19 Months & Talking, Talking, Talking!

We have been busy lately listening to all Miss Kate has to say...and it's a lot!! She has continued to progress so quickly with her vocabulary and ability to communicate. I was telling someone yesterday that when she was younger and couldn't really talk, I used to wonder what was going on in her little head...now we know. It seems like a constant stream of consciousness coming out of her little mouth and most of it is understandable, at least by me anyways. When she gets up in the morning she's telling us "hey" and often "poo poo" since everything in her diaper, poo or not, is considered poo poo right now. Then she moves on to demanding "milk" and "mickey" and when prompted follows it up with a sweet "peeezzz" for please. After breakfast most mornings she moves on to playing something, or several things until lunch time. Her favorites right now are playing "night, night" in "sissy's" room. There is no furniture in the baby's new room but I have bought her bedding so Kate likes to get out her bumper and sheet, arrange it on the floor and play night, night over and over and over again. She also likes to "cook" in her kitchen and "wing" (swing) outside. Sprinkled throughout playtime she will ask for Micky or Elmo (mostly Micky) about a hundred times. For lunch she loves "burbers" (black bean burgers) and "hot dogs" (which are really corn dogs). After lunch time for a nap then more play time until dinner. Then it's time for a "bah" (bath), preferably with lots of "bubbas" (bubbles) and we get ready for bed. She knows her little routine and will want to help with her "botion" (lotion) and loves to "brush" her teeth. Kate has more demands for "milk" and "book" instead of Micky at bedtime. Then she heads off to bed after kisses to Momma and Daddy and telling us "nigh, nigh" and "wuv ooh" (love you) and often "bye, bye" as well. Anyways, that's a day in the life of Kate right now with a sampling of the many words that we hear everyday. I also recorded several clips of her talking and thought I would share that for her 19 month update. It's a little longer than most of my videos but Nick and I think it's pretty funny.

Third Trimester Here We Come...

I cannot believe that I am officially in my third trimester. I'm not sure where the second one went. Me and the littlest one are doing pretty good. I am finding that I need to take it a little easier these days which is a little difficult with my big, almost 19 month old running around. I went for my 28 week check up last week and all was good. My measurements and experiences (already lots of Braxton Hicks contractions) are normal for a second pregnancy according to the doctor. I am anxious to get another look at her but don't think I'll have another ultrasound until around 34 weeks.

The little one still does not have a definite name. We've had several top contenders and have really narrowed down the list but aren't ready to commit just yet. We also officially started on the nursery over the last week or so. We are moving my office to where our guest bedroom used to be and the old office will become the nursery. The baby will get Kate's old furniture and we have ordered big girl furniture for Miss Kate. The nursery is currently empty and ready to be painted this weekend. I will be sure to include pictures as we start to get it completed.

We are getting really excited as we realize just how close we are to having this little one! We will keep you updated with progress during this final stretch.

Family Trip to NOLA

Last weekend we took a trip, just the 3 of us, to New Orleans. Once we found out we were pregnant Nick and I discussed doing something special as a family of 3 before the baby gets here. May 13th was also mine and Nick's 5 year wedding anniversary and rather than take a trip alone we decided to take one with Kate. So we loaded up first thing Saturday morning and set out for New Orleans. We hit up the aquarium just as they opened and we had a great time looking at the fish and feeding the birds in the parakeet exhibit. Once we finished there we walked through the French Quarter to find some lunch before heading back to the hotel for a nap. After we all had some rest we went back out to walk around before heading to dinner at Palace Cafe. Nick and I had a very nice meal in honor of our anniversary while Kate hung out (she wasn't very into the food so she got to watch a video while we ate).

Sunday morning we got up and headed to Cafe du Monde for beignets and coffee (juice for Kate) before heading to the Zoo. Our zoo trip was a little shorter than we thought it was going to be because Miss Kate was a little tired (and cranky) from less sleep than usual in a strange place. She enjoyed what she did get to see though and had fun for a little while at the Cool Zoo. We would highly recommend both Audubon attractions that were our big stops for the weekend and were especially impressed with how beautifully maintained the zoo was!

