Christmas Photo Favorites

Here's a few of my favorite pictures from Christmas Eve at the Cooke's...


Deacon Daddy tries on his new ALB! :) we are so proud


Daddy and Lyddie-Bug - all the kids got a kick out of Michael's "Silent Night" singing tie! haha. (Thanks Ralph!)


Three-Bee gets some love from Grandpa


The girls!



Josiah and Granny... he saw she had the blanket and snuggled up close- smart kid! :)

Long-Awaited LEGO set

So for weeks before Christmas we'd ask Josiah, "What is on your wish-list? What would you like most for Christmas?" And although the answer occasionally varied to several small other things- he always kept saying, "A LEGO CONSTRUCTION SET!!!" We knew just what to look for to make our little boy's Christmas Day full of JOY.

Unfortunately, the only LEGO "construction" (bulldozers, etc) set that I could find was large and VERY expensive. So we went with a somewhat similar and still awesome set including a tractor trailer, helicopter, and motorcycle. The video we captured of Josiah opening his special gift on Christmas Day is just TOO cute... unfortunately, as usual, blogger is not letting me load the video. GR! It only works when it wants to. So I can try again soon maybe, but for now this picture will have to do :) It's a great one that Daddy took.



So for all of Christmas Day- and the following- he built LEGOs... the set is already all together now and being fully enjoyed. Actually, it might be back apart again and soon need to be put back together again! Gotta love LEGOS.
Christmas is so fun with little ones ...watching and sharing in their JOY!

Merry Christmas!

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day and fully enjoy the rest of this Christmas season. We have plenty more pictures and stories to come... but here is a family picture we asked someone to take after Christmas mass yesterday. God bless you!
Love, the Walk Family

SNOW FUN!

Well, it's no surprise we were snowed in all weekend. Weren't you? :) We got about 2 feet of snow here I think...

Daddy and the kiddos were anxious to check out the snow as soon as it came so they were out briefly in the storm on Saturday morning but not too long since it was COLD and blowing in their little faces! Then on Sunday they had more fun sledding and Josiah played for hours in the snow. He played with Daddy and our neighbors Dasia and Naia. Lydia came out briefly as well with Mommy (while Daddy shoveled sidewalks and dug out our cars!)
Here's some pictures from our snowy weekend.



On Friday night, with the pending snow storm, we surprised Josiah with one of his Christmas presents early since we knew he'd need it... A sled! His little red sled is being passed down to his sister this year since he's outgrown it.

He loved it!



I just love this picture of Lydia... it's just so "her" these days- and I love her cute flippy curls in the back of her hair! ;)


























I must admit, I really don't mind being snowed in with these cuties!

Big Boy in New Pajamas

Here is my little boy in his new pajamas (thanks Nana!)
I just LOVE LOVE LOVE these jammies... they are so cute... and so is my little- well, BIG boy.
I can't believe how fast he's growing up and I'm really wishing I could slow him down a little. Anyone know how to stop time for awhile? If you do, let me know! :)

Sweet Tooth

My little sweet girl... has a big sweet tooth... this is one thing she gets from her Mama!



Well, really ANY food is okay by her. The way to her heart is definitely through her stomach.

She's just so cute. (Is there really any question as to why we're expecting another one!?) :)

Not all in my imagination...

WOW... dang! Look how big that belly is! I just looked again... but it's kinda scary so I'm not going to look anymore :)

Anyway the appointment today went great and the other two kiddos were angels, as usual. Josiah, as we walked back to the room, asked me, "Mommy, can I please do the glue?" ... To which I replied, "the what?" ... "OHHH the goo... to hear the baby's heartbeat?" He's so cute. The midwives let him "squeeze the goo" and press the doppler button and do it all, it's adorable. And then we got the always classic, "oh! there it is! Sounds like a helicopter!" :)

The only difference this time was my BIG BOY was reading the numbers for her...

Midwife: "Can you read that? What numbers are those?"
Josiah: "1...."
Midwife: "Great what's the next one- in the middle?"
Josiah: "E...."
Midwife: "Wait turn it this way a little so you can see it..."
Josiah: "3..."
Josiah: "and... 4....5.....4....5...."

