To the Moon and Back

There is a children's book called Guess How Much I Love You?  Papa gave Autumn this book before she was born.  At the end of the book the Big Nut Brown Hare tells the Little Nut Brown Hare (who is already alseep) that he loves him "to the moon and back".

For nearly every holiday in Autumn's first year Papa gave her a Build a Bear toy with a recording of him saying "Happy fill in the blank holiday Autumn.  Papa loves you to the moon and back."  Papa also tells Autumn that he loves her "to the moon and back" nearly every time he sees her.

Here is the Easter Build a Bear from Papa

At first the build a bears just took up space in the toy box or in Autumn's room, but as she got old enough to understand that if you pressed their hand they talked she liked taking them out and playing with them. 

About a week ago we discovered that Autumn thinks that only Papa can love her "to the moon and back" or vice versa.  Here is a little video illustrating this.

I just thought this video was too adorable not to share.  We're working on reversing the damage the Build a Bear brain washing experiment has created.  As of right now Autumn knows that she loves Mommy and sometimes Dada, but just not "to the moon and back."  She only loves Papa "to the moon and back."

Scarf Swap

This year I participated in the 4th Annual Scarf Swap hosted by Meredith over at The Tichenor Family.  I've never done anything like this before, but I love scarves and it sounded like fun. 

I was paired with Kerbi Hardwick from So Are You to Me.  Kerbi is a 4th grade teacher in San Antonio and she was at ACU around the same time I was.  We exchanged addresses and info on what we like/don't like in a scarf.  Since we both live in south/central Texas we both wanted lightweight scarves.  Thick chunky scarves get very little use around here.  I also made sure to mention that bright pink scarves are a faux paux for me since they clash with my hair.

I searched all over the web for a great scarf for Kerbi.  I found a bunch I love on Etsy, but I really wanted to be able to see/feel it before I bought it.  I didn't want one that was too thick or too silky.  So, after searching all over, I wound up at my usual scarf store - Target (pronounced with a French accent - Tar-jay).  I have bought several beautiful scarves at Target over the last year or so.  I found a beautiful fall floral scarf by Mossimo Supply Co.  Below is a picture.  I couldn't find it on Target's web site and it's been a while since I mailed it so I am 99% sure this is the one I bought her. :-)

I received this beautiful printed scarf in the mail from Old Navy (another great scarf store).  Kerbi did a fantastic job picking out a scarf for me.

I love the colors and the tassels.  It is also a nice sheer lightweight scarf.  Perfect to wear now as the weather is just starting to cool off a little bit. 

I've been holding off on doing this blog post because I wanted to get a cute picture of me in my new scarf (one not taken by me while looking into a mirror), but that is unlikely to happen anytime soon.  I was all ready to take a picture yesterday morning when I realized that my camera was at Luke and Aislynn's house.  I finally gave up.  I do have one picture of me in the scarf from our Grandparents Day dinner a while back.  The pic is not great, but oh well.



I really enjoyed being a part of the Scarf Swap this year and am already looking forward to doing it again next year.  Thanks Kerbi and Meredith!

Singles Link Up

So, I happened to meander over to Kelly's Korner today and found out there were doing a Singles Link Up.  I quickly e-mailed my hubby’s best friend to see if he wanted me to link him up.  No response, so I decided to link him up anyways.

For those of you from Kelly’s Korner, or any other single ladies out there, here is a little bit about my good friend Matt.



Andrew on left, Matt on right at our New Year's Eve Party ringing in 2011. 
Note that Matt now has some hair.



Matt will be 30 next month.  He is a West Texas boy, born and raised in Abilene.  Like Andrew and I, Matt attended ACU.  He and Andrew met when they pledged Frater Sodalis together in the fall of 2002.  They quickly became great friends and even roomed together for a semester before Andrew and I got married.  Unfortunately Matt and I cleaned up after Andrew in college and Andrew never learned how to clean up after himself.  Matt on the other hand likes to have a clean house, car, etc.  Ladies - he knows how to wash dishes and laundry!  We have a lot of great memories of Matt from college, most of which involve eating lots of good food.   



