During the move, we also picked up my cat, Cali, that I found when I was a senior in high school and my parents have had for the last four years. It has taken a little adjustment for Christi to get back in the habit of cleaning out a litter box (especially with a small apartment, you can smell it immediately if it hasn't been done often enough-at least once a day, sometimes two!); however, Cali has gotten used to us and loves to play and be petted. Brycen is also fascinated by her and will watch in amazement as she paces back and forth.
Everyone is so friendly out here, no matter where you go! Even Wal-mart employees are happy here! haha. The other day, I took Brycen on campus to make a surprise visit to Daddy and well...seeing a baby on campus is quite a rear thing I discovered. Everyone we passed would stare in amazement and we received lots of, "Awww..", "A baby!", "What a beautiful baby!", "Is that really hers? She has a child and going to school??" Yup, definitely not at BYU anymore! Even Bryce's professors and colleges, "You're married...and have a kid??" However, everyone adores Brycen as we have taken him to a few dinners and social events. Just like one of our friends said the first day we moved in, "If you see another Caucasian couple and they have kids...they are Mormon". Lots of international people out here, Caucasians are definitely the minority. So to be Caucasian, married, and have a child==rare thing indeed! However, I have also discovered that Asians are in love with Caucasian babies! Not sure why, but they love Brycen and are always so fascinated by him. Everyone also LOVES his red hair and keep thinking that its getting more and more red each time they see him!
The ward out here is kind of interesting, with it being a half student/half family ward. However, all the families are either former Purdue students that have stuck around after gradation or work at Purdue or have kids attend Purdue so Purdue University definitely brings us together! We attend a weekly dinner across the street with some families in our ward and local neighbors, I love it and look forward to it each week.
Our apartment is relatively small but since it is a two bedroom one and is bigger than our previous one, I don't complain! We also have a washer and dryer which is wonderful and it is considered on-campus housing so the commute to campus is fairly short for Bryce, maintenance does a good job mowing the lawn, cleaning the hallways, etc, and I feel safe being at home all day with Brycen. My brother Mike asked me the other day if I was bored yet, no going to school and all and all I can say is, I wish I had more time in the day. haha. Our house still looks like a tornado came through. Thank goodness it's a two-bedroom! Brycen's future room is kinda resembling Utah with all the boxes forming mountains. So much to do but Brycen is indeed a handful and not much gets done besides feeding, changing, and keeping Brycen entertained. I really, really enjoy staying home with him and watching him grow and learn, but I do wish I could get the house organized! :) However, I just keep telling myself that he will only be small for so long and the house will get done even if it's just little by little. We also don't have A/C. We could have them install a window unit for us but we didn't want to purchase one, not knowing how much longer summer was really going to last and then our neighbors said that we should wait until next year because the window unit has to stay installed all year round and it causes some freezing issues, etc. However, besides a few warmer days, it really hasn't been too bad! Have you ever seen a cat pant? Haha...if not, it is probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen...so, maybe there were a few hot days...but for the most part, we could open the windows and then it cooled off dramatically at night. Now, however, fall is here and quite nippy!
Brycen is such a joy and has been his entire life. Bryce leaves before Brycen and I are up, but Brycen will always wake up shortly after singing and talking to me until I wake up. I know he was sent to me because he is a morning person and anyone who knows me, knows that I am not! But he is so incredibly happy that I can't help not to be in the morning. Even after I pick him up and lay him beside me in the bed, he will watch me and if my eyes begin to close to catch a few more zzz's, Brycen will grab my nose and pull on my hair, and sing at the top of his lungs until I open my eyes again. haha. He is quite the big boy, weighing in around 20 lbs at his 4 month-old appointment and loves to eat! To help satisfy him, the doc told us that we could start feeding him rice, fruits, and veggies. He absolutely loves it all! I use a baby food grinder to feed him a banana every morning as I eat my breakfast and he quite enjoys it, saying, "mmmmm" between each bite.
Well...after the first initial bite...and he gets used to the taste :)
Look at the end of the post to see a happier eating video!
