4th of July Weekend

We enjoyed the beautiful warm weather by playing outside. Dave and Kaitlynn played in the pool. We also had Turtle out to enjoy the day. Then Kaitlynn and Sassy looked for animals in the "jungle."

Later MawMaw, Hanna, Brandon and Adam came over. We had a great dinner - barbeque, grilled corn on the cob, pasta salad and baked potatoes. We walked up the street to watch the fireworks. They were awesome! Then we headed home for dessert - lemon cake with lemon icing! Yummy!

We went to MawMaw Tommie's. Kaitlynn had so much fun riding on the 4wheeler, first with Adam, then Hanna and then Dave! Kaitlynn also had a lot of fun going down the water slide. She said she's "been wanting to do this her whole life!" When she would slide off the bottom of the slide, she would jump up and say, "I ok!" Super cute! Kaitlynn and the other kids did some pops, snaps and sparklers. After dinner they did more sparklers. Kaitlynn, Hanna, Adam and Brandon had fun swinging on the hammock and relaxing. We watched the fireworks display after dark. We had a great family holiday weekend!

Ticket to the Beatles

Several weeks ago Kaitlynn, Nick and I met some moms and kiddos from church at Suson Park for a playdate. Kaitlynn and the other kids interacted a little. The kids had fun running around and playing on the playground while us adults got to know each other. We ate lunch and then most of us started leaving for naps and such. Kaitlynn and Nick tried rock climbing, then Kaitlynn helped Nick swing, Kaitlynn climbed the wall to the big slide and before we left Kaitlynn and Nick had fun swinging.

That evening Kaitlynn, MawMaw, MawMaw Tommie and I went to Jungle Boogie. Ticket to the Beatles was the band playing. It was really crowded. This band has drawn the biggest crowd so far. We met up with some friends and had a good night!

Grant's Farm and the Zoo

Last month Kaitlynn, Nick, MawMaw, MawMaw Tommie and I went to Grant's Farm. We went early to avoid the extreme heat. Kaitlynn fed the goats. Kaitlynn and Nick rode the carousel. Kaitlynn, Nick and MawMaw Tommie ran through the mister. Kaitlynn and Nick pet the donkeys / ponies. We stopped for lunch and a snowcone. We walked through the stables and called it a day since it was getting unbearably hot and the kids were ready for naps.

Kaitlynn did the cutest thing and I wish I would have captured it on The Flip. She picked up her Brittany Chipmunk from Build-A-Bear and started singing along with it to "All the single ladies!" It was super cute! I have to get that on video.

Kaitlynn, Nick, MawMaw, MawMaw Tommie and I went to the Zoo. It was a beautiful day for a Zoo trip! Kaitlynn was very concerned about a sick sea lion. We saw the donkeys, giraffes, zebras, camels and big cats, went to the Zootenial Exhibit and then rode the carousel. Kaitlynn played in the water fall outside of River's Edge while Nick napped. We went through River's Edge. Kaitlynn was in amazement when she saw her reflection in the glass at Hippo Harbor.
What a great day at the Zoo!

Graduation and Swim Class

I am so proud of my niece, Hanna! She graduated from beauty school on June 21st. Only her and another girl graduated on time. For graduating on time, she got a netbook from her school.

One day while getting ready for swim lessons, after Kaitlynn put on her swimsuit, she said she looked like a ballerina!

In swim class, they sang songs, worked on floating, kicking and using a floating board. They practiced blowing bubbles in the water and walking / crawling like an alligator.

After swim class, Dave told Kaitlynn that she did awesome. She said, "I'm not awesome! I'm a princess!" Dave told her she was an awesome princess, but she wasn't buying it. She just wants to be a princess!

Nicknames

One morning last week, Kaitlynn wanted Cheerios for breakfast and was calling them Tummy Yummies all morning. Then she found a bag of candy (in my bedroom) and was walking around with it saying "Trick or treat?" She talks about Halloween frequently and talks about having "MawMaw, Neece and Brandon over. And Hanna and Adam." She also talks about Christmas and says she wants the Christmas tree up and reminds me that Santa brings her presents. Instead of Christmas, she says "Chrisum" or something similar to that. It's cute!