Matt at our Thanksgiving celebration last year.



Matt graduated from ACU with a degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry and he currently works in College Station, TX.  He is a HUGE Longhorn fan, despite living in Aggieland.  He is hoping to relocate to Houston someday, since 1. We live there and 2. There is a much better job market in H-town.

Matt is “Uncle Matt” to our sweet little Autumn.  He is great with her and insists that she needs to stop growing as she is getting way too big each time he sees her.

Autumn loves Uncle Matt, despite her expression in this picture.

 Matt starting participating in triathlons and races over the last couple of years and he recently kicked Andrew’s butt at the Bridgeland Tri in August. 



Andrew, Marc (also single) and Matt after the Bridgeland Tri last month.

Matt also recently started dancing.  He enjoys country (two step, polka, waltz), ballroom (fox trot, waltz, quickstep, and east coast swing), and latin dancing (cha cha and rhumba).

Matt is probably my guy best friend and he is one of the sweetest and most sincere people I know.  I would love to see him happily settled down with a nice girl.  Please e-mail me at amandac.walker@gmail.com if you would like to know more about Matt or would like his contact information. 

Official Twin Stats

So, here are the official Walker Twin stats:

Lilah Brie Walker (aka Walker "A") was born at 10:33am, Wednesday, September 19, 2012.  She weighed in at 6 lbs 5 oz. and was 19" long.

Liliana Marysol Walker (aka Walker "B") was born at 10:35am, Wednesday, September 19, 2012.  She weighed in at 6 lbs 4 oz. and was 20 1/4" long.

Here are a few more pics of the girls with their Daddy from today on my lunch break.




Naptime with Daddy.  Lilah in Pink, Liliana in Purple.



Under the hats they both have dark hair,
but Lilah's appears to have a reddish tint to it.



I seriously can't wait to hold these little girls!

First Time Aunt & Uncle

Andrew's brother Luke and his wfe, Aislynn, had twin girls yesterday morning. 

Introducing Lilah Brie and Liliana Marysol Walker:


Proud Uncle Andrew holding both girls.

 

Uncle Andrew with Liliana (I think).

 

Lilah Brie.



Liliana Marysol.

 

Liliana.

I don't have exact stats on the girls yet, but I think they were 6 lbs 4 oz and 6 lbs 5 oz at birth.  Not sure which one was which though.

Unfortunately I couldn't hold or touch the girls, since I have a cold (and an ear infection - ouch!).  I am hoping to feel better soon, so I can get in some mask-free cuddle time with these little cuties.

Busy Weekend

We had a very fun and very busy weekend this past weekend.

It started with dinner at Olive Garden on Friday night with Grandma Joy, Nana and Pops to celebrate a belated Grandparents Day.  Grandma Joy brought Autumn a surprise - a water coloring book.  Autumn didn't 100% understand it, but it sure kept her occupied while we waited for the food and after we finished eating.  Autumn also tried her first pumpkin cheesecake (one of my all time favorite desserts) and I am happy to say she loved it.



I am so amazed by how big Autumn looks in these pictures.



With Nana and Pops.




With Grandma Joy.




Showing off our matching rain boots. 
Autumn made me wear mine since she was wearing hers.


On Saturday morning Autumn, my Mom and I headed to the zoo.  The weather is so much nicer than it has been the past few months, but it was still a little warm.  Autumn got to see giraffes, monkeys, lions and a tiger.  She rode the carousel, but sat on the bench with Mommy and Grandma because she wouldn't go on any of the carousel animals.  I don't know if she was afraid of them or if there were too many options.  She rode a carousel at Katy Mills last weekend, so I'm not sure what she didn't like about this one.  After the carousel ride we had lunch with Kasey, my brother's girlfriend, who happens to work at the zoo.  While Kasey, Autumn and I were waiting on my Mom to pick us up at the zoo entrance Autumn was fussing over not being able to go to the wet zone area.  I didn't even know there was one at the zoo, so I didn't bring her swim suit.  Autumn kept repeating "suit,suit".  Finally she grabbed my face gently by both cheeks and said slowly "suit."  So cute!  She just didn't understand when I told her that we didn't bring our swim suits; she just thought I didn't understand her.  Her way of emphasizing something when she wants it is so adorable.  She did this to Dada the other day with "cheese" and he finally gave in and gave her some.  After lunch with Kasey we headed home for a good long nap.  While Autumn napped I baked 2 Quiche Lorraines and 3 Apple Pies to take over to some families that just had babies.



