Update

It's been a while since I wrote about what's been happening around here. The past couple of months have been wonderful and we are enjoying the benefits of 4th year and having Dan around a little more. Not to mention, this winter has been the best winter we have ever experienced with very mild weather and many days in Jan. and Feb in the 70s and 80s.

In the past couple months we have gone to the zoo, played at the mall play area, taken a trip to Austin for 3 days, taken Max to the park at least a few times a week, and of course, eaten out every weekend.

Max is at such a fun and difficult age right now. He is a complete joy in our home. He is a little stinker though, and is starting to get more stubborn every day. He throws fits, whines, and cries with the best of them. But he's still my perfect angel!

Here are a few things he is up to- he throws everything into the bathroom tub. If something is missing, we look in the bathtub. I have found my phone, keys, pacis, spatulas, you name it, I have found it in our tub. He bounces his bum up and down to music like he is dancing. He will be having a complete melt down in his bed after he's woken up from his nap, but immediately after picking him up, he starts chatting away as if nothing was ever wrong. He still loves to push around his toy walker, and when I am vacuuming, he plays "bumper cars" with the vacuum and his walker. He loves it when we put his shoes and socks on, but hates to have his diaper changed and being dressed. He loves green beans and cottage cheese. Other than these two foods, it just depends on the day whether he will like what we feed him or not. One day he will love something, and the next day he can't stand it. His one true love is milk. He would drink milk all day if we let him.

Here are some pictures of a few of our latest outings.

Enjoying the warm weather at the park.

At the Dallas Zoo. The boys' faces look greasy because of the sunscreen.

Max was terrified of the giraffes who would stick their heads over their fence.

One of the many mall play areas. Hope where ever we move to has these play areas. Max loves them.

We are working on getting rid of the pacis during the day and just using them for naps and bedtime. I don't know who's more addicted to them at this point, Max or me. I'm just not ready to part with them, they make my fussy baby calm and quiet. But the time has come and we are making a real effort to not use them during the day. Wish us both luck.

Father and son

There's an undeniable bond between these two. Max seems somewhat unsettled when Dan is away for long periods of time. The love this little boy has for his father melts my heart. Max's eyes light up when Dan enters the room. When Dan comes home from school, we all have a mini party. Max adores Dan, and the feelings are mutual.

In Austin

At the Dallas Fort Worth zoo

Max giving me glares because he thinks I might try to take him away from Daddy.

Christmas morning

Max's first birthday

Pinching Daddy's nose at Cane Rosso

Dan has surpassed my wildest dreams of marrying a good man that would make a great father. I am in awe each and every day at how selfless and loving he is when it comes to Max. I love that we both share the same joy, excitement and obsession over our son.

An update

The past couple of months have been a whirlwind. Christmas came and went, and in true Walker fashion we enjoyed every last second.

Dan is in the trenches of interviewing for residencies right now. He's practically been gone for the past two months. We are living in limbo until match day on March 16th. Then we will find out what hospital program Dan will be working at and where we will be living for the next 4 years. We are anxious/excited to see where life is going to take us. It seems like just yesterday we were interviewing for medical school and deciding which school to choose. I have said this before, but we have loved living in Dallas. These past 4 years have been some of the best years of our lives. I have to admit that I am getting very sad to possibly be leaving Dallas in 4 months. I absolutely love it here.

Max is running around getting into everything. He still only has 4 bottom teeth and we are wondering when he will be getting more teeth in. He is the love of our lives!

Here are some pictures from Christmas in Utah.

max with his cousins watching Tangled.

my parents

sam (dan's brother) and max in matching sweaters.

lucy and i watching Tangled.

sam and max matching again. silly boys.

max helping dan pass out christmas presents.

get together with old high school friends.

my sweet grandparents.

Recent Family Pictures

Now that we have an adorable baby, we try and have family pictures taken at least once or twice a year. We took these at the end of November. We love how they turned out! One day we will be able to afford a really nice camera and take them ourselves, but for now I am grateful we have so many talented friends to shoot them for us.

About 85% of Dan's and I's conversations these days are about how cute we think our kid is. Here is the proof....

Thank you Lauren! Want more info about love lulu photography click here.

Visiting Santa (sorta)

Since Christmas is our favorite time of year, we try to get into the holiday spirit by participating in as many Christmas activities as we can together as a family. Last night, we took Max to see Santa Clause at the mall. Every mother dreams of their kid sitting on Santa's lap and getting that golden picture, it's a classic. $20 was the least expensive picture photo op with Santa... um... doesn't that seem a little much for 2 cheap looking 5x7 pictures!? We opted out and let Max play at the free kids play area in the mall instead. I am sure that was more fun for him anyway. Next week we are hitting up Bass Pro Shop which lets you sit on the jolly old man's lap for free and let's cheapos like me take all the pictures I want with my own camera.

Here are some pictures of Max from yesterday. He just gets cuter and cuter every day. It's next to impossible to get a good picture of Max because he is running around so much these days. He will not stand still for 2 seconds for me to snap a picture of him.

Do you see those adorable curls?

Max loves playing at the mall play area.

Max is turning one

My baby is growing up. It's the cold hard facts and tears have been shed as his one year birthday rapidly approaches. It's been hard for me to accept that Max is growing up and will all too soon be resisting my kisses, going to high school and leaving for college... I think every mother feels a little heart broken when their children grow older. I am no exception. At the same time, it is amazing to see his personality emerging more every day, and to have a glimpse into who he will become one day.

As I reflect on this past year, I realize how much our lives have changed. We have never been happier, and I can honestly say it has been the best year of my life. Hands down. Although I know I am far from the perfect mother, I have done my best to love my son with all that I have.

He is the beat of my heart and the breath in my lungs. I live for this boy.

Happy Birthday to my beautiful firstborn.

**these adorable pictures of Max eating his birthday cake were shot by my friend Lauren Byers. For more info click HERE

Halloween

Halloween this year was a complete success! We celebrated in Arizona with my sister and her kids. Even though Max is only eleven months old, he loved trick-or-treating. Like I've said before, one of the biggest perks of parenting are holidays.

Roasting mallows by the fire pit was one of the best parts of the night. Something about this yummy treat makes me feel nostalgic for my childhood.

Max and Eleri were trick-or-treating buddies. Although they didn't get any candy, the babies enjoyed the whole experience of knocking on the neighbors doors and seeing the other kids all dressed up.

Our family themed costumes were Harry Potter, Hermione, and Hedwig. Not the most original idea, but we were able to borrow the costumes, and free is always good when you're poor.

Max was Hedwig the white owl from Harry Potter. I threw together this costume, and it ended up turning out okay.

It was a good weekend of festivities and we can't wait for next year when Max will possily "get it" a little more.