Band Practice

Kate has taken quite a liking to music these days. She loves to dance to music coming from the TV and stereo and is absolutely infatuated with #2's guitar. When he plays it there is no tearing her away.

Play Time

Kate recently had a playdate with Joey, Adam, Gabe, Sam & Leona (see "The Prairie Triplets" & "Joey Cooper" links to your left). All of the big kids showed Kate how play time is really done - and I think she was rather shocked at the level of activity (and noise) that can happen at her house. In the end, Kate tried to get Joey to play, but he isn't interested in her antics - yet. (Turn up your volume!)

Happy Birthday, #2!

It was time once again to celebrate the bonus years Uncle Brad is experiencing after his near-death Lake Michigan incident. Peter and Kerry were generous enough to volunteer their home for a party location and #1 had Portillos beefs and hotdogs flown in from Chicago. Also, our great friend Tiana spent some time with us and stayed in town for the party. Good times! And check out that Packer jacket! Thanks Peter and Kerry!

Turn turn turn...

Fall is here! At least that's what I hear. It is still pretty hot here. The neighborhood pool is now officially closed, but we got our last swim in with our friends Bailey and Katie just in time. The nice part about swimming at the close of the season? You get the pool to yourselves! Bailey did a great job swimming with Kate. Thanks for swimming with us, Bailey! (turn up your volume!)



Along with the season, Kate is changing every day, but I suppose that goes without saying. She is less than 1 year old after all. September has already brought all sorts of new things,... mainly more teeth, but she's also standing without holding on to anything - and she's becoming a lot more bossy! But today was special - she took some drunken-sailor-steps while holding on to my finger. Little did she realize that my finger wasn't providing an ounce of support. No no no, I'm not saying she walked, I'm just saying things are about to get even more fun around here. Hopefully I'll be able to catch some of this "fun" on camera soon and will be sure to share it with you.

We hope that it is fall wherever you are and that you are enjoying cooler days and even cooler evenings.

Climbing Kate

Kate's (current) absolute favorite thing is to react to the threat, "I'm gonna get you!" Please enjoy a clip of one of our games.

The Zoo!

Kate took her first trip to the zoo and the rose gardens with Auntie Kerry and #1. It was our last week with Kerry before she started her Boise career (BOO!) so we spent some quality time out and about in B-Towne - and actually stopped to smell some roses. Although Kate didn't really get the full zoo experience one remembers as a child, she did, "ohhh!" at the penguins. And here we are with the butterflies, although they didn't bother to join us in the photo...

YAY! Chicken Legs

Kate tried out a little chicken on a bone for lunch (and dinner) yesterday. Good times! We'll be doing this more often, as it was tasty, entertaining and kept her happy for a long time in the high chair.

Joey is Catching Up!

Joey Cooper and Kate visit on a daily basis and we've been monitoring Joey's swift growth with side-by-side pictures of the two of them. Please enjoy the latest "measurement". It seems that either Kate is shrinking or Joey is getting bigger and bigger by the day.

God Made Dirt...

God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt! Kate and I did some gardening today and she decided that dirt is fun to play in and to eat. While I pulled out the weeds, Kate tasted them. She also tried out her new toy - which is very exciting inside the house, but outside requires shoes, since her toes drag. She is a monkey.

Enjoy the slide show of our trip to Westby, WI!

Westby, WI

We were in Westby, WI this weekend (August 11-14, 2007).

We went to Viroqua, Coon Valley, Cashton, the Westby ski jump, Dregne's and the Westby Creamery. We went to the Westby Municipal Pool where Kate romped in the baby pool. Brad climbed on rocks at Davidson Park. We had dinner with Kevin Sloane and his wonderful family at their home deep in the Wisconsin countryside, where Kate laughed at goats and pet a bunny. We drove the Great River Road along the Mississippi River from Lynxville to La Crosse. We bought a Norwegian nisse figurine that now sits in our front lawn. We even canoed the Kickapoo River. Kate came home with her two top teeth.

Most importantly, we spent quality time with Brad's great grandmothers, grandma and extended family.