Riding the carousel at the zoo with Grandma.

Attempting a smile.

Saturday evening Andrew, Autumn and I headed up to the Sugar Land Town Square for dinner and a movie.  Once or twice a month they show movies outside in front of City Hall.  They are usually kid friendly movies and the one this weekend was The Lorax.  We had just read Autumn the Lorax the night before.  She did really well during the movie.  She sat in Dada's lap most of the movie, but got a little restless at a couple points.  She had her own princess chair and I brought us a picnic blanket too.  The movie was supposed to start at 8:30, but it didn't start until around 9pm, so we didn't get home until after 10:30 or so.  Autumn was exhausted, but she seemed to have had a good time.

On Sunday we attended church (late as usual) and then First Family brunch at the Hinson's.  It was a yummy meal and a nice time with friends.  After a long afternoon nap for Autumn and some house cleaning for Mommy we headed to our friend Sarah's birthday party.  Autumn loves going to Miss Sarah and Mr. Rob's house because she gets to play with Lilly and Ryan.  She had a blast playing with the other kids and on the outdoor play set.  We were going to take Autumn over to my parents house while we went out to a fancy dinner with Andrew's Mom and Grandparents, but we decided to leave Autumn at the birthday party with Papa and the other kids. 

Andrew and I headed to Churrasco's for a 59th Wedding Anniversary dinner for Andrew's grandparents.  We enjoyed a nice and relaxing meal with amazing desserts.



59 Years!


 

Grandma took one sip of the champagne and made the most awful face. 
I wish I would have gotten a picture of it.
I assured her I would drink it for her if she didn't want to.

Papa dropped off Autumn shortly after we arrived home from dinner.  She had already had a bath with the other kiddos and borrowed some of Lilly's PJ's.  Despite physically being ready for bed she was completely wound up from all of the fun.  She was also mad that my Nook's battery was not charged so we couldn't read a night time book on it.  After a little fussing she finally went down around 9:30PM. 

Two late nights in a row and a very busy weekend for our little princess, but she was still happy as usual this morning when Dada woke her up.  This morning she also surprised me by deciding she needed to use the potty and then actually using it right away (no sitting and reading or waiting).  She did the potty dance and got a new sticker on her potty chart.  She is getting closer to being potty trained.  I think my end of the year goal/end of maternity leave goal might just be attainable.

23 Months

I can't believe Autumn is almost 2 years old!  Time has flown by.  In the last month we have seen Autumn develop so much.  She is talking so much more and repeating so many things we say.  She has such an amazing personality, so easy going and happy.  She rarely cries and is usually easily calmed down when she does.  She whines some when she doesn't get her way, but she seems to understand when we explain things to her.  You can really start to reason with her now, which makes things easier.  Here are a few updates on her stats and development:

Weight - Still around 24 or 25 lbs

Height - No idea, but she is getting tall.  We'll know her height at her 2 year appointment next month.

Clothes Size - She still wears mostly 18-24 month clothes.  For the fall/winter I am buying 2T's for pants, 18-24 months for dresses and skirts and tops.  She has some Janie & Jack clothes that are a 12-18 that still swallow her up.

Diaper Size - Size 4 Nighttime Diapers and Size 2T/3T Pull Ups

Potty Training - She is still doing great with this.  She won't tell us when she needs to go yet (at least not consistently), but she has gone both pee pee and poo poo in her potty multiple times.  She is really paying attention to her potty training books and starting to ask questions.  The other day she pointed to Abby in her book and said "pee pee?"  Yes, Abby had a squeamish look on her face that screamed she needed a potty break.  Autumn then proceeded to go get her Abby doll and make me hold her over the potty to go "pee pee."  Potty training is starting to get harder on me because 1. it is hard for me to be consistent when I'm not with her all of the time and 2. I sit down on the bathroom floor while she goes and then I have a hard time getting back up.

