At the Orchard

I am planning on taking advantage of this chilly weekend at home to get updated on the blog.  We have had a very busy fall, so it has been hard to find the time to upload our pictures and get thing posted.  Our computer is also on the fritz which makes the task even more time consuming.

On September 21st, my mother and I took Walker to a great little apple orchard south of Indy.  The weather was great and Walker had a great time exploring the farm and seeing all the animals.  He road a pony, fed the goats, played in the pumpkins, went for a hike in the woods, and shared his lunch with a dog.

All in all, it was a perfect day and I got some great pictured of our little man.  Still can't believe how big he is!

"What should we do first?"

Walker's first pony ride

Not quite sure what to think

"This is fun!"

Deep in thought on his noble steed

"Not too close, Goat."

Mommy feeding the goat.

Of course Walker tried to pick up the biggest pumpkin he could find!

Driving a bus

Mommy's little pumpkin

On the move!

Having so much fun at the orchard!

Baby can move mountains

Big Boy!

Right before the wheelbarrow tipped over... OOPS!

Walker's 1st Birthday Party

The Saturday before Walker's birthday, we invited our family and a few close friends over to celebrate with a ball themed party.  There was good food, bags (aka corn hole here in IN), presents and of course, cake!  I made most of the decorations myself with a little, no, a LOT of inspiration from Pinterest.  Walker was great.  He started to get a little fussy while opening presents, but rallied for probably one of the best cake smashes of all time.  It was a good day and we all had a ball! :-)

Our Baby is ONE!

I knew the time would go by fast but WOW!  Walker is one.  One whole year old!  For the past twelve months, I have had the privilege of rocking him and feeding him; wiping his tears, his nose, his bottom; kissing  sweet chubby cheeks and toes and bellies.  Hearing his first laugh, his first word; watching him take his first step and first tumble.  Before Walker was born, I promised myself that I would make a conscious effort to be present in every moment of his life.  I would savor and relish every second he was in my arms.  I would watch him sleep and play and eat.  I would write down my thoughts and his accomplishments in my journal and I would never, ever, forget how lucky and blessed I am to have been chosen by God to be his mother.

All in all, I think I did a pretty good job, (except with the journal- that lasted 2 weeks) but deep down I wish I had done more.  I wish I had spent more time snuggling him before he could squirm away; more time counting tiny fingers and toes before they were always slobbery and sticky;  more time enjoying him as he was, and less time waiting to see the next milestone emerge.

I have spent a lot of time reflecting lately over the past year, and while I can't say there weren't a few bumps in the road, over all, it was pretty much the best year of my life.  I know this coming year will bring new challenges and also wonderful memories.  I can't wait to see what is in store. No...yes I can.

At the Fair

Last Wednesday, I took the afternoon off, and Ryan and I took Walker to the Indiana State Fair.  The weather cooperated and we had a ton of fun looking at the animals and exhibits.

Farmer Walker

Collecting the eggs

Not a fan of the pig statue

Baby John Deere

Milking the cow with daddy

Visiting the new calves in the nursery

Saying hi to Tom, the horse

Up close and personal with a fish.

Walker really enjoyed the poultry barn.

Not sure who was more curious, Walker or this goose!

Petting the sweet calf

We had so much fun at the fair!

The Start of Summer

It is finally starting to look and feel like summer, and we are doing everything we can to enjoy every single minute of it!  Here are just a few highlights from Walker's first summer.

Walker and his friend Hudson have been friends since before they were born.  Julie and I met in our birthing class and stayed in touch via Facebook through the end of our pregnancies and the births of our sons.  Hudson is only 2 days younger than Walker.  They were even born at the same hospital!  In fact, Julie came to our room after Walker was born while she was in labor.  We try to get together every so often and we have a great time.  Now that the boys are getting older, they are starting to interact which is even more fun.  This month, we met at Holliday Park.

Swinging

Snack Break

Best Buddies

Playing in the Mulch

Mommy's little mulch eater

I took a vacation day last Friday and Walker and I went to the zoo with our good friends Courtney and Kevin.  Walker and I had been to the zoo once before, but it was very chilly and he really didn't seem too interested.  What a difference a month can make!  The weather was great and Walker loved seeing all the different animals!

Kevin and Walker watch the baby dolphin play ball.

Courtney and Walker watch the sea lion swim by

Mommy and Walker pose with the giraffes.

 Walker's grandma bought him a water table last weekend, and we decided to pull that out to cool down after our adventures at the zoo.

On Saturday, Walker's friend Joseph came down to visit with Grandma and Nana.  Ryan blew up the baby pool and we all tried to convince Walker that the pool was as much fun as the bathtub.  He really didn't want to sit in the water for too long, so I think it may have been to cool for his liking.

So far we are having an amazing summer!  I can't wait to make more memories with my amazing little man in the months ahead!