One of Kate's favorite books since she was born is Goodnight Nola. It is similar to Goodnight Moon except it says "Goodnight" to things famous to New Orleans. So Nick and I had discussed the fact that someday we wanted to create a version featuring Kate and thought this trip would be the perfect opportunity to do so. So along with pictures from our trip that I'm sharing below. Here is a link to a photo book that I created on Shutterfly and am ordering for Kate as a keepsake.

Kate at the Aquarium

Family pic outside the aquarium

Kate admiring the fish and sting rays

With Daddy checking out the sharks

In the parakeet exhibit at the Aquarium

Kate feeding the parakeets herself

Riding a fish in a kids play area at the Aquarium

Still in the play area. Kate became pretty territorial over this oyster. She scared off a couple of older kids and I think she would have sat there all day if we'd let her.

Kate and Daddy checking out the monkeys at the zoo. Kate said "Ee, ee!", which is her monkey noise, non-stop around the monkeys

Looking at the white tigers

Kate petting a bunny. Yet another place she would have stayed all day if we'd let her. Unfortunately we didn't and a meltdown ensued after leaving this cute bunny

The "Cool Zoo"

Kate was pretty content hanging out in a pool at the foot of one of the water slides.

I also wanted to give a link to some photos our friend Nicole took of Kate right before she turned 18 months. I forgot to post the link in her 18 month update. Nicole took some awesome pictures of Kate at 6 months so we couldn't wait to get her to take some more a year later. These turned out great too! Click here to take a look.

18 Months and "Ah-sigh!"

I can't believe we are already to the half-birthday mark this year! We feel like Kate is learning at light speed at this point. She is understanding more and more and talking more and more every day. Her vocabulary is to the point that I can't possibly capture all of her new words since last month in one post. She is also beginning to string 2 or more words together at times. Kate is super sweet with her babies and toys. She will kiss them, cover them up with a blankie and tell them "nigh, nigh", take them for stroller rides, try to share her juice and snacks with them along with her paci. She's become quite the little momma all of a sudden. One of her favorite toys right now is her Little People farm. Kate LOVES all animals and loves taking them out, giving them kisses and carefully placing them in their stalls in the barn. She will also kiss the farmer, put him on the top floor of the barn and say "Geeeeee!" (for Wheee!) as she slides him off the top. We are also beginning to see more and more of her...personality I guess you could say...we often call it attitude :) She is a girl who generally knows what she wants and will let you know if things aren't going her way. Momma and Daddy are learning how to deal with our strong willed girl.

By far the most common word we hear on a daily basis is "ah-sigh" (outside). Kate would live outside if we would let her. She likes to walk around, ride in her wagon or stroller, swing, play in her water table, help Daddy water the plants and just be outside. We have also recently introduced a play kitchen that we inherited and a pool/splash pad, both of which she absolutely loved! I thought for her 18 month update I would share some pictures from her time "ah-sigh"

Cooking outside and offering Momma a bite

Busy in the kitchen

Relaxing and reading after her dip in the pool

Looking like queen of the pool surveying things from the top of the slide

Playing in the pool

Taking a walk with Daddy

Playing with her water table

Watering the plants at Nonna's house. Kate tries to water the plants at home with Daddy's big watering can so the Easter bunny brought Kate her own little watering can and she couldn't wait to put it to good use.

Happy Belated Easter!!

We spent Easter in Florence with the Johnson clan. Kate had a great time playing with all of her cousins and luckily the Easter bunny found her at Nonna and Poppa's house. We hope that all of you had a very happy Easter as well!