Later, she decided it was a good idea to get on my shoulders (while I was sitting down) and say, "Giddy up horsey!" She thought that was great.

We ended up going outside. It was so disgustingly hot out there. It was so hard getting her to come back inside. I finally convinced her to come in for lunch. Right after lunch, she was ready to head back outside with the dogs. Dave came home and started mowing the lawn. Kaitlynn stayed outside with him. She came back in sweaty and with red cheeks and said, "It's hot, hot, hot out there!" She was darn right! It was hot, hot, hot out there! Blazing hot!

Before bed, Kaitlynn asked if I would read her a book. I told her yes and then she started calling me "pal." She likes coming up with nicknames for people. She calls Dave "Big Guy" which I think she got from Clifford (also where she got Tummy Yummies from). It is so darn cute to hear her call him that. He has in turn started calling her "Special K" when she calls him "Big Guy." She calls Uncle Jeff "Monkey." I'm not sure why except that he plays ball and runs around with her. She calls Adam her boyfriend. OK, so maybe that's not exactly a nickname.

Catching Lightning Bugs

One night before bed, Dave called Kaitlynn a lady. She said, "I'm not a lady. I'm jingle bells. I'm not jingle bells, I'm a princess!" We busted up laughing. We think she meant Tinker Bell, instead of jingle bells.
Today we had a lazy day. We went out to dinner and to Target with MawMaw. Then we went back to MawMaw's house. Kaitlynn had fun catching lightning bugs with Uncle Jeff. While they were running around, she fell and said one of the bugs tripped her! Girl is silly!
Hanna and Adam delivered Kaitlynn's climbing cube to our house. Kaitlynn had fun playing in it for a few minutes before bed.

Charles Glenn

Dave, Kaitlynn, MawMaw and I went to the Zoo for Jungle Boogie. We met Hanna and Brandon there. We ran into some friends. The band playing was Charles Glenn. Instead of the big stage, they were playing by the lake under a roof because it was sprinkling a bit when the concert first started. Thankfully the rain stayed away. We ate dinner and listened to music. Dave, Kaitlynn, Brandon and Hanna went to Caribbean Cove to pet the stingrays and horseshoe crabs. Then we went to see the Big Cats, prairie dogs and sun bear. Kaitlynn and Brandon played by Lakeside Cafe. Kaitlynn and Brandon suckered Hanna into buying them stuffed animals from Build-A-Bear. Kaitlynn got a small penguin.

We had a great night, but look forward to the band being on the larger stage in the regular area.

Annabelle's 4th Birthday

June 6th Kaitlynn, Dave and I attended Annabelle's 4th birthday party. The party was held at a park in South County. The theme was the Wonder Pets. We ate lunch almost immediately after everyone arrived. Then it was time for the cake (which my cousin made), presents, and the pinata. After getting the birthday party business out of the way, the kids were free to go to the playground. Kaitlynn had a fun time playing with Annabelle and her friends. Dave and I had a fun time watching them, chatting and holding baby Alayna (Annabelle's little sister). We hung around after everyone left to chat with Mike and Cynthia while Kaitlynn and Annabelle played. We also helped them clean up and load things in their cars.
Later, Kaitlynn played with the neighbor girls. Dave and I talked to Kris and her husband while the girls played. We are thinking of getting a membership to the subdivision pool this year. That way Kaitlynn could play with the girls, Dave and I could hang out with the neighbors.

Mid Rivers and The Usual Suspects

June 4th Kaitlynn, MawMaw and I went to Mid Rivers Mall for the MLM Playdate. I thought we were doing good by getting there 5-10 minutes early. I was wrong. The line to see Dora the Explorer was to the other end of the mall. The line to "check in" was outrageous, too. By the time we got up to the table, the kids bags were gone (given away). Bummer! We got in line to get a balloon, stickers and cookies. Kaitlynn got a Diego sticker, a Stride Rite sticker, a pink balloon and a couple cookies. We got in line to do the pretzel rolling, but Kaitlynn had to go to the bathroom. Perfect timing too - we were next in line! Oh well! After the bathroom break, we decided to skip the pretzel rolling because the line was ridiculously long (and not moving). We decided to decorate a cookie. While waiting in line, we met up with our friends Trisha, Kylie and Ava. Kaitlynn and Kylie decorated a cookie together.

