Walker Update: Eighteen Months

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! My little boy is a year and a half years old! I cannot believe how fast time flies by. Walker has grown so much in the past three months. He is getting so big that I start to think about what is ahead of me but than just tell myself to live in the moment and spend as much time as I can with my little boy while I can.

Hide 'n' Seek | "Look what I can do!"
How we like to watch TV | feeding himself | Swimming with Grandma Schroeder

Stats:
weight: 23 lbs (10 - 25%)
height: 32 inches (50 - 75%): tall enough to go on Mater Junkyard at DCA but hasn't yet because whenever we try he won't stand up straight. In a couple months it will happen.

He is still cruising on the floor most of the time but getting more and more confident each day to stand up and see what he can do with the new view. He has learned new words and is starting to communicate to me what he wants or if he is frustrated. He loves to point out the birds and airplanes in the sky when he hears them. His new favorite thing to watch is movies, mostly Pinocchio and Toy Story. He still loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Little Einsteins as well as the old and new Mickey Mouse and Donald short cartoons, he thinks they are hilarious! He loves to play with his toys and to be outside doing anything. He loves making towers with his legos and than knocking them down while saying uh-oh. He loves to watch Casey and I play Mario Kart and even brings me the controller so I will play with and he plays along. He loves to climb onto anything he can get up on. He will even push a chair or step stole over to get up where he wants to get up on. He loves to play with his friends. He loves to spend time with his grandparents and swimming at their home. He loves when my parents to come visit.

One thing that we have noticed about Walker is that he is an observer. He doesn't mind just looking around and see whats going on. My mom and grandpa says that he is going to be an engineer because he thinks like one. He is a very smart kiddo. While at my grandpa's house he went up to his grandfather's clock, that is in the glass cabinet so you can see all the gears, and just watched the gears work and the pendulum go back and forth. He also loves to just look around when we go to Disneyland and "people watch" (which is very fun to do at Disneyland. You see many interesting people there).

He loves to play with his toys like a 'normal' kid but also loves to try and figure out how it works. For example, we got his a table that he plays with standing up (or kneeing down because he is so dang tall). There are this balls that you can put in the middle and they come out the legs. He has figured out that if you put the ball down the hole it will come out on of the legs but he wants to know more. So what does he do.. puts the ball up the leg to see what happens. And what happens.. the ball comes out another leg. It is so fun to just sit back sometimes and watch him figure something out. And once he does he is so proud of himself and sometimes looks over at me and claps with a big smile on his face.

Walker has taken about 20 steps on his own and improving each day. He has been a late bloomer in the walking category but has excelled is many other categories. He is very determined and just doesn't want to walk even though he can. It makes his doctor laugh to an extent that he isn't walking because he can and he has the strength to. We have tried everything we can think of to get him to realized that he can go much faster if he walks but he is perfectly fine crawling along. He will just one day get up and take off. He sure is a mover. He loves to move from one place to another all day long, so in the meanwhile I will just enjoy my little boy and have him move at his own pace.

Walker loves to eat sweets and knows who to go to when he wants some. And that is Grandma, but isn't that what Grandmas do. He will turn away from veggies and other foods that he just doesn't like but if Grandma offer a popsicle or ice cream or anything of that kind he won't even hesitate and take a bite. We have tried to even trick him of switching from a sweet and a "healthy" snack and he will still turn away once  he see it but not from the sweets. I think we have a sweet tooth junky on our hands.

Mr. Independent has now entered the room. Walker loves to do things by himself. He will ask for help when he needs it in his own little way. He has became more independent when we moved into our own apartment at the beginning of August. He likes to do things on his own and I am not stopping him. Independence is very good. He even tries to turn on the TV when he wants to watch one of his shows or movies by himself but hasn't figured it out so brings the controller or my phone over to me so I can switch it or turn it on. If he needs help he will bring whatever he needs help with over to where I am and says in his own language "help me mommy. I can't figure it out".

♥ The Schroeder

Christmas Time!

