Katie's 1st B-Day party!

Here's our little birthday princess!

Baby is growing up

My little Katie is not so little anymore!  We celebrated her 1st birthday with our family and a few friends a few weeks ago.  The last month has brought many changes.  She started crawling, then pulling up, and now cruising.  That's a lot of developing for 1 month! Those who know the Bates' kids know that we are very "late walkers", but she is progressing nicely now!  She is, or course, getting into everything!  She had 3 teeth come in on the top, giving her a total of 5.  She's been eating table food, and loving it!  I've weaned her down to only morning and night nursing sessions, as I'll be gone 4 days in July.  I hear her waking up now (way too short of a nap!), so I'll post some pix and go:)

Here are a couple from Reagan's soccer tournament and her gym meet--she made her Level 2 tag!!

Twice in One Week

I know-2 posts in one week is a small miracle.  Part of the reason is to check out this "new" Xanga.  I posted several days ago, but I guess it was "saved" under some preview page, and it didn't post.  Or...I could have messed something up accidentally.  Who knows?  So...I'll try again and you'll get both of them, if I'm lucky.

I've had a stressed-out mommy day, like to the point of crying.  Grayson has not napped the last 2 days, in spite of several spankings. I don't know what to do. I had to bring him into my room today to prevent him from waking Katie.  Then, of course I can't do laundry/Premier/computer work, since that's all in my room.  We'll see how tomorrow goes.  He's also started into telling us "no" or "I'm not going to ...."  and obviously that doesn't go real well for him:)  It makes me wonder if he's been around our house the last 3 years.  Hello!  Since I'm venting...I get exasperated by the older two constantly arguing, tattling, complaining, fighting, hitting--ugh!  I know that's normal to a degree, but really!

Katie has double ear infections again, but no pneumonia.  She has been cranky today with fever.  I got the other 2 in bed around 8:20--very good for us.  But of course couldn't get her down until almost 10:30--so no bath/reading tonight.  I finally did brush my teeth though around 10:00:) I did go to the gym and tried out the new Zumba class.  I needed to work off some stress before I hurt someone:) Well, I think I did OK for my first time--although 80% of the class is over 50, so that's not saying too much.  I'm definitely not a natural "dancer" but it was pretty good cardio and a little toning.  OK, I'm going to bed now as I have the morning carpool for school and am babysitting too tomorrow. 

Time Marches On

March 30, 2008

Sorry it's been so long.  LIfe gets a bit crazy with 3 little ones (especially with school and extracurricular activities thrown in the mix).  We've had a pretty good winter, I guess.  We've been busy, as always.  Reagan had a tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy about a month ago, and is doing awesome.  It took a good 3 weeks to get over the sore throat, tummy aches (I guess from starting eating again), and the weird sounding voice.  Now she sleeps soundly, with no snoring!!  Amazing, really!  She's also eating much better, which is a praise, and is starting to gain a little weight.  She's up to 36 pounds now (at 6 1/2 years)! She's been busy with gymnastics all Fall/Winter, and is near to completing her Level 2.  She's begun spring soccer again and is playing T-ball--wow!  She's doing great in kindergarten, and reading like a pro.  The other day we were in the car, and she read "not recommended for children under 3"-- I was blown away!  She's been reading to Grayson, which I love!  She's a sweet girl, and a good helper to me.  We've gotten to the "attitude" age, and are constantly working on respectful attitudes and facial expressions:)

Grayson is growing into my sweet little man.  Right now he's obsessed with poop and ear wax--yes!  Everything brown on the ground/highway is "poop, Mom".  and now that he's discovered ear wax, he's completed disgusted.  At first he thought that was poop too:)  He's trying to learn about soccer and T-ball like sissy, and loves to hit the ball.  He likes golf, and riding his bike, 4-wheeler, and Harley big-wheel.  He's still my "snuggle-buggy" in the morning time:)

Katie has been sick this winter.  She had her first ear infection--a double one, and she had the croup.  She's had lots of colds/coughs.  Right now, I'm afraid she has another ear infection, and possibly croup again (or pnemonia).  Her cough is nasty, and you can hear/feel her little chest rattling when she breathes.  She only goes to the grocery store and church--those nasty germs.  Looks like another trip to Dr. Jerry tomorrow!  She's not crawling yet.  All the Bates' babies are late with their gross motor skills:)  We're great talkers, though.  She says ma-ma, da-da-, bye-bye, and occassionally repeats Paw-paw, Ka-Ka (that's her name), and Bubba.  She claps and waves bye-bye.  She has been getting on all-4's and rocking, so maybe we're getting close to crawling.  It's actually wonderful she's not crawling yet, and when you have 3 kids you realize that, b/c I don't have to worry about her getting into everything yet!  Then when my kids do actually walk, they're old enough to understand "no" and they don't get into as many things they shouldn't. 

I've been busy with Premier jewelry, church, and Duck Duck Goose (Little Rock, and now Conway).  It was my turn to host Bunko this week, so I finally got my house cleaned up--thanks to my mom, who kept the older kids a few nights for me during her Spring Break.  Other than that-my house is always a wreck.  It bothers me a lot, but oh well.  My mom-in-law gave me a book once with this quote in it that I love---"trying to clean your house when your kids are young is like shovelling  your sidewalk in the middle of a blizzard"--so true!

Ok--here's some pix of Snow Days, Easter, and random other things:)

Special date with daddy the night before surgery.

Katie's first sucker.

10-month picture with her bears.

Easter fun!

Pressure to post-

After all the cute Christmas blogs/pix sent out, I feel I just have to update my site!

The fall ended on a crazy note---I was sick basically from Thanksgiving to Christmas (first fever virus or strep, then stomach bug, mastitis, then a yucky cold).  Things were crazy busy leading up to the holidays.  My friend, Amanda Melton and I took our big girls to see Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers in concert--wow.  It was an awesome concert, even though we had horrible seats!  Reagan and Taylor had a blast!  Reagan received a part in the kindergarten Christmas musical at Arkansas Baptist, and I think I bawled through most of it!  I was so nervous, but she didn't look a bit nervous!!  She did great--she was the angel and this was her part::  "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.  For unto you, this day, is born in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."  Quite a lot to memorize for a 6 year-old.  I was so proud of her, and she did look darling, if I say so myself!!  Funny thing is, Grayson actually memorized most of it too!

Katie started some rice cereal 3 days before her 7-month b-day.  Now we are venturing into squash and carrots.  She is sitting up now, and looks so big!  Gray has been out of "school" for 3 weeks now, so I hope next week, he doesn't balk when it's time to go back. 

We had a great Christmas. We went to Texas first and were there the Thurs through Sunday before Christmas.  While there, my family came up to celebrate my mom's 60th b-day.  The girls shopped, then we all went to Trail Dust for yummy steaks, county dancing, and a 2-story slide!!  My mom's mom passed away in September (my Memaw), and we wanted to do something different and fun for my mom.  We came back and were home for Christmas morning, then headed to Vilonia for brunch with my family.  Hope you are all well!

Susan