Eary Birthday Celebration

Since my family will not have the luxury of being with Kate on her actual birthday, we had an early party here with them complete with a banner, party hats, blowers, cupcake cones and lots of presents. Everyone helped to make the cupcakes...until Kate couldn't keep her fingers out of the batter. Then she had to be distracted by playing chef with Papa using the pretend food. She was the ideal gift opener...so genuinely excited about each one and said "tank too" afterwards as well. We had tons of fun. When asked how old she is, she replies "two" and struggles to put up just two little fingers. So cute! Can't beleive she is so grown up and yet it feels like she has always been a part of our lives! Later that night, once Kate was in bed, my family surprised Michael and I with a mini baby shower for little baby boy Molloy...this kid will be set with the cutest onsies and outfits ever!





The top chef needed a break after such masterful baking

Cali...rain or shine

So we have been visiting Papa and "Manna" (I don't know where Kate came up with that one) and loving every minute. Kate has been delighted to wake up and try to find snails ("snainaaals") with Papa; running, well more like doing laps over the bridge and around the pool, breakfast at Cheesecake factoryseeing her So Cal family, playing with Auntie Lala's kichen toys/pretend food she used to play with ages ago, playing with Jacob, my dear friend Michelle's little boy...here are some of the highlights:

afternoon snack

kate had a fun date with auntie coco while michael and i were at a beautiful wedding this morning (thank you, corinne, for all your hard work and amazing personality that kate and i enjoy so much). after her nap, kate had a snack of clementines ("tines") which i put into a small bowl. she gobbled them up and then proceeded to pretend to stir soup in her empty bowl and then eat it...

me: kate, what is in your soup? are their noddles in your soup?
kate: noooo... (smiling)
me: do you have carrots in your soup?
kate: noooo... (still smiling and shaking her head side to side)
me: well, what do you have in your soup?
kate: (after thinking for a moment) tines! (she states proudly)
me: you made clementine soup?!
kate: yes! (emphatically stirring and then she hands it to me to try)

yes, it was delicious! :o) i cannot believe my 21 month old already uses her imagination and sweet mind to pretend and get lost in her own little world! love you, miss kate!

play-doh

A surprise was waiting for Kate when she awoke from her nap this afternoon...Daddy already home and he had brought PLAY-DOH! She sat and played for over an hour, not to mention had a great time plus keeping all the colors separated!




I love these two!!!!

wings and yogurt

Miss Kate is becoming more toddler and less baby every day...In one sense sad, but such a delight and often humorous as we watch her little world develop. It is not uncommon to find her in her room with her dolls saying, "Night, night, Ariel. Night, night Dora. No, no, no" to be followed by her rocking, feeding and singing to them both. She surprises me each and every day with a more extensive vocab, funny and imaginative actions or by out of the blue telling me to follow her, "Mama, come!"

Her new butterfly wings. She wouldn't smile for anything with the camera pointed at her (as soon as I put it down she would be all smiles).


Driving fun with Daddy when her came home early to surprise her



Self feeding yogurt with a mid-say cheese action.

snow day

it happened nearly a week ago, but it snowed a few inches again and while the snow was plentiful, it was not conducive to packing, rolling, creating a large snowman. so michael is becoming rather proficient at forming mini frosties and thankfully kate doesn't mind. looks a bit familiar, yes, frosty (the snow girl) has returned!



making snow angels with daddy


a hesitant first taste of snow...


...followed by a huge bite...


...a new found love...ahhhh


warming up after fun was had

lots of veggies during this month of prayer and fasting


kate chillin', curled up in a "blankie" watching BOZ the green bear next door...a cute dvd series full of daily lessons about how God gave us wonderful imaginations...she has now started laying on the floor, points to the ceiling saying "sky" and starts naming the objects she is using her imagination to see...frosty the snowman always makes the list!


she spent nearly all thursday coloring...this is but a small sample of what she accomplished


so i slammed my finger in that car door wednesday night. not sure how, but it happened and now my index fingernail is lovely shades of the rainbow. whenever kate sees my finger she gives it kisses and prays for my boo boo. sweet girl.


showing off her muscles! this is a new pose she strikes whenever the word "strong" is used. she flexes her muscles and states "daddy"?, "papa"?...i guess she was paying attention when i told her daddy was going over to work out at papa's house to get strong