a trip to the zoo

This past Saturday we took advantage of the nice weather and headed to the North Carolina Zoo. It also seemed that half the state had the same idea. Kathryn seemed to enjoy it. Mommy's legs are still a little sore from all the walking. We had to walk at least three miles that day, and a lot of it was up hill pushing a stroller! The Zoo is in two sections: Africa & North America. We parked and started at Africa.

The giraffes were the first thing we saw.

Kathryn figured out where the giraffes were

Elephants

Daddy & Kathryn taking a break at the end of the gazelle trail.

Actually, Kathryn is finishing up her goldfish after lunch.

The Rhinos

Daddy & Kathryn and the really big kitty

Kathryn of course called the lion Dixon

Kathryn waiting on Daddy to bring back the picnic

lunch for him & Mommy

We enjoyed watching the "wild" geese while we waited

flowering cacti

all worn out

Daddy's favorite sign

Mommy & Kathryn & the bobcat... named Dixon

The zoo is a little less than two hours away. It made for a long day, but we were glad to get out of the house and try something new to do. We ended up buying a zoo membership. Since Kathryn is free for the next year, we got an individual membership, in my name, which allows me to bring a guest. It also has benefits associated with other zoos and aquariums across the country. I think we may be doing a little more exploring!

what-nots and thingamabobs

Wasn't really sure what to call this post. Tired of just using "updates" and boring things. Let's see if I can make this a little more interesting...

ooowweee boogers!
Kathryn has a cold. Go figure. It must have been a few weeks without being sick. Need to make sure that Mom still knows where the snot sucker is and maybe look into investing in Kleenex. Oh, and this time it came with an ear infection. That's new.

the flow of tears
Kathryn has reached the point that if she sees something she wants and you don't let her play with it (i.e. the remote, the phone, my cell phone, the camera... noticing an electronic theme here), she cries. And it isn't just a fake cry. I mean huge tears and whining. It lasts for a minute or so until she spots something else she wants.

locks, locks, and more locks
Eric was wonderful and installed cabinet locks last weekend. Unfortunately the cabinets she really likes to get into, the locks won't fit on. Those cabinets being the ones on the TV stand where the video games and DVDS are. Right now she is bringing me The Neverending Story. Oh, and she has found the drawers in the bathrooms. A couple of days ago I caught her chewing on my $30 nail buff thingy Eric got me for Christmas. Yes I could keep the bathroom doors closed, but that's the safest place for the kitties water as they won't drink it in the kitchen. Either way, it is also a Kathryn mess maker and she will splish splash in their water and then proceed to dump it out.

there she's goes!
So I told you guys she's walking a little. Well... make that a lot. I don't think I've seen her crawl more than five feet in the last few days. And with the walking she has gotten a lot faster and harder to keep an eye on. It is constant motion!

aahhh.... a sleeping baby
I'm not sure what happened, but I'm not going to complain. I've been trying to hit a 9:30 bedtime and whether she's sleepy or not, I lay her down. She can be running around and I say it is bedtime, do our little routine, and lay her down. That's it. She may "talk" for a little bit, but no crying, no fight, nothing. And she is sleeping until 7:45 or 8:00. I'm so impressed.... and loving it!

a skinny little stick
I think I mentioned before that the docs were concerned about her weight. They weighed her at this last visit and she's still right at 19 lbs. She really hasn't gained any weight in the past month. We've got a weight check in about three weeks. Not sure what they are going to tell me to do. She eats... well no "big people" food yet unless you count Cheerios, Goldfish, and Teddy Grahams. I promise we are trying. I even tried a brownie last night and she spit it out at me!! I'm at a lost!

I think that is everything. I'm sure there is something interesting I'm leaving out. Oh, I am going scrapbooking next weekend with Eric's Mom, then spending time with my parents, and hopefully heading to Kansas City so Kathryn can meet her Great-Great Grandmother!

I took these pictures this afternoon and I thought they were too cute not to share!

Our punk rocker

so-so walking video

This afternoon I had to take my car in for the 60K check-up and an oil change. I took this video with my phone so the quality isn't great. But you can tell how she is mastering her walking skills. And you can see what a nice set up the Mazda dealer has. We are sitting in the Kiddie Zone in the Cafe area. I'll try to get a better video up shortly.

weekend in Savannah

This past weekend, Kathryn & I went to Savannah to help Randy & Sarah pack up for their move to Houston (sniff, sniff). Kathryn had a great time with the family. While we were there we took a trip out to Tybee Island.

