Blessed

Our church throws a Baby Blessing for each and every baby born, and this Saturday was Reese's beautiful celebration. I am so incredibly thankful for my church family. The presence, meals, and prayers they showered us with right after Reese was born were beyond anything I could have imagined. Of course a huge number of friends outside of my church gave these things and more as well, but again, this post is about my church and its Baby Blessings. Thank you to EVERYONE who brought meals to the hospital, came to visit Wes and me and give us some company when they couldn't even peek at Reese, and prayed relentlessly for her health and ours as well.

This Saturday was just beautiful though. I had to use my nursing cover as a kleenex during the great prayer time, and I now have another list of thank you notes to write for all of the amazing gifts that were given to us. My mom and mother-in-law said they wouldn't miss thanking these wonderful ladies, so they made the trek up to the blessing to do just that...and of course hold their granddaughter, too. :) I wish I would have taken a picture of all of my dear church friends, but of course that slipped my mind during the party. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for us. I just get so excited when I think about the blessing of raising children together.

Okay, now I'm off to cheer on Auburn in the National Championship Game! Remember those cute twin boys from a post in December? Their daddy is one of the coaches tonight, and we root hard for the Lashlee family!

Me with my two amazing mothers and sweet girl.

Reese and her two beautiful grandmothers.

She's ready for Valentine's Day! Thanks, mom.

She wore her snowman onesie and really cute polka dot skirt yesterday to increase the chance of snow last night, and it worked! We only have a dusting, but that's just fine with me.

Ty

Oh my. I have a new nephew, and I'm in love. Yesterday was definitely one of the most exciting days I've had in a while. Reese and I woke up around 7:15, ate, and got fully ready knowing that we were on call to go pick up Molly from school and get her to the hospital to meet her new brother or sister as soon as we heard from her dad, Wes' brother. I got the call at 10:18 to start heading that way but not to rush, so I fed Reese, got in the car, picked up incredibly excited Molly, and then was close to the hospital when I got word that baby was here! What?! It hadn't even been an hour! So, I dropped Molly off at the front entrance of the hospital, and she and Morgan were the first two to find out if they had a little brother or little sister. The rest of the extended family stood outside the room just waiting with such excitement. After the family had their sweet intimate moments together as a family of five, the grandparents went in, and those grandmothers just couldn't contain themselves. They both screamed, "It's a boy!!" A camera should have been on all of us in the hall waiting to capture our reaction. We were smiling ear to ear and jumping up and down. Of course we all waited for the door to open, and then we piled into the room to take our first peek at Ty. He's the most precious baby boy with the sweetest little face. Jayme was a rockstar, and she looked it, too. I am beyond thrilled for them, and I can't wait for Reese, Ty, and Marion to be best buds. Reese is the baby no longer, and Ty only has a two week stint with the title before Marion arrives. What a fun and loving family I received when I married Wes.

A few funny moments of the day:

*When walking Molly out to my car from picking her up at school, she asked how things were going. I told her that her mommy was getting closer to having the baby, so Molly asked if the feet were sticking out yet.

*Gran attempted to get the word out to all of her friends, and somehow she got an email response saying "Congratulations on welcoming baby Katherine to the family!" We still aren't sure how the message got twisted from Ty to Katherine, but Gran's new Droid phone may have been the culprit.

*Not really a funny moment, but I was so bogged down with boy and girl gifts, Reese, her stroller, and a full day's worth of activities because I thought we would be waiting for a while that I didn't get a picture of Reese or me with this new baby. :( I'll be stealing Susie's and JB's cameras soon so I can have some of theirs...I know they took some.

Here's what I captured...

While waiting with anticipation in the hall, Reese heard her Gran shout that a boy cousin had arrived, and she was pumped.

Yes, she just had a baby less than an hour before this picture was taken. Motherhood sure looks good on Jayme. Check out that little guy...I love him so much already.

Paparazzi took over the room. The Walker family of five was pretty popular.

Proud big sister Molly with her baby brother.

Gran and O'Pa with #7! "Grandparenthood" looks pretty good on them, too, huh?!

Just Because

I think I've written a post with this same title before, and they occur because I want to record some of these daily happenings that are going on around here, but I don't have any special occasion to report. Simple days at home are the norm, not grand events and parties.

