... made pee-pee in the potty this month! It happened last Monday while I was at work (of course) during her regularly scheduled potty time with Luke. It was much in terms of volume, but he said that afterwards she was so taken aback by the experience she totally freaked out. There have been no repeat performances since then, but her interest is definitely piqued.
... still relies heavily on a lovey for naps and bedtime. Bunny came to us when she was around six months old and originally purchased as a back-up for a similar stuffed animal she received from Luke's brother's family when they came to meet her at the hospital. We wanted to be prepared in case it ever got lost or destroyed in the wash, but instead of keeping it in a safe place we tossed it into one of her toy bins, even switching out the bunnies at bedtime occasionally to make sure she was equally comfortable with both. Somewhere along the way she became more attached to the back-up bunny, and now he's just Bunny and she loves him with the passion of a thousand love letters. Not even Nathan at his young age favors anything as much as Kara does Bunny. God help us the day we leave him behind in Chicago or drop him at a rest stop, because isn't that just the way?
... has expanded her vocabulary beyond simply picking up new words; now she's stringing them together to make simple phrases, among them being "stay home" and "no froggies" (courtesy of Max and Ruby), "sit here, "night-night," "there you go," and "I sorry." And just today she said her first three-word sentence; when Luke inquired about Bunny's whereabouts, she replied, "There he is!"
... makes loops when she draws.
... always wants us to draw with her. Luke is known for owls, cats, and dogs, while I can be counted on for fish, flowers, and hearts. We both do letters, numbers, and shapes.
... seems to like the color blue best.
... is finally engaging in small talk on the phone. She's always had a thing for telephones, but now she'll actually say hello. Last week when I called from Tampa, she threw in a couple of "Mommas" just to tug at my heartstrings good and proper.
... remains a finicky eater. It's to the point that she will reject foods simply for the fact that they've been offered to her. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich can grow mold in front of her but becomes a hot commodity in the pieces coming from Luke's or my plate. Though last night at dinner she did attempt to eat corn off the cob. Breakfast food still remains the top fail-safe option for any meal of the day.
... is still missing two canines on her bottom gums.
... can get in and out of the tub without breaking her neck or needing too much help.
... wears size 3T pants and 4T shirts, mostly, depending on the brand (Carter's reigns supreme, thanks to the outlet store in close proximity to our old apartment).
... is learning to pick up afterself. She likes to help me wash off the crayon marks in the tub after bath time but needs more coaxing when it comes to putting her toys away.
... loves Little People play sets, as evidenced by her parents' choice of birthday gift and several of her Christmas presents.
... was so patient with Luke and me this year as we learned how to parent two small children and I regained my footing as a working mom taking on more responsibility. I'm so glad we have Nathan, and there are no regrets about their closeness in age at all, but I know he arrived earlier than siblings normally do and sometimes I wonder how different 2009 would have been for her had she remained an only child just a little bit longer. But what she's gained by having Nathan as a companion overrides any of the extra attention or experiences Luke and I would have given her without him in her life. That's not true for everyone, but it is for us. I know that now.
... continues to enjoy reading as much as she did when she was a baby. Current favorites include Snow, Bear Stays Up for Christmas, The Little Red Hen, The Best Nest, A Fish Out of Water, Let's Play in the Snow, Noodle Man: The Pasta Super Hero, My Big Girl Potty, Little Monster's Alphabet Book, Ten Apples Up on Top, and the original version of Where the Wild Things Are.
... still falls asleep to instrumental music every night.
... likes being tucked in.
... thinks Eskimo kisses are the funniest things on Earth and will swivel your face back and forth with her hands to get them on demand.
... recognizes every single letter of the alphabet.
... loves getting blanket rides back and forth in the living room (with Nathan in tow, of course). It's a little more taxing for her parents.
... will have a joint birthday party with Nathan in early January, which will also be taxing for her parents, but at least it'll be cheaper for them and less overall travel for their guests.
... still ends up in our bed several nights a week, sometimes as early as midnight, other times as late as four-thirty. Either way, from that point on, rare are the moments when actual REM sleep takes place because she'll start out at the end of our mattress (where Luke and I have a pillow waiting for her), then squeeze her way between us, then curl up in a ball on the floor, then come back to bed and jam her head into my side while draping her legs over Luke's hip. After all that, still she wakes up at whatever time I'm able to drag myself out of bed for work, always with a smile on her face, making a beeline for the master bathroom so she can rest her cheek on the toilet seat cover. (I don't know, either.) I feel like it should bother me, her constantly interrupting our sleep, but the truth is that I'm keenly aware of her growth and development these days and how fast time is passing, and I will take her physical closeness any way I can get it. Last night, just for a few minutes, her restlessness unexpectedly placed her right next to me, her neck resting on my arm, her body curled into mine, and for the first time since she was a baby, I was able to hold her to my chest without the constraints of a rocking chair. It may be her birthday, but I'm the one with the best gift a mother could ask for.
