A Merry Christmas, Indeed!

It is as though Christmas never happened before until this year. Kate finally grasped the concept of Christmas; lights, trees, elfs, Santa, reindeer, stockings, wish lists and finally, giving. What fun! Brad and I sat watching her with our own delight - while she tore into each and every gift with glee and happiness and then paused to say thank you and moving on to read each label carefully to understand that she was opening gifts for her AND her little sister.

Kate was blessed this year with two Christmas celebrations due to our trip to Michigan (see birthday post below). Between two birthday parties and two Christmas celebrations, it might be perceived that December was made for her personal happiness. We'll work on that next year...

MICHIGAN

HOME WITH DADDY

Happy Birthday, Kate!

Kate is 3. It's true. I know, I know,... hard to believe, but true! This last October UB asked what I would like for my birthday and I responded with, "a trip home." I knew it would be a large undertaking - now with a baby and a preschooler, but it was worth it! We traveled between Thanksgiving and Christmas, encountered numerous angels sent from above in various airports across the country who helped and smiled and gave me words of encouragement when I needed it most. We stayed for 3 weeks, and celebrated Kate's birthday with her Bylsma cousins. It was a big girl party, to include a movie at the theater and a slumber party! Good times were had by all, and Kate absolutely loved being chased around Grandma B's house by her older cousins. Thanks to everyone to attended and assisted! It was a great day and Kate had a blast. And thanks to Aunt Carlin, she now thinks she really is a princess.

Oh My!

It occurred to me this week that maybe Anna would like something new - the lameo bouncy seat has really lost its luster. And thus, the resurrection of the excersaucer! Check out Kate during her first ride 100 years ago, and then Anna below on her maiden voyage...

Anna wasn't sure at first, but then...

Happy Halloween 2009!

Kate was finally able to participate in Halloween like a big kid - ringing doorbells, calling out "trick or treat!" - the whole kit and caboodle. She asks for chocolate daily, although most of it was hidden away and ends up in UB's lunches. She doesn't like much candy, but she's a BIG fan of chocolate. Loves it.
For the first year I didn't hop online on 11/1 to buy next year's costume at a huge discount. I think I might have opinions on my hands soon enough, so we'll see what comes about next year. Goodbye roosters! Hello princesses...

A Day at the Ballet

Kate discovered a pink tutu in her closet the other day. I've had it tucked away for a rainy day, and it was, in fact, a rainy - or at least dreary - day. I decided it could be part of her outfit for the day, and she decided that she would fly through the house dancing for the day. Not to mention, sidewalk chalk and cookie baking. All in all, a great day home from school.

Halloween Preparations

Kate and Ben got together to practice wearing their costumes, since the big day is quickly approaching! Phee has some great leaves in her yard, and the sun was out - a beautiful fall day for fun as a rooster - and a bat. This year Kate finally gets it - she knows enough that she is a little scared and skeptical, but excited just the same. The other night kids came to the door 1/2 dressed up in costumes collecting food for the Idaho Food Bank and when I closed the door behind them Kate burst into tears, crying that she was "MISSING IT!" She thought treat-or-treating was happening and she was devastated that she wasn't out and about. It took some explaining and finally some distraction to help her understand that she wasn't missing anything. A night or so later we were "Boo'd" - something I had never heard of until my adult, suburban life. The doorbell rang and a gift was left at our front door. I think Kate's excitement over that event is just an indicator of what is to come this Saturday night. She has her bag (a black, felt spider), her costume (a rooster - 2 years in a row) and her flashlight ready, and all of her favorite shows have provided her enough guidance to help her understand that on Saturday she is going to be scared and delighted and she's going to get a lot of candy. She can't wait.

