The Latest and Greatest

Life is getting very fun at the teamgootch household. Kate has changed so much lately that watching her development is entertaining, to say the least. Of course, by "entertaining" I mean to say that it makes my heart swell with love and pride and admiration on a moment-to-moment basis.
Detailed here is what we've been up to:
-Kate has officially grown enough hair for pigtails. It is a dream come true (for me). Thankfully I had Kerry (Nanny McPhee) watch Kate on Friday while I worked and she tried it for the first time. Now I can't stop.
-Friday our friend Bailey (see "Katie and Family" link on left) came and spent the day with us since she didn't have school. It was super fun to have her hang out with us. When she arrived at our house Kate had just woken up and was obviously excited to have an audience for dancing and showing off. Kate liked having Bailey here as much as Bailey liked being here. THANKS FOR COMING, BAILEY!
-Kate has all of a sudden started using sign language. I've been encouraging her to do so for some time, but admittedly, not with 100% consistancy. About a week and 1/2 ago she just started busting it out! It is so nice that (in some situations) she can answer my questions or communicate what it is that she wants (versus grunting like an animal). She currently signs the following: more, eat, drink, all done, and please.
-Kate has started using a lot of new words, but even just a few new words seems like a lot in comparison to the 4 or so she had before. She now says: Annie, ball, coat, cool, go and "E-I-E-I-O". Momma and Dadda have sort of fallen off the list lately...
-Kate and I started swimming lessons this week. It is a month-long class, one morning per week. Kate (I) loved it - especially since the morning started with me NOT dropping her off in the daycare at the YMCA. Then we went to the locker room, which had fun drains on which she could stomp her feet. Next we had the pleasure of going through the showers (a requirement for getting in the pool). Kate's never been in the shower (and hardly has even seen one - by design, since I think once she understands we have them at our house she won't want a bath anymore) and squeeled with delight when the water came shooting out at us. Then we got in the warm pool and she laughed and squeeled through the entire lesson. Until, the part came when I was to lay her back, cradle her and look up at the ceiling while singing "Twinkle Twinkle" at which point the excitment got the best of her and she started falling asleep. Yes, in the pool. After the lesson I took her into the wadding pool, which is filled with small children, balls and a fun dragon slide. It is so shallow that she can stand on her own and the water comes up to her chest. Even though her teeth were chattering and she had goosebumps, she was so excited she could hardly stand it. Back in the locker room she discovered the best time to wander away from me was while I was dripping wet and trying to change out of my suit and into clothes. I'll have to figure out something better for next week, as she OF COURSE headed off to an open toilet to see what that was like (as if she doesn't already know from the countless times she has stuck her hand in one of ours). Needless to say, she fell asleep in the car on the way home. I don't know who had more fun...
-When asked Kate proudly points to the following body parts, followed by excited clapping: foot, leg, belly, hand, lips, nose, ear and hair. Sometimes we get lucky with eyes and arm. Oddly, when I hold her coat up and ask for her arm she sticks it right out, but when asked to locate it she tends to point at her ear and then claps. I join her.

My Pretty Pony (Tail)

Who says my baby girl doesn't have hair?

Happy Easter!

We were warmly welcomed at Peter and Kerry's for Easter Brunch today, along with Mike, Courtney and Joey. Everyone made a ton of food, we dressed our kids up in their cutest, we blew bubbles and pretended to have an Easter egg hunt. Kate loves her plastic Easter eggs, and loves to walk around holding her Easter basket, but she didn't quite grasp the concept of HUNTING for them in the out of doors and placing them IN the basket. Maybe next year?

Anyway, as do most crazed mom's, I took a ton of photos/video hoping to catch the cutest picture/video ever. In the days leading to Easter I considered leaving the tags on the Easter dress I bought last year - I mean, a dress with matching sweater, socks and bib (not seen here) is worth a lot on Ebay - NWT! Alas, I decided she should wear them, especially after I pulled them out of the closet and was reminded of why I bought it all in the first place. I hope she never grows out of this dress.

