Sneak Preview

Kate turns 1 exactly 2 weeks from today. So today we went to Portrait Innovations to have her 1 year portrait made. We went there because they have a package for $9.95...but let's just say that we spent a LITTLE more than that.

We picked a couple of poses to print but we got a CD of all the poses.
Here are some of the pictures we didn't choose....

You'll have to wait til Sept. 26 to see the real (best) ones.

Dollhouse

Kate got an early birthday present from her great grandma this past weekend. It is the "Little People Dollhouse" and she LOVES it. It is so fun to watch her "play." I know she doesn't understand fully what she is playing with but it is great to watch her concentrate and put the mommy, daddy and baby IN and OUT and IN...

Here are some pictures of her playing with the dollhouse...

On another note...Kate's hair is starting to grow more and more...in the back. Sorry Kate, but I think you got your mom's crazy curly hair. Seriously, how young is too young to get her a CHI???

I made Kate a "bow board" for all her bows...Can you tell I've been in a crafty mood lately?

And finally, Parker gave Kate her first bathtime mohawk!

Weekend in Shreveport

Kate and I headed to Shreveport this weekend for my sister's baby shower. (Parker stayed in Dallas to go to the OU game at Cowboys' stadium). Karen is due November 13 and is having a girl, Emma Grace. We are so excited about this new addition to the family!

Unfortunately, I did not take one picture at the shower...but here is a picture of Karen and me after the shower.

Saturday night my mom's side of the family came over to celebrate all the September birthdays. Kate got to open some of her first presents.

Little People Dollhouse from Mama Flowers

Puzzle from Lindsey and Tyler

Kate clapping after opening her gifts...
Amber and Kate playing with the new dollhouse
my cousin Micah

We gave my mom a spa package for her 60th birthday coming up on Sunday!

Sunday after church...JuJu and her girls
Aunt Karen (at 30 weeks) and Kate

At the Park

The weather is finally starting to "cool off" a little so we decided to get out of the house this afternoon and take Kate and Bailey to the park.

Bailey is quite the retriever....

For five minutes b/c she is super out of shape.

Parker forcing Kate to walk...

Kate insists on crab crawling in the grass

Kate and Bailey...best buds.

chillin' in the grass...

Parker throwing Kate in the air...

and she LOVES it!!!

This is about 2 seconds before she ate that piece of grass

11 months

Kate is 11 months old today. I always try to take a picture on the 26th but each month it gets harder and harder because she is so active. This is the best I could do today...she kept crawling away.

Look at all those teeth!!! Kate now has 8 teeth.

Parker was "working late" aka playing golf so I took Kate to get an 11 month treat...a snowcone. She loved it!

Happy 11 months sweet girl!

Lake Conroe

We went to Lake Conroe this weekend for a mini-vacation with my family. Here are just a few pictures from our weekend away:

Kate playing at the pool with PaPa T and JuJu...it was really bright outside and hard to get Kate to keep her eyes open when looking up.

My sister Karen and Kate in her turtle

wrestling with PaPa T
family picture...it was impossible to get Kate to look at the self-timer

Karen and Jonathan...and Emma Grace due in November!

Saturday night we met up with some long time family friends, The Chamberlains. Our parents have been friends since we were born. They have 2 sons, Stephen and Justin that Karen and I grew up with. We went to Burger King (for free drinks with a meal if you brought in your church bulletin) every Sunday after church for years...until they moved to Houston. Stephen is now married with 3 kiddos...3 yrs, 2 yrs and 4 mos old. It was fun to watch all the kids play together. Noah, who is 3 years old, LOVED Kate. The kids were everywhere...and we never got a picture of all of them together.

Noah showing Kate his book...

Noah kept asking if he could hold Kate...

Paul and Paula Chamberlain with my parents

Teething...

Just in case you've been wondering what we have been up to the last few days...Kate is teething. The bottom 4 have already totally broken through and now the top 4 are all about to come through. I can see one and feel two. Needless to say she has been a little cranky, a little whiny and a little needy. Hopefully they will all pop through SOON!

"Mommy, my teeth hurt."
Kate's teething elephant...

"Mommy, do you feel sorry for me?"