Showing posts with label Kate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kate. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Kate's 5th birthday

Kate's birthday celebration this year was a LITTLE early so we can have a PONY POOL PARTY! Her favorite show is My Little Pony, so we decked the party room with pink, purple, and pony figures of course.




 Here is Kate with some of her best buds...


And at home she got to open up even more gifts from mommy and daddy.




This has been a great year for Kate. She's grown to be such a loving big sister to Annabel, playing with her, and watching out for her.



And just this fall she started Kindergarten and soccer! It's been big changes for her (and me, quite honestly), and she's handled all of it in stride. 




We love you, Kate! Happy Birthday!

Friday, October 05, 2012

Four Years

It doesn't seem very long ago that Kate was learning to walk. Today she runs...fast and hard! Who knew that she would turn out to be such a spitfire! Definitely all girl with her emotional outbursts, unique "fashion sense", and love for anything sparkly, but surprisingly tomboyish as she runs, digs in the dirt and roars ferociously with wild eyes as she plays. Crazy girl. Lovable girl.

Some of her favorite things:

  • tight pants
  • pistachio nuts
  • nail polish
  • sucking her thumb (ugh, I know...)
  • kettle brand salt and pepper chips
  • brushing Barbie's hair
  • headbands
  • Dancing with the Stars



This picture was taken on her actual birthday, October 2nd. Look at how she stands...triumphant, proud, striking a pose. This is SO her! And in most things, she approaches them confidently, unabashedly, enthusiastically. She's game for just about anything (except for her 4 year old immunizations today. Let's just say it took three adults to hold her down and administer the shots). I have to say--and David would agree-- that although she looks more like his side of the family, she has a lot of my characteristics.

This could be a problem come junior high.

Happy Birthday, Kate the Great! We love you :)

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Some video updates

Some highlights of what the kids have been doing this winter...

In the below clip, you can see Ethan just above the music stand, wearing a white shirt. This is his first choir concert :)



In this clip below, we see Ethan's progress at basketball. This was taken at his last game of the season. It's hard to believe that he couldn't even dribble a ball in October!



Lastly, here is Kate at her pre-ballet/pre-tap class. They are rehearsing for their end of the year recital. Kate's in the middle, the only girl NOT wearing any kind of a skirt. Why am I so anti-tutu??? Of course, you should see what their costume is going to be. Totally, offensively girly! Poofs, sequins and all! But hey, you're only 3 once :)

 

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

3 Years Old




She's a bit of a tomboy, yet picky about her clothes. Outgoing, almost aggressive, yet cries at the slightest reprimand. Kate's personality is really starting to show! She stands 39 inches tall, weighs a solid 35 pounds and loves to sing and dance (jeez, I wonder where that comes from ;)


For her third birthday we invited some close friends and their families to Sugar Grove Nature Center in McLean, IL for some outdoor fun in their Imagination Grove. It's an outdoor play area that encourages kids to explore, get dirty and just be kids. Happy Birthday, Kate!










Here is a video clip of us singing to the birthday girl. Or, you may click here to see it

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Kate and her tricycle



Getting ready for summertime and biking on the trail (or just around the neighborhood). For those of you who get posts emailed to you, you'll need to click here to see the video (or copy and paste this link: http://youtu.be/-qxi50fX23I)

Monday, March 14, 2011

Don't Wake Me Up!


This morning I was doing my usual online activities in between refereeing my two kids...ears on them, eyes on my laptop. A few moments passed and I realized that I didn't hear the usual kid banter in the living room. What is going on? I wondered...

I stepped away from my desk and craned my head around to see into the living room. My DARLING ANGELS were sitting side by side...looking at books! Please! Don't ever wake me up from this dream! Sibling harmony and education to boot! I had to take a picture :)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

A day in the life of mom

Homemade chicken and rice soup on the stove...

Means sick little girl on the couch.


















Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Kate's 2nd Birthday

Happy Birthday, Kate! We had a small party with her closest friends (in other words, all of Ethan's friends, lol!) and their families. A cookout, playtime, cupcakes and gifts made for a great day to spend the afternoon.

No party is complete without weapons!

Dinner time!
Kate still gets a bit overwhelmed with big "to dos". Daddy had to hold her while we all sang Happy Birthday.
Kate isn't into any kind of story book character, so I decided to use an autumn theme for her cupcakes. Do you like them? I found this idea on party cupcake ideas website. SO EASY to do, and pretty!

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Our Little Artist



Kate has discovered sidewalk chalk. She can sit for long periods of time out on the back patio scribbling little designs. I've often found her lying flat on the floor as she draws, as if needing to get down really close to her "art". Here is a picture of one of her recent creations. I kinda like it :)



Her love for coloring doesn't end outside, though. She loves her crayons and coloring books! I love it, too, since it's one of the only times I can get her to sit still :)

Monday, April 05, 2010

18 Months


Some new developmental milestones for Kate:
She has learned to say "no"
She jumps with two feet off the ground
She can give you a high five!