... is loved more than she will ever know.
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Enjoying crisp fall weather.
Playing with her brother. Observing their antics is one of my favorite pastimes.
Napping with Grandpa before Thanksgiving dinner.
Basking in the glory that is Max and Ruby.
Surrendering to kisses from Momma.
The winning photo for our holiday card, thanks to our tripod and insanely good luck. This was the very first shot we took to benchmark positioning on the staircase. After that, bodies were twisted, faces were blocked, and there may have been screaming by a certain someone over Luke's attempt to wear a Santa hat. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to neither confirm nor deny these allegations.
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I want to say something deep and reflective here, but the words are catching in my throat. Motherhood is simultaneously the most rewarding and most frustrating job I will ever have in my life, and being the oldest, Kara plays a unique role in that. I will always be a rookie with her. She is my first baby, will be my first child out of diapers, first kindergartener, first slumber-party goer, first teenager. She opens my eyes to new ways of thinking, forces me to re-evaluate processes and goals when my patience is on the verge of running out and I'm not sure how to move forward. When she's thrashing about on the changing table because she suddenly can't stomach a diaper change, I have to pause and remember what I'm trying to accomplish--the goal isn't to restrain her and prove who's in charge. It's just to change her diaper. Yes. That basic.
It's not that Nathan doesn't inspire these feelings, too, because he does, but my reflections on his uniqueness are better suited for his birthday post next month (dear Lord, why are you doing this to me?). The difference is that Kara's the one catching my heart off-guard when I'm completely unprepared. As a result, I often find myself so overcome with emotion over each new milestone and each new challenge that I can't even put one foot in front of the other.
There's one thing, though, that isn't colored by her age for me, and that's my admiration of who she is at her core. Her headstrong personality, her affectionate nature, her very existence on this earth is cause for me to thank God every night. I am not perfect, but what I lack in grace I try to make up in gratitude and a willingness to learn how to do better. And that started with her.
Happy birthday, baby.
(Video courtesy of Luke, as usual. Amazing job, honey.)
I started bawling when I saw the title and I now I'm just a blubbering mess. That song is perfect, just like her. (And incidentally, a very special song to me.)
Happy birthday, beautiful Kara! And way to go, momma and daddy, on two years of great baby-raising!
Posted by: Jen L. | December 17, 2009 at 08:44 AM
Happy Birthday Kara! I loved the picture of her pointing her finger at Nathan...like she was saying "Ok little brother, I am in charge!" so cute.
Posted by: Erica | December 17, 2009 at 09:44 AM
Aw... crying at my desk right now! Kara is so great. Happy Birthday!
Posted by: Trilby | December 17, 2009 at 12:45 PM
That was beautiful, happy birthday Kara!
Posted by: Sarah | December 17, 2009 at 01:24 PM
Happy Birthday, Kara! It has been just so awesome to watch her grow these last two years.
We had our first big scare with Rowan's "woobie" this week. We couldn't find him after an hour of searching and almost the whole house was in tears. Finally we called her dance studio and someone had picked it up off the floor and turned it in. So at 9pm Bill went out to retrieve it and by the time we brought it in to Rowan she had fallen asleep. She was VERY joyful when she woke up with it in her arms.
I am so impressed you got such a great shot on your own! We always need some relation doing a song and dance to get the kids to look in the right direction and smile. So cute!
Posted by: rkmama | December 17, 2009 at 03:10 PM
Awwww....happy birthday Kara!
What a fantastic song - I don't know Kara IRL but it really seems to capture her personality. And make me tear up any time I hear it.
I loved the part about drawing. I am the least artistic person ever, and am constantly drawing babies, bananas, apples,grapes, and the dog on demand.
ps - I will never tire of seeing that gorgeous hair and then sighing with a tinge of envy as I stroke my child's poker straight, wispy-thin locks:)
Posted by: eva | December 18, 2009 at 01:00 AM
What a joy she is to be around and to think about even 140 miles away. Time moves forward. Progress is happening. Just being able to add to her life is greatness in so many ways.
Posted by: daddyd | December 19, 2009 at 09:32 AM
I rarely comment but have been following your blog since you did your soap:) that was fun.. and have watched your children grow into a beatiful family for you all!!! it has been fun to watch and see other moms going through this thing we call life.. .and so much to learn from you and your family! they have gotten so big and are beatiful!
Posted by: wolfbaby | December 20, 2009 at 06:56 PM