Kate: Month Thirty-One

Kate,

Today you turned thirty-one months old. What a month it has been. We've been busy with events, travel, quick trips to the beach, and having company around. It seems like over the past few months you've just grown up so much. You are quickly moving out of those baby moments and closer and closer to becoming a big girl.

In early August we traveled back to Drummond for James & Stacy's wedding. You danced. You danced. You danced. It involved some interesting moves that I KNOW you didn't learn from me. The highlight could have been a move that resembled the crocodile, or watching you continuously interrupt other people's dance groups because you knew they just wanted you to join. I wish I had better words to describe your stage debut that night, but I don't. I'm not overly worried though, I am quite certain people will still be talking about it when you are sixteen. So, you can hear it for yourself. It is so much better told in person.

Now, let's move on to Sponge Bob. There are plenty of things we said we'd never let our kids do. Yeah, we made that bright list before we had a toddler. That is a different story for a different day. However, I vehemently oppose certain television shows and Sponge Bob is one of them. Now before I start getting flamed over Sponge Bob, I just need to say I am sure it has some benefit – to a derelict high school dropout living in a van down by the river. Anyway, I digress. You came home from daycare and mentioned Sponge Bob one day. I pressed you for details, but you didn't cave. I silently hoped you had just picked up the word somewhere. A few days later we were at the store and you turned and pointed directly to the rack on my left and said, "Sponge Bob". Well, see I find it slightly difficult to have conversations with people that are confrontational to their beliefs. Maybe it is because I have to do that 40 hours per week at work; I just don't have it in me when it comes to people I care about. Unfortunately, that often means I resort to desperate measures. So, we had THE CONVERSATION about how we do not watch Sponge Bob in our house. Sponge Bob is not good. Sponge Bob will destroy your brain cells. Sponge Bob will give you boils. In a panic, I pondered my options. I looked at you and said, "Kate, what do you do when Sponge Bob comes on?" and you said, "Turn it off! I can't watch Sponge Bob at my house." Hey, that was easy. Yesterday I went to pick you up at Joni's and she said that she was washing dishes in the kitchen and you burst out crying, screaming, running in to the kitchen screaming TURN.IT.OFF. She actually had to place you in the other room to calm down so she could get Sponge Bob off of the TV. Whoops. When did you start listening so well? We will need to put some extra in the therapy fund to cover this one.

Your new favorite word is disgusting. You don't say disgusting though, it is bis-gusting! Not only do you use bis-gusting, but you use it in the proper context, which cracks me up. The dead mole in the pool? That is bis-gusting. The bird poop on your tire swing? That is bis-gusting. The egg that fell out of the nest, containing some bird remnants? That is bis-gusting. Pointing at the delivery guy in the driveway? That is bis-gusting. We need to talk about that one.

What amazes me the most is what a girl you are. You have a never ending love for dresses, jewelry, shoes, and princesses. I swear I have not taught you any of this. Perhaps you absorb it through some type of osmosis just from sitting too close to me. I have not figured it out, but it horrifies your dad. It probably doesn't help the situation when I giggle. We were shopping at Target the other day and you kept pointing so daintily at things you liked, "Awww, it is so pretty", "Look, isn't it beautiful". There was an older lady that followed for quite awhile, simply enjoying your blissful commentary. I am sure it won't be so cute when we are living out of a cardboard box because we can't afford your couture habits. While I would never try to influence what you like, I find it amusing that you have such an affinity for all things girly. Just for the record, I also think your obsession with hammers, legos, and trucks should balance that out for awhile.

I can't wait to continue to watch you grow and learn. You bring so much joy and laughter to my life. We are going to let you keep thinking you are in charge for awhile … just a little while longer.

Hugs and Kisses,

Mama