Yesterday wasn't necessarily the most simple day because of Arkansas' big Sugar Bowl game, but it nonetheless had a rather ordinary routine. Reese and I didn't leave the house all day. She napped three times at varying durations, never over 45 minutes at a time. I cleaned a little, baked symphony brownies, played with sweet girl, read her stories, stressed about her nap schedule, decided it wasn't worth stressing about, enjoyed burgers and fries with Bret, Jayme, Molly, and Morgan, and then watched the big game from the couch. What a game. Moving on...

Reese slept through the night for three nights in a row, and I tried to convince myself not to get too excited. My instincts were right. She woke up three times last night, and after the last time, I just put her in bed with me for a couple of hours until her morning feeding. I'm not sure what happened, and I'm trying not to do my typical over-analysis of the situation. I'm telling myself that we must be closer to sleeping through the night on a regular basis if she did it three nights in a row. Of course there will be nights when it gets thrown off, right? Then I start wondering if she was hungry because I sure didn't feed her. I am determined that we are done with middle of the night feedings.

Oh, and right now? She's crying in her crib because she can't soothe herself to sleep. Hmmm...in fact, I just tried soothing her by putting in her pacifier, but she lost it as soon as I stepped out of the door.

Yes, I absolutely love being her mom. Her big gummy smiles pretty much make me the happiest girl in the world. Her new skill of rolling over makes me incredibly proud. These tears don't necessarily make me happy, but when I go in to get her up from naptime, she looks at me with such love and joy (of course, that's after she stops crying and realizes I'm here to get her out of that crib).

These next few weeks are big weeks in the Walker family. Tomorrow, I get to meet my newest niece or nephew. I know Reese will seem so big after getting to hold this newborn baby. My baby blessing is Saturday, and I can't wait to just have some good quality time with some of my dearest friends. And on the 19th, I get to meet Marion, Reese's newest cousin. Wes and I are taking our first overnight trip without Reese for our anniversary, so we have been working on getting Reese to take a bottle better for Mopsy and Popsy's sake.

One thing I need to finish is Thank-You notes. I cannot believe I haven't gotten all of them written, and it stresses me out a bit to think I may have missed a gift, but it's been quite a busy past few months. A few more things on my to-do list are to continue working out in order to be back in my idea of swimsuit shape in a few months, begin a Bible study at Fellowship, and make good on my resolution to communicate more and better with friends.

I know I can't write a post without some pictures, so I'll include a few shots from last night for your enjoyment and to make this post a bit more colorful.

Top 10 in 2010

2010 has been a big year in our home. My friend Christin just blogged about her Top 10 in 2010, and I'm copying her idea. I'll list the big moments chronologically because it's way too hard to rank them. Geez, it's just tough narrowing the list down to ten. Wes suggested I only use three for baby related events, but I told him that wasn't possible seeing that we found out Reese was on her way only four days into the new year, and she's pretty much been the focus of 2010. You will notice, however, that I did include several non-baby moments so that our lives don't appear to be so completely encompassed by the birth of our daughter. Ha. That means that I had to take out Reese's first time to church, her first holiday, and a few other baby moments in order for us to look like we have a life outside of Reese. And indeed we do; it's just that when I think of the best moments of the year--preparing for, the arrival of, and loving on Reese just take the cake. She outshines the other things that happened this year in our lives. So I guess if I had to rank the moments, Reese's arrival would be at the top. Regardless, enjoy the list...

(Beware: A lot of pictures are to follow.)

**Well, this one is actually the last picture taken of 2009, so it didn't make the list. I just think it's a neat addition to the post. Wes and I went to Copeland's on New Year's Eve and enjoyed discussing the decade we had been together. We talked about the big highlights of each year and tried to predict what the future would hold. Hehe. So fun.

1. We are having a baby!! (January 4) The extra week of Christmas break due to the snow storm was also known as the greatest week of all because I found out I was pregnant on Monday morning and was able to have an entire seven days to get out my excitement via googling baby stuff instead of being tempted to tell my co-workers at school. Really, this was a great moment. I couldn't believe God had really given us this blessing of expecting a child.
(the beautiful snow from our front window)
(my first prego week-by-week shot...week 4 I think)
(our first glimpse of B-Dub)
(announcing the news to family...yes, they look happy here, but just wait to see their faces on September 18th.)