It was wonderful trip.

The Great North Idaho Woods

We were able to go north for a few days, get away from the heat, and enjoy some QT with #'s 1-4. Kate spent some very quality time in the water this weekend - both in Payette Lake in McCall, ID and back home in the neighborhood pool. Her first lake experience was fun, cold and sandy. #2 showed her a great time.

Kate Is Up and About

Standing, Teething and Exploring

A new way to play with an old toy.

We're in trouble now...

Who knew knobs could taste so good?

Since the last trip to the mid-west Kate has become incredibly busy scooting around the house, pulling herself up, walking around furniture and chewing on absolutely everything (trying to get those top teeth to join the 2 bottom ones). It has been exciting, fun and challenging!

It has been very hot in Boise this July. In order to spend any sort of quality time outside, Kate takes to the pool; however, whether or not it is actually a pool is debatable. Enjoy! She certainly does!

Joseph Cooper Connell

Our wonderful, long-time Boise friends, Mike and Courtney Connell, just welcomed their new addition on 7/11/07. Baby Joey and Kate have been visiting often now that he is home from the hospital and I'm sure that soon she'll notice that the little thing that Mike and Courtney are holding is another little person like her. It has been great having them around during the day, as Kate enjoys getting out in the afternoons and climbing and drooling all over THEIR stuff instead of ours.

Mid-West Trip July 2007

Another trip to the mid-west included a few nights for #1 and #2 away from #4, Kate's baptism, The Police concert in Chicago and Peter and Kerry's wedding in Milwaukee. It was a lot to fit into 9 days, but we did it with the help of Grandma Bylsma, not to mention Kate's Aunts and Uncles and Lauda and Carlos. Thanks to all of you for everything!

Kate's baptism was a special event on the 4th of July in Uncle Dan and Aunt MaryBeth's backyard. Mr Rhem came over and said a few special words, and was pleased to point out that we were one of a few generations where he was able to perform my baptism, my confirmation, my wedding, and now my daughter's baptism. It was special for us all. In addition, my birth started a tradition of a rose on display at the baptismal fount for all the newborn babies at Christ Community Church (a tradition continued to this day). Grandma B brought a beautiful pink rose for Kate's baptism. Kate wore the gown that my four brothers and I wore for our baptisms, as did most of the Bylsma Grandchildren. And lastly, Kate was baptised on the anniversary of her cousin, Bryan's, baptism 8 years prior (also performed by Mr Rhem). A special day indeed!

Peter and Kerry

As you may know, we've made some delightful new friends here in the neighborhood. Peter and Kerry moved into the hood in February and my first meeting with them consisted of "getting to know you" chit chat over burgers and beer at, none other than, Ben's Crow Inn. Since then "Auntie Kerry and Uncle Peter" have become a constant in our lives and we recently went to their wedding in Milwaukee, WI. Good times. Please enjoy the photos, to include a snapshot at the wedding reception, Auntie Kerry babysitting Kate, Uncle Peter swimming with Kate and of the happy couple on what seems to be a typical summer evening on the back patio. And, oh, I think they might be Packer fans.

Mid-West Trip June 2007

In June 2007 Kate and I went to Chicago/Michigan/Chicago for 3 weeks to see our family and friends and to help Grandma B move. It was a great time and it was nice not to feel our visits with everyone were rushed. Kate was a trooper while Grandma and I packed and sorted for hours upon hours. The morning of our last day in Michigan Kate started crawling. THANK GOODNESS she waited until the end, or Grandma's disaster of a house would have been even more crazy. Enjoy the photos of our visits, to include Kate and her "little" cousin, Wyatt; Kate as Finn's "Share" at Show and Tell; Kate with Uncle Gary and Ella; Kate, Gootch, Jacob and Claire at their ball games; and Kate with BFF, Sydney Panizo! The trip was great, but Kate was excited to be home, in her own bed.

Kate started sitting up in May, right around Mother's Day. #2 was out of town, but of course I fought to get it on camera. This is the true first time, ladies and gentlemen! Well done #4!