After lunch, we went shopping. We also made a trip to the pet shop. Kaitlynn (and MawMaw) just had to see this little teacup chihuahua. Kaitlynn did not want to give him back and left the store crying.
Later that evening Dave, Kaitlynn, MawMaw and I went to the Zoo for Jungle Boogie. A band called The Usual Suspects were playing. Kaitlynn fell asleep in the car and stayed asleep after we first arrived. We decided to eat dinner while waiting for her to fully wake up. After dinner we ran into some old friends. Hanna and Adam also met us there. We also saw our friends Emily, Christopher, Ella and Beatrice. Kaitlynn suckered MawMaw into getting her a bear from Build-A-Bear, then suckered Hanna into getting her a penguin. Spoiled!! It was a fun evening with great music, fun company and good conversation.

Memorial Day

Monday the redness and bumps on Kaitlynn's face were gone, until we gave her a dose of Amoxicillin, so we gave her some Benadryl. We met some friends at the Greek Festival for lunch. While standing in the food line, Dave and I noticed that both of Kaitlynn's arms had bumps on them (as well as redness and bumps on her cheeks). It dawned on us at that moment that she might be allergic to the Amoxicillin. Dave is allergic to Amoxicillin. We decided that there wasn't much we (or anyone) could do at that point, so we stayed for lunch (and dessert). Kaitlynn acted the same, fine most of the time but with moments of extreme irritability.

After lunch, we came home and I called the pediatrician's exchange. The nurse said that the redness and bumps was just a side effect. She said it was harmless. She told us to continue giving Benadryl if she was itching. She said the irritability was a side effect to taking Amoxicillin as well. She also told us that Kaitlynn could actually receive a higher dose of Benadryl than what we were giving her. She recommended calling the pediatrician in the morning to get Kaitlynn checked out.

I did read the prescription information that came with the Amoxicillin, but Kaitlynn had taken it before and not had a reaction or any side effects, so we definitely weren't expecting a reaction.

We decided to continue with the Amoxicillin but give it with the proper dose of Benadryl. That seemed to help Kaitlynn. She was able to rest and take a nap.
Monday was also Hanna's birthday. We met Hanna, Adam and MawMaw at Red Lobster for dinner to celebrate.

Doctors Appointments and ER

One day last month, we had a busy day of doctors appointments. We took MawMaw to an appointment, in which her doctor said she needed to go to the ER that evening and be admitted to the hospital. Kaitlynn had her pre-surgery appointment with her pediatrician. The pediatrician checked Kaitlynn's heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, eyes, ears, nose, throat, and listened to her lungs. She said she was confident Kaitlynn could go through the procedure / surgery without any problems. Between appointments, we had lunch and let Kaitlynn play in the play area at Burger King.

Hanna and Adam watched Kaitlynn so Dave and I could attend our last class at church. We met some really cool people that we hope to continue to stay in contact with. After getting home from class, I took MawMaw to the ER and she was admitted to the hospital.

Mother's Day Weekend

Saturday, we went to Botanical Garden and Grant's Farm for the first time this year. Botanical Garden has a dino exhibit. Kaitlynn was excited to look around the Garden for dinosaurs, even though there were only 2 exhibits (unless you actually went through the paid exhibit). We walked around the Garden and Kaitlynn fed the Koi fish. She loved feeding them. Then we walked around some more. Kaitlynn enjoyed taking pictures. At one point, she was actually taking a picture of every step she took. It was so funny! At the Botanical Garden, it was pretty windy, but thankfully the sun was out almost the entire time we were there. We went to lunch at the Bread Co. and then went to Grant's Farm. At Grant's Farm it was pretty chilly and windy. The sun wasn't out as much, but we still had a good time. Kaitlynn and Dave spent quite a while with the goats. First, Kaitlynn tried feeding them through the fence because she didn't want to go in the pen. Eventually, her and Dave went in the pen and after spending about a half an hour with the goats, they were finally able to get a few goats to drink from the bottles of milk. I guess the goats were very full from being fed by all of the people visiting. Kaitlynn rode the carousel and we looked at the other animals. Kaitlynn said the elephant was talking to her. When asked what about, she said something about the water. She had a snow cone, while Dave and I had our 2 samples of AB products. Yum! We walked around the stable and then headed home.