Kate Easter morning after mass

The family

Kate's goodies from the Easter Bunny

She went straight for the suckers

Hunting eggs

And here's a little video of Kate checking out her Easter basket and another clip on the end of her hopping like a bunny

Fun with Cousins

We've been on the road a good bit lately...hence the lack of blog posts...but luckily our travels have allowed us to spend a good bit of time with family and it has given Kate the chance to play with most of her cousins. While we are currently in the process of learning about sharing and playing nice, for the most part Kate has been sweet with all of her cousins and really loved getting the chance to play with all of them.

A couple of weekends ago we went to Anne Marie's second birthday party where there was a clown who painted faces and made balloon animals and lots to play with and see outside. Then last weekend we were in Florence for a long Easter weekend with all of Kate's Alabama cousins. They were so sweet to hide Easter eggs and help Kate find them, they took her for walks and just played...so much fun in fact it took Kate all week to catch up on her sleep!

We are extremely blessed to have such a big family with so many sweet cousins for Kate to play with!!

Kate and Claire. Kate has been very into checking out "the baby". I guess it's a good thing seeing as how she'll have a baby around all the time in a few months!

Kate and Karoline hopping on the trampoline at Anne Marie's birthday.

Daniel reading Old McDonald to Kate and Langley

Daniel getting some one on one reading time with Kate

Bath time with Langley and Harper. Kate wasn't quite sure what to think about all the activity at bath time but I think she had fun.

Camden reading to Kate

The bigger cousins put together an egg hunt for Harper and Kate. Harper caught on to the concept faster than Kate and was showing Kate all her goods here.

Mary Emma helping Kate hunt for eggs

Daniel and Owen helping out too

One more of Daniel helping Kate hunt eggs. I thought this one was cute!

17 Months and Daddy's Birthday

This past Saturday we celebrated Kate's 17 month birthday and Nick's 29th birthday with a family crawfish boil in Port Barre. It was great! All of Nick's brothers and most of the sister-in-laws and nieces and nephews were in attendance along with Pop Pop to celebrate the occasion and enjoy some of the best crawfish and veggies that I have ever tasted! All the little ones had a blast running around outside playing with each other and everyone else enjoyed the day spent with family and some great weather!

I can't believe how grown up Kate is becoming! She is a girl who knows what she wants/doesn't want and likes/dislikes. Kate loves to be outside and can now ask, or tell us "ah-sigh" for outside in kind of a whisper to let us know that she would much prefer to be outside. Her vocabulary is really at the point where it is taking off and she is beginning to try to repeat a lot of what we are saying. There are too many new words since the last post to list them all but some of the most frequently used these days are "bub-buh" for bubble (she's obsessed with them and knows everywhere she might see them--the bath, the sink, the washer, momma and daddy's shower...), "dye" or "dye-dye" for bye-bye, she greets with a "heey" or a "whoa" for hey or hello, "bop-bop" for Pop Pop and "bah-bah" for Papa, "nah-nuh" for banana, "day-dee" for baby and tonight I got a "thank you". I don't know exactly how she pronounced it since it was the first time she had really said it but it was very clearly a thank you, Nick even verified that I had heard correctly. I hope to be hearing more and more of it (and a few other manner words) in the future. She LOVES animals and added "dah-dah" for a sheep's baa-baa and "meew-meew" for a cat's meow-meow to her list of animal sounds she knows (cow, dog, tiger, lion and duck). Kate loves to smell the flowers outside and candles inside, color in her coloring books, play with her little farm and ride her babies and stuffed animals around in her little toy wagon. It keeps getting better and better and we continue to have more and more fun with our growing girl!

Kate checking out the crawfish. She wasn't scared of them at all and loved throwing them back into the bucket.

Kate with cousins Braxton and Amelia taking a look at the crawfish

The birthday boy and his little girl

Kate with her Parrain, Marcus

One more with Daddy. Check out those curls! As you can see she's still not getting a whole lot of hair. It's also a little deceiving since everything that is coming in is so curly it just keeps looking short.