After we eat, he will play with his toys for approximately 10 minutes before he wants to be up and moving with me where ever I go for the rest of the day. He is so curious and loves to go along for the ride everywhere! Up until last week, I got away with doing everything one-handed so that I could still get dinner cooked, my contacts in, my hair brushed, etc. However, Brycen is now no longer just happy watching me do the things. He thinks he needs to touch and help me do everything! As a result, a few dinners over the past week have had quite a kick to them as more spices were added in them then originally planned ( As I would be pouring, Brycen would give the spice bottle an extra nudge or kick). I have also had numerous drinks knocked over as Brycen went to grab them when I was looking another way...anyways, to sum things up, not much gets done and what gets done, takes alot more work. Brycen is so incredibly happy as long as he's being carried that it's hard to put him down and listen to him fake scream until I pick him up again. As soon as I'm in sight, he will stretch out his arms and want to be picked up (which is by far, the cutest thing ever!...making it so irresistable!) As a result, Brycen and I play a lot and go on lots of walks. People call him the happiest baby they have ever seen because he is really so happy as long as he is being carried. Brycen will also make friends with almost everyone as we stand in line at the grocery store, sit next to someone at church...he smiles and draws them in :) haha
Reading a book/ playing with toys...at the same time, of course!
At the beginning of September, we had a new member ward dinner which we attended. A member of the stake presidency was there and we quickly learned that he loves kids. He walked right up to us, grabbed Brycen, and says, "Thank you". Bryce and I had no clue who he was at the time but it worked out great as it gave us a chance to eat and socialize with the other new couples. The stake presidency member was constantly on his cellphone that night and he just simply put Brycen on his hip and walked around as he talked. Brycen never let out a peep and received the comment, "this is the happiest, easiest baby I have ever held". The stake presidency member (I still don't know his name, haha) briefly gave Brycen back while he ate dinner but then promptly stole him back again for the rest of the night when he was done eating. Brycen only needing to be carried to be happy comes in handy if I ever need to make a phone call or when Bryce and I run errands together because no matter how long the phone call is, or the errand takes, Brycen loves to look around and never complains. Even hour long phone calls, pacing the apartment back and forth...it works, and Christi gets the strongest arms ever! haha.
Brycen continues to love bath time, and loves to giggle, laugh, and squeal all day long. His high pitch squeals are adorable but he especially loves to do them at church during the prayers, speakers...anytime that it is quiet. He also got his first tooth in Sunday night after a month of drooling and biting anything that he can manage to get in his mouth. Bryce and I didn't mind Brycen using our fingers as teethers until now...it hurts and just isn't as cute anymore :)
Bath time!
Daddy's Finger!
Brycen is also learning how to sit up and as a result, is no longer content with laying on his back. His car seat and stroller are in the reclining position and Brycen will go against everything to sit up...we are amazed with his stomach muscles! As a result, putting him in the car seat can be quite the struggle...
Speaking of car rides...since our three journeys across the United States, one from New York to Massachusetts to Virginia to Utah, and then another from Utah to Arizona, and then a third from Utah to Indiana, Brycen hates being in his car seat! Even a trip to the grocery store can be painful...but who can blame him...all in all, the trips across the US amounted to at least, 100 hours in his car seat in a two week period. Ouch! So...this is why Christi has pretty much became a permanent back seat rider or else, Brycen will become hysterical and we also do our errands with Bryce on the weekend so that he can drive us :) We also try to attend the temple once a month but the closest one is in Chicago...a good 3 hours drive if there's no traffic both ways! The car ride is painful but Christi actually looks forward to it because 1) going to the temple is awesome 2) we stay in a Fairfield Inn (a mile away and it gives us an LDS discount!) one night so that we can take turns watching Brycen as the other attends a session, and have a place to take care of him 3) It breaks up the long drive and they offer an amazing free breakfast the next day! It's really like a mini vacation once a month!
Anyways, this gets everyone up to date currently with the Walker Family! I am currently trying to gather all the summer pictures from all our adventures together and will soon (hopefully!) create a summer recap so stay tuned!