Its the time again. Christmas is here. (well was here but I am pretending I did this earlier..hehe)

It is Walker's first Christmas and we wanted it to be special but this Christmas was a much different Christmas than I have even experienced. It isn't because it was my first Christmas as a mom but it is because what happened this season.

Casey and I made a deal that we would go to Palm Springs with my parents to celebrate Christmas and Thanksgiving with them earlier that month so he wouldn't have to take off work on Christmas. I had mixed emotions about it. I knew we needed the money but also I wanted to spend the day as a family and wanted to go see my parents for the holidays. So we that is what we did. I wrote about out holiday adventures in Palm Springs in an earlier post. Once we got Casey schedule I was sad because he had to work from 10 in the morning to 6 at night on Christmas, but I remembered out deal so it was okay.

The week before Christmas Walker started to have a stuffy nose. I thought it was him teething, which it was partly because he was getting his two front teeth just in time for Christmas. Then Christmas Eve came and he had a terrible cough. I decided to take him into the doctors that day before it got worse and also I didn't really want to spend Christmas Day without Casey and in the ER because of Walker's cough. It was so sad to see little Walker sick. The doctor told me that he had a cold, which is going around, and also an ear infection. No fun to be sick on your first Christmas!

Christmas Eve Casey had to work as well but it was raining so he was able to get off early so we could spend time together as a family during the day. That night we had some family over for dinner and played games with them. It was fun seeing Walker try to play with older kids. He tries so hard to keep up but he just can't because he is only 9 months old. Once everyone left we gave Walker a bath and help with his congestion then got into our Christmas Eve Pjams. We then watched 'The Nightmare Before Christmas.' Walker and I both crashed 10 minutes into the movie.

Before we knew it, it was Christmas Morning! Walker must have known that it was Christmas because he woke up much earlier that he usually does.. 3 o'clock is early to be awake to open presents. Now I understand why my parents told me that we were not able to open present until at least 5 o'clock to give time for Santa to get the presents out. We waited for about 6 o'clock to get up and get everyone else up to open presents since Casey had to go to work at 10.

Of course Santa came, why wouldn't he?! Walker was all excited about all his present once they were open. He enjoyed opening one but then didn't really care about opening the rest. We might have spoiled Walker a little too much. He had to most presents under the tree. But I have to say that Casey and I did pretty well too. It is much different once there is a little baby in the house around Christmas time. I didn't mind not getting so much because I just wanted to get stuff for my little boy.

Once all the presents were open we had breakfast as a family. Robin made Bread Pudding. I never had it that I remember. After breakfast we had time to play with Walker and his presents before Casey had to go to work. Once Casey left for work Walker and I took a nap since both of us were sick. It was a much needed nap. We both slept for a good 3 hours. Once we woke up we watch the Disneyland Christmas Parade and played with his presents. Walker loved watching the Christmas Parade and seeing all of the Disney Characters.

When Casey got home that night, we had a nice Christmas dinner with Ham, potatoes, rolls, and homemade stuffings that I made. After dinner and dessert we played a Christmas game that I found on Pinterest. You put a plate on your head and then draw a scene of the Christmas tree by the fireplace. As you can see above it was interesting to see how it turned out. After playing the game we read the Christmas Story from Luke. I love being able to end Christmas by remembering the true meaning of Christmas.

This Christmas season I have noticed that a lot of people talk about what they are getting or what they want. I have noticed that I have done the same at times. So I told my self that this year I wanted to be more giving and service others more. Giving and serving others makes you feel good and makes other peoples day. I hope you try thinking about giving and serving more than getting.

♥ The Schroeder

a daddy days

Since it was Casey's first father's day I wanted to make it special. 

I made a card for him from walker and got him a belt. In the morning the twins made breakfast in the morning. We had french toast with eggs. It was very good. We then just hanged out until church. After church we had dinner with the Todds. We grilled steak and had shrimp, corn and potato salad. After everyone left we watched the new sherlock homes. It was fun being able to celebrate father's day with family. 

some of my favorite pictures of Casey and Walker.

