The Baby Story: Part 2~

Our baby is here!!

Walker was born on Tuesday, October 25 at 957 am.

8lbs 13oz; 22 1/2 inches.

Walker's birth story is actually very similar to Charlie's.....only 10 times faster!

I woke up Tuesday morning around 330am with a Braxton Hicks contraction.

I couldn't go back to sleep. Couldn't get comfortable. So, I went downstairs and watched tv until I felt tired again.

I woke up at 530am with a seriously painful, REAL contraction. With Charlie, the contractions came about 30minutes - 1 hour apart at first. With Walker, they were 10 minutes apart right off the bat.

I waited for about 30 minutes and then decided that I had to wake up Noel and call the doctor. I called the doctor and he said that I should make an appointment for early that morning to check things out. I told him that I really thought this baby was coming, so he "okayed" me to go in to the hospital.

My brother-in-law, Curtis, came over to stay with Charlie, and Noel and I headed off to the hospital around 630am.

We got to the hospital around 7am, barely had time to get an epidural, put the pushing on hold for 5 minutes so my mom could make it to the hospital, and Walker arrived at 957am.

Beautiful, baby boy Walker. We love you so much.

Here is an OVERLOAD of pictures in complete random order.

Auntie Sari

Jillian

Mary Beth

Amber

Amanda

Lamb Swing

Granny Anderson

Nana

Uncle Jimmy

Mimi

Auntie Jessie

Big brother

Blue Steel

Big brother kisses

Pops

Grandpa

Catie

Thanks so everyone for all your support and love.~

The Nastiest Place on Earth~

The Fair.

That's right. I said it.

I hate the fair with everything in me.

It's a nasty place that gives people a weird excuse to eat a ridiculous amount of fried food. Fried butter?? Fried snickers?? Gross.

I said that my son would never go there.

I guess I should never say never, because somehow I let my dad and Noel take Charlie to the fair. (Check out all those stickers on his coat)

And what's worse is that Charlie really liked it.

He loved the animals.

And the chocolate covered peanuts.

He was kinda nervous about the horse ride at first, but ended up loving it.

Noel and I took Charlie to a corn maze/hayride this weekend as well.

It was a BEAUTIFUL day.

Charlie loved every second of it.

Look at that sweet face!!!!

And here's a video of Charlie bowling.

A wonderful weekend. Maybe next weekend we'll have a new addition to our family?~

Leg Stretch~

After working out, I always do this leg stretch.

In a Dance Teacher Magazine article, found here, they suggest a safer, more effective option.

(Pic is kinda small)

I can't quite get my pregnant body to do that right now, but I had my students do it last week, and they said it REALLY worked.

Try it out next time you stretch!~

More Cuteness~

Mr. Charlie all dressed up and cute as can be!!!!

Done with posing. Ready to dance!!

Look what came in the mail today!! Double stroller time.~

The Candy Corn Debate~

I spoke about candy corn yesterday.

And about how Noel doesn't like it.

I understand that everyone has their own tastes....but candy corn??!?! It's one of those candies that I thought no one really loved or hated. You just ate it because it was there and part of Halloween. Guess not.

A writer for Etsy wrote an article about this very subject.

She talks about favorite and least favorite Halloween candies.

My favorites are obviously the miniature chocolates: Hersheys, Snickers, Tootsie roll POPS (mmm)

Noel will skip right over the chocolates and go for Skittles and SweetTarts. People who choose these candies over chocolate confuse me.

I remember all the "good" houses to go to in my neighborhood. My friend, Meredith's, grandma always made popcorn balls. Yummy!! I love baked goods for Halloween treats, but you can only eat those from friends' houses. You never know about crazy people these days.

Noel knew the exact houses that gave out WHOLE candy bars each year.

We give out pretty good candy every year. None of those bottle cap, circus peanuts, Mary Jane nastiness.

What are you favorites and least favorites??~

Discoveries~

The days and weeks are FLYING by!

I can't believe my baby is due next week.

We had a beautiful weekend and enjoyed celebrating with my good friend, Kristin, as she got married. It was a wonderful, gorgeous ceremony and reception.....and I took absolutely NO pictures. Slacker. Kristin looked stunning and perfect, and I'm so happy for her and her hubby!!

I also made some discoveries this past weekend.

*I haven't been sleeping for the past 2 weeks. As in, I am up ALL night long because baby is so large and in charge and doesn't want me to sleep. I have been using a body pillow, but found that if I put a pillow behind my back as well I can actually sleep for about 4 hours before I wake up. Yay! Big deal for me.

*Charlie really likes bugs. So gross. We walked around the Raleigh Temple grounds yesterday afternoon and he picked up a worm. A real worm. And I had used my last Wet One earlier that day.

*My best friend, Erin, likes candy oranges. You know that candy that looks like orange slices that no one likes?? I've known her my entire life and never knew this. I have never met anyone that actually likes those.

*Noel doesn't like candy corn. What???? More on that subject tomorrow.

*Baby boy is comfortable right. where. he. is. It feels like he is doing laps around my belly.

*I really hate tacky Halloween decorations. I realized how much I hated these Halloween decorations as I watched my neighbors put up tombstones, spider webs, stuffed people with pumpkin heads, and flying things that look like Dementors all over their house yesterday. They need to stop. I'm sure they'll have orange lights up by tomorrow.

*I do, however, LOVE fall decorations. My porch is ready to go, and I love looking at all the fall wreaths, pumpkins, and mums around town.

Hope you all had a great weekend!~

Made Just For You.........~

Charlie and Walker have both had amazing things made for them lately.

I'm so excited about getting everything ready for baby boy and for all the holidays coming up.

I apologize for my lack of photography skills AND for always being lazy and snapping pictures with my iPod. My pictures do not do justice to any of these items!

Kate, at Belle's Beauz, monogrammed Charlie's Halloween treat bag!! I hope I can go trick or treating with him this year!

Aaron, at The Thrifty Abode, made Charlie this print. "You are my greatest adventure". Beautiful, right??!

Jennie, from Jennie from the Blocks, made Walker this incredible board for his room.

Lindsay, from Curtsay Designs, made this beautiful car seat cover for Walker. Love the colors!!

I'm grateful to be surrounded by great talent!!! Check out all their shops for even more amazing things!~

Dance Moms~

Dance Moms is the most. ridiculous. show of all time.

It's insane. As in, I watched it for the first time last night and was furious the ENTIRE time, but watched every minute of it.

THIS lady,

Abby Lee Miller, is out of her mind.

She's the owner of the studio and is probably the meanest lady I have ever seen.

I'm confused about how she's so "successful" as a studio owner. She is downright evil to her students and their parents and weighs at least 500 pounds. ??????????? Being humongous AND mean spirited doesn't exactly equal a quality dance teacher.

THESE are the moms and their girls.

Again, they are crazy.

They are the stereotypical "stage moms" and it's so entertaining/so disturbing.

They allow their daughters to wear the teeniest outfits and are out-of-their-minds competitive.

I never experienced this growing up, so the whole intense, in-your-face mom thing is foreign to me.

As a mom, if you lay low and stay sane your daughter can still be an amazing dancer!!! Hello!!!

Here's a little taste of the madness. (Warning: Abby's voice is pretty much unbearable.)

Ridiculous, right?

I think the girls are pretty incredible as dancers, but I'm not sure how they would hold up in a ballet class.

Dance Moms has been renewed for a second season. Are you prepared for some more crazy?!?~

Adorable~

"You are so precious to me, cute as can be, baby of mine."

Adorable pictures of my sweet baby boy!~