Mother's Day Declaration
I wanted you before you were born. I loved you when you were born, I saw your face and I knew that I was in love. Before you were an hour old, I knew I would die for you. To this day, I will. This is the miracle of life.
This came from a friend on facebook.

A Mother
When you're a child she walks before you,
To set an example.
When you're a teenager she walks behind you
To be there should you need her.
When you're an adult she walks beside you
So that as two friends you can enjoy life together..
Author Unknown

Sunday we had Kaitlynn dedicated at our church. What a special way to celebrate Mother's Day! To honor God that way and to make a commitment to raise her in the church community was so amazing. I look forward to the day that she is old enough to make the decision on her own that Jesus Christ is her Savior and she wants to be baptized.
Our families met us at church for the service. Dave, Kaitlynn and I had a family photo taken. We helped our families find seating. Then we waited in the lobby with the rest of the parents and children being dedicated. We talked with our dedication mentor couple. They were so supportive to us on Sunday. All of the dedication families processed in and stood in front of the church. Our lead pastor talked about what dedication is. Then our associate pastor introduced all of us to the church community. We were given a moment of prayer, where our families were able to come stand with us and pray with us. Our mentor couple said a prayer with us and our families. What a powerful moment!
We took Kaitlynn to her class and went back to service. After service, we sat outside of church with our families and talked. Kaitlynn had fun opening her gift from Hanna and Adam.
We went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch. After lunch MawMaw gave Kaitlynn a present. It was a beautiful cross frame that says "Bless this child."

First Week of May

May 1st marked our Engagement Anniversary. 6 years ago, Dave came to my apartment dressed in a nice suit and had my favorite car waiting in the parking lot (a black Jaguar). We drove to Creve Coeur Park, where he gave me a rose and got down on one knee and proposed. It was amazing! Then we drove around to our families' houses telling them. Our parents already knew. I was so glad that Dave respected my family enough to call and ask my dad for his permission to marry me / at least let him know that he was going to propose to me. That evening our parents threw a party for us. It was such a special day and evening. About a month later we had a "formal" Engagement party that was held at a park.
Looking back at these pictures, really brings back memories. I can't believe how young we all were. My nieces and nephews were so little, they ranged from 4 to 13 years old. Dave was 25 and I was 26. What special memories, even though it seems like a lifetime ago!

May 5th marked 2 years of my dad's passing. I still can't believe that he is gone. I still sometimes think "Oh, I have to call him to tell him about..." Other times, I think "I wish he were here to see Kaitlynn..." Actually, there is not a day that goes by that I don't wish he was still here. I have finally stopped begging God to bring him back to us and almost stopped questioning God as to why he took my dad and not someone else. That is a question that I will not know this side of eternity. I cling to the fact that I know one day I will see him again. We will be reunited. I know he is better off, but it doesn't stop the fact that it still hurts. It is an emptiness in my heart, a piece of me that is missing. I have faith in God everyday that He will give me the strength to go on. I thank God for Kaitlynn and Dave because without them I don't know if I could face days like May 5th, Father's Day, October 5th (his birthday) and all the other holidays. They make me realize that life has to go on. We were never promised forever here on earth, but we are promised eternal life if we believe and trust in Jesus.

On Cinco de Mayo, Kaitlynn played outside with the dogs. I cut some flowers from our Peony "garden". We have white and pink ones. They are one of my favorite flowers. Later we made a Mexican fiesta. We had spinach and cheese (and chicken on Dave and Kaitlynn's) quesadillas, rice and refried beans. Kaitlynn had sparkling grape juice. Dave and I had margaritas. We enjoyed a fire in the chiminea. It was a fun night at home!

Kaitlynn's last Kids in the Kitchen class theme was Cinco de Mayo. First the kids made covers for their recipe / cookbooks. They decorated the covers with pictures taken in the class by the teacher's assistant. Inside the cookbooks, were recipes from each week of the class. At circle time, after singing the usual songs, the teacher read a book about vegetables. Then it was time for the kids to wash their hands, set their places and get cooking. They made root beer floats, tacos, chicken tortilla soup, pudding and guacamole dip. Kaitlynn liked the root beer float and the taco. She refused to try the soup, pudding or dip. I liked the dip and I am not a fan of guacamole dip. The pudding was good also. Kaitlynn brought the soup home for Dave to eat, which he said was good.