Casey is such a great dad. He loves Walker so much and you can tell. Whenever Walker starts to cry he makes sure that he is taken care of ASAP. He is such a sweet dad to him. I love seeing how much he loves Walker and how much he wants the best for him. I could not imagine someone better to be the father of my children. I love you Casey.

My daddy and I at my wedding. 

I also wanted to mention Happy Father's Day to my dad. He is such a great example. I love him so much. He has done so much for me in my life and still is doing so much for me. I could not express how grateful I am for everything he has done. He has been there for me thur happy times and sad times. I know that I am able to go to him with any question or any problem and he will be able to help out. He really has been such a great example. I couldn't ask for a better dad. I love you daddy!

♥ The Schroeder

The Story of Walker's Entrance.

So this is going to be a long post but we wanted to make sure we documented everything about the day that our first son was born so we can remember later in our life our experience and be able to share it with him once he gets older.

I am going to start a couple days before. The weekend before Walker was born my sister, Jessica came down to help me put myself into labor because I was just dying! I just wanted little Walker to be out of me and join Casey and I. So we walked everywhere, and when I say everywhere I really mean it. When we went to the stores I raced Tavis and Krya to the entrance. We took walks at night, walked up and down the stairs at our apartment complex, walked around temple square. You get the gist. We also tired eating spicy food, which didn't work because I am not a very spicy food person normally so my spicy limits are on the low side. Jessica also gave me hand and foot messages, which I enjoyed very much, and pressed on the pressure points that can put you into labor. Well sunday came around and nothing. I was having contractions a little but they weren't very big and very inconsistent. Since I wasn't going to be going into labor anytime soon, Jessica decided to go home.

Monday morning I woke up early in the morning with a headache and blurry vision. I didn't think much about it until later. I decided not to go to my class that morning because I didn't get much sleep and I felt kinda sick. I had a doctor appointment at 1 in the afternoon so I just did some things around the house that morning.

We went to the doctors and I told her about the headache and blurry vision that I was experiencing. She checked my blood pressure and it was higher than normal. She told us that what I was experiencing was signs of preeclampsia. She then told us that they are going to keep me there until I have our little baby. Casey texted my mom and his mom. I called my mom once the doctor left and told her as well and she got on the next plane to Salt Lake.

We went into the room where I was going to be delivering. They hooked me all up and gave me some Tylenol for my headache to see if it would go away from that. Having two monitors on my tummy and cords around me was not very comfortable. I think Walker didn't like it much either. He kept on kicking the monitor that measured my contractions. If I didn't adjust myself or more the monitor over a little it would push on the monitor until I did.

All hooked up and ready to meet Walker.

The nurse came in and checked to see what I was measuring at and how we are going to induce me. Getting measured isn't comfortable, do you know what.. nothing about giving birth is comfortable to be honest. So I was measuring at 1 plus and my cervix was ripened about 70 percent. So they put a little pill up there to ripen my cervix more and see where it goes from there.

The waiting game continues. While I was just laying in the bed waiting for contactions to start, Casey went home and got some movies that we could watch since it was going to take a while until I started to push. I told him I didn't really care what movies he brought but I did want to finish watching the new footloose movie that I got over the weekend. I was thinking he would bring some girly movies since I was going to be the one in pain and maybe that would keep my mind off of the pain that I was having, but was I wrong. He brought Footloose, Captain America, Kung Fu Panada 2, Hugo, Tron and Thor. I guess he was thinking its going to be a long night, I need to bring movies that are going to keep me up. I just laughed.

We then watched footloose while waiting to be check again. One time when our nurse came in to check up on me to see how I was doing she started to Footloose with us and then she noticed that she was in there for 10 mins just watching the movie. She was like oh I need to go before I get stucked into the movie even more. We just laughed.

