Walker's 2nd Birthday Party!

Since Walker's birthday fell on Super Bowl Weekend yet again and I couldn't go a second year with a football theme, I decided to go with another seasonal favorite: Mardi Gras! And because he won't let me decorate in purple and gold forever ;) We scaled down the party quite a bit from the year before and had a small group of family and friends over to the house to celebrate our boy. Here are some photos - enjoy!

Walker turns 2!

I'm so sad that I haven't captured more of this little BIG personality on this blog! I feel like time and memories are escaping me! Walker managed to chew on the camera cord so another year, another event where I can't access the birthday pictures. Anyway, here are some things that our boy is up to...

Height: 36in (85th percentile)
Weight: 30lbs
Size 6 shoe
Size 5 diaper (He's pushing me to potty train but I'm not having it until after Disney World!)

Words: About 20
- Num num = vitamin
- Ning ning = candy
- Oosh = shoes (just like Grayson used to say!)

SLEEP: This boy sleeps like a champ still. Still one 3 hour nap on non-school days and about 12 hours a night. He still goes right into his crib without crying. both at night and waking up, he just plays and talks to himself. When he's ready to get out (about 20-30 minutes after waking up), he sweetly (and LOUDLY) calls out DAADAAAAA? If he doesn't get an answer to that after 10 or so times, he switches to MAMAAAAA? So cute. He never gets frustrated or impatient. Just keeps calling until we go up there. Very different than Grayson's impatient cries every time he woke up ;)

EATING: Still so, so picky. The sweeter and more processed the better. He has started to eat a tad more meat than usual. He's always loved a good cheeseburger but has added in some of his Daddy's BBQ from time to time. He doesn't eat fruit or veggies. Only fruit/veggie packets.

CLOTHES: Walker love, love, loves all things accessories! He loves to wear a hat, changes them out regularly, and shoes are no different! He has now started "telling" me what he wants to wear by refusing what I pick out and going over to his closet or dresser and picking out something else. Even with PJs. It's pretty cute actually :) He has quite the reputation for this. We even had a sweet friend leave a surprise fedora on our doorstep for him.

His personality is so big and he has been SO FUN to watch grow up! When people say that littles do everything like their older sibling, they aren't kidding. EVERYTHING. Every. last thing. The good, the bad, the funny! Poor Grayson hears us say "set a good example!" a hundred times a day. Walker just idolizes his big brother. That said, he does plenty on his own. Like the clothes for one. Grayson couldn't care less about clothes! But also dancing. Wow, does Walker like to dance!

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How? Why? 

Loves using his Dyson just like Daddy's!

Pantless cooking. He may be pantless a lot but he ALWAYS has his shoes on. :D

He still waves at the construction workers nearby, who I'm convinced will be building the house next to us FOREVER.

Loves to wear our shoes too - here in Mommy's booties ;)

He insisted that his pants be backwards. Always reinventing his style ;)

He loooooves brushing his teeth!

Cute jammies from Uncle Todd and Aunt Kara

Mittens. We're also obsessed with mittens! 

First Day of Pre-Kinder & 18m Class!

Grayson and Walker started school at Bright Beginnings at the beginning of September and have been having a ball! Gray started pre-school and Walker to the 18 month old class -both going 3 days a week. Mama like. :)

Grayson had an easier time at drop off the first couple of weeks than Walker did :) Grayson is in Ms. Elizabeth and Ms. Debbie's class. His pre-school teachers are very buttoned up, the kids know exactly what to do at the beginning of each class before taking their seat and begin working on their first activity. He seems like such a big boy in this class. They no longer take naps, which still continues to be a challenge for my nap-lover. :) He will inevitably fall asleep in the car if we go anywhere in the afternoons. But otherwise, he's a rock star with it all! 

Walker had NO idea where he was headed in a few short minutes ;)

"First Day pics, what? NO. I just want my water." He's obsessed with his water.

"Come HERE, water!!"

"I have my water so I can focus now."

"No I can't."

G was so sweet to pose while W rang the doorbell 200x.

My boy on his first day. Such a good boy!