To which we all laughed, and the midwife responded yes, it kept jumping around. Too cute!

Everything is just great with our little Three-Bee... however, it's not all in my head. I've always measured exactly the amount of weeks I was at- but today, (and I am 31 weeks on Monday) I measured 32!!! already! HA! I knew this baby's big :)

I told the midwife I was scared of a huge baby... and she said, "You've done this twice before... odds are you can do it again."
Well, I sure hope so. We'll keep you posted as the BIG DAY approaches! :)

30 Weeks!

I keep saying, "geez I'm huge" and people who never see me think I'm being down on myself, that's not it! That's not what I'm saying at all- I just mean this baby is BIG! already! very big! People who DO see me regularly just laugh... because it's true. I'm 30 wks now... actually, closer to 31 wks now. So I'm a little freaked out to think how big I'll be at 40 wks! Please pray this baby isn't 10 lbs for me... mmm kay? :)

I seriously have gotten several, "Are you having twins?" or "maybe she's having twins..." lol. Yikes.

Don't believe me?? .... Exhibit A.





I know. It looks like I just woke up this morning and decided to have coffee, a bagel... and a basketball.

Wonderful thing about today is that I get to hear little three-bee's heartbeat again this afternoon. Yay! The only nice part about those pesky appointments.

(And if you post this picture all over the internet I will personally find you and SIT ON YOU!)

Let it Snow...Let it Snow...Let it Snow...

What a weekend we had! We were (purposefully!) snowed in at Grandma's. Daddy went to visit his family in PA for Ken and Emily's wedding reception (sorry we couldn't be there guys!) and from what I heard it all went wonderfully. So while Daddy was out of town and with the snow forecasted, we planned a weekend of winter fun with Grandma and Grandpa... AND our cousins! Josiah had fun playing in the snow and enjoying movies and hot cocoa with his three cousins. They also made gingerbread cookies and decorated them! Grandma knows how to please the crowd.
We're especially grateful for this time to play with our cousins since they will soon be moving out of the country again.

Lydia had fun playing with her cousins too, but was NOT too fond of the snow. We realize now however, that may have had something to do with the runny nose and fever she woke up with... she was probably not exactly in the mood to go discovering and romping in the snow. She usually LOVES to be outside so I'm hoping she will get to actually ENJOY some time in the snow at some point... but we'll see! If not this year than I'm sure she'll enjoy it next year as she gets older.

Some memorable moments also include Grandpa sledding...
Grandpa- "Watch me, here I go!"
Josiah- "NO GRANDPA!!! You're GONNA BREAK THE SLED!!!"

HA HA! Josiah was genuinely worried and I had to reassure him, it's OKAY... Grandpa is NOT TOO BIG to go sledding and he won't break the sled!

Also, I took Three-Bee for his/her first sled ride. :)

Here are some cute pictures from our weekend winter wonderland. We got probably 2-3 inches! They were in heaven. Enjoy!

Josiah and Jesus

Here's a random but adorable story-- Josiah this morning at breakfast points out the Last Supper picture hanging on the wall and says, "Look, Jesus!" I had food in my mouth but said, "MMhmm that's right..." and was going to elaborate on the last supper when I finished chewing.
Then a minute later after silence he says, "I want to go to heaven".
I told him that I do too, and that someday he will and we will... and that that's why I try to obey God's rules and love Jesus every day so that some day I can live in heaven with him. And then I said, "Just like Gavin, he's already in heaven, remember?" and he said, "yeahh.... but he was sick... i'm not sick... but I want to go to heaven too" haha. :) (he's so sweet!) I told him that he will, that he doesn't have to be sick but God will take him to heaven to be with Jesus when he's ready and that he's preparing his heart. And he said, "Jesus in my heart!?" and I said, "yes!"
And of course he broke into a 3 year old fit of giggles... "yeah!! hahaha... I love Jesus"

Anyway I can't remember ALL the details and exact words but...this boy is too much. I just love how little children talk of God and Jesus as if it is and has always been so familiar and ordinary to them... what a gift of faith.