Anna Banana

I may have failed to mention - or maybe I failed to notice - that as of yesterday, Anna became a big girl. Yesterday was a typical day for her, aside from the freezing weather at the pumpkin patch. She ate and slept and smiled and that was about it. Then, last night I put her in her pj's and laid her on the floor, on her belly, in her room on a play mat. (She was in the exact spot where Kate was when Kate first rolled over.) In an instant she rolled over on to her back. I couldn't believe it! So, thinking maybe it was a fluke, I put her back on her belly. I walked out of the room, came back and she was on her back again! So, after a few more times I believed it was true. Especially when this morning, I brought her downstairs and laid her on her play mat. Immediately she rolled onto her left side, then over to her right side, then back again. I suspect by the end of the day she will have rolled from her back to her front. You may wonder why I was surprised that my nearly 3 month old baby rolled over. Kate was a good baby, but never as content as Anna is. Anna requires no bouncing, jiggling or special procedures for going to sleep. She will sit quietly and wait for me to come and get her out of her crib in the morning. She waits patiently while I put Kate to bed, often falling asleep where she lays while waiting. And so, I figured such a content little thing would take her time on her boot-scooting. And so we will wait to see if she is on the move as early as Kate was. I'm praying for a quietly content roller for a long time. No one needs her to start crawling any time soon. She does realize this, right?

3rd Annual Pumpkin Patch Outing

I don't know how it is possible that this is my 3rd post of us - including Kate - at this same pumpkin patch. Which, by the way, has gotten more and more entertaining in many ways. The first year we were there Kate wasn't yet a year old, and the fun stuff was limited (I didn't really want her jumping in a bin of lose corn). Last year they had pony rides (for an extra fee), a cow train and a bouncy bubble. This year we saw a pig race, the pony rides were free - and you got to pick out a cowboy hat to wear, the cow train had a "station" of sorts and she was much more successful at the bouncy bubble. Kate was terribly excited about it all - and unfortunately it was freeeeeezing outside. Somehow we went from 90 degrees a week ago to 41 today. Needless to say, I wasn't prepared for that and Kate's extremities were bright red (maybe purplish?). Oops. And Anna slept through the whole thing while riding along in the Baby Bjorn (the story of her short life). Hopefully my body heat was keeping her appropriately warm. She was the only one in the family wearing a winter hat. Finally this year Kate is beginning to get the concept of Halloween, Autumn, costumes, candy, pumpkins. She loved getting to pick out her own pumpkin - which had the only requirement of being small enough for her to carry by herself. I'm not sure she's going to allow it to sit out on the front stoop, because so far it has gone where she has gone in the house (to include having a nap), but I'm pretty sure she's going to get excited about carving the big one we bought.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Last week we celebrated #2's birthday. Although it was a big one, it was requested that it be quiet and relaxing, and so off to the north woods we went (with the Bausch's, of course). Kate spent her nights and naps in a huge bed in the darkest basement that exists in the world and adventures outside with bubbles in the woods. Kate's most exciting adventure was a trip to the hot springs with Daddy - the same hot springs visited a few times last year (and noted in previous posts) while we were renting the cabin. Enjoy photos of Kate's float and Anna's happy face while she observed...

Criss Cross Applesauce

Kate has started saying and singing all sorts of things that I don't understand. I quickly came to understand that school was a) a wonderful thing and b) an introduction into songs and sayings that don't come from me. The mystery of what happens at school is an entertaining one for me. After a week or so I think I finally figured out that "criss cross applesauce" means it is time to cross your legs and sit in a circle. And then there was a little song like chant, "Days of the week!" *clap* *clap* I asked Miss Amy if they were learning the days of the week and she laughed asking if I wanted to hear the song. It is to the theme of the Addams Family... "There's Monday and there's Tuesday, there's Wednesday and there's Thursday, etc... Days of the week!" *clap* *clap*

And FYI - D is for Dinosaur and Duck.

Anna - much to my dismay and Brad's glee - has started doing all sorts of new things as well. When I hold her up to my shoulder she pushes off to look around instead of laying like a lovely sack of potatoes with her arms flung over my shoulders. And when I lay her down, upon my return she is in a totally different position than I left her. That said, it isn't as though she goes very far, just an invisible scoot of sorts. What a drag. My newborn is no longer a newborn, and I'll never have a newborn again. This is a sad moment for me. Don't get me wrong - I don't want to grown another newborn, I just want this one to stay tiny and sweet. It is all I have these days, as the big girl likes to do everything on her own and screams when things don't go well (her way).

I think we've finally settled into life now that the Stanley Cup business is over, fall is supposedly here, and there will be no more surprise weddings to attend in Hawaii. ASIDE from the fact that UB has a birthday this week and we're planning a weekend in McCall for a little treat, we're into a new routine of baby- and preschool-life. As a matter of fact, Kate loves school so much I'm thinking of having her stay for two full days instead of just two mornings.