My mom arrived at the hospital at 6:30pm. I started to feel my contractions then. The "contractions" that I was experiencing a couple weeks before were nothing compared to these. To me they were pretty intense but that is in my point a view. I don't like being in pain and I don't tolerate it very well. The nurse came in to check where I was at and I was measuring at a 3 with my cervix almost thinned out. She had the doctor come and double check. The doctor agreed with her. I then told them that I wanted to get my epidural (thank goodness I did it then).

Casey and I waiting to meet Walker. The time is getting closer.

I was thinking that I was going to have to be waiting for a while until the guy came in to give it to me. It was about 10 minutes later that he came into the room. I really don't like needles, so naturally I was nervous to get an epidural but I knew that I rather have a needle in my back than feeling the pain. When the doctor was putting the epidural in me I started to shake. My arms were shaking like crazy and I was trying to keep my back still as possible so he would be able to get the epidural in the right place so I won't feel any pain. He finally finished and I felt a lot better.

A couple minutes after he left, I started to feel pressure. The nurse told me if I felt a lot of pressure like I had to poop then let her know. I started to feel like I had to poop. I didn't want to poop in my bed so I told the nurse and she came into my room and checked me. It was a hour before when she checked me the first time and I was at a 3. She was surprised on how fast was going because when she checked me I was at a 7 plus and my cervix was totally thinned out. She had the doctor come in and check and see if she would want to break my water. The doctor came in and agreed and she then went out to call my doctor, Erin Clark, to see if she wanted her to break my water. My doctor said yes and they came in and broke it.

Now that was something. The epidural was working so I didn't feel much but I still could feel some, which is what I wanted. When my water broke the told me that little Walker pooped inside of me so when he comes out they are going to suck as much as they can out of his lungs so he doesn't swallow his poop. About 10 to 20 minutes after they broke my water they called my doctor to come so I can start pushing because I still felt a lot of pressure and felt like I had to push.

Erin came at about 10:50 and I started to push. I pushed for about 30 minutes. And wow. I heard people describe giving birth is kinda like taking a huge poo and that is exactly how I felt. I didn't feel much pain but I did feel pressure and lots of it. When he start to crown Erin asked me if I want to feel his head. So I put my finger down and felt the top of his head. Lets just say it was interesting.

Walker finally came at 11:23pm. It was amazing to be able to hold him for the first time. I started to cry because I was relieved and also because I am now a mother to the most precious little boy I could even ask for.

First family picture. 

Walker being cleaned and measured.

Walker being weighed. 7 lbs 8 oz.

Holding Walker for the first time was amazing. I couldn't believe it. He is just so perfect. Everything I could ask for. Casey agrees with me. I didn't want let him go. I still don't. I just want to hold him all day long but I know that I need to get other things done. But if I could I would just forget about school, and cleaning and just hold my little boy.

Walker and Mommy for the first time.

Daddy and Walker for the first time

We got to our room where we would be staying for the rest of the time at the hospital around 12:30. That night wasn't to bad. We were all very tired and wanted to sleep. Casey slept great on the pull out couch and I slept alright in my bed. I kept on waking up and making sure I wasn't dreaming and that I actually have a baby boy.

Walker's First Bath

The next day some of my friends from school came and Casey's grandparents came by and visited. It was great having people come and stop by. My mom was there as well. She just adored every minute she got with Walker. She told me that is weird to think that her baby has a baby now.

Casey's grandparents holding Walker. 

My mom holding Walker.

On wednesday we got discharged and were able to go home. That morning Casey went to watch Walker get circumcised. He said that he got a little light headed but he wanted to watch his little boy. Walker didn't cry to much during the whole thing. He still doesn't cry that much. He is just a sweet little guy.

All buckled in and ready to go home.

The first night at our apartment was a long one. I was hurting still so I was pretty tired. Casey was as well. Walker took his first really good pee since being circumcised which made me a little cracky. But we did good. My mom helped out so much with everything. She also helped us adjust from being a married couple to being parents.

