What's your name?

Update after week 1

So we just finished up week 1 at the daycare and I thought I'd update you. Well I'll keep it short because I was taught that if I didn't have anything nice to say then I shouldn't say it at all! Overall, it wasn't good. I had an alright time with my kids. They seemed to warm up to me by the end of the week and started to listen. I feel pretty comfortable around them. My teacher side and my mom side worked well together to make it through the first week. So it was pretty good for me. However, Kate HATED almost every minute of it. She wouldn't eat or sleep and cried most of the day. In her defense, she is also getting 6-8 teeth all at the same time...her molars and her eye teeth. She had a fever of 100-102 every day and was just miserable. She falls asleep on the way home and is miserable until I put her to bed. By Friday, she cried as soon as I stepped into her daycare room in the morning. Needless to say, I'm not terribly excited to start a new week of this but let's just hope it will get better. (figure it can't get any worse!!) Cross your fingers. I'll keep you posted!
Here's Kate at a wedding reception on Saturday night. This girl had some serious sleep to catch up on this weekend!

GREAT NEWS! (i think...)

So as some of you may know, Dustin has been the one working and I've been staying home with Kate. It's been really great. I really love being a stay-at-home mom and I love all our time together. Well, it's been a bit of a financial struggle to enjoy this time together. So it was time for me to look for a job. Long story short: I GOT A JOB! I will be working at a daycare full-time and Kate will be attending the daycare (free of charge) full-time.

This answer to our prayers is bitter-sweet. I'm so excited to be able to make money for our family without paying an arm and a leg for childcare and allow Dustin to work less and focus on school. But I'm really going to miss Kate!! I mean REALLY REALLY miss Kate! There may be lots of crying. (on my part!)

I think Kate will really enjoy having kids to play with. I will be the head teacher in the 2 year old room. Unfortunately my degree and experience gets me just above minimum wage but with no childcare costs it's great. So, this is the start of yet another phase in our lives. I feel like this is such a blessing. It was exactly what I was looking for for right now.

Look who's got some new dance moves...

Kate Elizabeth is one of my favorite people...ever!

So as many of you may know, the title of this blog is true!! I thought I would share some things you may or may not know about my Kate!
1. She loves to sing and dance! It's just too cute to watch.


2. She's a girl that knows what she wants. And always has been. Like when she wants to wear her snow boots in the house...even with no clothes on and in the middle of summer and dance around!


3. She knows about 30 words including but not limited to: mama, dada, hi, bye, baby, Elmo, ball, bubble, cheese, fish, shoes, Pappy/Pap, thanks, night night, doggie, catch, duck, quack, boo boo, moo (well actually it sounds like beuooo...if you can sound that out!) Jesus, cracker, cookie, bath, hip hip horray, up, no, amen, yuck, poop.

4. She has a really great sense of humor already! She cracks up at us or herself often. We have lots of fun together. She's really got quite the little personality!


5. Kate is a mama's girl. period.




6. The girl knows how to throw a tantrum. period.

7. She's a great eater most of the time. She loves fruits and veggies. Grapes are #1 at the top of her favorite food list. Followed by bananas, strawberries, green beans, and of course the beloved crackers that she begs me for all day and night. "ca ca" or "coo coo" is all I hear some days! (cracker or cookie)

8. Some of her favorite things to do include playing with her baby, Elmo, her blanket, reading books, playing outside, taking a bath and playing with her ball.

9. Kate is VERY friendly. She says hi to everyone in the stores and helps them push their cart sometimes, too. She LOVES to give hugs and kisses to her little friends!


10. She is by far the greatest blessing in my life. They say that a baby changes your life and I was prepared for the changes, physically. I knew there would be another person in the house I'd be taking care of but the emotional changes are beyond my description. She brings me the greatest joy. I love to watch her grow and learn. I love to hold her when she's scared or crying. I love to look into those big blue eyes as she says "Mama mama" ALL day long! I feel like I've found what I was meant to do. I love being a mother. Our children will probably never know the impact they have on us until they have their own someday. At this time I am so grateful for my own mother, who passed away 10 years ago, for all her love and sacrifice. I now understand her love for me.

Me and Kate: April 26, 2007


My mom and me: April 23, 1982