And for those of you who are wondering, here's what we look like these days...

First Day of Preschool

I couldn't wait to get out here and post these photos, as I wanted to share our family's excitement of the day with all of you. Now that I'm here, my eyes are welling up with tears! I cannot believe that I've been making posts on this blog for over 2 1/2 years, documenting Kate's ups and downs, and now Anna, too. And here she is, meeting all of the requirements of a preschooler (ie, potty trained) and marching off to her first day of preschool. When I woke her this morning and told her it was time to get ready for school she flipped out of bed with a gleeful, "YEAAAAH!" and off to the races we went. When we got there she headed for the first classroom we saw, and she was in heaven. It probably helped that there was a guinea pig that reminded her of a favorite cartoon character and a delightfully pleasant room filled with toys and children. When it came time to go I rubbed her head and said, "Have a great day, honey." Her response was an excited, "Bye Mom!" and much of the same to her daddy. I don't know how or when this happened, but she's a big kid!

Who is Who?

Anna, then Kate:

Surfing

Never a Dull Moment

As you certainly know by now, my brother Dan's team won the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. What you might not know is that for the NHL championship, each member of the team and staff is allowed a day with the Cup - in whatever location s/he chooses. As a result, Dan will have the Cup in GH for a day next week. And as you must also certainly know by now, we couldn't possibly miss it. And so, two days ago we set off on an adventure. 2 young girls, 2 older ones, many different airplanes and airlines. The youngest and the oldest traveling together (Grandma and Anna), and the middle ones together - the latter on a much longer flight plan, more airplanes and more hassle. We all made it.
Yesterday we had a fun filled day of visits from cousins, aunts and uncle Dan! How exciting for Kate. She kept telling me, "these are my cousins!" She even warmed up to Uncle Dan enough to say, "Go Penguins!" - and she let him pick her up. Major progress.
Today we've been on our own for the first morning since Anna's arrival. Wow. First of all, THANK YOU, NANNY for all of your help over the last two weeks. I've been doing nothing, and she's been doing everything. I now realize that. Second of all, this is hard! I'm trying to get out of the door this morning and am finding that with the diapers and the baths and the breakfasts and the bottles and the car seats and the getting dressed and making sure we leave the house with everything we need,... it is hard. Oh - and nevermind the fact that I didn't get a shower or food. I mean, seriously, who am I in this big picture? And afterall, I did have a sip of coffee. And what's a little sleep in my eyes and a grumbling stomach when there is a beach to hit?!?
Adios!

Compare and Contrast

A few of you have asked if I've compared first photos of the girls. Around here #1 and #2 claim #4 and #5 are twins. Now I'm taking a real look for the first time. Pictures 1 and 2 are truely first photos (as you can see, Anna took more of a beating than Kate did - thank you, Kate). Pictures 3 and 4 are both from their first days at home. From what I can tell, aside from the lack of white hair, Anna is her big sister's twin. You be the judge...
KATE:

ANNA:

KATE:

ANNA:

Homeward Bound

A New Team Gootch Member

Anna Mathea (aka, #5) arrived at 7:58pm on July 16, 2009. She weighed in at 8 pounds, 12 ounces and is 21 inches long. Shockingly (to #2 and me), she has brown hair and dark eyes (however - a hint of blue does exisit). I was expecting another litle Kate, but Anna had something else in mind. And it is just fine with me. She is an absolute delight. Welcome, #5. We love you very much.

Here We Go!

I look at this photo with dismay at my girth, but I know that the fact is I am simply a vessel bringing my new baby girl into this world. What an honor I have. At the moment this photo was taken I am filled with excitment, nerves and anticipation, as we are walking out the door to get to the hospital for my induction. A long day is ahead of me, and as much as I want to not be pregnant anymore, it is hard to fathom the process of obtaining that goal.
And so here we go!

