I Missed It

Can't believe I missed the first anniversary of the ripping out of my bum ute and all its crappy accessories!  My complete hysterectomy was on January 17, 2012 - a year and a week ago - and boy has it been nice not having AF.  Knowing that I won't ever see her ugly head rear again is quite wonderful.

And even better?  I didn't need any of those parts to become a Mommy thanks to the beautiful gift of adoption.

Almost Sitting

Kate is ALMOST sitting up by herself.  Right now she's doing a "leaning forward" kind of thing.  She thinks it's sitting up like a big girl & I'm going with it.

Objects in the photo may appear larger than they really are.  If you know anything about perspective, you will realize that my baby doesn't have an extra-huge head.  (In fact, she's only in the 10th percentile for head circumference!)  The cheeks, however . . . those are the real deal!!  She's just so stinkin' cute.

Four Months

Cuatro.  IV.  1/3 of a year.  4.  FOUR!  

Miss Kate is now four months old, and she thinks she is a big girl already!  

The day before her four-month birthday we headed to see Kate's pedi, Dr. D.  After checking in and getting stripped down, Daddy Rambler and I let our wiggly worm have some tummy time on the exam table.  It looked like this before the doctor made it in to see us.

Miss Chunkers was 25" long and 17 lbs. 3 oz.!!!  No wonder my back hurts all the time! The doctor wrote on his monthly report that Kate is a "thriving and healthy baby!"  When Dr. D. said that we hadn't asked him if she was beautiful, I responded, "No need.  We already know she is!"  haha

Since Kate received shots at her appointment, she was fairly fussy on the 11th.   That's why all of these photos are a couple of days before and after that day!  So . . . . . what has Kate been doing besides eating?

She's been bathing,

playing (well, eating) football,

and simply being cute.

Kate is enjoying cereal now.

And sitting in her Bumbo seat is fun, too.

I am STILL working on her nursery.  (Don't judge.  My three week pregnancy went very fast!)  I will post pics when I finally finish.

Keeping up with a diva's wardrobe is hard work for me!  That's just her 3-6 month clothes and doesn't include onesies, pants and her sock/legwarmer drawer.  It's nuts.

Speaking of nuts, I think my little princess has more bows & headbands than Imelda Marcos had shoes.

But she handles it all very well, just posing for me like she's Lily Tomlin or something.

My amazing daughter is changing so much and it is happening before my very eyes.  Time is moving way too fast for me because I can't get enough of Miss Katherine Leigh.  I am so blessed.

Return of the Pterodactyl

Baby Kate has always been pretty verbal.  She is a calm, happy baby but has expressed her basic needs for sleep, food and diaper changes with cries.  As she has grown, Kate likes to coo and talk and make noises.  She really only cries now when sleepy, hungry, or bored.

As a teeny-tiny baby, Kate had such a squeaky cry.  It sounded like a mix between a baby cheetah and baby pterodactyl.  Enter Exhibit A; Kate at 2 days old (she was SO tiny!) :

At 2 months, her cry was more of a cry than a "call."  Enter Exhibit B:

A few weeks ago, Kate began her "static" language as demonstrated here.  It was so cute and sweet!  Note the descriptor "was."  Enter Exhibit C (pardon my half-nekkid, roly-poly baby!):

For a few days, she just did some cute chuckling and giggling amidst precious coos and static language.  Then this past week, (now that she is such a big girl at four months old) Kate has returned to the pterodactyl as demonstrated below.  She is SO proud of herself.  Kate will use this joyful "call" any time she likes, day or night.  This time, it's killing me.  Must.buy.stock.in.ear.plugs.

Enter Exhibit P for Pterodactyl (warning: turn down your volume now):

She's gonna be a talker . . . and screamer . . .and really loud.  Who am I kidding?  Kate is already all that & more!  Oh mercy!!

A Quick Ramble

First . . . to all of the mommies out there, I apologize.  Mommy Brain IS real.  It is not some pretend thing you made up to rub in my face that you had a baby and I didn't.  Mommy Brainz = I gotz it.

Second  . . . Kate is AMAZING.  I can't even describe how in awe of and in love with her we are.  She is now four months old (FOUR!!!) and beautiful, healthy, strong, funny, snuggly, feisty, smart, sweet, curious, and so incredibly cute.

Third . . . I have so much to blog but such little time.  Being back at work and getting Kate picked up at the sitter and home and dinner and cleaning and bath time and bed time and . . . . . . . it's just not getting done right now.  It will though.  I promise.

If you had this to look at whenever you wanted, would YOU get anything done?

I didn't think so.

Kate's First Christmas

What a busy Christmas we had!  Seeing family, traveling out of state, and working on Kate's nursery/the house kept us busy.


Our new stockings (from Ugly Sofa) were hung by the chimney with care.  Good thing because slacker first-time parents didn't decorate for Christmas at ALL otherwise!

Kate visited Santa - twice.

This is NOT my Daddy!

Him again?!

Let me run!

 Santa brought Kate more than a few lovely gifts.  A new toybox, iPad cover, pajamas, mirror, outfits, shoes, hats, coat, stroller and car seat travel covers, humidifier, pillow pet, and more awaited her "under the stockings."

Kate also received wonderful and thoughtful gifts from Auntie Patty & Uncle Jim, Auntie Jackie, and Auntie Christina.  Opening them was a bit of a challenge this year, but she loved all of it!

She spent plenty of time being precious and  looking cute as always.

Wearing her Santa outfit from Auntie Sherry and Uncle Big Pop.

Thankfully Kate's grandparents had Christmas trees for her to adore.

Cute even with a massive scratch on her eye/nose. Awesome.

And the best part . . . our first WHITE CHRISTMAS in North Texas for about thirty years.  It must've been just for our baby girl.

Protective Daddy kept saying "Hurry.  It's too cold,"
as if I didn't have her bundled up! :)

As I entered Kate's room Christmas morning, I was greeted by a beautiful little angel lying in her crib with a huge smile on her face.  Thus began this Mommy's first tears of this blessed day.  While Jesus was born this day and saved us all, my precious daughter brightened my world in an instant.  I'm constantly overwhelmed by the love I have for her and my heart continues to grow and grow and grow.  Often I wonder if my heart will explode.


We are a very blessed family.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from the Ramblers.