cate as of late

I've had this post floating around in my brain for months. It's finally coming out now. If some of these pictures look like they are from January it's because they are. Better late than never.

Just some stuff about my darling little Cate that I don't want to forget. I've been pretty horrible about writing things in her journal so it goes here instead.

Cate loves to be outside. She'd live at the park if we let her I think. For her, it's all about the swings. Somebody please teach that kid to pump already!



I'm trying to teach her how to be a good kisser (not like I'm some kind of expert or anything). I could count on one hand (minus two fingers) the number of first kisses I've had in my lifetime. So sad. So true.

Cate's pucker needs a little work. She squinches up her lips instead of pushing them out into a full on pucker. It's adorable but a mom's got to teach her kids lots of things. Sometimes it's a proper pucker. Did you know some parents don't kiss their little kids on the lips? It's true. And I think it's kind of sad. When do you stop kissing your kids on the lips anyway?




Cate's been a good little playmate to cousin Ray Ray. He's big enough now that he understands her when she bosses him around. They fight a lot too. Don't be fooled by those smiling faces.


More hugs. When Cate wants a hug she comes to you and says, "Huggie!" And then you'd better give her a hug or else.





She loves that Grama Bama.


She loves that brother of hers too. And she really loves to hug him when he doesn't want to be hugged (which is mostly all the time).




My mom is keeping Cate's wardrobe stocked with all things glittery and sparkly.  That's what grandmas are for I guess.



Our neighbor is totally into the yard sale scene. She loves shopping for Cate it seems. She brought over this pair of tap shoes a few weeks ago. One shoelace was missing, hence the green ribbon. Cate was thrilled about those shoes and literally squealed in delight when I showed her.

She wore them to Target once. Big mistake. Those things are slippery on the Target floor. She rode in the cart most of the time we were there (especially after she biffed it twice).




Cate is busy busy busy in her kitchen. She made these "cheese sandwiches" one day.



She's always "cooking" something and narrating as she goes.




Adorable! I know.




I think she's got the swimsuit pose down. She's ready for pageant life. She just needs some fake eyelashes and bigger hair.




Cate sure loves that brother of hers. I'm glad she has a brother. I don't. (Not that I ever wanted one.) I'm hoping some day Danny figures out how to express his love to her in some way other than acting like it's a hideous thing we ask of him to just stand there and get their picture taken together.



Cate likes to play restaurant. She knows how to take your order with her clipboard. I'm not sure she gets everything right since she doesn't know how to spell but she sure deserves a big tip for being so cute.

She knows that she's the waiter and Danny's the customer. If you play store with her then she'll call you a "shoppinger."



Sometimes the goggles help her when playing on Dan's iPad. Sometimes they just get in the way.



Cate loves to visit the neighbors. It's been fun having Freckles the lamb around.



Other stuff about Cate:


She has two primary teachers at church. Their names are Sister Stockton and Sister Downs. She calls them Mister Stockings and Mister Downs. One day she told me that Mister Stockings has a baby in her tummy and when it comes out IT'S GOING TO BE A GIRL!!

Oh, the songs she can sing. That kid can make up a song about green jell-o and pickles and make it sound like she should win a Grammy.

She loves to host indoor tea parties and picnics, complete with spread out blanket on the floor and little place settings. I think it might be time to teach her that the fork goes on the left.

She doesn't nap anymore. Hasn't for many many months. A year? I don't know. She starts losing her umph around 4:00 every day. I have to keep her busy and happy or she can melt down fast.

I love her profile. She's got the cutest little nose.

As soon as we walk in the door she's over at her toy kitchen making something. Pie. Cookies. Blueberry cake with green blueberries. She's a baker for sure. Kind of makes me proud.

She snores, just like her daddy. Her tonsils are still pretty big. I think we'll be figuring out what to do about them this summer.

I wrote this one down because I thought it needed to go on record. One day she said to me, "Guess what mom. Know what mom? You're the bestest nicest mom I ever had."

Cate likes to make messes. Actually, it seems like every kid that ever comes into this house likes to make messes. My house is in a constant state of mess. I pick up her kitchen stuff and then she comes along behind me and dumps it back out, insisting that she's planning a mermaid party and she needs all this stuff so she can make dumpling cake and doodleberry pie.

She wants to be a mermaid when she grows up.

*   *   *

Sometimes I look at Cate and think to myself who are you?

Sometimes I look at Dan and say out loud who is this kid?

You know what I mean, right? I don't think there was some kind of switched at birth thing going on in the hospital all those many years ago. I know she's mine. It's just that she's so different from Danny (and me) that I sometimes wonder. Who are you, kid?

I can look at Danny and see me. Physically, yep. My cheeks. My nose. My eyes? Maybe. Different color for sure. He's a little boy version of me. I can see him when I look at pictures of me from long ago. Other ways too. He can be painfully shy sometimes. He's got Jarrett and Kris and doesn't think he needs any other friends in the world. He's more often grumpy around people than the pleasant, sweet kid he is at home. I understand him.

And then there's Cate. Who does she look like? Dan? It must be because I don't see me in her. On a good day she's spunky, happy and always ON. Do you know what I mean?

Gogogogogotalktalktalktalktalktalkplayplayplayplayplaygogogogogotalktalktalktalktalk some more.

She likes to make her bed. She spreads the blanket out nice and smooth. No wrinkles. She woke up at midnight one night crying for me to straighten her blanket. That's not a happy mom who gets woken up in the middle of the night to straighten her daughter's blanket.

Cate gave her first talk in primary a few months ago. I made a little video of her practicing it with Dan before we left for church.





Here's the transcript of her talk. Dan wrote it. I think he's a pretty good talk writer.


The Lord calls prophets to help us choose the right so we will be happy.
When my dad was a boy, the prophet was Spencer W. Kimball.
He told the boys not to shoot the birds.
My dad chose the right; he didn't shoot the birds.
He was happy; and so were the birds.
The prophet today is Thomas S. Monson.
At General Conference, he will help us choose the right.
When we do what he says, we will be choosing the right and we will be happy.

*   *   *

I sure love that kid.