In spite of playing outside, eating Kerry's sugar cookies, and being 15 months old, she stayed clean and sweet and adorable all afternoon. Now she is happily napping after all of the good times with our friends.

Family Music Time - "ROAR"

Tonight after dinner Brad played and played on his guitar and Kate and I danced and danced all around the living room. I think this should become a ritual in our house - especially since all of the swaying, jiggling, bouncing and laughing seemed to wear Kate out into the perfect mood for crashing into bed at the end of the evening. I know I feel like crashing into bed at the end of this evening,... although that seems to be an obvious statement. After all, I chase after a 1 year old day in and day out. I know that most people probably wonder what could possibly fill our days - home alone together all day, every day (except for my 3 mornings at work now), but trust me - you would be amazed! Today she pushed the plastic dog food bin up to the pantry shelves and started climbing on up. Yesterday she put her hand in a toilet at least 10 times. The day before that she ran the bathtub water in our master bathroom and managed to soak herself all the way down to her toes (from OUTSIDE the tub). One day last week she opened the front door, stepped on out and ran down the sidewalk (wearing no shoes or coat). And these are just snap shots of the mischief and dismantling of our home that happens daily.

I know the Grandma's out there are laughing at me - I can hear you! The joy of it is that Grandma B will be out here soon to watch her, alone, for 10 days while I go off with #2 to do things like drink wine, sit quietly, sight see, walk upright, have a conversation and maybe not even put my hair in a ponytail - all on a different continent to boot. We'll see who's laughing then, Grandma! I've heard people say, "you're leaving her for how long?" My response is, "not long enough!"

This said, obviously I'm infatuated with her, she is the center of my universe, and I will be yearning to see her pink face and fluffy white head of hair upon my return, but a grown adult needs to be a grown adult! And I shouldn't have to spend EVERY day of these first few years hiding #3's food bowls, locking the toilet shut (so even I can't get in it in a timely fashion), locking ourselves in the house so that none of the convicts escape, and tiptoeing around during the light-sleeping-queen's naps! And for pete’s sake - she'll be in her own home, with her own things, with someone much more capable of caring for her than me (and more capable of breaking her of all these terrible habits I've allowed her to develop). That said, join me in wishing away the month of April! Istanbul, The Netherlands, London, I am an adult, hear me roar!

Rainy Days and Tuesdays

Today we set out for a walk, but ended up at the Connell's since it was raining hard enough to make it unpleasant for an extended period out of doors. We always like a trip to Joey's house, since he has a bunch of toys that seem new and different, no matter how many times we visit. One of the things Kate instantly seeks out is a pacifier thrown here or there by Joey, and out of sight for Mike and Court. She always finds one or two, and usually she chews on the handle portion of it. Today I think she finally figured out what a pacifier is all about... and she liked it! I hope she doesn't think this is now exceptable at 15 months old.

Raindrops and Mud Puddles

Snow Bunny Kate 2008

It was a bluebird day in Boise today and we decided to take Kate skiing. She loves being in the backpack and with a nice nap this morning she was a delight to have up there. Please enjoy our footage.

One Last Michigan Video

I just found these on my video camera today and wanted to share them - least they go to waste. Those were some good times!

Chumming Around the Hood

New Entertainment

As I mentioned earlier this week, I've had some difficutly with my movie making skills. I don't know if those issues have been resolved, but I am attempting to deal with them today. As a result, I'm glued to the computer while Kate entertains herself with books and puzzles that I've been hiding for a rainy day (FYI - it is a beautiful blue bird day today).

A few weeks ago our great friends Peter and Kerry acquired a gently used slide from another neighbor. They won't be able to use it for a little while, so for the short-term we get to use it. Kate LOVES it. Here I've captured her first couple of runs. Shortly after this photo shoot we moved the slide inside where within a day she figured out how to climb the ladder and shoot down the slide with no supervision. This made #2 very nervous, so the slide is now back outside. I'm looking foward to the ground drying up a bit more (I've quickly learned that pink stains very easily in the mud) so we can spend afternoons outside climbing up and zooming down this delightfully entertaining slide.

