Hoppy Easter!

The Easter Bunny brought new reading material and jelly beans.

A tisket, a tasket, every year they make me sit in a basket!  Not this year, because she thought it was dirty.  Even lined with a blanket, we could only convince her to stand. 

Jon is ready for the royal wedding!

It's egg shaped.

After egg hunting, K had the best time splashing her feet in the pool with cousin H.

Grandma put nail polish in the Easter basket.  Hooray!

Last year, I worried about Katie getting the gist of Easter's meaning.  Even this year, she hasn't completely grasped it.  She does know that it involves Jesus and his "tune".  Not bad.  Getting warmer.  However, she did think there was a gorilla painted on the screen at the Good Friday church service.

Pregnostic (33 weeks)

Oops - I missed a week of pregnancy.  Somehow week 32 just flew by without my even noticing.  Perhaps I was distracted watching Jon move every item in our home to the garage for our new flooring to be installed.  How great was the timing of this project?!  Just one glance at my bulging belly and Jon knew I wouldn't/shouldn't be doing any heavy lifting.  If you heard about my attempt to move the fence, well, that was an emergency, and I wasn't successful anyway!

Hello, Baby Bundt bulge!  I've read you should get professional maternity photos taken in the 7th month when the bump is present, but still cute.  I think I've missed that window!!

We forgot fun props this time.  Jon suggested the wind could act as a point of interest.  So interesting that it blew our new tree and old fence down.

Just a little jealous of the flat stomach on this guy.  After dusting and moving every piece of furniture back into the house, Jon went on a much deserved guy's (air conditioned cabin) camping trip.  And he didn't get shot!

Baby Bundt is now the size of a honeydew melon.  It's weird though, that melon doesn't feel like it weighs 30 lbs.

This Season's Color

The color for spring is lively lilac, at least at our house.  Katie rang in the first official day of spring with an outdoor pedi and mani.  I wish I could reach my own feet as easily as I can reach hers and I'd have lively lilac piggies too.  Jon has one toe, and I do mean toe, painted in an effort to support K's creative endeavors.  Such a good dad!

The End of an Era/The Paci Fairy

The last showing of K's super dooper funny paci trick.

The favorite (and least expensive) prize the paci fairy left as consolation.

These pictures leave out the more anguish ridden aspects of the paci withdrawals and subsequent symptoms.  

I guess it hasn't been too bad.  There was an excruciating bedtime.  There was an almost nonexistent nap.  Then I told Jon it was breaking my heart and he had to be in charge of the next bedtime.  

Dad's ready for the worst.

He tucks her in to bed.

Turns off the light.

Says goodnight.

Kate asks him to check on her in ten minutes.  

He gets busy and doesn't go back to check on her for closer to thirty minutes.  When he does, she is sound ASLEEP.

So unfair!!!!

But I am happy for Katie that the transition, while not smooth, was at least quick!

Christmas Bath

Abbey gets a bath as often as she smells like Noah's Ark.  She is careful to deodorize weekly with her Bath Junkie perfume spray, so I won't tell you how long it takes for her to reach the ark stench.  This is Kate's first time to help Daddy with the task.  I am sure the lil' helper made Abbey feel completely at ease ;).

Abbey is getting her Christmas gift tonight.  A new bed.  Yea!  It feels like a new start.

The Ice Skating Show

We took Katie to see Disney Princesses on Ice.  She called it the ice skating show.  Look at our eyes all agog below.  Katie is taking in the elaborate set design.  I am taking in the price of the snow cones - $15.  I am sure they were magical snow cones that make all your wishes come true, but they looked like the crunchy kind that came from a Snoopy Sno-Cone machine.

Daddy let Katie select a magic wand.  She chose Ariel.  It lights up and plays Under the Sea.  Later at home she discovered you can make a lot of noise if you press the wand button and the button on her Christmas singing dog simultaneously.  It's better than magic.

Separate from the ice skating show, Jon bought me this hat.  I expressed a desire to own a winter hat with a large pom pom on the top.  I think he found the perfect one.

Katie is magic wanding the tree.

