Our Little Artist

I can't tell you how happy I am that Katie is showing interest in drawing. It's what I loved to do when I was a little girl, and I was hoping she would find as much enjoyment in it as I did...as I still do.

She creates with crayons, paints, chalk, whatever she can get her hands on. And she always has a made up name for the objects in her creations. "Mommy, this is a Crammyshelf." (She got such a laugh from that that she makes me Crammyshelves regularly just to see me laugh more.)

She makes pictures of her family, animals, princesses...
As you can see here, she decided to draw some new eyebrows on herself. She did a great job, if I don't mind saying so myself, but now we have an understanding that we limit the drawing to paper and sidewalks.

Next Stop: Preschool.

This has been a pretty rough couple of weeks for me as I realize my first born is finished with preschool. Katie's big brother, Peter, attended Miss Kelly's, then Miss Anita's class for the last two years. It has been such a wonderful
experience walking him to school each day, working in the classroom once a week. I didn't realize how much I was going to miss it, but it's hit me hard that Peter's really growing up.
(The picture to the left is the first day of preschool.)

Now, as Peter moves onto Kindergarten in the Fall, Katie is more than ready for Miss Kelly's class herself. She was already playing the part of a preschool student anyway. Each day as we left for school, she would casually look back from the front door and ask: "Mommy, is it my 'share' day?" Peter rolled his eyes as I would put my finger to my lips and each time reply: "No, Sweetie, I think it's tomorrow." She always seemed happy with my answer and never argued.

Summer has only just begun. I have three full months to enjoy my little ones, but I already look forward to my days of helping out in Katie's class, being a part of her preschool experience. And though I'm going to miss my precious time with Peter, I know this will be just as wonderful. I know she's really eager to be a big kid like her brother. Now if I can just figure out a way to slow it all down.

I Already Danced

When Katie turned 3, I was excited to start her in some kind of dance class. I figured she would love it and would be beyond eager to get to class each week. That just didn't happen.

The first class we tried she jumped right in and I figured that was that. I was snapping photos, already imagining the story of her first class that I was going to write about in her baby book. Years later, when she became a prima ballerina, she could look back at the first day and smile. Fifteen minutes in she was ready to leave.

The rest of the week I spoke about ballet class, hoping she would have changed her mind. I suggested maybe we try again the next week. Her response was "I already danced." She didn't want to talk about it anymore. I think I may have been too eager. She smelled my desperation.

Recently I heard about a new dance school opening up around the corner. I decided to play it cool. I mentioned that there was a "Princess Party" going on nearby and would she like to go check it out. She was on board! I was very careful not to mention the words "dance" or "class" or make a big deal of it.

On the day of the "Princess Party" she was excited to go. I have to say I was getting a little nervous when she started talking about the cake at the party. Somehow she forgot about it though and had a wonderful time -- dancing and twirling, playing with wands and waving scarves, she did it all. By the time it was over, a whole hour later, she was hooked. I signed her up and then kept quiet until the next week.

Now, a month later, she stands waiting at the door in her fancy clothes, ready for the little outing that is all for her. And she loves it. She even calls it dance class now, at which I just smile and keep my mouth shut.

Thank You for My Date

If there's one thing that Katie loves, it's going on a date with her Baba. Once she hears that there's a date in the works she can talk about nothing but.

A few weeks ago, her Baba took her to the bookstore and to frozen yogurt on their big date. Katie actually let me brush her hair and put a barrett in it, which she only does on very special occasions. She was very excited and waited by the door to go.

When they returned home, Katie talked about her date for the rest of the day. As she drifted off to sleep, the last thing she said was: "Thank you for my date."

For days after the date, she would tell anyone who would listen that she went on a date with her Baba. It warmed my heart that she couldn't stop talking about it. Sometimes, out of the blue, she would call out across the house or say, as he was leaving for work: "Thank you for my date, Baba." She even thanked me a couple of times for taking Peter on a date so they could go on their date.

Now, weeks later, the 'thank yous' are dwindling. That can only mean one thing. It must be time for another date...

Bye Bye Noah

I was ready for a rough month of November with Katie. I have been putting off taking her pacifier (her "Noah" as she calls it) for a very long time. Her dentist has been pleading with me to take it away for months, but it was such a sense of security for her that I didn't want to traumatize her. I told myself I would take it by the time she was three. She was very attached to it and asked for it all the time, especially when she was tired.

Well her third birthday was fast approaching and I knew it was time. So the week before Halloween, I told myself that November 1 would start the 30 day countdown to being pacifier free.

Monday, November 1, I said to Katie: "Well, Sweetheart, it's time we get rid of your Noah. So from here on out, we are only going to be using it at nighttime. No more at naptime. You are a BIG GIRL now! You are practically three!! So this is it!" She liked the words "big girl" and she talked about it for a moment or two and moved on.

That night at bedtime, she never asked for her pacifier. In fact she didn't mention it once the whole night. I couldn't believe it. The next morning I told her how proud I was of her and she was very excited by my reaction...and that was it.

