14 months

The other day it dawned on me that little Kate is really growing up. Just yesterday I looked over at her standing at the window watching the school bus drive by and it really hit me, she isn't a baby anymore, she is a toddler, and as wonderfully exciting as that is, it is also a little sad.

 She is 14 months or as adam told me last night, almost 2. Last Monday when I shouted, GARBAGE TRUCK, Charlie came ripping by...tearing his way to the window. I smiled to myself as I continued to swiffer the floor. Right behind him came baby Kate, her arms flailing and her chubby legs and big belly rolling. She was running as fast as her little body would allow, trying desperately to get to her spot to see the garbage truck.

I remember not too long ago how she would stand there at the window, on her tiptoes, trying so hard to catch a glimpse of anything. How quickly it all changes.

I remember carrying her on my back while coloring or painting with Charlie. Now she asks to sit on my lap and grabs at his crayons and colors by herself (in between taking bites of the crayon)

She wants to have a snack, not to eat, but to run around the island while Lily chases her.

She wants to jump on the couch with her brother, stand in the kitchen helper and help cook, eat by herself using a fork and spoon, and more than anything she wishes she could join charlie downstairs when he goes to watch sesame street with mama.

not yet little, not yet.

Her understanding of directions and questions blows us away. She has 23 signs that she uses daily including: excuse me, thank you, cow, food, milk, more, water, dog, cat, bath, ball, tree, flower, sleep, book, monkey, giraffe, car.....and even has words: ball, touchdown, mama, pa, dada, lilly, doggie, no, yes, thank you ( the cutest thing ever, and a work in progress...sounds like tank ou). There are more than I am forgetting, but she really tries to say things, and really understands her brother. Just yesterday Adam and I walked into the playroom to both kids playing together with their animals. C was looking at K and saying, " know, I know...that is a gorilla." It was so cute.

I really don't take many pics these days. I have finally found my rhythm to mothering two young children, and there seems never to be time to whip out a big camera, so my options are limitted....but here are a few lately..

Walking and signing has given her a new lease on life. She loves to explore and sometimes I realize we spent more time outside than inside......

Chillaxing on our makeshift floor cushions.

This shirt says it all, she really does egg him on, cry sometimes when he just walks by, and has started reciprocating some of the hitting. We do a pretty good job of giving Charlie the benefit of the doubt, since we are pretty sure we have a little sarah burnheart on our hands.

About a month ago she decided she wanted in on the football games between Pa and C. Pa catches the ball and runs around the island...at the 40, at the 30, at the 20, at the 10, and then jumps onto the couch shouting Touchdown. C grabs the ball and yells at the 20, at the 20, at the 20 and finally Touchdown. Now Kate gets the ball and sprints around the island and yells TouchDown...it is priceless.

She is so damn cute I could just eat her up!

She is crazy about her dad, who isn't?

She spends most of her day in smiles....

It is hard to believe that she will just get bigger and bigger. At the beginning of this year I was so excited about having two toddlers, about having survived the first year and graduating on to bigger and better times with two tots, but this past week I started to feel like it is all going by too fast. In just a few months Charlie will be 3, or as he likes to tell me..."I growing up, I be like daddy. big daddy"

Happy 14 months Kate, you have brought more joy to your our lives than you will ever know. You are your brother's best friend, a true playmate. Your are the center of attention everywhere we go, and your silly walks, silly faces, silly laughs, and silly sounds brighten all of our days. We love you.

p.s. stop growing up so fast....