Dear Kate,
With each month, you just get more and more fun! Right now, we're enjoying a lazy Saturday morning with you. You're stirring in your toy pot with the plastic vegetables, and you're giving tastes to Daddy and me with the spoon. We pretend slurp and tell you how yummy your cooking is! Now you're on to your books. You've picked out the Peek-a-Baby book, and you're saying "mmmmmm" and giving a kiss to each baby as you turn the pages. This is such a fun age.

Here's what you've been up to over the last month:

* You're talking up a storm, but still only one word at a time (no combos or phrases). You try to repeat everything we say, and we can understand you most of the time. Just this week you've started saying a very basic word: "no." I don't know how we lasted this long without you saying it! You are certainly asserting yourself more now that you know it. It'll be time to change your diaper, and you run away from me saying "no no no" in your sweet toddler voice. It's funny, you really don't say "no" in a forceful way ever - it's always a sad or panicked tone. I guess that's the best way to describe it. Maybe I'll catch it on video one of these days. And instead of saying "yes," you laugh. At meal times I'll be asking you what you want to eat next, going through a list of things I could give you, and you'll just laugh when I get to the one you want. Also, you'll laugh when you're pleased in general, like when we understand you. Just now you were in the kitchen saying "mmmmmm." I asked, "Kate, do you want your milk?" and you just giggled. Love it.

* You still have an obsession with trucks. Every time you hear one or see one, your eyes open SO big and you try to say, "vroom vroom," which really sounds more like, "foo voo." We read your truck book before bed every night. You always skip to the garbage truck page. You love the garbage truck.

* Your baby dolls have been getting a lot of attention lately. You feed them, burp them, put them in Caroline's baby swing, and even try to put pacis in their mouths. You have definitely been watching your mama!

* Favorite shows: "Dogs" (Air Buddies movie), "Bar" (Barney), and "Mo" (Sesame Street). The heat has been extreme this past month, and we are cooped up in the house a lot. We have the TV on more than we should, I know. I need to mention that there's a scene at the end of Air Buddies where the dogs are all howling to each other. You love to howl, too!

* Favorite songs: "Little Red Caboose," "If You're Happy and You Know It," and as of yesterday, "If All of the Raindrops." You know how to participate with these, and your timing is pretty good. You say "choo choo," clap/stomp, and "A-A-A-A-A" with your mouth open wide. I can't wait for you to actually learn to sing. Won't that be fun!

* You know all your letters now (but not in order). You don't say a few of them, but you can identify them when we ask you which one is "W" or "G" or "J." I'm sure people think we drill you on these all the time. We really don't! You just love your letters, and you're always pointing to them and asking about them. You often will say the sounds they make, too. You can also pick up a letter from your puzzle and say a word you know that starts with that letter.

* You're learning your numbers, too, although not in order yet. You get really confused about nine since it looks just like six except upside down. You're pretty good at identifying colors when you have your crayons out. For instance, if we ask which one is yellow, you'll usually pick up the right one. But if we ask you what color anything is, you almost always say "blue." As for shapes, you know stars and hearts, but I think that's it.

* You give kisses and hugs all the time now. In Barney's "I Love You" song ("with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you"), you always hug yourself! You like to hug and kiss Caroline, but we have to be very careful because you basically crawl on top of her.

* You beg for fries all the time, and even if we just pass a Chick-fil-A in the car, you point and say, "fries!!" If we're at home and I ask you what you want to eat, you say "fries." Guess I shouldn't ask. You're still a great eater most of the time. You even like beets and you'll ask for them. Crazy! The last couple of days you've been all about the cheeze (the fake stuff). You'll stuff several pieces in your mouth and while it's still full, you'll ask for more. It cracks me up because your "Rice Vegan" cheeze is really disgusting (if you know what real cheese is supposed to taste like).

* Gram sometimes calls you "D.Q.," short for "Drama Queen." You have mastered the fake cry, and you're very expressive.

* You have become more aware of Caroline and want to know where she is all the time. You try to share your toys with her, and you get frustrated when she doesn't take them from you. You also try to put her paci in her mouth, but you really push it hard against her mouth, trying to get her to take it. Good thing she's so easy going!

* You can say your name! At the beginning of the month it was "Tay," and now it usually sounds like "Kay." Every once in a while it sounds like "Cat." You point to yourself in the mirror and in pictures and say "KAY!" You can read your name, too. A friend gave you a personalized brag book with your name on it. I asked you what it said, and you said your name! Smart girl.

You're a little whirlwind and oh so precious to your mama and daddy.
We love you.

Stats
Weight: 27.6 lb (unofficial)
Height: 33" (unofficial)
Clothes: 18-24 months, some 2T
Diaper Size: 4
Sleep: 7pm-7:30am
Nap: 12-2pm
Teeth: 12 (8 front, 4 molars)