3 days and counting, or maybe 1, 2, or 4

We're getting very close. I finally packed last night, thinking that my opportunities to do so are now very limited (like, maybe I was going then). I even timed a couple of contractions last night - with no luck. With such a short time to go, I anticipate that I won't be posting much of anything until after today; however, expect a couple of pictures of Kate. I feel like I'll need to be able to remember her exactly as she is today, in order that I don't forget these fanastic days of her suddenly being a big girl before her (our) world gets rocked by a new baby sister. I can't wait to meet Anna, but admittedly am aprehensive. With Kate I was aprehensive of labor and delivery, of bringing home a baby, of knowing what to do, of not screwing it up. This time I'm so focused on being the mom I became over the last 2 1/2 years that I can't help but to have changed aprehension regarding Kate and where she'll be during my labor and delivery, how she'll react to the hospital and a new baby, and of course to Anna's homecoming - and home staying.

So, as they say, one step at a time, and first off that means going into labor, or hurring up and waiting...

Closer

Last night I counted the days (11) until I'm scheduled for induction. That's not a lot of days, but it seems like a lifetime right now. This said, I have been concerned about Kate and her ability not only to grasp what's quickly coming our way, but to accept it.

Yesterday we were brushing our teeth at my sink. She pointed to the 4th hole in the toothbrush holder and said, "this is for baby Anna's toothbrush."

I don't know why that seems like such a big deal to me, but between potty training, trips to the pool, getting organized and sprucing things up around here, I didn't think she was paying attention to my giant belly and all of the baby talk. Seems as if I underestimated her. Good for her. She's already leaps and bounds ahead of me. As it should be.

Happy Independence Day, 2009

We kept it low key for the 4th of July this year and generally just enjoyed the day together (me hoping that I'd go into labor at any moment; however, that didn't turn out). Our neighbors; on the other hand, decided to go all out and throw a big shindig. They put adorable invites with red, white and blue ribbon and a firework attached to each in all of our mailboxes and pulled their chairs and grills out to the front of the houses. We joined them for the festivities, and the late night fireworks; although Kate only participated in the daylight activities - to include holding her first sparkler and throwing those snapping things on the street with all of the big kids. She also saw some some cool, colored smoke bombs and told me, "that's a lot of smokin, Mama!" She probably didn't go to bed until about 10pm, but had a great time celebrating with her BFF Joey and the big kids of the hood.

Training - the Final Frontier

The final frontier before the baby comes, at least. I don't want to post a lot of details regarding potty's and all that, but I will say that the first day she decided she would go by herself, in the appropriate location, was one of the happiest days of my life. Back in December my mom made efforts at training her while Brad and I were in Mexico; to no avail. While Kate and I were home in May, Nanny tried again; and was met with unbelievably strong resistance. It was clear - even back in December - that she knew what she was supposed to do, and she didn't much care for a mess in her diaper, but the resistance was ridiculous, confusing and horribly frustrating. The other day, in between diaper changes, she marched into the rest room, closed the door, and moments later came running out hollering for me to come see. Sure enough - no prodding or begging from me! As suspected, she did it when SHE decided SHE was ready, no sooner, no later. I'm proud of her and she's been doing a great job. We have our accidents of course, but all in all it is a proud moment in our short time together. And now, Anna can come. After all, what will I do with myself if I don't have to buy diapers?

3 weeks and 4 days...

but who's counting? 3 weeks and 4 days until my due date. The way I'm feeling would indicate to any reasonable human being that I will deliver before that date; however, I would have sworn that same thing last time and I was induced 7 days AFTER my due date. That said, I really do feel differently this time. I was never so uncomfortable and in pain as I am now. I can't imagine this will last another 3 weeks and 4 days.

And so, we decided to go camping this weekend. Not cabin camping, not RV camping, but tent camping. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well (although I DID have a little elf crawling on top of me and my belly in the middle of the night) and I probably wasn't of much help to Brad with set up, take down, and watching Kate in between. But Kate had the time of her life and absolutely loved the tent and her new sleeping bag, as well as her first fishing adventure with Daddy. Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Can you spot the little elf peaking out of the tent window?

Yesterday we found a bounce house at a nearby neighborhood party. This face says it all.

Rainy Days and Monday's

Kate asked me during a downpour this morning if we could go play in the rain. As you can see here, she requested her umbrella, rain coat and rain boots for the outing. When we saw a worm she asked, "what's that?!?" Then quickly, "let's go, Mommy. Bye worm!"