One week until Kate's big birthday!!

I can't believe Kate will be one in just a week. I think she's already started celebrating because she had a blast on our trip. We got back yesterday, and it was definitely a jam-packed five days. We went to my dad's for a night first, and Kate had fun playing (banging?) on the piano and, well, basically doing the same thing to the guitar. She liked playing the piano while my dad played the guitar so we're thinking she's already joined her first band! We went out to dinner and she laughed the entire time because she tried to "feed" her grandpa. He obliged, pretending to gobble up whatever she was offering and now she just holds her hand out and starts laughing whenever she sees him. After a night in Portland, we were off to Bend, where we spent about 90% of the time outside. It was really hot, but Kate didn't seem to mind a bit. Grandma Connie had set up a little "park" in the yard, complete with slides and "water features" (AKA big buckets of water), and it provided hours upon hours of entertainment. My cousin's wedding was fantastic and, as it was all outdoors, Kate was very well-behaved. Her great-grandma Helen kept offering (or, maybe, threatening) to steal her for the next few years, and I'm pretty sure she would have made good on it if she could have found a way to smuggle Kate out! My mom took tons more photos than I did, so I'm sure I'll be posting more soon....

The fun is definitely not ending this week, as Grandma Starla and Grandpa Bob arrive tomorrow. Then Grandma Connie comes on Thursday, and then we all meet Grandpa Mac at the Mariners game on Saturday! We even got a Happy Birthday message for Kate that will run on the scoreboard at the game. We'll cheer and take a picture for her so, someday, she knows she had quite the first birthday! As her real birthday isn't until Tuesday, I'd say she's definitely doing it up right and turning one in grand style!