THANKS AUNTIE KERRY AND UNCLE PETER (don't worry - we'll give it to Finn the Fetus when he's ready)!

AH, PA!

Duh. It means "Annie, up!" I've been trying to get #4 to say, "up" for some time now - versus hanging on to my legs and grunting like an animal (as a friend once described this hideously frustrating non-verbal stage). Yesterday we were playing in her room and, of course, (#3) was with us. Kate has a new love for Annie - and vice versa. To Kate's delight, I was telling #3 to put her paws up on the ottoman by saying, "Up!" And now, when Kate lays eyes on Annie all she says is, "Ah pa! Ah pa!" A match made in heaven (almost). As soon as Kate ends her infatuation with Annie's food and water bowls they are sure to be the best of friends.

First Bike!

The fact that Kate now has a "bike" - and a helmet (more for when she comes along in the Burley on my bike than on hers, but STILL!) - is shocking AND delightful. The weather outside is also delightful - or at least it has been this week, and what is more fun than to head outside in the late afternoon for a little "bike" ride/scoot?

Yes, I realize that it isn't really a bike, but the truth is that it is oh-so-very close and it seems surreal that Kate might actually be old enough for whatever this is. I don't mean to be dramatic, but how quickly time is flying! As Grandma S pointed out this week, it was a year ago that she was here visiting us and Kate was content to sleep in her arms. THOSE days are over. Content is a word that went flying out the door ages ago.

So as we battle the crud (cold) that Kate and all of her neighborhood friends have, we also find some time to get outside and explore this new mode of transportation. Good, good times.

Slacker Mom

I've had a couple of complaints regarding a lack of new posts and I just want a moment to support my case for being a slacker-blogging-mom. As most of you know, I've gone back to the real (working) world, albeit part-time. I don't know why I haven't gotten back into a routine, but since this interruption, I haven't quite been able to figure out a schedule. I remember the ship my mother ran back in the day, and I strive to be so orderly; however, it just doesn't seem to be working out for me. Additionally, #2 got me a super fun little video camera (a Small Wonder) for Christmas, but as I told him the other day, my video editing software is "holding me back." As soon as these glitches are addressed, you will all be awed and delighted - I'm sure - by the onslaught of updates from Team Gootch.

In the meanwhile, please know that Kate still likes to talk on the phone (and anything that resembles a phone), she still has nearly white hair, and she is still covered with bruises.

She is saying things here and there, but her current favorite is, "WHOOOOOOOA!" - right before she throws something (usually food) on the ground. I figure it is good that at least she knows what MY reaction is going to be. This last weekend we took her to Bogus Basin and she rode up a ski lift and down the bunny hill in the backpack. She quite liked it, as did #2.

She is a big fan of music, books and playing outside, and she likes long walks on the beach...

Stay tuned. I'll post some sugar soon!

Accidents = Blood = Red = Valentine's Day

A lot of changes have happened around here lately. I went back to work, Kate has a new sitter, we ended morning naps and we got rid of bottles (those are for babies, anyway). A week ago we took Kate sledding and she had a grand time. Of course, with sledding comes sledding accidents. Kate took a header right into the snow, cutting her up a little. She recovered very well, hopped back on the sled and went on to enjoy a lunch of cheese quesadillas.

Yesterday she decided to dive off an arm chair,... into an end table. I got a call at work from the sitter which included the word, "gash" so needless to say I came home to see the damage. These photos were taken after nap time, when the swelling had gone down, but the cut combined with a goose egg and bruising made for quite the sight as I walked through the door.

Snow Days

It has been snowing and snowing and snowing! Very unusual for us in B-Towne. Okay so it snows, but it never stays long enough to bother with shoveling. This week; however, the snow is out of pocket. We've been mostly house bound and going a little stir crazy and we aren't the only ones. The other night we went over to hang out with the triplets for a while. The kids were all playing with these little boxes and they even got one out for Kate. Sam kept trying to get her to play with the parachute too by offering her a corner saying "Here, Here!" She sure loves to hang out with the big kids!