She had just stopped cold turkey. No trauma, no melt downs, no pleading. No nights of crying herself to sleep while I covered my ears. It had taken one day. ONE. DAY. I wonder now how long ago I could have taken it. Never again will I underestimate this little girl....until the next time I do.

Because...Actually

What a big girl Katie is becoming. I laugh at how much older she sounds when she speaks now. She tells us often just what a big girl she is too, as she chooses her own clothes and tries to dress herself.

Her Baba and I are constantly exchanging smirks when she announces important things such as : "I love Peter becaaaaause... I love him." or "I want some pasta becaaaaause...actually...I'm hungry." She always draws out the word "because" and I'm pretty sure it's so she can think of the next thing to say. "Actually" is the new word this week and I just love to hear her work it into a sentence.

She's back to wanting to wear her rainboots every place we go, too. Rain or shine. And sometimes she just wants to wear the first two shoes she pulls from the shoe bin. I happily oblige. She is, after all, a big girl.

(Please note, she is walking her "pet" spider home from a friend's house in this photo.)

Pony Tails and Dresses

Thrilled doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about Katie's newfound love of all things girlie.

As you can see she has started wearing barretts, although there's never a guarantee the clip will make it out of the house still attached to her head. It's getting easier though which I'm thankful for. I very optimistically purchased three different colors recently.

Pedicures by mommy cause Katie to squeal with delight and when finished she must show everyone her "pony tails."

Dresses are a must each day. So much so that I had to go out last week and find more to get us through the summer. I think we have enough now to get us through to fall. Whew! And like the perfect big brother, Peter is sure to tell her each day how pretty she looks.

I wish I could videotape every moment. Every day is something new and I hope and pray I will remember it all...

Big Girl Bed

Somehow I thought this was going to be an easier transition. Katie was climbing out of her crib nightly, there was no keeping her in it. Obviously it was time for a bed, right?

Katie appeared excited at first, but soon realized that her crib was gone forever and tried to remove the new bed from her bedroom screaming "I don't WANT a bed!!!"Night one was filled with uncontrollable sobbing every 20 minutes or so. I actually thought there was something medically wrong.

The next morning, after spending most of the night in my bed, I took her to the pediatrician only to find out she was fine. She was just having some trouble transitioning. So off to Target we went to find the perfect blanket that was all her own. Hello Kitty was the blanket of choice. Thankfully she believed me when I told her the Dora blanket was the wrong size.

Fast forward five days later and she seems to actually like her new bed - although she still asks for her crib. The first thing she does when we walk in the door from being outside is run to her bed and just sit on it. It's very sweet. There's still a bit of crying in the night, but this too shall pass...I hope.

Love

I know it won't last forever, and they will have their moments of sibling rivalry, but the closeness between Katie and her big brother Peter is so sweet. I love to listen to the conversations between the two of them while they play two rooms away or watch their interactions.

Last week I listened as Katie told Peter "I love you Peter." and Peter returned the sentiment with "I love you too Katie. I hope you never get hurt." Then yesterday as Peter and I returned from the grocery store, Katie came running up to us shouting "Peter!" as though she hadn't seen him in a week. They hugged and then walked off together to play. Last night I made sure to get the baby books out to record these special moments. Because, as I keep hearing from my friends with older children, it goes so fast.

Mommy! I a Princess!

It's always interesting to see what Katie will grab as we walk out the door each day. Sometimes she has to have a purse, of which she has many. She's so fancy that sometimes she carries two.

It's even more interesting to see what she will decide to place inside. Will it be Star Wars action figures? Plastic spaghetti? My Little Pony? I love to peek inside. It warms my heart to see what she chose, since she takes such a long time to carefully select the contents.

Lately she has been very happy to wear dresses. She gets so excited once she is fully dressed, holds out the hem of her dress and says "Mommy! I a princess!" I can pretty much get her to wear anything, as long as I say the word princess when I describe it. I wonder how long that will last...

Mother's Day

I got to sleep in this morning for Mother's Day.

Well, sort of.

Every few minutes the bedroom door would swing open and hit the wall and either Peter or Katie would come running in and yell "Mommy! Mommy!" and crawl onto the bed.

Peter would tell me some random fact about whatever Star Wars action figure he was holding and then run back out. Katie would pretend she wanted to snuggle and go back to sleep. And just when I closed my eyes and drifted back into dreamland, she would say in her teeny voice "tickle tickle!" One time she started singing a lullaby. Only, she doesn't know that a lullaby should be sung sweetly and quietly. She yelled it.

I am really going to miss these days as they continue to get older and more independent, so I don't mind the constant interruptions to my restful sleep.

I love this picture of Katie in her peach sweatshirt from our wonderful friend Kristine. She looks about five there to me. I still think of her like this:

Our Little Climber

These days I have to wear my running shoes when going to the park with the little ones. Katie is all about climbing, and she is fast! One moment she is right beside me and the next she could be forty feet away, climbing one of the many ladders on the play structure.

She is a pretty good climber, I must admit, (thanks Gerry) though there are those few times when a foot slips and my heart almost stops.