Oh and take a look at the coat she is wearing.  When I put it on her, she said, "Now I'm like a monkey."  Must be the color and feel of the velour.

After the show, Dad thought, and Katie agreed, the evening should be topped off with dessert.  She chose a white cupcake with sprinkles.  Yum.

Quotes and Quips #4 and Call Ripley's

Daddy helped K with her morning routine, so I could stay in bed for a few more minutes today. Here is a snippet from their conversation.

Daddy: I've got to go to work soon.

Katie: At the zoo?

Heeheehee. I guess Dad's descriptions of work are making an interesting impression on K-T.

Look what she chose to wear today! I can't believe it's not a dress!

Happy Birthday to Daddy!

We hope the best Daddy and Husband ever has the best day ever!

Love your Guts!

XXOOXXO!

C & K

Costume #1 - Fall Festival, and Pumpkin Carving

Ballerina fairy princess is CAUGHT!

Grandma came over to join us for the Fall Festival and to teach the ballerina fairy princess some moves. Grandma knows what she's doing. She and I took lessons.

If it smells bad, cup your hand over your mouth and gag. To clarify, it's the hay bales, not Granddad, that has an odor.

Katie finds her bliss.

Granddad thinks Katie learned "the claw" from her Daddy.

As I mentioned prior to this photo, if it is unpleasant in aroma, place hand over mouth and gag.

The Great Pumpkin by Daddy, Katie, and Granddad:

The Big Orange Pumpkin Farm

On Saturday evening, I told Katie that she could wear her candy corn dress to the pumpkin patch the next day. I forgot to mention to her that she would be wearing it to church first. She was more than a little upset with me when she found out that detail. But as you can see in the picture, all was well again by the time we arrived in pumpkinland.

Look, Piglet, I can do it too!

How much does Daddy love Katie?

This picture is going on my list of all time favs. Love the belly peeking out while she swipes a pumpkin. Good thing I forced her to wear the leggings!!!

Is she making eyes at him? A few friends from church met us at the farm. This little guy was showing off his muscles. She knows this little boy well enough, but insisted on calling him "Him".

Quotes and Quips #2

Jon told Katie to put shoes on so they could kick the ball around the yard last night. She chose these:

Katie: Mom, do you like my puffy shoes?

Me: Yes.

Katie: Do you want to pet them?

Can I get a "Yea, Fall is Here" cheer?

Houston, We have a Toddler!

We took road trip this weekend. The idea was to enjoy our family and the last waning days of summer. And we did do that - in between Katie's bouts of terribletwoititis. For those of you encouraging the creation of a lil' bro or lil' sis for Katie, I invite you on our next road trip. Yes, I do. Interestingly enough, K is smiling in most of these pics, but don't be fooled. She is smiling because she is masterminding her next plot to overthrow the unsuspecting parents.

Daddy and Kate say "Go Rangers!" at the Astro game.


A trip to the gift shop, and now we own a pom pon that doubles as hair accessory.



Wearing our mom and daughter sneaks to the game. Mom, want to take this to the next generation? I can get you a pair!


I took cuter pictures of Katie happily waving from the carousel, but I love the similar expressions they are wearing in this one. This was at the Houston Aquarium.


Yes, it was humid.


Daddy shows off his muscles at the Children's Museum


I know this picture takes my blog from a G rating to PG, but I can not resist! If that's not her maiden name, she LOVES her husband! This was on the road to Kemah. If I lived in her county, she'd get my vote. I wonder if her students gave her a lot of .....
All during our trip, Katie would answer any question we asked with "maybe." Maybe I will try to be more mature in the future. Or maybe not? Jon will probably start his own blog after this!

"This is my best prize ever!" That's what Katie said when her Daddy won this big fish for her on the Kemah boardwalk. Jon was looking a youthful 29 this night to the Guess Your Age Master of Ceremonies/carnie. Fish or no fish, I'd say being mistaken for 29 (as long as you are actually over 29) is worth the money to play this game. I can see how this is a gamble though. I wonder if the M.C./carnie is trained to guess low.
We were calling the fish Nemo, but Katie has never heard of him or his movie. She renamed him Nina.

Happy Father's Day