Talking - Autumn says a new word almost every day.  Last night we had dinner at Tio and Tia's house.  We have always called Luke "Tio" to Autumn, but apparently she has been paying attention to us more than we realized because last night as we started eating dinner she said "Luke."  Aislynn, Luke and I all looked at each other like "did she really just say that?"  We then asked Autumn who Luke was pointing to him and she said "Luke."  We had fun with her new word for the rest of the night.  It was way too cute to correct her and make her call him "Tio."  It did make Aislynn realize that she will have to call Luke "Daddy" a lot once her girls get here, so they don't call him "Luke" too.

Running - Autumn has started running, not walking.  She is fast too!  I have to hold her hand and keep my eyes on her at ALL times.  I have had her dart for the street twice this past week.  The first time she made it all the way to the curb before I got to her.  Very scary.  Her little run is adorable though.  Daddy swears that she has better running form than me (of course the implication is that I have horrible running form).

Play - Autumn loves to play all the time.  She is even saying "play" a lot now too.  She plays with her baby doll, the broom, her Ariel (brushing her hair), her baby stroller, her highchair, etc.  She loves play time.  I love watching her play too.  She is so observant and creative.  I love watching her to see what she comes up with.

Autumn, sweet girl, you are such a blessing to Mommy and Daddy.  We love you very much and are savoring each day with you as you continue to grow.

Here is a video showcasing Autumn's cute little personality:

Revisiting Life Lesson #2

A while back I started writing life lessons from my first 30 years.  I doubt I will finish these before the big 3-0, but I wanted to take a minute to revisit #2.

One of the blogs I follow, Hands Free Mama, had an amazing post yesterday about a friend who lost her battle to Melanoma.  Melanoma is a very serious disease that is also very preventable.  See my post on Life Lesson #2 for more on prevention.

Next weekend, on September 22nd Autumn, Dada and I will be walking a 5K with AIM for a Cure.  This organization seeks to raise funds for Melanoma Research and Awareness about the disease.  Autumn decided to participate in this walk because her Great Pops was diagnosed with Melanoma several months ago and is currently undergoing treatment.  Please keep Pops in your prayers as the treatment never seems to end.  He has a great attitude and a lot of family to provide their support.

Please remember to wear sunscreen and more importantly to make your kiddos wear it.

Also please watch this video if you have time and donate to Autumn's fundraising efforts if you feel led to do so.

Grandparents Day 2012

Last year I started the tradition of trying to take Autumn's grandparents out for Grandparents Day.  Yes, I realize that this is only a "Hallmark" holiday, but I still like the idea of taking some time to recognize Autumn's grandparents.

This year we took out my parents (Grandma & Grandpa Clarke), my grandparents (Grandma T and PapPap) and Andrew's Dad and his girlfriend (Papa and Bobbi).  We had a nice dinner outside at Escalante's followed by pictures and then frozen yogurt with Papa and Bobbi (the Clarke/Worsham family had to head home).  After dessert Autumn and Daddy played in the fountain and on the City Hall stairs for a while before we headed home to bed.

This Friday we will celebrate a belated Grandparents Day with Andrew's Mom (Grandma Joy) and his grandparents (Nana and Pops).

We are so blessed to have so much family not only still living, but living so close by so we can visit frequently.

Here are a few pictures from Sunday night's fun.



Autumn with Grandma & Grandpa Clarke.

 

Autumn with Grandma & Grandpa Clarke
and Grandma T and PapPap.



Autumn with Grandma T and PapPap.



Autumn enjoying her first gummy worm. 
She kept asking for more.





Autumn "hanging out" with Papa and Bobbi.

 

Look at that smile on her face!

 

Playing in the water with Dada.





Climbing the City Hall stairs.

 

Running away from Dada. 
This girl can really RUN these days. 
You CANNOT take your eyes off of her or she will be gone.



On another note, I updated our "About Me" tab to be "About Us".  I thought this was more appropriate for our blog.