Rest of April

Kaitlynn made Annabelle and herself bracelets.
Kaitlynn and daddy made me a bracelet.

We went to the Baby Kid Expo in St. Charles. I worked at the MomsLikeMe booth for a few hours, while Dave and Kaitlynn walked around. Kaitlynn got an elephant balloon made, got her face painted like a butterfly and had a flower balloon bracelet made.
(sorry these are blurry, they are from my cell and Kaitlynn wouldn't stand still)
eating kettle corn
While working at the booth / table, I got to see some friends from MLM and a fellow blogger. After working, Dave, Kaitlynn and I walked around together. We had a lot of fun.
After we got home, Kaitlynn played out in the yard. While Dave mowed the lawn, I vacuumed the house and Kaitlynn climbed the tree in our backyard. She also played with Mya and Leah.
After Kaitlynn went to bed, Dave and I had dinner outside by the chiminea. I love relaxing outside in the spring evenings with the chiminea going!

Kaitlynn, Aidan and I met Eileen, Gabe and Merci at the Children's Zoo. The kids had fun seeing and petting a tortoise and a snake. We went through River's Edge where we saw a rhino, hippos, hyenas, a cheetah, and the elephants. We stopped for lunch, then went to the Jungle of the Apes. We saw them being fed. Kaitlynn and Gabe played in the misters and afterwards Kaitlynn said "It was like taking a shower. A shower with Gabe." I looked at Eileen and we just smiled and laughed. We saw the penguins, puffins and bears. The kids had a good time running around and seeing the animals. It was a beautiful day for the Zoo!

We adopted an 8 week old puppy. Kaitlynn fell in love with him at the Expo. Kaitlynn, MawMaw and I went to pick him up from his foster family. He is just adorable! His name is Lever (like the soap) and he is a terrier.
Why are there 3 dogs in these pictures, you ask? MawMaw has been having trouble taking care of Sassy (her puggle) since getting out of the hospital, so we brought her home to take care of her for MawMaw. Kaitlynn loves Sassy.
Bailey and Sassy get along really well, too. She has done well in our home.
Sassy and Lever get along really well. Bailey is not so much into Lever. It will just take time for her to get used to him. Lever is going to be a big boy - probably about 50lbs!

Kaitlynn attended her Kids in the Kitchen class. They made Fred Bird hats, had circle time, sang "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" and then got started on cooking.
They shredded cheese for nachos, counted out the number of peanuts that corresponded to their age and cracked them, made caramel popcorn, put ketchup and relish on their hotdogs and made a slushie. Kaitlynn did great in class this week! At the end of class, all the kids wore their Fred Bird hats along with their teacher and had a picture taken. It was so cute!
Kaitlynn and I came home and took the dogs out. Lever loves our big backyard! Then Kaitlynn and I went to MawMaw's. We took MawMaw to the mall to get her out of the house and walking around.

Kaitlynn had an activity at her school called On The Go. Different vehicles were there for the kids to explore like a police car, paramedics, mail truck, water patrol, caterpillar and fire truck. You could also take a school bus ride and see a helicopter land. Kaitlynn enjoyed the school bus ride. She was a little apprehensive about checking out some of the cars / trucks. She loved the police dog, Ola and learning about what she does.
Lever loves it outside. We had Bailey, Sassy and Lever outside most of the day. Kaitlynn loves running around with them.
Kaitlynn attended her friend's birthday party.

Kaitlynn had fun playing with the dogs. Hanna and Adam came over to watch Kaitlynn, so Dave and I could go to church. Kaitlynn has so much fun with Hanna and Adam. Kaitlynn and Adam usually play Yahtzee Jr. together.