Words she can say: bye bye, hi, mama, dada, all done, more, car, apple, banana (she says, manna) no, outside, shoe, uhoh, up, eat, pray (she says "pay"), mine, baby, night night. She is starting to repeat words that she hears, especially if we take the time while reading out loud to her. We are working on the alphabet!

She also understands a lot of words, even though she doesn't say them yet. We can give her simple commands that she follows. She can bring something to you, put something back, clean up, sit down. She also understands taking shoes off (though she still has trouble actually pulling the shoes off her feet).

As you can see from this picture, I've started to try to do stuff with her hair. We haven't gotten it cut yet, but it's definitely getting unruly! I think the pigtails are a riot. When I first put them in, Ethan saw them and said, "Wow...It's like a fountain! A hair fountain!" I'd say he got it spot on!

Her 18-month appointment showed that she is 24 lbs and 33 inches tall. This puts her in the 45% for weight, and 85% for height. She is actually a bit above average with her 20 word count. It's normal for most kids her age to have 6 - 12 words.


Kate continues to delight us with her smile, her giggles, and her intelligence. One personality trait I already see is her ability to figure things out. She is not discouraged by a challenge, and she will work hard to overcome it (whether it be a puzzle, climbing a chair, putting a toy together). Ethan, on the other hand, is still very impatient when something does not work the first moment he tries it!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

15 Months



I have not been very good about updating my blog, have I? Sorry! A little info about Kate. SHE IS A PISTOL. Very vocal, shows it when she's mad and even hits things in frustration. I imagine she will be quite strong-willed. Mommy and Daddy, buckle your seat belts!

At the doctor's appointment she was 24 lbs and 31 inches tall. That puts her in the 70th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height. David was so happy to find that she had grown some! She wants her to be tall so that boys don't date her. HA! Can you believe that?

As you can see from previous posts, she loves to dance. This is one of the most fun ages right now. She's fun, but still small enough to physically control if she decides to pitch a fit. Ethan, on the other hand, is quite the little man now. You should have seen me trying to hold him down to get his flu shot this year. Me and the nurse were wrangling a bull!

Kate also has almost a full mouth of teeth, I think. She's missing a premolar or two, but that's about it. She has just a few words: mama, dada, night night, bye bye, uh oh. She has said "wow" "ruff ruff" and what sounds like "dog" and "all done". So strange to think that Ethan at her age had about 15 words already. But then again, he was JUST learning to walk. She's been walking since 11 months now!

She has also officially dropped her morning nap, which allows me to get out more. But this terrible winter weather is still keeping us indoors. Luckily, she and Ethan play fairly well together, though there are time when I have to step in and do some conflict resolution.

All for now. Time to go "night night".

Monday, December 14, 2009

She Can Dance

Ethan's favorite toy is Thomas the Tank Engine. Kate's favorite song must be the Thomas theme because everytime she hears it she dances!

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Happy 1st Birthday, Kate!

We made it! Last Friday marked Kate's 1st Birthday!


We've had some very busy weeks this past month, so we had a small celebration for her. Two celebrations, in fact. Early Friday morning (when it was still dark), I left for Michigan to work one of the two Hearts at Home Conferences this fall. But we didn't want to let the big day go by unobserved. So David, Ethan and Kate had a little party at home. Then on Monday, we threw a lunchtime playdate with some of Kate's and Ethan's friends.



It really is hard to believe how quickly this year flew by. The older Kate gets, the more fun it is to watch both her and Ethan play and interact together. I am sure it will soon turn to fighting! But these are sweet days when David and I often sit back and watch our children do all the delightful things that small children do, especially since they are still so cute, so sweet, and they still adore you. Like any good sweet treat, I will certainly savor this for as long as I can :)

At one year, Kate is 22.5 pounds and 29.5 inches tall. I don't know what percentiles these measurements fall into since her official check up isn't for a few more weeks. She is officially a toddler! I'm trying to think of some unique facts about her, but to be honest, you just have to see for yourself. I should mention that she has four teeth on top and on the bottom, doesn't eat baby food at all, and is getting better and better and using her sippy cup. She loves to play with it, actually. She will often walk around the house carrying her bottle or cup, shaking whatever is inside of it.

One of her favorite things to do is climb up on anything she can get to, particularly the fireplace and staircase.


And she loves to clap, cheer and hear music.

Here's to a wonderful year of firsts and many more birthday celebrations to come!