2. The Kitchen Makeover (March). After enjoying the brick red walls and dark brown cabinets for 2 1/2 years, I was ready for a major change. Green walls and cream antique stained cabinets have completely opened up our kitchen and made it so much brighter. Since then, we have added hardware that completes the look so well.

3. It's a girl! (April 20) I really had convinced myself we were having a boy simply because I have an older brother, and I just assumed that's the order our children would be. However, when we found out we were having a girl, we couldn't have been more excited. My mom brought up the first of MANY loots of girl stuff the next day before we left for a Dallas wedding.

4. Four Weddings and Four Babies!! (April through September) Two of my best college girlfriends were pregnant alongside me this year (Lauren with twin boys and Brooke with a little girl), and we got to support another bestie Beth at her wedding in April. I also had the major honor of being a bridesmaid for three best friends from my childhood. It was such a special year of celebrating babies and marriages of such incredible friends.

(Lauren with Hudson and Thomas in there, me with Reese, and Brooke with Stella) **And a few of my dearest friends here in NWA had babies this year, too. I don't know where I would be without their friendship and encouragement.
(Beth's wedding in Dallas)
(MP's wedding at Greene Chapel)
(Liz's reception at Hendrix)
(before Brittany's wedding at Greene Chapel)

5. Fabulous high schoolers. (All year) Well, now they are in high school. Last year, they were eighth graders, and not only did I teach 110 of them English, but I coached 12 in cheerleading, and I led (and still lead) a load of them in a Bible study. They easily make the list because they brought so much joy to my life and made my job so incredibly fulfilling. I am very thankful that I still get to see so many of these special guys and girls often at cell group events and around town now that they are driving. Yikes.
(Mrs. Walker's homeroom)
(Two of my incredible girls, Maris and Chelsi. These two, along with several others, were some of my cheerleaders and are now some of my favorite people on earth. We get to meet almost weekly and talk about what God's doing in our lives and make each other laugh A LOT.)

6. VACATION!! (June 27-July 3) And this will be the last one with just the two of us for a while. We thoroughly soaked up every moment of relaxing together and exploring the Naples area for a week thanks to the wonderful family of one of my students.
(Well, I guess it wasn't just the two of us, but Reese was very easy to take along on this trip.)
(Captiva Island)

7. Generosity of others. (July) Woah. Wes, Reese, and I were showered beyond belief. I don't think Wes and I have had to buy one thing for Reese using our own money until this month. Thank you so very much for the extreme generosity given to us this year. I know I can't ever thank everyone enough. And I need to give a shout-out to the generosity showered on us during our stay in the hospital. It brings tears to my eyes to think about the love, prayers, visits, and food we survived on for those 12 days.
(Some of the aftermath of the Conway shower)

8. Reese's Birthday! (September 18) I don't think I need to say much here, and I know several of these pictures have already been posted, but they are worth the extra exposure. The pride and love I saw on these people's faces after learning that Reese had been born make me so happy.
(That's one proud new daddy.)
(And four extremely joyful grandparents.)
(Definition of happiness.)
(A moment I will always remember. Reese had been taken back to the ICN for oxygen treatment, so my parents came in to see me for the first time. What a reunion.)

9. Taking Reese home from the hospital!! (September 30) I remember sitting in our room waiting for the nurse to bring Reese to us so that we could take her home like it was yesterday. I was going to be able to hold Reese for the first time without any cords or wires, and I could hold her any way I wanted. I fed her, got her dressed, and then I just stared for a long time.
(She was staring at us, too.)
(Home. Sweet. Home.)

10. The Holidays. (December) You just read all about our Christmas in Conway in my last post, so I'll stop here.

(These five older cousins adore her, and it was so fun to celebrate Christmas and the holiday season with them.)
(Our little family.)

**Tonight, New Year's Eve 2010, Wes is taking me out to Bonefish Grill for another wonderful dinner date. It will look a little different than last year's date as we will have a 3-month-old in a car seat next to us, but it's guaranteed that a good time is to be had with lots of really great conversation on this big year that's coming to an end.

