Thinking back....

I usually use this blog to post pictures of Kirk doing cute and funny things, but I thought I'd take a minute to just reflect on this past year and all that it has brought to our family.  I think as a mother, you always think that one moment, day, or week is the hardest, or funniest, or most amazing thing that will ever happen.  How do these moments, days, weeks, months, and years continue to surprise me, inspire me, and leave me hopeful for the future?  Sure, I always had a positive outlook and felt good about what the future held for me before I was a mother, but nothing compares to what my heart holds now.  Being Kirk's mama fills me up more that I ever thought possible.  The last 2 years have brought me so much joy, pain, and laughter....nothing I could have ever imagined.  So many things have changed in my life...relationships, feelings, attitudes, opinions.....they are all so different.   2011 brought us so many good experiences, and as I move along this journey with Jeremy and Kirk, I realize that there is nothing more important in life than the happiness of my family.  I am thankful for what we have been given, taught, and reminded of this past year.  I am thankful to get the opportunity to try my best every day to be a Mama to my little boy and wife to my husband.  I hope you all have had experiences this year that helped you grow and love harder. I welcome 2012, and pray that it brings me everything I hope for and nothing I expect!  Happy New Year!

Kirk's first Christmas, December 2009

Merry Christmas everyone!

We had a wonderful Christmas!  The picture above was taken at Jeremy's Granny Dean's house on Saturday, December 17.  Kirk opened his gift, but he liked cousin Holden's Captain America better.  He thought he was a "bad guy" for some reason, and he liked carrying him around.

Kirk is hoarding Holden's Captain America while cousin Jalee admires it.  Why do kids always want what isn't theirs?

Kirk is waiting patiently with his friends for his Christmas pajama party snacks at school (with his friends Olivia and Carter)

Miss Eva's cupcakes were "so yummy!"

Kirk and his buddy Judah attempting to take a picture together

Kirk is sitting with his friends at school...he's moving to the older class on January 3.  He will take 3 friends with him, but leave the rest behind.  His teachers think that this is a good move for him, and that he will enjoy playing with older children (even though Kirk will be 6-9 months younger than everyone in the class!).  Miss Myra says she will miss him dearly, but she thinks he is getting "bored" in her class.  She says he is very smart, and understands and follows directions very well.  In his new class, he will be in another building, eat in the cafeteria (and he gets to choose chocolate or white milk for lunch.....what do you think he'll choose?), he will play on the big playground and in the gym.  They have a more structured day and more structured lessons and activities.  We are excited for the move, but sad that this means he is growing up fast!

Kirk and Miss Myra...he loves her so much!

Kirk LOVED his Toy Story potato head set from Meme and Poppy!

Kirk, Holden, and Tanner at Meme and Poppy's 

Kirk and Bella on Christmas Eve....Bella always likes to play with cars at our house!

Kirk LOVED his "real Buzz" from Erin, Zac, and Bella....can you tell?

Kirk is helping Gramma Debi open the Keurig coffee maker we got her

Kirk in his new football helmet and jersey from Gramma Debi

Kirk is blasting off in his Buzz rocket ship from Gramma Debi!  To infinity and beyond!

Santa left a big pile of presents, even though Kirk told me to tell him to "leave them outside and mama can go get them."  He was just a little freaked out about Santa coming into his house!  I think he got over it after he saw what Santa's visits bring!

Kirk playing with his new train table from Gramma Sullivan

Astro had enough of Christmas cheer....

Kirk enjoyed Mama's french toast casserole (recipe from Pinterest...delicious!).  He "ate it all up" and was ready to play again.  We had an amazing Christmas morning at our house, and we hope everyone else did, too.  Watching Kirk open gifts and enjoy his new toys is the best present we could ever have (although my new vacuum, treadmill, and iron make is nice, too...haha).  Spending time playing with Kirk is such a blessing, and hopefully I'll talk him out of making me only race the purple hot wheels car (apparently he thinks it's the only one I'm allowed to race for some reason?) and teach him how to turn one toy off before starting up another!  He loves everything, and although I look at the toys strewn about and yearn for nice neat toy storage....I wouldn't trade one mess for all the world!  I'm excited for my week off with Kirk, and hopefully some cozy snow days to come....we'll have lots of time to race, shoot Zurg, play "potatoes" (heads), and put together train tracks.  He is such a fun little boy, and the absolute best gift I have!  Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas spirit

We visited the Gibsons in Lexington, KY, on Saturday, December 3.  We went to dinner and to see the Southern Lights at the KY Horse Park.  Kirk loved the lights (especially the dinosaurs!) and he was super brave with all the animals at the petting zoo!  We were shocked, but we think it had something to do with Miss Suzana who encouraged him to join her.  He hopped right on a pony for a ride and stuck his hand completely inside a baby calf's mouth to feed him a carrot!  Kirk had a great time, and he loves playing with Suzana.  He laughs every time he talks about her, and he says she is his "Favorite, special friend!"  We miss the Gibsons and we can't wait till they move back home!

Kirk on his pony...he said he was "very, very slow"

Kirk was a student in Suzana's school of petting zoo procedures....he listened to her when she told him to feed them (even though I know he was a little scared) and she even helped him get his carrots in some of the animals mouths.  He liked the goats, of course, and the yak.  The kangaroo was my favorite, he was so soft!

Kirk fed a hungry calf....his hand!  I can't believe he stuck his hand so far in that cow's mouth, and he didn't even flinch!  I saw first hand that he is obviously easily influenced by peer pressure!

We had a great time, and the visit to the Horse Park definitely got us all in the Christmas spirit.  Our tree is now up and decorated in our home.  Kirk helped me decorate the tree, and I had to spread out some of the ornaments, since he hung about 12 on the same branch!  He has been playing with his nativity set, and after Jeremy explained to him that the wise men brought baby Jesus gifts when he was born, Kirk marches the wise men over and says, "Baby Jesus, come out of the barn!  We have a surprise for you!  We have presents for you!  Happy birthday!"  He then moved the baby Jesus over (he tapped him like he was walking....he looks like a plastic baby laying in a "hay bed") and he said (in a baby Jesus voice, I guess...) "Oh thank you!"  Jeremy and I laughed ourselves sick.  He is absolutely hilarious!  We look forward to Kirk's interpretation of the holidays!  Merry Christmas!

New pictures of the Walkers!

We had our pictures taken again by Kristi B., and they turned out great!  Kirk was a great model, and we are so thankful to Kristi for continuing to capture great moments for the Walkers!  Look for these photos on a Christmas card coming to you soon!