California Trip // San Diego

We have had a California trip planned with Bjs family for a while now, but last minute decided to go up a day early to take Kate to Sea World. Instead of trying to escape life for a whole extra day, I thought we would just leave super early Wednesday morning. In my head, Kate and Bj would sleep the whole time and we would arrive at Sea World refreshed and ready to spend the day there. No matter that I am also 7 and a half months pregnant. SO smart. Except not at all. Kate was bright eyed almost the entire ride there and we were all 3 exhausted before we even stepped out of the car in California. Lesson learned. We arrived at Sea World shortly after it opened and just made the best of being super tired. Kate was a little too short for most of the rides but loved the Sesame Street area. Bj and I took turns crawling around with her and were both dripping in sweat after. I couldn't ride the mini rides with her because of the pregnancy, but Bj rode 2 with her. The first she really enjoyed. The second she was screaming before they even took off. I tried to tell him she would get used to it and love it....but I was oh so wrong. She screamed the entire time and I'm pretty sure both BJ and Kate are still scarred from it. Whoopsies. Next we hit up the animal shows, all of which were the highlight of the day for both Kate and BJ. The Dolphin show was definitely our favorite. Kate ooohh and awwwwed the whole time and it was so fun to watch her. Around 2pm we had seen pretty much everything we could and decided to go on one last ride together. While waiting, Kate tripped and got a bloody lip. The pain mixed with the fatigue of the day made her inconsolable, so we called it a day and headed out to our hotel. She was asleep before we even left the parking lot. We checked into our somewhat scary hotel (( hotel pictures online NEVER look the same as they do in real life. )) for the night and just relaxed. Since being a newborn, Kate has never slept with us so I was really nervous on how that would go. No need though, we were all out by 8pm and didn't wake up until 9am. Success. I will definitely plan things a little different next time, but am still so glad we went up a day early to do Sea World with our little family.

 

happy ride

....sad ride.

the best face, and the one she made all day. so sad I didn't catch it more clearly.

still mad about the ride maybe? haha.

exhausted and ready to go to sleep!

July 4th

We ((and by we, I mean I ))were too hot and too tired to do much for July 4th, so we decided to just grill out and anyone who wanted to come, could! Bj's parents and younger brothers, Thelma, Liz and Tristan ended up coming over and aside from sweating the entire time, it was pretty fun. Brad brought a homemade rocket launcher over and it kept everyone entertained. Kate missed her nap because we swam all day at my moms, so she was pretty grumpy and fell asleep long before any fireworks started. I keep telling Bj that next year we WILL have a pool. From experience, I know my current state of pregnant misery is easily forgotten. Once a sweet baby is here to love on, all of these aches, pains, throwing up and emotional ups and downs ....they go out the window. But this heat. I'm fairly certain this heat is the exception. Arizona heat + pregnancy = a misery that will NOT be forgotten. In the spring I'll remember this time and will demand we start construction on our pool.  So, next July 4th we will begin out annual Young 4th of July party. And you're all invited. See ya then.

this about sums up Kate's mood for the night

broken arm

A couple of Sundays ago we were all in the basement and Kate decided to swan dive off the couch. Okay, maybe that's not exactly what happened but it might as well be. That little girl has no fear and just walks wherever she wants, even if it's right off the couch. After the fall she cried pretty hard for a good hour, which is very unusual for her. We decided to give it until the morning and if it was still bothering her, we would take her in. The next morning she was using her arm, reaching for things, crawling up and down the stairs..you name it. With the exception of extending her arm completely, she was back to normal. We chalked it up to a bruised elbow and let it go. Plus, she had a well check appointment scheduled in 8 days so I figured if it was still bugging her, I would just ask then. The well-check came, x-rays were taken, x-rays came back.... with the results that her arm was fractured in 2 spots! And it had just been hanging out, all broken and crap, for 8 days! So sad! The next day we had a cast put on, and she is now the oblivious wearer of the tiniest purple cast to ever exist. I've really only seen her notice, examine and touch it a few times during meals, haha. It hasn't slowed her down one bit. And now every time she falls, I think about the fact that another broken bone would probably earn me a call from CPS. Which incidentally I had a dream about and it was no less than terrifying.

