18 months

It is hard to believe but Kate is 1.5 years old. It seems like she has been with us forever, and yet really it has all gone by so fast. Most of you know Kate really well, she has been full of personality from the day she has been borning. Starting smiling and laughing at just a few months old and really hasn't stopped. I always said I wanted a spunky daughter who would be a force to reckon with, and that is just what I got. Every morning she races down the hall and around the corner to find me in the kitchen. She says her sweet HI and then sprints over for her morning hug and kiss (of course Charlie has a full time monopoly on my love and affection so this ends in one or both kids crying) but it still makes my day. From the moment she wakes up and until the moment she collapses in exhaustion she is going non-stop. She sprints around the island egging her brother on for a race, she climbs up on to the couch and runs from side to side, heaves her little body onto our dance stage coffee table, and her latest and greatest move is to climb from our coffee table to our chair.

She has more words than I can count and now has added some phrases to her vocab, like silly charlie, no lilly, up please, that daddy bike, that charlie bike, and today when adam went to get her to put her down for a nap she turned around and yelled BAD at Adam. 

As soon as she wakes up from her nap she runs around saying "where charlie" and will race to the window whenever she hears a truck thinking it is her daddy.

She is also often found at the top of the stairs hollering down to my parents: MAMA MAMA MAMA PA PA PA.

She has the silliest little dance moves and has perfected her side plank. She is full of energy, happiness and adventure. We love this little one!

She is curious, serious, and silly all wrapped up together.

Nothing keeps her entertained like her brother, here she is watching him on the airplane ride at Oakland zoo

Although she is crazy and runs everywhere, she also spends a lot of time focused on one thing. Sometimes when the house seems quiet it is because she is in the playroom with a big pile of books.

This past month has been big for the paint room at the dm, before it was chaos trying to keep her from painting other people's clothes, but this month she is finally ready to paint!

she charges all slides and hills

and it takes mad skills on my part not to loose her because she is always on the go

she loves to cook, even though it is really a pain because she puts her hands in my flour, pinches holes in my dough, and eats everything in sight.

She insists on walking up and down the stairs, which literally can take up to 10 minutes. I try to be patient but honestly it is annoying when you have a toddler waiting for a snack and a dog barking in the backyard.

She has watched her brother through potty training and sees him use the potty everyday, so naturally she is curious and can tell me when she goes pee or poop or when she has to go poop. I can hardly imagine a day without diaper changes......what would I do with all that extra time!

Like all tots she loves to be outside, and asks questions (in her own way of course) about flowers, plants, bugs, and her surroundings. 

I think her favorite foods right now are corn and artichokes, she LOVES salmon, beans, most veggies, and all fruits. It is strange she is so skinny because really I feed her all. day. long.

When people first learned about my second pregnancy or when they would spot me all over town with a itty bitty newborn and 19 month old they told me it would be hard the first year or year in a half. They were right. Actually the first 5 or so months were pretty easy. Kate slept in my ergo while I played with Charlie, we all laid down for naps together, and it went as smoothly as possible. It has been harder the past year, with Charlie learning to stay close and follow directions, and simultaneously Kate gaining independence. But the past month or so has been wonderful. Charlie is a absolute delight...of course he has moments throughout the day where he melts down, but he is smart, sweet to his sister,  and fun  to explore with. Kate is so communicative and smart and loves to play all day. Just today Charlie told us he wants 4 sisters, 6 brothers, 4 blakes and 6 brookes....can't promise that......but I am sure am happy with the 2 little ones I have. Happy 18 months Kate!