Walker is in Ms. Emily's class and she is so good to him! She and her helper just loooove on him! They call him their Tommy Hilfiger model ;) He cried at drop-off every day for the first 2 weeks so no pictures of him in his classroom. It has been survival mode of me sneaking out while he is blaring his cries throughout the building. But now he walks right in so whew!

Walker is (was) 18 months!

Only about 5 weeks late and pictures are not aligned but I did it! ;)

Stats:
Weight: 25lbs
Length: 33in
Head: 46 cm (or 18.11 inches...is that even right?)
Moved to size 5 diaper
Size 18m-24m clothes; leaning toward 24m if brands make that size
Size 6W shoe

Likes: vacuum cleaners, pulling all things out of cabinets, getting into whatever someone else is showing interest in, snacks, his sippy cup, cozy coupe, digging, destroying brother's stuff, all things Grayson and dancing!

Eating: Walker has been gracious enough to add some new foods to his list of things he won't throw on the floor. Pizza, yogurt, fruit snacks and burgers/fries. Well-balanced meals, of course! :) He is probably the most well-hydrated human on this Earth. Still not interested in milk or any kind of juices and sticks closely to his sippy cup of water. He goes through so many a day and can really start griping at me if it's empty! A sippy of water is also kind of his security blanket of sorts. He carries it under his arm like a football and always has it with him. So cute!

Oh, and Jello. Because brother eats it.

Sleeping: Still my best, best, best sleeper! The saving grace of my fearless, fiery, strong-willed toddler! This kind of activity requires lots of rest! Sleeps from about 7:30pm-7:30am with a good 2 hour nap around noon or 1pm. I'm still very lucky to have both kids napping at the same time. If Walker has to go down earlier, I send Gray upstairs and he falls right to sleep as well. So, so lucky or these days would be long and tough!

Talking: Walker has a full vocabulary...just nothing you'd recognize as English ;) He jabbers on and on all day and it is just the cutest thing! He'll taaalk to us and we'll just reply back "Yeah? Is that so? Tell me more. I agree. What else?" I need to get it on video quickly before he starts saying real words. He has picked up more words than the last time I wrote. I have no idea how many - maybe 10. And one phrase: "I want this." All the time. Because the kid WANTS. Everything he can't have. Shouldn't have. Can have. Everything. The boy knows what he wants ;)

Moving: Walker is still fearless! He pays no mind to consequences that will result in his recklessness. I'm sure that's normal for an 18 month old but, as I have said a million times, Grayson was never like this!




TANTRUMS: I've never seen anything quite like this and he's mine all mine ;) Walker can work himself into such a loud, screaming, writhing frenzy that if I were to even give him what he wanted, he'd throw it across the room. Don't get me wrong, I know giving him what he wants would be the kiss of death but let's just say I learned this on a recent flight when I was absolutely desperate to get him under control. My poor buddy has trouble getting a hold of his emotions and, in addition to it being painfully embarrassing for me, it just makes me so sad for him. I hope this passes and that he isn't the 4 year old that is still doing this. Prayers for my little guy, please!

Growing up: Walker wants to do EVERYTHING that Grayson does! I'm having to change my thought process on so many things now just to take into account his wishes. For example, trying to order him nuggets when his brother is getting a cheeseburger is a BIG mistake. Even if he prefers nuggets; he will only want a burger b/c that's what his big bro is having. If Grayson wants to paint, Walker wants to paint. So we usually save things like that for his W's sleepy times :) I didn't grow up with siblings  at this age so this is all new to me! 





Walker is so relational! He loves the people in his life and has a ball with them...He can be so shy but so outgoing. Such a unique little personality!

Anyone remember when I used to call him my EASY baby? Ha! :) Love, love, love this coolest BIG personality that fits so well into our family. He makes us all so much better!

Loves his accessories! Sweet, sweet old man baby ;)

We recently cut his long mullet-like hair but it is SO silky and beautiful. I've never had hair like his so no idea what to do with it ;)

Sweetest cheeks you ever will meet :)

Loves stacking things and moving things from one container to the other. But more than anything, he loves destroying his brother's creations :/ This too shall pass, Grayson!