The rest of the week has been eventful. Walker got an infection on his private so we went to an urgent care to get it checked out. He is doing much better now. I was having a lot of pain when I went to the bathroom so I called my doctor and we thought that I had a UTI. She gave me some medicine that would help but it didn't work. It was still painful when I went to the bathroom. Last night we decided to go to an urgent care to see what is going on. They are going to be doing a cultural test on my urine. The doctor thinks that the infection has gone up in my kidneys. So I am not being treated for a kidney infection. Hopefully we will know more once the cultural test comes back.

During this past week, we have seen Walker's personality. He seems to be a great mixture of both Casey and I in looks and personality. He does have his own little things that he does. Casey and I can't get enough of him. We are all adjusting and learning so much. I am feeling better physically except for having a kidney infection.

Last night was our first night having it being just us three. It went better than I expected. I have been worrying about being the best mother that I can be so much but I know that I will be the best mom that I can be.

Casey has been such a help and such a great daddy to Walker. You can really tell that he loves his son. He really does care for Walker and me. I am so appreciated for having such an amazing husband that cares for his family so much. I couldn't believe how much I loved him without even knowing him. I get to have a little boy for ever that will call me mom. I feel so lucky and blessed to have the opportunity to be Walker's mother.

♥ The Schroeder

oh what a day.

A saying I found on Pinterest. 

Being pregnant is great but sometimes I am so excited to be done with it. I have so many emotions where sometimes I just don't know what to do with them. I can't make my mind up or decided on anything. I feel like I am going to be getting every pregnancy symptom possible ((which probably isn't true but it sure feels like it)). I am sick of worrying about gaining weight. I know I need to since I lost so much during the first 3 to 4 months of my pregnancy, but I just can't wrap my head around the fact that I need to gain weight. It just is a fact thing for me to do. I really don't want to gain weight because I am scared out of my pants that I won't be able to lose it and then I will be "fat". I feel like I am never going to feel normal again. This is applying to being able to eat normally. To explain more, I pretty much couldn't eat when I was sick with morning sickness, then when I started to get an appetite I was scared to eat because I was scared that I would just throw it back up ((which is not fun and is a hard thing to overcome when that is it you did for months)). Then I got sick with a bad cold, which made me just want to drink juice and eat little of things. And now I am starting to feel better from the cold, I start getting heartburn. I feel like the world is coming after me! I am just so scatter-brained right now that I just don't know what to do with myself. I just don't know what is going on. I have no motivation to do my homework, listen during class, or clean our apartment. I really need some help. I know what I am doing is what the Lord wants but I sometimes wonder, can I handle this. I really don't like my job, correction I hate my job. I just don't enjoy it and don't see where I would use it later in my life. I really want to quit and be able to focus on school and being a homemaker, but I know that I need to work so we can have money to live off of. I have so much to do for school for my portfolio that I just don't know where to start. I just feel like I don't know what I am doing and I won't be able to do what I see in my mind, so then I won't be happy with the work that I do. I have this big portfolio event that is going to be happening a month after our little guy is born and it is stressing me out! I know I have like 5 months to do it but with everything else that is going on during those 5 months makes me feel like I won't have time to do it! I want to try and finish it before I even have our little guy so I can focus on being a mom when he comes. I know that I will have help but it still scares the crap out of me. And then I start thinking about being able to give him the best life that he deserves. Casey and I are a poor young happily married couple, we don't have much to give. Yes, we are going to give him everything we can but there is so much more that I want to be able to give him. He isn't even here and I am worrying about where he will grow up, if he will have friends, what choices he will make, teaching him to choose the right, and much much more. Is this even normal for me to be going through.?! I bet it is but still I am just going crazy. Ok it might be some of the crazy pregnancy hormones that I have right now but I am just ready to be done sometimes but I don't want to be done but I know if he comes now then he has a very little chance of living and that is not something I want. I want a healthy baby boy. And I know that we will have this healthy baby boy. I do love my life and I do love everyone that is in it and I do know that what I am going through is suppose to be happening and that I will be able to get through it even if it is going to hard but I have great supporters that will support me and I have the Lord to guide me, but sometimes I just don't know what to do. That is all. Goodnight.

♥ The Schroeder