Kate's Prayer

I can't remember exactly when Kate started repeating us when we would say prayers, it's maybe been a month.  Tonight when I was tucking her into bed I said let's say prayers and this is what Kate said:

Heavenly Father,
Thank you this day
Thank you for Walmart
Thank you for the grocery store
Thank you for the hardware store
Thank you for the train trestle
Thank you for the train trestle
Thank you for the train trestle
Thank you for train tracks...

What Kate doing?

Kate's saying prayers.


Thank you for our family
our family
Thank you for Jesus
for Jesus
Thank you for the temple
the temple
We say these things
in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

I love being a Mom!  I love my Kate!  

Alice is 6 Months Old.

Where has the time gone?  I can't believe that six months has already passed since Alice came to our family.  We love our sweet little girl. 

How many posts about the zoo are too many posts about the zoo?

I don't suppose I have to announce for the one millionth time that we love the zoo?  We love the zoo!

The now standard carousel ride.

 Kate checking out the owl then getting scared.

 Mommy touched the owl and showed her it wasn't real.

 Jumping on lily pads.

 Hugging a turtle.

 Saying hello to the spider.

 Before we got to the zoo she wanted to see the kangaroos.

 She loves the Komodo Dragon, here he is... at least I assume it's a he?!

 Kate and the Komodo Dragon statue.  Thankfully we avoided a Komodo Dragon meltdown today.

Kate and the ice cream... she ate that cone the entire drive home.  Needless to say she was just a wee bit messy by the time we arrived home.  By the end she was dipping her finger in the ice cream and then licking her finger... messy and gross, mostly because she had the same finger up her nose trying to remove the chocolate that got up her nose in trying to bite through the candy coating... fun times!

What I want to remember.

What do I want to remember?  What will I remember?  If I look at my blog during Kate's first year of life it would seem that everything was always peachy.  Was it always peachy?  I don't honestly remember.  I remember that Kate didn't sleep very well at night, but I know that changed, but when did that change?

Being just Kate's mom felt easy, if I remember correctly.  I remember being lonely sometimes and I remember the panic I felt about returning to work, but I don't remember it being difficult. Being a Mom to Kate and Alice feels like a big adjustment.  Some days are absolute bliss - they nap at the same time, the kitchen is clean, I get to blog.  Other days are a crazy mess of crying.

There are some things that I really want to remember.
Alice:
- the way her smile lights up her entire face
- the way she smiles when she sees her sister
- how excited she was the first time I put her in the tub with her sister
- the way she holds my finger while she nurses
- when she sticks her tongue out of the side of her mouth and is just too cute for words
- trying desperately to crawl by mashing her face into the floor and kicking her legs
- the feeling of my sweet baby on my chest with her sweet head on my shoulder
Kate:
- the way she parrots everything you say
- when she reaches for my face with her hand and leans in for a kiss
- going through our checklist (no yelling, no crying, no screaming, no hitting, no pushing)
- the way she's learning to pray
- how much she loves to go swimming
- when she closes her eyes on the swing, tilts her head back and just squeals
- how cute she looks when you catch her saying the words to "I am a child of God"

And lastly what I don't want to remember,  but I don't want to forget:
crying, tempers, frustrations, losing my patience, mood swings, parenting is hard, being over tired.

When I can remember to let go and just enjoy, when I reflect on all of my blessings, those are usually the best days.  I love being a mom, struggles and all.

If you go to the beach in Barrie on a Thursday night you can ride a pony? Alternately, because Ken has wide feet Kate rode a pony.

Ken needed new shoes.  Last week he left work in Alliston to drive to Newmarket to go to the Running Room, no luck - wide feet.  They suggested the New Balance store in Barrie.  For anyone that knows the geography of the area you'll realize how sad it is that Ken drove to Newmarket first... beside the point.  So they had one pair of shoes and end of long story the next day at the gym Ken decided there was no way he could wear these shoes.  Last night we went to Vaughan Mills and he got new shoes - yay.  However he still had to return the other shoes to Barrie - they were only worn once inside the gym and the return policy allows for this. End of longer story, tonight we went to Barrie.

You may or may not remember this post.  We returned the shoes and then made our way to the waterfront in downtown Barrie.  As we were driving to the parking lot along the waterfront we did a double take, there are pony rides at the beach?  Sure enough we parked, and walked over and there were pony rides.  Turns out he was just set up a day early for a festival that was happening, but what fun for Kate! 

I love the waterfront in Barrie.  I have decided that I just love water and someday would like to live near water, not necessarily on water, but say a five minute drive or a fifteen minute walk... something like that.  My dreams are real if not vague!

Oh and did I mention that Kate has started to try and sit on Alice?!  The first time she did it I freaked out and hauled her off Alice before she even really sat down, which of course made her want to do it more... The thing is Alice thinks it's pretty funny.  She doesn't cry and she usually smiles, that is for about two seconds, before I haul Kate away!

Kate sitting on Alice.

 At the beach, throwing rocks.

 I swear, Kate could throw rocks in the water for hours.

 Kate on a pony!

 Kate thought these swings were pretty funny.

Just because

With the cousins visiting it meant lots of driving on the 400.  It seemed like Kate might just burst if we drove past Vaughan Mills - specifically Bass Pro, one more time without actually going.  So just because, we went to the mall.  Oh and we all got new shoes, except Alice.

Until Next Time

And just like that's it's goodbye again, or more euphemistically, until next time!  What a busy, happy visit.  Thanks for making the drive!  We loved seeing you.

Sisters (aka bffs)

 Cutie Anna

 Isaac and Joey

 Thomas

 Anna

 Suzanne contemplating the drive, the long, long drive made even longer by her four chickens

 Suzanne ready to conquer the drive

 Kate, blissfully unaware of travel distances and farewells

Lunch, a park, visiting Dad (aka Grandpa), a swim, oh and Mom (aka Grandma) too!

We decided to meet Andrew at the park on Bayview Ave. between Finch and Sheppard, the park that Suzanne and I were taken too as little girls.  It's a great little park.  We picked up Harvey's for lunch - a must for Suzanne every time she visits and ate lunch and played with Uncle Andrew.

Kate on a swing

Anna on a swing

Thomas playing in the water

Isaac on a swing

Happy Alice!

 

Anna on a duck

 Kate on a whale

 Suzanne and Alice on a swing (Suzanne holding Alice so I could take pictures)

 Kate and Anna

 Goodbye Snaggletooth!

  Joey playing in the water

 Kate running

 Joey and Thomas climbing

 The first time Alice enjoyed being in a swing

 Joey and Isaac making sure Alice loved the swing

 Visiting with Dad at St. John's

 Isaac taking a turn pushing Grandpa

Cousins! Kate, Thomas and Anna

 Joey and Kate and the fountain

 Most of the group

 Cutie Alice

 Andrew roughing up Thomas

 Joey just after he decided it would be a good idea to cool off splashing puddle water on his face?!

 Andrew concerned they shouldn't be climbing in the peace garden

 Kate examining the lettering on a sign under a tree

 Thomas and Kate

 Thomas, Anna, Andrew and Joey

 After visiting with Mom and Dad at the rehab hospital; all of us (minus Mom and Dad of course) went back to Mom's apartment.  Andrew and I went swimming with Thomas, Joey, Isaac and Kate.  When we finished swimming Andrew went out grocery shopping and then came back and prepared a feast of chicken fajitas.  YUM!  Mom came home in time for the end of dinner and after a little visit it was time to go home.