went to see Mommy's best guy friend, Cody's family. They are like second family and I needed to make sure they were cool enough for me. It was hot outside for Christmas so we had a good ole time just hanging out on his uncle's patio!

 

GG and my great Granny played with me each day. My mommy loved talking to Granny who is 85 about her life growing up. 

 

My baptism was Sunday after Christmas. I was worried about Papa Mark and Nene trying to travel in the rain which was turning to snow from Oklahoma. It was so sweet of them to get there in time! I wore my great grandfather's dress which makes it five generations of wear for baptism. It was a neat experience. I got a blanket made from the prayer ladies which was very special to me. My godparents, Sean and Karen are so special to us, too. Guinnie is my best friend, too! A really special part of the baptism is that I shared it with Nick's lifelong family friend's daughter, Gabby! Father Josef held me up like Simba in the Lion King which was the coolest thing for my daddy. After the baptism we came back to the house and had a lunch. Lots of friends and family came to celebrate. I passed out a little into the lunch because the week just wore me out. Papa Mark and Nene left to travel home because ice was about to hit. I felt so bad for them traveling in that weather. I was just so happy they got to spend time with me and I got to enjoy every moment with them. 


My godparents' family
My family
 
The Dankbergs

Passed out after the baptism
It was finally time to return to Las Vegas. I loved my time in Texas. It was time to get back to see my pet friends and try to figure out how to sleep in my crib again. I hate my crib... 

 

So here we are in 2016. The end of the year was tough as I got back to Vegas and the tummy bug hit me. I threw up all over Mommy a few times. Then Mommy got the bug on New Years Eve when her friends were in town... then the friends and Daddy got the bug. I felt really bad for all of them, but I just kept smiling and kept them happy. I got hoarse and had drainage for about a week so it was just a tough start. 

My first Christmas was such a success. Mommy and Daddy show me how special family is to tradition. I loved spending time with everyone. I'm also glad Santa loves me because I have been good this year. It's almost Mommy's birthday week so I'm thinking of being really good. It's hard to be this cute, ya know.