Happy New Year!

What a year! I can't believe how quickly it came and went. It really is amazing, looking back on these past 12 months, how much really happens. I feel like it becomes so much more apparent when you have a little one. The changes in a baby are so remarkable that their first year seems like the biggest year you've ever experienced... does that make sense? I think what I am trying to say is that so many things happen within a year that we lose sight of after a while; but, with a baby you remember details of the last 12 months so much more vividly. In the January of 2008, it was the most exciting thing to hear my daughter laugh for the first time. By December of 2008, she is now walking. Two very different milestones; both so amazing for a mother... and those are only two of the many incredible things she has accomplished.

Christmas was fun as always, but so strange, as my grandpa was still in the hospital. It was the first time in 26 years I've had Christmas dinner without my grandpa and that was a hard thing for me to let go of. Though we visited with him at the hospital in the morning and did some gift opening, it isn't the same to sit around the table with family and not have him there. He is home now, though, and was able to watch football all day on his big ol' TV... so he is happy.

We did take Kate to see Santa for the first time. As you can see, she didn't get the memo that Santa is one of the good guys.


New Year's Eve was supposed to be quiet for us- just sitting on our couch watching the ball drop then heading to bed... but Kate woke up at 11:30 crying and upset. That lasted until about 2am when she finally gave up. As I mentioned, she has started walking this week, so perhaps she is sore (kind of like when we do a new activity that our muscles aren't used to, you know?) and the fussiness will pass. Here are her last photos of 2008!



She was a beastly character today with the whining and back arching... but it is oh-so-precious watching her learn to walk, that it makes up for it ;-) Here is the link to her first ever YouTube performance- the night she decided she was ready to tackle this walking thing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_N-qj629iQ

2008 brought a new hobby for me... photography! I've always liked taking pictures and I've always loved the idea of photography- I just never did much about learning how to really do it. So with the inspiration of our daughter, the purchase of my dslr in February and a helpful class in August (not to mention TONS of reading around the internet and photography books), I've discovered a new love. A month ago, I didn't think I'd ever want to pursue a business... but in the last couple of weeks my curiosity has peaked. Who knows what 2009 might do to my hobby! But as of now... I just love being a mommy with a camera.

So that's that. I'm starting the New Year with the same old bad habits- staying up too late farting around on the internet. With that, I'm off to bed! Welcome 2009!

Updates!

Woo... what a busy month has passed. And it only continues...

So Kate is 13 months old today! In the month since I've updated I feel like so much has happened, but my brain can't recall much of it! Kate's party was a good time... there are far too many pictures to upload, but here are some highlights:






We spent Thanksgiving at Matt's parents' house, and my mom and grandpa joined in the festivities. It was fairly mellow and thankfully we were close to home. It was loads easier this year with Kate being a year old- rather than 4 days old! No breastfeeding every 2 hours, no yucky "I just had a baby" tummy to hide (ok, well it isn't gorgeous still, but its an improvement)... much more enjoyable!

Two days later we hopped a plane to Maui! Yay! Kate was awesome on her first plane ride! Slept very little, but didn't make too much noise. We did upgrade to first class which was AMAZING with a little one... made it so much easier (and it was a cheap upgrade- holla!). The trip was a blast. We didn't do too much- just hung out by the pool and the beach and enjoyed the family. It was a Conrad family extravaganza: Matt's mom & dad, aunt, brother, sister & bro-in-law with the two girls, and us. Lots of fun.





Kate is a TOTAL water baby! She couldn't get enough of the pool or the beach. She'd cry when it was time to get out of the water! She also ate a TON of sand... I definitely need to plan better the next time we hit the beach!





The flight home was a red-eye and she slept from take-off to landing... amazing! I couldn't believe it, but she did. Now, me... I didn't sleep a wink... but at least it was quiet.

Matt's sister and the girls are here visiting now, which is so fun. It's nice to spend time with them, and Kate just adores being around them. The girls are 3 and 16 months, and they do play so sweetly together :)

Last weekend I got a call I didn't need... my grandpa fell. Again. And broke his neck. Again. So now he is in the hospital and was fitted into a halo. Again. Unbelievable. Our praise report is that he isn't paralyzed (when by all accounts, says the doctor, he really should be). We're really praying he can be home for Christmas in a week, but time will tell. Any good thoughts, prayers and/or positive ju-ju are welcomed and appreciated!

Highlight of my day today (aside from Kate's killer giggle, because that is my highlight every day): I bought some wicked red heels this afternoon. We have a Christmas party to go to on Monday and I wanted something to liven up my little black dress. I love them- and of course I got the little red clutch to match. I heart shopping.

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

One year. I can't believe it. How did this year go so fast? In some ways, it feels like our daughter has always been a part of our lives... like, I don't really remember what we did without her. On the other hand, it feels like we just left the hospital with our new little bundle, all wrapped in pink.

At this time last year, we had just met our little Kathryn Elizabeth... seen her for the first time, heard her cry and already fallen madly in love. Within moments. I remember counting all her tiny fingers and toes. She was very pink and had the most perfect nose... and she still does.

