Still Going

Sorry for the lack of posts these past few weeks. Most of my posts have been on Facebook, thus, if I were to string the status updates together, I may get a good paragraph or so about what has been going on in our lives.

Enjoying her first trip to Santa Cruz 7/27/09.

The past few weeks have not been too busy but we always end up having a good time somehow. We haven’t gone out of town since Father’s Day so mostly hung out with family and friends at the park made for a popular pass time.

Seeing the ocean for the first time and touching salt water 7/27/09.

Katie is doing really well. She has learned to walk with no assistance and is doing it about 95% of the time. She is able to stand up on her own and hit the gas like a 2 year old except she’s still working towards her first birthday in a couple of weeks. After walking the length of the room, she is able to balance herself to slow down, or bend down to pick up her toys. I noticed last night was the very first time she’s able to pick up objects, walk with them and either toss them to the ground in another room or hand it to somebody. And yesterday for another first time, we saw her dance to music. It’s the cutest thing and I’ve even caught it on video bending the knees swinging the arms and big smiles!

It has been over 15 years since our last Family trip 7/27/09.

A couple of months ago, her auntie (my sister Annie) would bounce her on the bed and she would laugh hysterically. She later learned the movement and was able to do the bouncing on her own. In the past week, she would do it on demand when we say the word bounce. Yesterday, she started to do it on her own when she heard the Barney toy sing…haha… It’s amazing to see how she is growing and fine tuning her skills. She is now able to perform a number of things as we say the words jump, up, blow, turn, kiss, give, wiggle, and many more. Katie is very bright and observant which enables her to pick up after us very quickly; although, teaching is never too easy. Yogi pats his own chest and says Daddy. Katie would follow and do the exact same thing, pat her own chest and says Daddy…lol…

Diaper change by Auntie Linda who she hasn't seen since Thanksgiving! 7/27/09.

Katie’s language is coming along. She still only has two bottom teeth which are hindering her pronunciations somewhat but not her eating. Her top teeth have broken ground and at least one is coming through. The others are on their way as we are able to see plenty of white spots. When she is unable to repeat what we say exactly as we have pronounced it, she is able to repeat the syllables and understand what we mean. She knows to say ‘na na’ for banana. She has even screamed for ‘mum mum’ meaning food.

Weekly bowling with Mommy and Daddy 8/2/09.

What a year this has been?! We look at her everyday and it’s becoming more of a reality that she is no longer a helpless little baby. She walks, talks, knows what she wants, and more often than not knows how to get it. We took her to the grocery store yesterday. She walked down the isle, over to the peanuts on the bottom shelves, picked up a pack and brought it to me. Scary isn’t it?! She’s also able to reach around the coffee table and into the entertainment center to grab the wii remote controls. Suppose, it’s the beginning (toddler) of the end (baby)…

Making a run for the lanes every chance she gets 8/2/09.

More firsts to come! We’re taking Katie on her first camping trip this weekend to Yosemite with Yogi’s family. We can’t wait. It’ll be nice and cool but sunny we hope! Then, the weekend after next, we’re celebrating her first birthday with plenty of family and friends :o) We will try to keep the updates posting!