Nana & Kathryn

Reading a book to Uncle Randy

Snagged Uncle Randy's beer while watching the race...
my little redneck in the making
(don't worry... it wasn't open)



The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in downtown Savannah

Sarah & Randy at Tybee Island

Me, Kathryn & my Mom (Nana)

Kathryn, Me & Randy

While we were down there she also worked on her walking... like walking down the hallway by herself, walking to Nana, walking around the living room, chasing the puppies....

I'll try to get a good video of her walking up shortly. Right now she's being a little fussy one and not being nice to me. I'll she if she's in a better mood this afternoon.

she's too young for this

I have two videos to show you guys. The first one was yesterday and even though she has been doing this for a while, I finally got a bit on video.

She has, and usually, goes up and down a couple of times. But this time she was not cooperating with me.

This video was this afternoon (10 months & a week)!!! Sorry it is so close to her. You have to work fast with her.

She has actually been taking one or two steps by herself for a couple of weeks now. For some reason, this afternoon we were playing in her room and she just walked. She stood up and walked four or five steps to get Kermit from me. I was in total shock. Most of the time the onesies and twosies have been to Daddy and not me. So I had to get the camera. Then she just wanted the camera. I figured out that if I stood her up she would walk. Kermit sings. I pushed his foot to make him sing and layed him on the floor a good bit away. Stood her up and above is what I got.

Let's think. What else has been going on... Kathryn & I are going to Savannah this weekend to help Uncle Randy & Aunt Sarah pack up for their move to Houston. I am sad. Happy for them and the great opportunity, but sad they are moving so far away now that I have moved closer. On that note... anyone need a great house in the northern Savannah area???

We are trying to get her to actually wave "hi" and "bye". Right now she'll gladly wave to Dixon & Daisy, sometimes to pictures (especially cousins Caleb & Esther), and to Daddy when he comes home. But we can't get her to wave to Grandmas on the video cam and people at church. She is strange. I think her first words were "hi daddy" or at least something very close to that. Eric has been trying to get her to say "num num" but it usually comes out more like "mom mom".

I found out last night at dinner that she will giggle really big if you make fish faces at her. I just don't recommend doing it when she still has a mouth full. Learned that one the hard way.

I'm sure that Eric will remind me that I forgot something, but right now I can't think of anything else.

our little photographer

My cell phone's camera does not require the phone to be flipped open to take pictures. Kathryn had gotten a hold of it. I figured since she had not flipped it open yet, no harm. Well then I heard the camera "shutter" click. Here are a few of the pictures she took.

I'll try to do a more detailed post later in the day. Be on the look out for it.

a little decorating

Over the past month or so, we have been doing a little decorating and painting around here. At the beginning of April, Eric's parents came up to babysit so we could go to a Third Day concert, and while they were here, I talked them into helping me paint the master bed & bath.

I forgot to take a picture of the before of our bedroom, but it pretty much looked the same as it has since Ohio. Plain white (or in this case, a pinkish ugly white... see bathroom "before" for the paint color), a blue plaid comforter, and the stripped curtains my Mom made for us in Ohio.

So here is the new:





The new comforter set was from BB&B. We did not use the euro shams that came with it on the bed. Instead Eric's mom noticed it was the same size as the floor pillow I have had since college and the cats had taken over. Now they nap in style. The "art" is actually fabric stretched over picture frames. The larger frame I found at Hobby Lobby for less than $3 and the smaller ones are two 8x11 frames from Dollar Tree stapled together. The whole project cost less than $15 and I have fabric left over!!! And we finally have night stand lamps!!! I bought one of the night stands before I graduated and Eric bought the other one right before we got married. And in the 8 years since I bought the first one, they have never had lamps on them. Thanks to E&J for helping with those as an Anniversary gift.

The bathroom was the same pinkish ugly white (and so is our living room, but the ceilings are vaulted and there are red accent walls so I haven't tackled that room yet). I wanted to use the few nautical items we had used in our powder room in Delaware here since there is no powder room. We ended up using a different blue than what either one of us had in mind before we went to pick it out. We are both extremely happy with the paint color!

Before:

After:


We painted the walls a darker blue than we had originally planned, but we think it is a great color. I also added curtains over the window. It is a large window of glass blocks. You can't really see through it but it faces the cul-de-sac next to us and it is a school bus stop in the mornings. I was a little worried the kids may see shadows they shouldn't be seeing. The picture we have used before. It was of the sunrise in Virginia Beach a few years ago on our vacation. My Mom is working on embroidering white towels to hang below the picture.

I think that is all of our decorating. Eric reminded me that I need to get the house picture worthy and show off the entire house. This will have to satisfy you for now!

bonus points if you find Dixon in the pictures...