Thankfully Peter is at an age where he gets it that he has to stick close by, just in case we have to go after Katie. He never complains. He knows she's a handful.

I love the time at the park where she just wants to be pushed in the swing. A little break for mommy. Here, our good friend, Finn, is pushing Peter and Katie. He's such a sweet boy.

Playing with My Big Brother

I am so in love with these two little ones. They are having so much fun together. They're actually talking to one another, sharing toys (most of the time) and constantly trying to see who can make the other laugh more.

Today I walked into the living room to find them playing "Ring Around the Rosies", collapsing into fits of laughter at the end of each revolution. In this photo Peter is giving Katie a horsey-back ride. What a great big brother he is.

The weekend was full of moments like that. Once I heard Peter ask Katie if she was okay. Another time, after Katie made Peter cry when she knocked over his building, she went over and rubbed his back and said she was sorry. It just melted my heart.

These moments may not last forever, so I'm going to cherish them now as much as I can...

Trouble

You would never guess, by looking at Katie, that there is so much mischief lurking behind those hazel eyes. She has enough energy for four toddlers and is constantly thinking up new ways to surprise me.

Just when I think she is quietly playing and I can get some housework done, I walk in to find her in the bathroom filling up her teacups with water from the toilet. Or I catch her pouring water from the sink into a drawer. Never a dull moment with this one.

As you can see, she is actually wearing pigtails. They lasted an entire five minutes. A record.

Friends Forever

As much as I get annoyed that Peter and Katie stay up so late laughing, I have to admit that I love how they manage to have so much fun together.

Since our home is a tiny 2/1, sharing a bedroom is mandatory. For the first year of Katie's life, I was so eager to add on another bedroom. Now I realize how sad those two would be to be separated. Tonight as they were playing before bed, I actually heard Peter say "Katie, I love you."

I still want to add on, but only so we can have a little extra storage for all of those darn toys I keep stepping on!

GOODNIGHT Katie!!!!

As I type this, Katie is full of energy, dancing around the room, singing the tune to Batman. When we placed her in her crib tonight, she cried and cried. Not her usual mad cry, but that cry where you know something's up. Ear infection? Plain stubborness? We'll soon find out when we put her back to bed.

For now, we are enjoying her silliness that we know won't last forever. She is making goofy faces to make us laugh and running around with her mittens on, playing peek-a-boo. I think she loves these moments when she is the center of attention, and she has us all to herself. Don't get me wrong, she loves her big brother, but right now she is the queen of comedy and she is loving the spotlight

Off to try bed again. Maybe she just wanted a few extra moments. Hoping that is all.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Christmas eve was quite festive at our home. Family and friends came for dinner and we had our annual white elephant gift exchange.

Katie was at her antagonistic best with her brother. She took his toys, stole his dinner and she basically did whatever she could to get him to have a melt down. She was very thorough. It didn't help that he was overly tired.

Katie received lots of girlie princess toys from Santa and Peter received lots of great boy stuff. Of course they only want to play with one another's toys. Figures.

I found this dress, 10 minutes before guests arrived, in the back of Katie's closet. Forgot we even had it. Thank goodness I found it because it fit perfectly.

Little Miss Sassy Pants

Hoo boy...if these past few weeks are any indication of how this year is going to go, then we are in for a wild ride.

Lately Katie's favorite words are "No, Mommy." She says it tentatively, like she's just trying it out, but trying it out she is. Today Katie covered her ears and told her brother to "be quiet!" Seriously, where does she get this?

And there is just no safe way to turn your back on this little girl. She is into everything. If she's not in sight, you can be sure to find her jumping on Mommy and Baba's bed, climbing onto the stairmaster, in the fridge getting some eggs for mommy, climbing on one of the gifts under the tree to get one of the breakable ornaments up high...you get the picture.

Katie's brother was never this naughty. We are completely unprepared for the likes of little Katie Lou and she knows it. So wish us luck this year, we are certainly going to need it.

Big Time Two Year Old

Katie turned two this month. The amount of energy she has is unbelievable. Whenever we leave the house, she has to hop all the way to the car. She chatters nonstop, much like her brother. In fact, she repeats everything he says. It's pretty adorable, and it almost always makes him laugh.

She is so lovable, running up and giving us all spontaneous hugs and telling us she loves us. It's hard to get mad at her for all the mischief she gets into. I have learned not to leave the refrigerator door open because Katie loves to bring me eggs. Usually one gets dropped (or thrown) when I try to retrieve them from her clutches. Her other favorite thing to do is to casually walk up to Peter, grab one of his toys and either throw it or run for her life. So hard not to laugh. Most of the time they just sit and crack one another up. That's my most favorite sound.

Hanging Out With The Cousins

It was an especially fun Thanksgiving for Katie this year. She is nearing her second birthday and is starting to really enjoy having other kids around. She is beginning to have playdates of her own and she loves playing with her cousins when we get a chance to see them.

Lucky for her, we got to spend the holiday with three of her many cousins. She and Peter had a ball in their enormous playroom and on the play structure out back. It was hard to leave, but the moment we drove away, they were both sound asleep. The sign of a good day, I'd say.