She's Just Kate

I cannot believe that today my babygirl is 3 years old. It is just not possible. But she is. And man has she filled our lives with a lot of joy in the last 3 years! I adore my Baby "Cake". She just has one of those personalities that make you feel a little smilier around her. Josh always says that I have a smile that is a "Kate smile". She is the only one that can make me smile that way. As a baby it was her good natured, laid back personality.  Her sweet smiles and precious cooing. Now as a big 3 year old I laugh at least every hour as we have "real" conversations. Her favorite activities are dancing and playing with her Little People. Everyday after lunch I ask her what time it is and she says, "Bedtime. Need my people." She puts them to sleep first. :) Today in my ballet/tap class I discovered one of my CD's was missing. I didn't even have to ask where it was. I knew. Kate's new favorite thing is raiding my bag, stealing my CD's and dancing in her room. She will need to put on a dress, swimsuit or a leotard. If I protest she tells me, "I NEED to dance!!!!!!!"

As I write we are having a conversation about robots and aliens. I've learned that a little girl with a big brother is sometimes different than a little girl without one. The kids used to be so rough with her and we would tell them that one day Kate would be able to defend herself. That day has come. I've watched her fly across the room and tackle Eli straight to the ground. (There is only about 5 pounds difference between the two of them.) She thinks the moon rises and sets with Sarah. She wants to do EVERYTHING Sarah does. I try to pretend she is my baby, but she is more and more independent every day. She loves going to class at church, dance class, Mommy and Me and Moms Morning Out. MMO is also known as "her school" and she loves it. As I held her hand walking her in the room last week it hit me that this time next year she will be starting pre-school.Okay, I'm going to move on before I have to stop and bawl.

Everybody talks about Kate's hair. Strangers in the store comment on how pretty it is. I want so much for my girls to have healthy self-esteem, but I may have to watch out for Kate. She came up to me the other day, flipped her head of curls and said, "My hair beuful". :) Yes, it is. While it is probably not best for her to become totally conceited, I hope she will always feel beautiful!

Lately, Kate's new thing is to tell us, "I jus' Kate." If I ask, "Are you my babygirl?" "No. I jus Kate."  If I say, "You better sit down, Miss Priss" she responds with "I jus Kate." And today when I said, "Are you the birthday girl?" she answered with.....yep you guessed it. "I jus Kate". She is just Kate. No labels, nicknames or extras added. She has as much personality as she has curls on her head.  Three is such a fun age. So much learning and growing. And lots of eating cheese and grapes and watching "carsumes". It's so much fun to be "fwee"!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATEYLN ANN FIDLER! I HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAY IS AS HAPPY AS YOU ALWAYS MAKE ME!!!!!!!!!!