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Kate's Surgery

Tubes in the ears, just two days before her first birthday. What a rough week! Because of Kate's frequent ear infections we went ahead with the procedure as scheduled today. At 6:15 this morning, David checked her in at the SurgiCenter and by 8:30 I got a phone call from him saying everything went fine.

I had heard that sometimes babies have a hard time getting over the anesthesia, but Kate was in good spirits all day. Actually, she was in VERY good spirits. By lunchtime she was up and about, eating well, and doing all the things she normally does, like crawling up the stairs to the second floor unassisted!

Also by lunchtime, she was walking. REALLY walking. And at fairly good speeds. For the past week her balance has been good, but it's almost as if the procedure made her balance better (which makes a lot of sense. Ever have a head cold and feel a bit wobbly after getting out of bed?). Today she walked circles around in the house, got up without using her hands, and even swayed to music. Wow. The change in her is unbelievable. Tonight after dinner, David and I watched Kate explore her new and improved walking abilities as she chased after Ethan and his toys. The smile on her face and the sound of her delightful squeals were the highlight of my day.

We do have some video footage of her walking, but I'm too tired to upload it right now. Stay tuned!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Just for Fun

Here's a video clip of both the kids trying out their legs...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHNvshs0X1I

Sunday, September 13, 2009

First Day of "School"

Last Thursday was the kids first day of what we call "play school", or Mornings Out for Moms at one of the churches in our town. On the first day, it was Ethan's turn to bring snacks for his classmates, which is why he's holding that white bag.

Kate did beautifully on her first day. She took a nice long nap in the sleeping room across the hall! I was worried that she would miss her morning nap on her days at school. Looks like I have nothing to worry about!

What did I do the whole three hours I had to myself? Went to my favorite coffee shop, had some good quiet time at the church, then did my grocery shopping! It was a good morning :)

11 Months


It's hard to believe that in just a few weeks Kate will celebrate her 1st birthday. The year has whirled by so quickly and she is no longer my little baby girl! This realization hit me the other day when I was shopping for some clothes for her (she is quickly growing into the next size up). As I searched the racks for 12-18 month clothing I noticed how unbaby-like they were! Instead of soft, cuddly pinks, I saw lots of denim, brown, bright, jewel colors and modern prints. While dressing Kate will always be fun (for as long as she lets me dress her), it is clear that she has passed from baby to toddler.

Her walking skills are getting better and better everyday. Just today she took two small steps on her own! It won't be long before she really will be chasing after her brother (though she does a good job of it on all fours anyway). For now she is content to walk while holding onto the furniture or her push toy, and then letting go and crawling at full-speed till she hits her destination. I haven't weighed her, but she seems to be consistently growing. I'm curious to see what her 12 month appointment will bring.

Kate loves:
pulling books off our book shelf
grabbing Ethan's toys
mommy and daddy
throwing food
wrestling with Ethan

Kate does NOT like:
people she doesn't know
her changing table
being left alone
baby food, or anything like baby food
cuddling



In other news, we have decided (for now, at least) to put tubes in her ears. Since March, she has been on eight or nine rounds of antibiotics to treat ear infections. And flu season hasn't even begun! After seeing an ear, nose and throat specialist it was clear that she would be a good candidate for this minor procedure. While David is hesitant to allow the surgery, we are also reluctant to keep treating her with antibiotics over and over again. We are scheduled for surgery on Sept 30th.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Dressing Up

It's hard to believe how many clothes one can have for a baby girl! I was blessed to receive many beautiful outfits before Kate was born, and even now I continue to receive clothes from moms whose daughters have outgrown these beautiful dresses!


I don't often take pictures of Kate in her Sunday best. Here is a dress she received while she was still in utero! You'll have to excuse the multi-colored background. The towels are being used to cover our furniture while we potty train Ethan!

It's fun that Kate smiles at the camera. Small children are not always so cooperative!


Monday, July 27, 2009

Mommy and Kate

Kate and I goofing off with the camera this afternoon. Click on the link below to see the pics on facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=97729&id=610621963&l=0268a6fdcc

Sunday, July 19, 2009

She is on the Move



This past month Kate has officially become mobile! She can crawl rather fast and she pulls up on furniture and is pretty close to cruising. It's fun to watch her explore, but don't keep your eyes off her for too long. I've already found on on the first step of our staircase and at the patio door about to nibble on some flip flops. Maybe I need to get her some more teethers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g9mnQJ1oVA




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECCk8DTlLwI




She is also quite the eater, now that her ear infection is gone. All of a sudden she is eating table food! Her menu has expanded from purees and baby crackers to bits of scrambled eggs, bananas, bread, pasta, split peas, chicken and ground beef. If it's soft enough to chew, she can eat it.