15 months!

height: 33inches 95th %
weight: 21lbs 30th %
head 17inches 25th %

The biggest change I've noticed as of late is Kate's ability to understand us. She understands when I say that we are taking a bath, going to bed, getting a snack, going to the other room...pretty much everything I attempt to communicate with her. It's really nice to have that communication there and I cannot wait until she can talk enough to give us a glimpse of whats going on in that little head of hers. Kate is  becoming progressively more attached to her blankie and me. And I sort of love the me part. I really am the apple of her eye, and it's pretty much awesome. I love doing everything with her and that we are such buddies.

at 15 months...

Hates having her diaper changed....unless I'm asking what various animals say, then shes cool with it. Seems to have dads taste buds- prefers salty over sweet but loves juice or otter pops. ((barf)). I can confidently say pizza is her favorite food. Starting to cuddle more!! Loves to lay her head on my shoulder when i carry her and loves to snuggle up and have her back scratched ((another similarity to dad)). When she is trying to show compassion toward someone/ something, she makes this around that is a mix between aww and oooh..... And goodness its cute!!! Constantly fiddling with my heart neckless and also loves trying to rip my eyelashes out... Rude. About 10 teeth now. Size 3 shoe. Current favorite book- peek a who. Sleeps great- usually from 7pm-ish to 9am-ish...aweeessoommmmeeeee. Takes one 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon. Is an insane woman at church. I typically chase her around the whole 3 hours and by the time church is over we both need a nap. Only 3 months until nursery- holla.

cowgirl up

Lately, we've been loving morning walks around here.  A few months ago Ellen mentioned their morning walks and I thought it was such a good idea. A good idea + 115 degree Arizona heat = morning is pretty much the only time to I will willingly go outdoors. So morning walks it is! As soon as she wakes up, we grab our shoes and head outside. This little gal loves the outdoors, plus it gives us a chance to wake up, get some wiggles out and then come in ready to start our day.

And lets be honest....the boots. No words needed really.

 

We even found daddy at the end of our walk. Yatzy!

1 year old!

(3 months late! lucky for me i had written most of this 3 months ago or I would have never remembered half of this stuff!)

Kate,

You're 1 year old, baby girl! This past year has hands down been the best year of my life. I am so glad that you are our first born and that I get to call you mine forever.  Your sweet, easy going personality has done wonders for us as newbie parents...and trust me, we (( I )) needed the help.  Those first 2 months, wowza! And the time I took you to the doctor twice in 1 day? Oops, new mama here. Fast forward through that learning curve though, and man oh  man has life gotten sweet. Each day has literally gotten better and better. Watching you grow, learn and explore is the best.  Being a mom...thank you for making me a mother. It is the best, most rewarding, terrifying, funnest, most hilarious job ever. I love spending my days with you. There is nothing else in the whole world I'd rather spend these years doing.

At 1 year you....

Had maybe 1 tooth (1/2 of a tooth really, on the bottom), walking like a crazy lady, being outside is your favorite, you love for me to turn pandora on my phone and dance with you while you shake your little booty, love to clap your hands, laugh at mack....you take 2 naps a day, sleep from about 8-7, and you have itty bitty baby size 2 feet!

Really, I just want to remember how happy you are. You are the happiest, most easy going baby. And tough! You are always falling and tumbling different every which way but you just get right back up like nothing happened. You obviously get that from me ;-). You're still not a huge cuddle bug, but I'm not losing hope yet. You are miss independent and are totally okay playing on your own. At the kids club in the gym, the girls always tell me that you just quietly play on your own. Funny girl. Sesame Street is still the best show ever. You eat really well and eat pretty much everything we eat. Yogurt, fruit and goldfish are a few of your favorites. You love to read with me. About 20 times a day, regardless of what I'm doing, you come to me with 'blankie' in one hand and a book in the other. You hand me the book, sit right down and look up at me waiting for me to read it to you. I love it. I frequently find you looking through books on your own....often the books are upside down but you turn them around over and over again looking closely at how the pictures change. It always makes me smile. Although you say a few words (mama, dada, uh oh, hi), you have not shown a ton of interest in other English words yet. However, you talk nonstop. Really. You jibber jabber all day and it's the funniest thing because, to you, it is a real conversation. You pause throughout, make eye contact, hand movements, have voice inflection, there is always accompanied laughter...you wait for us to reply and then keep going. You love when I sing pop corn popping, itsy bitsy spider, ABC's, and 3 little monkeys. 

I never want a day to come that you don't want to be my best bud anymore.

Sometimes I think you are my twinner child but you are a pretty good mix of me and your dad. And we just cant get enough of you!

Happy birthday, sweet girl!