A Very Merry Christmas

Wes, Reese, and I just got home from a wonderful week in Conway celebrating Christmas. We headed out as soon as Wes got off work last Wednesday, and we made it back by 10:30 this morning to pick up Emmett and enjoy one last day at home before Wes hits the real world again tomorrow. I knew this holiday would be special with Reese, but boy, it was simply beautiful. To see her smile and to see so many others smile because of her makes me so happy.

Here's a rundown of the week's events because it's so much easier to list today:

Wednesday: took Reese to the Promenade to visit Santa in between packing up for the week--ate a late home-cooked dinner when we got in that night

Thursday: enjoyed visits from Christin, Brittany, and Shaleah during the day--laughed and shared lots of stories with the Vammen family when they brought down homemade pizza for dinner

Friday: made a few last-minute shopping trips--took a trek to LR to deliver some Christmas gifts--enjoyed the most amazing shower before church (I love getting to take as long as I want in the shower when family is around to keep Reese company)-- went to the Christmas Eve service at FUMC (Reese slept the entire time)--ate a fabulous dinner with the family--got in our Christmas pajamas--watched part of A Christmas Carol--read THE Christmas story with Reese in bed

Saturday: checked out what Santa brought in our stockings--took lots of pictures of Reese on her first Christmas morning--exchanged gifts with Wes (he did amazing as always)--"air lifted" Patsy up the stairs into the house--dined on mom's incredible Christmas brunch--exchanged gifts with the family--sang carols around the piano--drove across town to Gran and O'Pa's house for the night--opened more gifts--ate Dixie Pig barbeque sandwiches

Sunday: went to church with O'Pa--napped with Reese AGAIN--drove back across town to my parents--celebrated Big Creek at the Smith's

Monday: watched Wes try to cram everything into the car (mom will be taking a trip up here to bring what we couldn't fit)--enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at 7 am--got on the road and made it back home in 2 1/2 hours.

*Of course I'm leaving out lots of snacking on mom's fudge, good conversation, staring at Reese for hours on end, listening to her "goo" and watching her smile over and over again.

*I had to pick from the 100+ pictures taken. If only it didn't take so long to upload pictures on here, I would post way more images of this holiday. You readers are probably glad this is the case. I did, however, try to pick pictures that represent most of our holiday happenings.

The first visit to see Santa.

Sitting on Uncle Allen's lap...and everyone staring at her cuteness.

The Frost-Vammen pizza dinner.

The kids before heading to the Christmas Eve service at church.

Mopsy and Popsy loving on Reese during her first Christmas morning. These two are absolutely head over heels for this girl and take every opportunity to love on, play with, and hold sweet Reese.

Santa filled her stocking.

Our Christmas pajamas.

Accordion entertainment at the end of exchanging gifts.

Reese's custom family tree...a surprise gift from Wes.

Reading from the Mother Goose book given to Reese by Uncle Al.

At Gran and O'Pa's Sunday morning. Sad I didn't get a good pic of Reese with her fabulous Gran and O'Pa.

Big Creek Christmas.

Really?

Have these last two days really been this busy after just mentioning how laid back our December was/is? Regardless of the craziness of the last couple of days, I wouldn't trade one minute of them. They have been incredible.

Monday: Clean house, bake symphony brownies, make meaty cheese dip, get ready for a home full of some of my best friends and our babies, meet Thomas and Hudson, and simply enjoy a full house of people I love so much.

Reese sandwiched by two studs, Thomas and Hudson who were born just 8 days before her. I was soooo ready to meet these guys, and I'm amazed by their wonder woman mom, Lauren. :)

Can it get much cuter?

Add in Stella, and I think it can! Oh my goodness, I LOVE these kiddos.

We knew this get together would be funny.

Oh, I could post LOTS of pictures of these sweeties.

Tuesday: Shower before Reese wakes, Target run, Walker cousin Christmas lunch and gift exchange, another get together to spend time with the twins, a LONG trek home through TONS of traffic, pack for Conway!

Reese slept through the party, so instead of her being photographed, here's me reading the gift these sweet cousins gave her. They got her a book called My Very Own Name, and if you need a gift idea for a baby, this one is it. Google it. It spells out her name with different animals, and I CANNOT WAIT to read it to Reese. She will love it forever.

The rest of the gift exchange...lots of books, tutus, Littlest Pet Shop, Star Wars, coloring books, Barbie DVDs, and my favorite--Zoobles. :)