My Wally Boy

March 8th our little Wally will be a not so little 5 year old! I can't believe how fast time has flown, and at the same time, it seems like Wally has always been with us.

Wally came to us with a dramatic entrance. He scared us by needing a couple of weeks in the NICU on a ventilator. But he came home going strong, and hasn't stopped since.
We named Wallace after one of the great examples in my life, my Grandpa Clark. His middle name is Stapley after Del, who is named after the general authority Delbert Stapley. I know, a lot of name for a little boy. They told us while he was in the hospital he must be destined to be a Supreme Court Justice with a name like that!

The move to Chicago was made in a huge truck with six week old Wally along for the long ride, in between me and Del.
We found out Wally needed a little more special attention when he was diagnosed with all kinds of fun words like, torticollis, plagiocephaly, hypospadias, and a couple more that I have forgotten now that they aren't part of my every day vocabulary anymore. That sent me and Wally on all kinds of adventures around the Chicago area. Wally spent time doing physical therapy, and wearing his special Doc Band helmet. He looked so cute in it! Three surgeries, and many a doctor's appointment later, Wally is a healthy as they come!

Wally has a soft spot for babies, and animals. He loves to be busy and the first thing I hear from him in the morning is, "Where are we going today?" He is also a home body however, and loves to get back to the place he knows best.
Wally has logged more miles in the sky than I had before my twentieth birthday, and loves to go on a trip on a plane. He has got the routine down pat. He knows you take off your shoes to go through security, and that you get a treat on the flight.

Wally gives me a run for my money. I think he was sent to me so that I would be forced to re-evaluate everything in my life, and yet not take things so seriously.
Wally loves his dad so much, protects his little sister, and doesn't know what to do without his brother. He is a social butterfly and can carry on a conversation better than some adults. He is not afraid to approach anyone and often tells store clerks and teachers things that I would prefer he didn't. What five year old doesn't, right?

I love my Wally so much and don't know what I would do without him. He is such a big personality and forces me to be up for anything. He loves people so deeply and really cares when he understands someone is hurting. I can't wait to see what this little boy is capable of, and becomes in this life. He has overcome so many obstacles in his short little life and I know that for Wally, the sky is the limit! Happy Birthday Buddy Boy! Mom and Dad love you!

Our scanner isn't working, so I don't have any pictures of Wally as a baby in my computer. That is a polar bear behind Wally in this picture. I think he is about 13 months here,and this was taken with a cell phone, hence, the not so great clarity.