50%

So I took my sweet boys to the doctor's yesterday for their well baby exams (Zeke's 2 year and Deacon's 6 month - I know, I know, I'm a little behind). They both did great and were very well behaved the entire time. My friend, Julz, came with us and I am so grateful she did. Thank you Julz! Anyhoo...they both came in around the 50th percentile for everything (give or take a little bit), and they are both developmentally right where they should be. Here are the stats:

Ezekiel, pictured here sitting on his new sofa, weighed in at a little over 30 pounds and was measured at 35 1/2 inches tall. AND his head, which was riding the curve at the -5% range has soared it's way up to the 50%. Perhaps we give him TOO MUCH praise.

Now Deacon, pictured here enjoying the "activity center", weighed in at just over 18 pounds, and was measured at 26 1/2 inches tall. Deacon also got his first tooth (bottom right) on Sunday! I told him three more and he can start having Cheerios...I expect them to be along VERY soon.

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And that's all the news for now. This is Beth Walter reporting to you live from "Walterland" where nap time is almost over. Until my next report, may God bless you all!

Who needs toys?

No, seriously...

...we're talking hours of entertainment here.

What's Happening?

It's been awhile. Basically, that's because there hasn't been too much going on over here in "Walterland". Well, nothing overly exciting anyways. Deacon started popping up on his knees and sliding backwards on Sunday. That's fun. That also means that he is WAY more mobile than he was when he was just rolling back and forth, and I can no longer "just leave him for a moment". He's also doing a good job of sitting up on his own. He can't get up on his own, but he can keep himself up once put into the sitting position. At least for a little bit anyways. He's also thoroughly enjoying the vegetable we've been feeding over the past few weeks. I think we're going to have quite the eater with this one. I know I've said that before, but this guy actually ate the carrots. Zeke liked to eat, but he would refuse to eat the carrots. Deacon, you could tell, doesn't enjoy them either, but he still eats them.

Zeke has picked up a new habit. When asked to do something, or told something, every now and again he looks up and says, "Huh?" I think we can thank Daddy for this one. The best was the other day when I asked him something and he said, "Huh?" I didn't answer right away because I usually don't need to, he usually actually hears me and then does whatever I asked or answers me in "Zeke speak". Well, apparently he didn't actually hear me this time because when I didn't repeat myself right away he said, "HUH?!?" As in, "I asked you a question, Mom. Hello-o!" Yeah. He's also got a little routine he does when he "talks on the phone" (phone being an actual phone, a play phone, a remote control, a hairbrush, etc). He puts the phone to his head and says "Hello? Yeah!" and then he just babbles on. It's pretty funny.

They're both pretty funny. And sweet. God has truly blessed us with two wonderful boys.

I was inspired by Kristen...

...Golby, that is. She posted recently about how she got out Kathleen's old exersaucer for Madeline, so I figured, it IS about time to break out the seat portion of Zeke's "activity table" for Deacon. Well, let's just say that Zeke did not share Kathleen's enthusiasm for sharing his old toy with his younger sibling. Here is a picture of the initial meltdown that occurred almost immediately after placing Deacon into the seat:

Yeah.

But, he got over it (like most things) quickly, and now the two of them play with it together rather happily. In fact, over the last few days, Zeke has taken a new interest in Deacon, and it's really rather sweet. They "play" together, they make each other laugh, and Zeke has become fond of patting Deacon on the head. Of course, I have to watch to make sure pat doesn't become slap, and head doesn't become face, but it's still sweet to watch. A new favorite activity is for Zeke to push Deacon around in circles when I put him into the seat. I posted a video of it on my bebo page since I still can't figure out how to post videos here. Can someone else who has figured it out help me? Here's a picture of the two boys playing together to hold you over until you switch sites...