Kaitlynn's P.A.T. Educator came over. This was Kaitlynn's first 3 year old visit. They played a dice game that involved counting and turn taking. They did some more counting activities with cheerios.
Kaitlynn had fun playing with Lever outside.
I went out for a M.N.O. with one of the playgroup's were are involved with. There were 6 of us that were able to make it out. Last year there were more like 13 of us. We had pedicures / manicures and then went to The Cheesecake Factory for drinks and dessert. It was a fun night!

Kaitlynn, Aidan and I met Gail, Parker, Leah, Ryan, Stacy, Sophie, Camden and the twins (our CBW Playgroup) at the Zoo. We were hoping that the rain was going to hold off until late afternoon. We were wrong. As soon as we headed out of The Living World, we started feeling sprinkles. We took cover in the Penguin and Puffin Cove (and gift shop). The rain let up and we headed over to the Jungle of the Apes. We got stuck there and were luckily under a covering. We went to the Primate House and Reptile House, ate lunch and then went to Zoomagination Station.
Kaitlynn and Aidan playing at Zoomagination Station.
Dave and I went on a Date Night at a church. We listened to Michael O'Brien and heard his love story (for Jesus and his wife). There was a surprise visit from Deidre Pujols. Albert and Deidre contacted Michael to sing at the renewing of their vows. Deidre wrote a song with Michael for that occasion. It was a wonderful night of great music, great speakers and worship!
Kaitlynn was so excited that Hanna came over to stay with her. She was a little upset that Adam couldn't come. But still had a blast with Hanna, as usual.

We went to an event for Dave's work. They had a bounce house and face painting for the kids. Kaitlynn had StL painted on one hand for the Cardinals and Elmo on the other hand.
Then we went to a Kidgit's event at the mall called Little Planet Helpers. Kaitlynn received a tree sapling and got to spin the wheel. She planted Sweet Basil seeds and danced with the girls from Radio Disney. We ate lunch at Chevy's and walked around the mall.
That evening we went to church. Kaitlynn said she learned about praying and showed us how she prays.

Easter

First let me start by saying "Jesus has risen! He has risen indeed!"

We woke up early and had an Easter egg hunt around our house after getting dressed. Kaitlynn got her Easter basket from us. We went out for breakfast to a nice little cafe, which was awesome. We went to church. What an amazing and uplifting worship service. The music and the teaching were so amazing! What a great way to worship Jesus! After hanging out at church, we went up to the hospital and had lunch with MawMaw and Hanna. It seemed to take forever for MawMaw to get discharged. We went to her house and started cooking Easter supper. What a delicious supper! We were truly thankful this Easter as we remembered what Easter was truly about - Jesus dying for our sins and rising from the dead. We were also so thankful for getting to spend it with our family that we love so much and that are so supportive of us.

Kaitlynn had fun painting with her new Mickey and Minnie Mouse paint set and making a chocolate bunny hutch. She loved hanging out with the family, especially her cousins.

April Fool's

I took Kaitlynn to her Kids in the Kitchen class. There are a lot of kids in that class and most of them are 4 or 5 years old. The theme was Foolish Foods.
Kaitlynn fell asleep as soon as we got in the car. We visited MawMaw in the hospital.
Kaitlynn was pretending to be MawMaw's doctor. She was asking her what was wrong and what hurt.

We met daddy and Hanna at home and went to Bread Co for dinner. Hanna hung out with Kaitlynn while Dave and I attended the Good Friday Experience at our church. It was an amazing experience and really put things into perspective.

Outside - Riding and Climbing

Last Monday, Kaitlynn and Aidan played outside. Kaitlynn rode Aidan around on her jeep.

Kaitlynn and I went to MawMaw's and she treated us to dinner at Applebee's. We went to the mall, where Kaitlynn played at the play area and we checked out a few stores (Gymboree and Children's Place).

On Tuesday, Kaitlynn and I went to MawMaw's. Kaitlynn enjoyed the beautiful day outside with Sassy. She didn't play much with Sassy, she was too busy climbing the peach tree. She loves climbing trees. We can't keep her out of them. Later we ran some errands and then went to dinner.

Wednesday, Kaitlynn went to MawMaw's preschool. She had fun playing with Tyler outside. MawMaw, Kaitlynn and I visited Great Grandma, Aunt Sue and Uncle Dale.

