Photo Love

New photos in Kate's album and the Family one, too.

Kate Update

I really needed to update this a long time ago, but here's some fun Kate stories from the past few weeks:

- Kate loved the family we stayed with for the first few days we were here, delighting in "my friends!" and their mother, "Momma Nash." She came up with that name herself (blending momma and their last name), showing she's well on her way to being at home in the deep South. She also had some "grips" for the first time yesterday.

- Our house is in a town developed around a railway depot and still has pretty heavy train traffic. The first day, both girls freaked out every time a train passed, but now they love it. Meltdowns can be averted by just mentioning trains, no matter the time or where we are.

- Kate has enjoyed visiting with Rebekah Fitts ("Bits!") and her daughter Libby ("Baby Libby"). Today when we walked in, she made a bee line for Libby in her swing and even though it was covered by a blanket, quickly said, "cute dress!" Then, when Libby and Lexi were eating, she sat on a chair near us and nursed a monkey. He likes to eat from her belly button, though she likes to pull her shirt up to her chin to enable him to have the most skin to skin contact, I suppose. It's the first time she's initiated pretend nursing. I remember telling her to nurse a baby doll when Lexi was first born, but it never really interested her so I didn't push it.

- We took Lexi to the doctor today and Kate insisted on sitting on the exam table and talked a lot about the doctor tools. Hypocondriac in the making? ;o)

- A few days ago, Mike playfully asked Kate, "Who's your daddy?" and she quickly responded, "you!" She's getting really good at knowing the right pronouns to use and speaking in longer sentences, too.

- We set up her play kitchen about five days ago and she was thrilled. About three hours later, we had this conversation:
k10 - "It smells like you pooped."
k8 - "Oh, I pooped, Mommy."
k10 - "Well I need to change your diaper, then."
k8 [with great exasperation] "But Mommy, I'm cooking!"

Kate's Summary of Last Night

"Baseball! Get him OUT!"

"Fireworks! Go Boom, Boom! It's so FUN!"
["and pretty?]
"Pretty and LOUD!"

Two

Our Kate is two years old today. I'm amazed at how quickly the time has gone and also how difficult it is to remember how life was like without her. I wonder as I look at her toddler self what kind of woman she will grow up to be. Here's a glimmer of what she's like now.

Active - Kate is always moving, unless she's being restrained by something like a stroller!

Creative - Kate is very artistic, though she sometimes choses mediums for her work that are less than desirable. She also likes to make music, singing and playing instruments.

Curious - She is very interested in almost everything around her.

Discriminating - Kate knows what she likes and doesn't!

Inclusive - Kate loves her sister and tries very hard to play with her, even though that's not always easy.

Persistent - Kate trys very hard and with endurance to do what she's interested in doing.

This week I walked in on Lexi, sitting on the floor, and Kate, holding both her hands and dancing around her, singing her own version of ring around the rosies.

She's always talking to me about something, amazing me with her total recall and budding fluency.

Kate's also been showing so much spiritual curiousity, wanting to read books about God (identifying one book as such that we hadn't read in at least six weeks) and proudly proclaiming "I'm God's Kate!"

Your dad and I love you so much, Kathryn Lilia. We're looking forward to watching you grow. Remember your baptism always, and never forget that you are God's little Kate.