Dear Kate

Dear Kate,

I cannot believe how much you are growing everyday. I love being your little interpreter and figuring out what you are saying. I love how you think you are just as big as everyone else. You don't want to do anything that would signify that you aren't as big as your brothers and sisters. That is why you've refused to wear a bib for months. I tricked you though. I brought Avery and Macy into the picture. As soon as you saw them wearing bibs, you had no problem with it. I do that a lot. I rely on them to be good examples for you because you follow their every move. And they love you a lot. The other night when everyone was going to bed, you curled up in Avery's bed and she read you a story. Macy followed her lead the next morning. Every morning, as soon as Macy hears a noise in your room, she runs in to "get you out (language left over from the crib days)". Speaking of cribs. You are a bit of a stinker now when it comes to sleeping. A few weeks before Christmas, you learned to crawl out of your crib. Before, you were so amazing at going to bed. AMAZING! When you started crawling out of your crib, you couldn't get back in. We thought things might go better with a toddler bed. They didn't. You refuse to take naps now, you get out of your bed every night, you open your door and come out, you lay down by the closed door and yell and mumble at us....it is awful. But still, you find a way to be cute while driving me crazy. I will pick you up and put you back in bed and tell you in my most stern voice to NOT GET OUT OF BED! You look at me with a little grin on your face, nodding your head, and mumbling "Kay...kay...kay..." As soon as I leave the room I can hear you jump off your bed and toddle over to the door. There are some nights where it takes every once of self-control not to laugh at your silly little face grinning up at me, feigning cooperation. You little stinker :)

You love juice, and refuse to drink milk. You love Dora. You are always bringing me the remote and asking for her (and then throwing a small fit when I don't acquiesce). You don't want to hold my hand in the street because the other kids don't, yet you'll readily hold Avery's hand. You find a way to get what you want. You look adorable in your winter hat and boots. Most of the time you call both grandparents "Grandpa." You eat doughnuts by picking the frosting off and leaving the rest. You love doing races down the hall with your siblings. You have an awesome dance where you go around in circles up on one foot and down on the other. You LOVE your daddy, and are always saying, "Hi Daddy." You are even trying to copy your older siblings when it comes to the potty. You've done a poop and a peep all of your own accord. Macy likes to put your diapers on, and you like to take them off :) You love going to nursery and walk ahead of me all the way down the hall and go in without so much as a glimpse in my direction. You love jumping. You'll crawl up on my bed, yell, "Watch me! Watch me!" and then jump forever. You scare all the grandparents and relatives (they all think you are going to kill yourself because of all your climbing and energy). You love playing with your sisters. If you and Macy are ever doing anything and I give you instruction or direction, you'll always look to Macy first to see what she's going to do before you make your decision.

I love you Kate. I love your cute little smile. I love that you get happy when you've accomplished something you wanted to do. I love that you snuggle up to me. I love when you come and whisper gibberish on my cheek. I love your look of concentration when you are "doing my hair." I love that you can stop yelling at me and talk nice if I just remind you. I love that we get to have such a sweet, fun, little girl be a part of our family!

Love, Mom