Random notes...

Look at me Mom, I'm walking with Daddy!

Think she might like her pony?

Hanging with Uncle Benet!

Climbing Cosimo

'Let's do it again!'

Blueberry Bundle

It's a typical morning, I'm running around creatively putting together a breakfast that will be not only nutritious, but amusing enough for Kaitlyn to dive into. Then I remember...blueberries! Kaitlyn loves them! Talk about getting your days worth of antioxidants right from the start-despite the time it takes her little fingers to grab each and every blueberry, she can't eat enough of them. I have to cut her off and offer something less dramatic like oatmeal with applesauce just to ensure there is variety!
On a side note-I notice that her left hand is quite colorful...will she be left-handed? Yet, on another ordinary day with a blueberry breakfast she will paint her right hand with the natural blueberry dye...it's too early to tell!

Reid Park Zoo-Tucson

Tuesday we headed to the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona! Kaitlyn was beside herself-the animals and landscape were eye candy. She was non-stop animated and with her new skill of pointing, everything was something to see!

I just woke up-where are we?

I point with both my finger and my toe!

There's a polar bear in there somewhere!

It's a giraffe! It's an elephant! It's a....this place is so much fun!

See those pink flamingos?

Maybe we could get one of these?

There's so much to look at!

Cracked open with Auntie Jessica!

Cracked open with mommy!

Arizona Vacation

'I am into the slow food movement-eating one grain of rice at at time.'

'I love my Auntie Jessie.'

The Butlers (sans Ben-we saw him later)

'Uncle Charlie I'm not sure what I think of your beard.'

Cousin Meg and her husband Luke with their darling little Colin (almost two years old)!

Does he get any cuter?

Aunt Teresa and Colin-with cousin Liz's artwork all around!

' I think I like the groovy sounds coming from this piano.'

Dinner with Jen Abraham and Jessica at El Charro (best chips and salsa)!

Kaitlyn and I headed to Tucson by way of Phoenix for a week-ultimately to hang with her Godmother Jessica. It was a fast trip filled with all sorts of activities. Kaitlyn was certainly airborne and when she wasn't in someone's arms she was crawling all over the place, my human broom! I'd have to change her clothes a couple of times a day because of all the debris she'd find during her crawling travels as evidenced by the dark spots that would form on her knees! I'm no longer her comfort, now Kaitlyn kicks her legs when she's in my arms so she can go and explore. I suppose I'm getting too boring? Whatever the case, this past week was filled with milestones:

1. Her first top tooth!
2. A fourth tooth on the bottom came, too!
3. She now grabs her sippy cup all on her own and guzzles away!
4. She loves pulling herself up on bodies, tables, dogs-it doesn't matter, she just loves it!
5. Say goodbye to baby food, Kaitlyn is eating big girl food chopped up for her little self!

I told Steve that he wouldn't recognize her when we returned-she was truly a new infant...and I kid you not, in one night she grew!

Her cousin's first birthday....

Chickens in a frenzy over sweet Kaitlyn...

Same expressions?

'I could use a hat Mom...' (on a wagon ride)

Pink polka dots, pink plates, pink forks, pink pink pink. What more could a little girl want when she turns the big '1'! Natalia, Kaitlyn's cousin, celebrated her birthday at a petting zoo (we had already been here during the fall) where the sun held high during all the festivities and Kaitlyn was well loved as evidenced by her cousin's attempt at kissing her.....

Personality....

A touch of color...

There is no doubt that Kaitlyn makes the rainbows shine-she brings such color into our lives-she paints any drab room vibrant...and so her new 'big girl' stroller seat was transformed to compliment her radiant personality! We originally purchased the OrbitBaby in the black and gray color combo for Steve's obsession with anything Raider Nation. I knew once Kaitlyn was able to fit in the toddler seat I would purchase the fuchsia seat liner and am I thrilled about this decision! I think Kaitlyn loves it, too!
Kaitlyn highlights:
She is now 9 1/2 months.
Has three teeth on her lower jaw.
Crawls everywhere and at rapid fire speed especially when she is after something or I'm crawling after her.
She thinks she can party like a rock star at 3:30am for a couple of hours-yes, a bit of a situation, but thank God it's not an everynight trend!
She is 18lbs 4oz and 27.5 inches!
She's a talker and a singer (surprised?).
When we read books her legs kick out and she laughs just at the sight of each book-she certainly has her favorites!