Who Taught Her THAT?

Ok, so J and I were riding down the road the other day and I did one of my quick, out of the corner of my eye checks on why Kate was being so quiet and this is what I caught her doing...

Kids say and do some of the darnedest things! Now, all I want to know is WHO taught her THAT? Any takers? I'm sure no one will be taking credit any time soon :)

Kate's 1st Birthday Present

Over the past few weeks I have really put a lot of thought into what J and I would like to give Kate for her very first birthday. I thought about getting her a big girl car seat (she already has one but needs another for Dad's vehicle), but that's too boring. I thought about a wagon, blocks, balls, or bath tub toys but then decided those were better ideas for other family members to get her. So, after a little discussing, J conceded to my idea of getting her ears pierced! What else could a girl want?

I called around to different shops all morning long and couldn't find anyone who had two qualified people working so that they could pierce both ears at the same time. Finally, one shop offered to call the owner in to assist one of the ladies that was already there and do it for me. So, off we went (Aunt Erica and Ella came along too so that they could take pictures for us)! When we got there Kate was taking it all in.



She didn't like it so much when the ladies marked her ears. I'm sure it feels a little funny letting someone write on your earlobe with a marker!

But, they got them marked. We checked and rechecked that they were even and then 1, 2......3!

Her ears were pierced!

She cried for half a minute, literally.

I gave her a few puffs.

And everything was better! What a pretty little girl! Oh, the things we do for beauty.

Hide and Seek

This morning Kate woke up happy and ready to play. It was all I could do to get her to drink her bottle and eat a cereal bar before she was crawling under the sheets on my bed, chasing Trip from one corner to the next, and giving him "kisses" that look much more like a bite than a sweet little peck. Next, I was her entertainment. We spent 5 to 10 minutes pulling the covers over our heads and laughing when she pulled them off. Although I love playing with Kate and could have kept playing that silly game for an hour the fun had to be put on pause so that I could get ready for the day. I put Kate down on the floor so she could do her regular exploring around the bathroom and bedroom (you know, pulling all the toilet paper rolls out of the drawer, finding Daddy's Scope and carrying it around, standing on the scale so she can try to climb into the tub, etc.) while I showered and dried my hair. After a few moments of unusual quietness I noticed Kate wasn't in my immediate view so I started to look for her. Little did I know that she was still playing... I checked the closet, no Kate, I walked back through the bathroom, no Kate, glanced around the bedroom on both mine and J's side, no Kate, quickly checked under the high chair (she loves sitting under there for some reason), no Kate, by the dog bowl, no Kate, in the laundry room, no Kate...ok, you get the picture, I'm getting a little freaked out by now. I hear a little squeal from my bedroom and then a thump. I turn the corner and here is what I saw...

A foot and a hand sticking out from UNDER the middle of my bed! When I bent down to let her know that she had been found I realized that she had found something of her own while she was under there.

Chapstick! There is no telling how long it has been there (Trip probably stashed it away after going through my purse one day!). How gross! And of course it's in her mouth! After I quickly confiscated the "treasure" she had found Kate decided the game was over and unveiled how she got into her little hiding spot.

Laying flat on her belly, head turned sideways (bobbing up and down a little, hence the "thump" I heard earlier) she wormed her way under the foot railing back out into the open.

She ended the game with a smile. Almost as if to say..."Hey mom! What took you so long? I thought you were never going to find me." And that was our first official game of hide-and-seek!

Our Little China Doll

In honor of the Olympics (and because she finally grew into it) Kate wore her silk outfit from China this week. J bought her the outfit when he went on a business trip to Shanghai in early April.

The outfit was so soft and comfy that she thought she was in her pajamas all day! All she wanted to do was pull books off the shelves, curl up in my lap, and listen to stories. I love these kind of days!

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Today Kate, Ella, Erica (Aunt Erica to Kate), and I drove all the way up to Toco Hills to play at Gymboree. The girls had so much fun climbing, singing, dancing, and soooo much more! Here are the pictures to prove it, hope you enjoy!

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em

I can't believe that I am going to do this but like the title says... if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!