What a Year it has been!

Happy New Year! We survived Christmas and the New Year with our little trouble-maker, Kate. I cannot believe it is already 2010 and we are close to celebrating Kate's 1st Birthday. Chris and I always reflect on the day she was born and how terrified we were of being parents. We did not know the first thing to do despite listening to everybody's advice, reading EVERY book out there, and attending all of those classes at the hospital. None of the info sunk in. We remembered nothing. Because, it is different for everyone and you end up doing what works best for you and your own baby!

I can't get over that our little baby is not, well, really, a baby anymore. It is amazing what a 9-month old person can do. I have loved watching her learn how to do everything! She was once a "blob" (I am quoting Angelina Jolie) that just laid there and couldn't roll; couldn't do anything really. Now she is this wonderful little person, with so much character that MOVES everywhere (she is a fast crawler, pulls herself up on/and gets into everything, and is trying to walk along anything that gives her support)! I laugh when I say "character" because that is what her pediatrician said about her. I think that is his code word for "little shit." Kate was laying on the table while her pediatrician examined her, for her 9-month appointment, and he said something to us about her and she laughed at him. His response was, "oh, she's a little character." Hmm, I know what that means.

Speaking of her appointment, she was 29 inches and 19 pounds at her visit. He said she was in the 91st percentile for height and 60-something percentile for her weight. She was described as "long and lean," which pleased me because those are two words that have NEVER described me!

So, needless to say, Kate is doing great. We had such a good time for her FIRST Christmas. I took Kate to the children's mass at St. Francis on Christmas Eve but that lasted all of 5 minutes. As soon as she saw her cousin Bella she got so excited that she started screaming in delight. Kate doesn't know how to socialize appropriately, yet. When she saw Bella she grabbed her cardigan to pull her closer and then started yanking on her hair. Not good. Then when the priest was talking I think Kate was trying to see who could "speak" louder because she started yelling every time the priest spoke. Therefore, we took off.


(Kate on Christmas Eve)


(Our First Christmas Eve)

Christmas morning was awesome. The new tradition is that we host a Christmas Breakfast/Brunch while we watch Kate open gifts, because really, that is what it is all about now, Kate. Of course it was the same cliche, she loved the cardboard and tissue paper more than her gifts. But, she did get some cool stuff. She received so many gifts, it is not even funny. Our house looks like Toys r Us now...my once "perfect" living room is now the play place. Kate also got her two upper front teeth for Christmas. She was teething pretty badly a couple of days before, which is no fun at all. But now we get to see that gap toothed smile of hers!



(Look at her bum, "My First Christmas" - too cute)










(Kate and her rockin' Moose)






We look forward to what the new year will bring us and we wish your families a healthy and happy new year!

Here are some pics of what Kate learned over Christmas break:


How to use the dog-door


How to eat spaghetti


Mastering the art of the pincer grasp eating cheerios

And here are more photos because I love my kiddo so much and think she is too cute!


(playing with her Christmas loot)


(gangsta)




(sleeping beauty)