The resurrection of the jumper

What a great way to burn off some energy on rainy days! Thanks, jumper!!

New nickname for Grandma!

While dressing Kate this morning, I asked her who gave her this outfit. She told me, "GaGa Starbucks." So Grandma Starla, you have now become GaGa Starbucks....and will probably remain that way because I laughed when she said it! She now knows it's funny and has been saying it all morning. As Grandpa Bob has morphed into Gumpa Bobcat, I think you two will be quite the pair! Kate accompanied Ryan and I to my 16-week doctor's appointment today, and we're happy to report that the baby seems to be quite healthy. The heartrate was loud and clear, and he/she even kicked at the wand. Kate did the same thing every time...could we have another Kate on our hands???

Learning to love a "mess"

Kate's wariness about getting herself "messy" seems to be waning, which is a great thing since she likes to spend every waking minute outside. On Friday, when I took her to climb on and dig in the rocks, she discovered something she likes very much: puddles. It didn't really occur to me that she would be interested in them at all since she's never shown interest before. She wasn't wearing appropriate rain shoes at all since she's never needed them. Well, she accidentally set her cute Mary Janes smack in a deep puddle, soaking herself past her ankles. I thought she was going to freak out, but she just looked at me as a wide grin spread over her face. Pretty soon she was seeking out every puddle, stomping in them like crazy. Then she sat right down in one and started splashing around. I had to strip her down before she got back in the car! All weekend she's been asking to "buy rain boots" and "stomp puddles." Yesterday was really sunny, so her wish didn't come true. She got to play at the park and in the backyard, though, so she was completely content. Today, on the other hand, was a rainy mess, perfect for stomping in puddles. Since she still has no rain boots, we spent a bit of time outside and then went to the Marine Life Center in downtown P.A. Again, Kate surprised me by loving playing in the sand and sticking her hands under water to touch the starfish and anemones. She was completely captivated by the fish, and just kept looking at me, saying, "mommy, FISH." I guess it's a pretty big deal when you see one up close for the first time. All in all, a great weekend, despite (or because of) the weather!

Bouncy castle mayhem!

The Y set up the huge bouncy castle/slide extravaganza today, so Kate got to attend since she's been asking for it every time we drive past the Y. The only way to describe it is complete and utter chaos. It's great, though, because it's a place where kids can literally bounce off walls. Kate loved it just like last time. She's still too small to get through it by herself, so I accompanied her time after time. I like it too, but it's a bit a harder to get through when you're over 3 feet tall and pregnant!! After doing quite a few laps through, Kate sat happily eating a spinach bagel (because I've learned to hide vegetables WHEREVER possible) while she gazed at the bouncy contraption with something like love in her eyes. So, we're pretty much back to our daily routine of classes, play groups and play dates, although Kate is still constantly talking about horses, the Bobcat and feeding dogs. She has also discovered a passion for strawberries, most likely because she ate them with Bend friends (and, in Kate's words, "big kids") Shaun and Ryan. She has just about ate her weight in them the past few days, and actually shrieked "want strawberries!!!" when she saw them at the store. I practically had to open them then and there so she could sample them, which is quite amazing considering Kate still has no real love for touching dark-colored or messy food. She has made a big exception for strawberries, though, and will probably go nuts if she still likes them when they are actually in season and tasting better! After the bouncy castle and a pint of strawberries, I asked Kate what she wants to do this afternoon. She said "go to Starbucks." Yes, she is only one-and-a-half and, no, we don't yet let her drink coffee (I shudder at the thought of a caffeine-induced Kate!) Still, that is what she said. If it were as soggy out today as it was yesterday, I would have probably obliged. Instead, we're going out to do another of her latest favorites: climbing on rock piles in the vacant land near our house. While this isn't so much "rock climbing" as it is literally climbing on rocks, I think it shows good potential. Showing a love for gourmet coffee and rock climbing? This girl MUST be a Northwesterner.

Gumpa Bob, Bobcat, BOB the stroller....

'Bob' has become Kate's favorite name/word of late. First, there's Gumpa Bob who Kate remembers as "Gumpa cleans roof." Ahem, WHY do you think this is Gumpa Bob?? Starla, what are we to do with these boys? Then, in Bend, Kate discovered that Gumpa Bill uses a Bobcat to carry the hay to the horses. She's still talking about it constantly, saying "Bobcat feed horses" and "Bobcat makes noise." She's found a little car and is carrying it around everywhere, claiming it to be her Bobcat. Yesterday, I showed her that her stroller was named BOB. I told her that meant that she had her very own "Bob" to ride in everyday. She looked at me like this was about the best thing since, well, probably since whatever major discovery she made five minutes earlier. Wouldn't it be nice to see things like a one-year-old? So, now, the stroller is "Kate's BOB." She did ask me if it makes noise, so now I have visions of me pushing the stroller while Kate yells "Kate's BOB makes noise" and I oblige by making "vrooming" noises. We shall see because we're headed out in Kate's BOB in a few minutes. She woke up on the wrong side of the bed, so I think we're all ready for a little break. I'm thankful for ALL the Bob's in Kate's life!!

Little house on the High Desert

Kate just needed a bonnet and a flowy dress and she could have been Laura Ingalls Wilder running around her little house on the prairie. Seriously, Kate was outside 90% of the time we were in Bend and I still don't think she got enough. The weather cooperated with her desire to play outdoors, so we pretty much let her loose to run. By our last day there, she was even covering herself in dirt and gleefully shouting "make a mess!" I don't know if she'll ever like getting her hands dirty, but she seems to have adjusted to the rest of her being covered in dirt. My mom rightfully pointed out that Kate might need a wardrobe just for Dusty Loop (this is a great excuse for her to do yet more shopping for our little fashion plate!) When she wasn't outside, Kate did a lot of "cooking" with my mom and was very helpful when my mom and Bill were playing cards. Or, rather, she was helpful to Bill because she happily announced "I see a five" when she saw my mom's cards. Just wait until she knows ALL her numbers!! We got back yesterday afternoon, and Kate was SO excited to see daddy. Since she has decided that she no longer sleeps in the car, even on 5 hour drives, she was so exhausted that by about 5 pm she was stumbling around like she'd been drinking heavily. We managed to hold her off until 6:30 when she fell soundly asleep as I read her a story. I suppose exhaustion is a sign of a great trip!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Kate and I are having a great time in Bend, although we're missing Ryan a lot!! I think he's missing us too since he says the house is VERY quiet. I imagine it would be wonderful to be in all that quiet-ness for a day or so, but then I'd be missing Kate's constant flow of conversation, too. Kate and I were asked a few times today if we were Irish (thanks to the red hair). We're not, but I told Kate that, someday, it will come in handy for her to say yes because it will get her lots of free green beer! As she's a tad underage and I'm pregnant, neither of us indulged today. We are having a great time with Grandma and Grandpa, although photographic evidence will have to wait because I can't load photos on my mom's computer (or, rather, I have no idea how....) Trust that Kate is indeed a farm girl at hear, though. From the moment she wakes up until the time she goes to bed, she talks constantly about her "chores" of "feeding dogs," "feeding horses," "feeding Opus the cat," "walking dogs," etc., etc. She would very happily be outside ALL day and, even after she's been out for hours, she wails "outside PLEASE" as soon as we come inside. She cracks us up because she loves playing outside, but she does not love dirt. She calls it "big mess." She's started picking up rocks and hay, though, so I guess we're making progress. I'm sure it won't be long before she's rolling in Dusty Loop's dust just like her beloved dogs and horses!