It is amazing how much babies change in only one year. What one year ago was a helpless, flailing, delicate newborn is now a giggling, stubborn, moving, shaking ball of personality! I can't even begin to imagine what this next year will look like! At 12 months, Kathryn is cruising (not walking yet, though), says "baba" very excitedly any time she sees her bottle, laughs at anything, shakes her head "no" anytime she starts doing something she knows she isn't supposed to... she's too wonderful!

If you know much about me, I cry. Often. At most anything. So tonight, while I was rocking her, right around the time she made her appearance into the world one year ago, I finally got emotional. My baby girl has almost (not quite) tripled her weight since birth, gained a good 10 inches, has 6 teeth (and is working on 2 more) and begun the transition from 'baby' to 'little girl'. Crazy!




This morning, she had birthday pancakes for breakfast then battled her morning nap until it became a futile task- so she won. Mommy lost. Then we went off to work as usual. Had a birthday lunch with the office staff, had a birthday cupcake- with some fun orange frosting (what a mess!), then came home.




She's been crabby and whiny most of the day... and only napped for 30 minutes total. She'll sleep good tonight, though. Tomorrow morning is her one-year check, complete with a few shots. Poor kid. And then Saturday is the big day- the 1st birthday party!







So I'm exhausted and emotional, but so SO grateful for the blessings in my life. I'm certainly undeserving of all these blessings, but I guess that is the beauty of grace. This second year will be an adventure and I am so excited for all the amazing things we'll get to experience together as a family!

My cup runneth over!

The Due Date

It was a year ago today that I sat on our couch pouting. Kathryn was due 11/11 and my uterus hadn't made any moves yet. Over it. People that were due with their babies after me had already had their babies. I was getting grumpy.

It's funny looking back... she was worth every single minute more that she stayed "in the oven", but I was so crabby and tired of being pregnant. Seven days later- bam, baby! And a year later, I miss being pregnant. Funny how that goes.

We had a fun scare on Monday morning at 3:00am. I woke up to the sound of the smoke alarm in Kate's room screaming at us! I don't think I have ever moved so quickly in my life- out of bed, down the hall and into her room. She hadn't even woken up at that point- which REALLY scared me at first... then she started to stir. I took her out of the room and Matt came in to check out the alarm. It was no biggie- our heater had come on for the first time in many months and the dust that collected was burning off, which triggered the smoke detector. After that adrenaline rush, it wasn't easy getting back to sleep.

Now she is working on two new teeth and has been quite the crab. On that note, time to go deal with Crabby McGee!

Cute as a bug!

Last night was a first for Kate: her first Halloween! We took some time pre-Halloween night to get some good shots in her costume, and then had a playdate with her friend Sienna, who was also sporting the ladybug look, coincidentally.





That first picture cracks me up... poor Kathryn doesn't get to spend a ton of time with other babies, so when she does get some social time, she is all over it- literally. She kept trying to pull to standing using Sienna's dress, crawling all over her, putting her finger in Sienna's mouth (and yes- she did get bit), and trying to give her little friend kisses (which amounts to licking her). Babies are so funny.

So we're halfway into month 11 and I'm planning Kate's 1st birthday party. Unreal. Matt and I spent some time in the backyard last week trying to get one good picture to use for her invitations... out of 81 pictures, here are some faves (the first one is the one we used for the invite, by the by):





It is amazing how much she has changed, even just within this last month/ month-and-a-half. She's a cruising machine- zipping around the furniture like it's no big deal; she proudly declares "Baba!" when she catches even the slightest glimpse of her bottle (which, much to my dismay, I am planning our escape from once that first birthday hits); if you ask for a kiss, she'll plant one on your cheek (open mouth I'm afraid... I swear I'm trying to teach her to be a lady...) and then the sweetest part- she says, "isssss!". Now, to anyone else this probably means nothing, but I SWEAR she is saying Kiss! She does it all the time- there is no way it's just a coincidence. Is there? No- there's no way.

Her personality is really starting to shine- she's always been a sweet and mellow baby, but now she is just so personable. She babbles away with full inflection in her voice and has fun little conversations with her toys. She shakes her head "No" when she starts to head for a "No-no zone" in the house. She slays me- she is hilarious!

Tomorrow morning should be an interesting experiment... our first "Fall Back" with a baby. So on a morning that used to bring a delicious extra hour of sleep, we'll see what Miss K does. On that note, I am off to reset the clocks, put my laundry in the dryer and maybe read a little before I call it a night.

Ugh.

Dear Next Door Neighbor's Dog,

Thanks for that fun barking fit. I love when Kate gets a 20-minute morning nap. It puts her in a great mood.

One request: can you SHUT UP for her afternoon nap?
Thanks.



I'm not bitter. Not at all.
Off to get Crabby McGee.

New lens!

October-13
Originally uploaded by A-Rad

As a birthday gift from my mom and grandpa, I got a sweet new lens for my camera! Woohoo! My mom says it is like giving herself a gift, since she gets the outcome from it.

Matt and I took Kate out to the backyard with our new, big ol' pumpkin to try out this new lens... fun! It was an overcast day, which was actually kind of nice- so many pictures of her end up with "hot spots" from the sun (bright spots on her face). Cloud cover is much appreciated.

I just love this expression- she is such a happy girl!