Gobble Gobble!

Kate survived her 2nd Thanksgiving! All the family came to our house to celebrate the beginning of the holiday madness. Let's see who came? Uncle Tony, Nana, Papa, Grandpa Mike, Grandma Linda, Bum Bum, Bisabuela (great-grandmother), Nino Eric, Nina Bianca, cousin Bella, Uncle Ish, Tia Carla, NanaLu...phew, don't think I missed anybody! Needless to say it was a packed house and we had a blast! The family convinced me not to get all Martha Stewart so it was a fancy free Thanksgiving this year. We are talking paper plates and cups, plastic utensils and no tablecloths or place cards this year. I have to admit, it was stress free and tons of fun! Kate was pretty moody as usual. She woke up from the wrong side of crib from her nap. She finally warmed up to everybody and started playing and seemed to enjoy all the fixins'. She even tried Grandma Linda's "Green Death" and appeared to like it ~ that makes 3 people! Green Death is the affectionately named pistacho/cabbage/jello concoction that is a mid-west favorite and Grandma Linda grew up eating, and now she shares with us during the Holidays. We all enjoyed great food and company. Hope yours was great too! Happy Thanksgiving!


"These people are crazy, I'm outta here!"


Kate with Mommy, Uncle Tony and Nana


Kate trying Grandma Linda's "Green Death"


Chris very carefully frying the turkey as Grandpa Mike, Bum Bum and Papa look in awe


NanaLu, Tia Carla, Cousin Bella (tired of taking pics), Nino Eric, Nina Bianca, and Uncle Ish


Bisabuela with her great-grandaughters Kate and Bella, and grandchildren Tony, Eric, Ish and Annette (of course Kate had no interest in picture taking)

This time last year

This time last year Kate was preparing for her 1st Thanksgiving feast! How time flies. A cliche I know, but so true. Last year we were feeding her in her high chair which she was too small for. We were giving her soft foods as she was just beginning to eat other foods (mostly rice cereal and baby food) besides from her bottle.



This year, Kate doesn't really like her high chair. Really, she doesn't like to sit and like any toddler wants to run and play. Grandma Linda gave her a booster chair; an early Christmas present. I think Kate likes it!



So last year was rice cereal, bottles, and high chairs. This year it is booster seats, eating at the big table, feeding herself and drinking from her sip cups. I can't believe how big she is getting and how fast this is going by. Last year was mostly cries with no communication. This year, still plenty of crying but she understands us, has some words and uses her signs like "more". Wow. What a difference a year makes. We have so much to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving and let's see what next year brings us!

Balloon Festival

Kate is 20 months old today! We thought it would be fun to take her to watch the Hot Air Balloons take-off at McGraw Elementary School. Chris teaches PE there so it was fun to take her so that his colleagues could catch a glimpse of her since she is growing up so fast! She was in awe at first, just staring at the balloons and not wanting me to put her down. Once she became comfortable she started running towards the balloons and wanted to touch them. It was really fun to see her run, laugh and experience this.


Love this face! Love those lashes!


Kate and Mommy


Daddy showing Kate the Balloon, or as Kate says, "this?" or "ba-boon?"


Nothing is better than watching Kate run and laugh ~ LOVE this girl!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Kate's 2nd Halloween went as I imagined. She wanted nothing to do with anything or anybody. Shocker. I had been prepping Kate for this holiday. We decorated the house, she had been watching Yo Gabba Gabba's Halloween episode, and we tried the pumpkin costume on her several times. Kate pretty much refused to wear the head piece to her costume, which was fine. She let us put the pumpkin costume during the "prepping" stage. Nanalu even made her a black tutu with purple ribbon which was supposed to be her "day" Halloween outfit.



Halloween eve rolls around. I have to wrestle her to the ground to put the tutu on her. She threw a massive fit! Forget about putting a bow on her head or the purple with black cat baby legs on her. After a while and pretending to wear the tutu (yes, me, wrapped around my leg) she finally let me put the tutu on her. On Halloween she had a really nice long nap. I thought this was perfect because then she would be in a good mood. Wrong. She was SO clingy (as usual) and only wanted to be held by me or my mom (Nana). Again, Shocker. The sun was setting and it was time for trick or treating. Which, in reality she wasn't going to ask for any candy and we were not going to go door to door. The idea was to take her for a ride in her red wagon with her Halloween costume on. After about an hour we finally "convinced" Kate to put on the costume. As you can see from the picture, she was not too pleased or enthused about this holiday as we were. Oh well, there is always next year!



However, the night did get better. After she came back from "trick or treating" she joined the rest of us to eat dinner. Our friends, Shawn and Rachael, our neighbor Sarah, and my mom and tia were at the house. Miss Kate finally warms up to everybody and even let Rachael or should I say "Aunt" Rachael hold her. You pretty much earn honorary "aunt" and "uncle" titles if Kate lets you hold her and especially if you can make her laugh! Rachael finally earned her title; it only took 19 months!