Katherine at the Playground

So, Katherine loves, loves, LOVES to play "outside". If I can stand the heat, we go to the Grant Park playground in the neighborhood. It seems like she was just a baby, and now she's a running, flipping, climbing kid. Here she is having fun.






Perhaps the only thing that she loves more than playing outside is playing with her dog, Toby, or as she says it, "Bo-bee". She absolutely worships him, hugging him and patting him all the time. She usually remembers to be "gentle" as we've taught her, so Toby tolerates it as best he can. We can't go upstairs or go into another room for that matter without Katherine calling for Toby to follow us. What can you say? A girl and her dog.......

Summer Time Fun

Katherine is becoming a little kid now. There's hardly any baby left! She's even getting hair (with curls!). One fun thing for her has been the discovery of new summer time foods. Here we are enjoying watermelon outside.



She also discovered the joy of popsicles. (You can tell I'm a lazy mom. I just strip her down to her diaper whenever she's eating something messy. That's the beauty of the summer time heat, right?)

Katherine also really likes corn on the cobb. This is a picture from Memorial Day when I started to eat my own corn. Katherine jumped in my lap and devoured the whole thing before I could eat any! She thought it was the greatest thing ever.

Some Oldie but Goodie Pictures

I know, I know. I'm way behind on pictures. Here are some from the spring. We just got back from vacation and the beach. Once I edit out all the pictures of me in a bathing suit, I'll post those, too.

March Photos

Here are some photos of the past month. As you can see, Katherine is really growing, and she is fully capable of being very silly. She loves to dress up and pretend a lot. She's always copying me, so I decided to put her to work cleaning floors. I'm not kidding. She really does a decent job swiffering.

Enjoy the photos. Happy Spring!

Playdate

Today, Xander Zimmerman spent the morning at our house. He and Katherine have so much fun playing together. On Wednesday, Katherine will go to his house for the morning. (Hooray!) I don't know what I would do without Xander's mom, Nikki. They live a block and a half from us, and we see them a lot.

Katherine and Xander have been "playing" together since before they could crawl, but it is really great to see them to begin to actually play together now. One of their current favorite games is chase. Today, Katherine kept throwing herself on the ground and getting Xander to tickle her. They are quite hilarious and entertaining to watch. I got some great pictures of them playing today below.

I heard my name for the first time

So, yesterday was a pretty great day. Katherine spent the morning at her friend, Xander Zimmerman's house playing. She's turing into a very funny little girl. I actually got some time to myself when I could relax and get a few things done. Katherine had fun too, as you can see in the picture below of her playing dress up at the Zimmerman's.




Katherine is starting to talk a lot more, but she's never really said 'mama'. She says a version of it often, but she says it as more of a command. If she sees a toy she wants, she'll point demandingly and say, "mah, mah, mah." If she wants some milk, she'll go to the fridge - "mah, mah, mah". You get the idea. I think she takes for granted the fact that I am always there, so she never really feels the need to refer to me by an actual name.

Well, last night after Katherine's bath I wrapped her in a towel. For some reason we've developed this habit of always smiling into the bathroom mirror on the way to the changing table. So there we were, looking into the mirror. I said, "who is that little girl in the towel?" Katherine smiled. Then, not really thinking, I pointed to myself and said, "who's that?" Katherine smiled and said in her sweet little voice,"ma-ma". I don't know how to explain it, but she wasn't just speaking baby babble. She said my name. It was a really amazing moment for me. Then, just as quickly, she starting wiggling to get down and run around the room like a naked crazy baby. It was a small moment, but it reminded me why this is all worth it.

Recent Pictures Around the House

Here are some recent pictures of Katherine having fun around the house. She still doesn't have a lot of hair, but it's starting to get a little thicker, which is progress for us. Poor Katherine has been having a rough time lately. She is getting in her molars and canine teeth all at the same time. It has been pretty painful for her (and me!).

Katherine is also little Miss Independent. She wants to walk everywhere by herself, feed herself, etc. If I try to help her do something, I'll often get yelled out. That is, until she decides that she needs my help, at which time I'll be yelled at also. Ah, life with a toddler.......