Katherine Ann: 18 Months

Sweet Katie Girl,

It is hard to believe that you celebrated 18 months this week! These past 3 months have flown by and  I think it is safe to say we have fully arrived into the world of toddlers complete with big emotions, melt downs, temper tantrums, and an ever growing list of likes and dislikes :) But more importantly, life with a toddler also comes with abundant joy, endless giggles, and bountiful hugs!! 

I feel like travel is usually part of these updates and this update doesn't disappoint. In September, we flew to Ohio for a quick visit with the Walkers. I think this was flight number 11 for you! It was a wonderful trip, but time went too quickly. Thankfully we were there over Labor Day so we got to see almost the whole family! The family was very impressed with your Heisman Moves. They also loved seeing you dance. We got to watch the first Ohio State game of the season in Ohio...so that was fun! You were already asleep, but I know you were cheering on those Buckeyes in your dreams.  

After our quick trip to Ohio, you and I flew to Iowa for the week. Daddy, sadly, had to go back to work. You love spending time with your cousin and affectionately call her Nana. The 2 of you have the best time together and I am so thankful you will always have a built-in playmate close to your age. We are excited to see the adventures and shenanigans you girls come up with over the years! We think you have already created your own little communication code...we might be in trouble :)

 You seem to love the new apartment. You especially like the huge lawn to run around and push your stroller! Grandma and Grandpa Kreger rigged up a swing for you outside, so now you can swing to your heart's content. There are 4 lakes on property with great walking areas close by, so we have been enjoying our strolls together. You love seeing puppies on our walk as long as they keep a good distance away. You really, really want to like dogs, but they still scare you. 

We have jumped into some new Fall activities including MOPS and a women's bible study. Not only have these activities been incredibly encouraging to me, but they have given you a chance to experience a nursery on a regular basis. Although you aren't always happy to say bye-bye, you are good to go only a couple minutes after I leave. It has been so encouraging to hear the nursery workers tell us how much they enjoy your sweet, funny, and helpful personality :) 

You have also been busy hanging out with your baby friends. This past month you got to meet little kids of my best friends from college. We only got a couple of hours together, but you had a blast playing with your new friends...who will hopefully become some of your best friends...who will hopefully become your classmates at Northwestern. (I may hope you go to Northwestern one day, but your daddy is rooting for Taylor.) We have also had lots of play dates with your baby friends in Dallas. The weather is finally cooling off which makes the park the perfect place to gather. It is, however, very difficult to get a picture of 3 toddlers sitting in one place!

The biggest development, however, was finding out you are going to have a Baby Brother!!! You are so sweet with Baby Brother already and love to give him kisses. You have been practicing your baby skills with your dolls and really perfecting your stroller skills. You can steer your stroller with the best of them. You are also developing quite a little vocabulary. Your current words include: mama, daddy, hi, bye-bye, baby, up, come, apple, banana, more, please, trash (you love to pick up trash), shoes, bubble, meow, woof, duck, airplane, football and ball. We love watching your communication develop.

Shopping for Baby Brother!!

You are also becoming the best little helper. You love to help me find trash and throw it away. You love to help me sweep and dust. You love to help me "fold" the laundry and put it away. Just the other weekend we were out to eat celebrating daddy's birthday, and you literally cleaned up the table after yourself. When you were done eating, you picked up all the left over pieces of your corn bread and put them back in the bowl. Then you wiped up the table and got rid of all the crumbs :) Daddy and I just watched in amazement. You truly are growing up before our eyes, and you really love to clean!! 

This day you wanted to wear your headband while cleaning and you kept pushing it up on your head :) 

As always, the time seems to be passing too quickly. There are so many little moments of things you do every day I want to ingrain in my heart and mind forever... 

I always want to remember the way you run into daddy's arms when he gets home. 

I always want to remember your sweet smile when you look up into our eyes. 

I always want to remember the hours we have spent cuddled up reading books. 

I always want to remember the way your hair fountains out in your ponytail. 

I always want to remember the way music makes you wiggle and dance. 

I always want to remember the way you love your daddy. 

I always want to remember the way you love to sit and look through books. 

I always want to remember the sweet moments when you crawl into my lap to hear a story. 

I always want to remember the cute way you wave your arms when you dance to your favorite songs. 

I always want to remember how excited you get over little things. 

I always want to remember the precious way you clasp your hands together to pray before we eat. 

I always want to remember how much you love our quiet time in the morning reading bible stories and praising Jesus.

I always want to remember the way you seek our comfort when you get scared. 

I always want to remember how happy you are in the morning. 

I always want to remember the fun games you make up with daddy. 

I always want to remember the how much you love pushing your stroller. 

I always want to remember the cute way you push in your chair at your little table. 

I always want to remember your Happy Feet Dance. 

I always want to remember your sweet little voice as you practice and learn words. 

I always want to remember the cute way you sign more and please. 

I always want to remember the sound of your belly laugh.  

I always want to remember slow mornings spent swinging out by the lake. 

I always want to remember how much you love waving to people. 

But most importantly, I always want to remember the joy of seeing you learn as you discover the world around you.

You truly are a joy, and you bless us with your sweetness over and over again. 

We love you baby girl!!