Thursday, Kaitlynn went to Neese's to see Hanna's new dog, Dolly Mae and to wish Adam a Happy Birthday.

She made Adam a birthday picture in the car.
Dolly is so cute. She is a 2lb Yorkie.
We also got to see their chicks.

Spring Is Here

Thursday our playgroup met at the park. It was a fun day. Kaitlynn and Kylie had a good time chasing each other. Ella had fun going down the huge slide. Beatrice, Ava and Aidan were content just watching all the kids running around and playing. It was such a beautiful day!
Friday, Kaitlynn and I played outside in the backyard. She rode her jeep, we played "soccer", she played in her castle, played in her house, played in her barn / farm (as she calls it), climbed on her slides and climbing cube, chased Bailey, helped daddy rake the garden and played with Turtle. It was so nice to see the neighbors again since the weather is getting nicer. The winter seems to make everyone almost hibernate.
We had Hanna and Adam over for dinner. We made spinach, chicken and cheese quesadillas (of course mine were just spinach and cheese), rice and refried black beans. It was so yummy!
Saturday we went to the mall for the Handy Manny Event. After "checking in" and choosing between a book or an Easter bucket (she chose the bucket), Kaitlynn got to spin the wheel and won a lollipop. She received a license plate and Handy Manny tool box to decorate. She didn't decorate them there because the tables were too crowded. She played in the play area, rode the train twice, played on the rides and the carousel once. We ate lunch and then went to get her birthday gift for being a Kidgits member. She got a coloring book, crayons, puzzle, jump rope, bubbles, a couple toys, coupons, free mylar balloon from Create A Party, and a green Kidgits tote bag. We went to Children's Place to purchase the flip flops that Kaitlynn lives in from Spring to early Fall. Kaitlynn had to wear a pair of her new flip flops as soon as we left the store. We went to Cabela's to look at the different displays. We went to Justice and bought another Zhu Zhu pet (hamster) and then to Gymboree. Every time we go into Gymboree, Kaitlynn always asks to go watch the TV. She, most of the time, just sits and watches or dances / plays around that area while I shop. She got the cutest swim suit. I can't wait for her to wear it. She loves it too. She had a choice between 3 and picked this one. Then she took it out of the bag and carried it to the car. She fell asleep with it in her hands / lap on the car ride home!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

When I first asked Kaitlynn to say "Happy St. Patrick's Day" she kept saying "Happy mommy's day" and then would start singing "Happy birthday".

In the car on the way to meet MawMaw, MawMaw Tommie, Great Grandma, Uncle Dale and Aunt Sue for dinner, she said "Happy Patrick's Day! Happy birthday to Patrick's day." Everyone had a nice corned beef and cabbage dinner, except Kaitlynn and me. I had a taco salad and Kaitlynn had chicken. Very yummy dinner!

Dave and I went out for a drink at a local pub. Then followed up with some Bailey's on ice before bed!

Cousins and Best Friends

Kaitlynn and I met Cynthia, Annabelle and Alayna last week. Kaitlynn and Annabelle get along so well. They never fight or argue. We never have to intervene to make them share or anything like that. Actually, we do have to make sure they are including others sometimes (if they are playing with something that other kids want to play with). It is so awesome when they play together; Cynthia and I actually get to talk to each other and finish conversations! Since Alayna is so little (she is not even 3 month old), she is either being nursed or held and seems pretty content with that. Annabelle and Kaitlynn love to pretend play. It's just awesome! Kaitlynn says Annabelle is her best friend. They both adore each other and love spending time with each other. I am so glad she is so close to her cousin and that she has a cousin so close in age to play with.

Cynthia said something interesting as we were leaving. She asked if 15 years ago when she was cutting my hair, if I ever thought that our little girls would be playing together and be such good friends. I told her no and that it was a surprise when we found out she was dating my cousin. It's just a small world! I think it is very cool how our lives have intertwined over the years. Now, to have our little girls playing together and being the best of friends is pretty awesome.

I know that Kaitlynn is only 3, but I am so glad that she has already found such a good friend, someone that she considers her best friend. I hope she always has at least one best friend and always finds herself surrounded by friends and people that love and support her.

*I need to take pictures of the girls when they are together. They are so cute! Other people even comment on how cute they are together.