I know, I know...AWWWW!!! Hehehe. We also started feeding Deacon peas this week. He loves them! I think we're going to have another big eater on our hands. I'm sure I've said this before, but I really fear for our future food bills. "Hi, I'll take an entire cow, three chickens, and two pigs, please. I think that will last us for a month, thank you." Anyhoo...That's really all that's fun and exciting over here. And Zeke says, "Thank you" to all of you who sent birthday wishes. Until next time, I shall leave you with this...

Happy Birthday Zeke!

I can't believe he's two years old. My sweet baby is no longer a sweet baby. He is now a little boy. Don't worry, he's still sweet though. We had a nice little day here. Josh and I set up Zeke's birthday present from us last night (a little zoo with an animal for every letter of the alphabet) so that it would be out when he woke up in the morning.

The rest of the day went like normal. For dinner, though, we had Zeke's favorites - chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. Yummy! Then, when Deacon got up from his nap, we presented Zeke with his birthday cupcake, which he destroyed. The evening was topped off with a bath and a VeggieTale.

Of course, Zeke has no idea what "birthday" means. To Zeke it was just another day, only difference is he got a new toy in the beginning of the day and cake at the end of the day. But what a great day!

Happy Holidays

Ahhh...home again! Let me begin by wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I pray your holidays were wonderful. Ours were eventful. We left on Sunday, December 23rd for New Jersey for the holidays. I think Deacon's face in this picture displays how we all felt about getting up at five a.m. for shuttle pick-up, so we could get to the airport, check in, then sit around until 11:30, when they finally started boarding the plane.

After eight and a half hours on the plane (which the boys slept maybe an hour of) we finally landed and were whisked away to my mom's. The next day, Christmas Eve, was a Christmas Eve we will probably never forget. We went to my Aunt Gail's in Pennsylvania for the family gathering. About an hour after arriving, Josh started throwing up. Oh yeah. Poor guy spent most of the afternoon in the bathroom. We finally decided it was time to go around five, and wouldn't you know it, as we were packing up to go, Zeke threw up for the first time in his life. I don't know who was more startled by it, him or me. But I think I handled it pretty well all things considered. But then it was a long, miserable ride home as we had to pull over numerous times for Josh to throw up on the side of the road (Zeke didn't want him to feel alone in his misery so he threw up twice one the ride as well). We eventually made it, and I got Deacon fed, both boys in bed, and Josh set up on the couch. Neither one felt much better the next day. Sad.

Here's a picture of my two sick boys. This is right before Zeke threw up again (maybe milk wasn't a good call, but he wanted it SO badly). With Josh and Zeke not feeling well, that meant we couldn't go anywhere on Christmas day. Thankfully, Josh's parents and my father were willing to come visit us so we could see them on Christmas (even if it was only for a few minutes). The next day though, Zeke was feeling much better and Josh was feeling well enough ot make the drive down to his parent's for the next few days. We had a nice time there. Josh's sister and husband were there the whole time too, so we were excited to hang out with them as well. While we were there, we took the opportunity to take Zeke to the ocean for the first time. It was a little chilly, but it was so nice to see the ocean and smell the salt air and feel the sand. Ahh...anyhoo...here's a picture from that day.

After we left Josh's parents on Friday, we went back up to my mom's. Saturday found us heading over to my father's house for an open-house type of thing with his family and Karen's family. Then Sunday was another open house at my mom's for family again. And Monday, or New Year's Eve, it was back to the airport, back on the plane (which went much better this time as the boys slept a bunch more, and it was a shorter flight) and home again, home again, jiggity jig. All in all, a pretty nice trip. Unfortunately, we didn't get to visit near as many friends as we had hoped to, and to all of you we missed, we apologize. But since we're really hoping to be stateside for good come September, we figure there will be plenty of time from then on for visiting. Oh, and, as far as presents went, Zeke is still not into that. I opened everything that was for him and for Deacon and for me. Maybe next year. And that's all from here for now. I'm off to post a lot more of our pictures from our trip on my bebo page. I pray God will bless you all this new year as He has surely blessed us this past one.