Easter 2010

Kate was so excited to find her Easter basket outside the front door. She loved looking through it!

A really bad picture of Kate & Mommy but it's the best we got. The sun was in our eyes and it just isn't a good picture. But I was happy to be with my girl!

Here's a good picture of Paul, Kate, & Charlotte. The Dowdy kids are like Kate's brothers & sister. She LOVES them as much as she will love Macy (I think). We're thankful to have them across the street! They are part of our family!

Easter Egg Hunt

Kate swinging on the swing set.

Hanging on the rings!

Looking for Easter eggs.

Kate, Jarett, & me (with Macy) - a good family photo (in my opinion)

Kate & Elizabeth while they were looking thru their Easter eggs looking at their candy.

We went to an Easter egg hunt for our Sunday School class. We all had a great time! Kate loved playing with her friends on Elizabeth's swing set, looking for eggs, going thru their eggs, and then at lunch at Mr. Gatti's. It was fun for us all to get together and enjoy some beautiful weather! We are so thankful for all our friends in SS and am thankful they are in our lives. Thank you, Lora & Jeremy, for hosting the hunt at their house. While we constantly talk to Kate about the true meaning of Easter, she enjoyed this part of Easter.

Kate's 5 year pictures

I went ahead and took Kate for her 5 year pictures. I wanted to make sure we got them done before Macy arrives and also before she loses her bottom front two teeth. She wore her Princess ring that Paul gave her in most of the pictures. She has grown up so much! I can't believe it's almost been 5 years. Our little girl is definitely growing up and off to Kindergarten in the fall. She is going to be the best big sister! We love her so much!

Father-Daughter Dance

Kate & Jarett went to the Father-Daughter dance the same night as my baby shower. She had a great time with her Daddy. They went to Jason's Deli for dinner and then to the dance. This is always one of her most favorite memories. I'm so glad they have the chance to go together! She LOVES her Daddy!!!

Ava's birthday party

Kate & Ava before her party

Kate taking a break at Ava's ballet party.

Ava, Abby James, Draper, Kate & all their other friends at their birthday party!

Kate dancing with her Daddy.

Happy 4th Birthday, Ava!!

We went to Nashville for Ava's 4th birthday party. She had a ballet party with her friends Abby James & Draper (sisters). The girls all had a great time! Kate was so happy to be with Ava and didn't want to leave at the end of the day. We'll have to get them together again soon. Ava will always be a sister to Kate (and soon, Macy).

Big girl haircut

Kate got a big girl haircut! We decided to cut her hair off to her chin. It's really cute and she LOVES it! She's turning into a big girl!!!

Imagination Movers

Maddie, Loryn, & Kate before Imagination Movers. We ran into her friends there. It was a great surprise!

The Imagination Movers singing!

Kate watching the show with her Daddy.

Kate & Mommy after the show was over.

We decided to take Kate to see the Imagination Movers at the Tennessee Theatre last night. Kate had a great time and really enjoyed the show. It was great treat for all 3 of us. We really enjoyed all going together. It was a very interactive show and she really got into it. She was yelling back at them whenever they asked her to say something. It was so cute. And she was so excited to see her friends Maddie & Loryn from her old preschool. It was adorable to watch them run to each other and embrace before the show. Such sweet girls!

Kate's tutu

Kate has been wanting to wear this tutu to church for weeks. I finally gave in and let her wear it to MOPS last Thursday night. She felt like such a princess. She can be such a girlie girl. It was a big treat for her!

I'm the big cousin!

Kate is so excited to have cousins!  Her Aunt & Uncle sent me home with this shirt for her to proudly wear!  She IS the proud big cousin of twins!  Welcome to the family Jack & Mark!

Happy Father's Day

Kate & Jarett walking thru the Butterfly Garden at the zoo.  She told each butterfly, Bonjour Butterfly.  She loves Fancy Nancy is can be just like her at times!

Kate wanted to hold the umbrella even though it wasn't raining too much.  It rained 3 different times while we were at the zoo but didn't ever really get wet!

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!  Kate & Daddy posing at the zoo!

Kate loved the petting zoo.  She was so gentle with the goats and the sheep.  She had a fabulous time brushing the animals.

We decided to go to the zoo after church on Father's Day.  This was Kate's idea.  She loves the zoo and wanted to take her Daddy for his day.  We all had a great time.  It was a great Father's Day!!!

Kate driving at Dollywood

It's official!  Kate is finally tall enough to drive the old cars at Dollywood by herself!  She was so excited to be able to do it on her own!   We went with the Lawlor's on Friday, June 19th.  They all had a great time again!  But it just made her day that she was finally tall enough to drive by herself.  Last time, she watched Evie drive by herself and didn't understand why she couldn't do it too.  Now she can!!!  Go Kate!  (Our big girl is growing so fast!)

Visit to Raleigh....

We were waiting for everyone to come out from lunch so Kate decided to dance around and take a break on the bench.  I just thought these were so cute pictures.  This was from our trip to Raleigh for Craig & Heather's baby shower.  Sweet, cute little girl!

Aunt Heather & Uncle Craig's Baby Shower

We went to Raleigh this past weekend for Aunt Heather & Uncle Craig's baby shower.  Heather is having twin boys.  She is 30 weeks pregnant.  We left Knoxville on Friday, picked up Mimi & Poppy in Kingsport, and drove on to Raleigh.  

I'll post pictures later but I just had to share Kate's thought about the baby shower.  On the way to the shower Saturday, she told us that she was excited to see the boy's first bath at the baby shower that afternoon.  She thought a baby shower was to give them their first bath.  (Even though she knew they were still in Aunt Heather's tummy).  It was so sweet & cute!  I love the way she thinks!!!  

We had a great visit and enjoyed our long weekend in Raleigh.  We look forward to meeting Kate's cousins (but hopefully they will stay in a little while longer)!  They aren't sharing the names yet but Kate went ahead and named them.  She named them Jim & Paul.  Jim is one of her favorite "boy" friends at school and Paul lives across the street (and she loves Paul).  That's how she picked names for her cousins.  Very sweet.  Craig & Heather......you might want to tell Kate the names so she doesn't always call them Jim & Paul forever!  Thanks for a fun visit!

Kate's 4th birthday!

Here is Kate by the front door on her birthday.  We put her birthday banner up on the front door for the weekend.  She was very excited for everyone to know it was her big day!

Kitely & Kate at school on her birthday (and the Mother's Day tea).  She loves Kitely so much!!  They are such great friends and have so much fun together!

Kate got Wall-E for her birthday and was so excited!

Clay, Paul, & Kate at Chick-fil-a after their baseball game.  We went to watch the boys play baseball and then to Chick-fil-a with the Dowdy's to celebrate Kate's birthday.  This was her choice for what she wanted to do for her birthday.  It was lots of fun!!  For the moment, this is as close as Kate will be to having siblings and she loves every minute of it.  They are like family to us here in Knoxville.  Kate had a fun birthday.  It's hard to believe that it's been 4 years!!

Kate's 4th birthday big present

Kate's expression when she first saw her new bike.

She was so proud of her new bike and she loved that it is pink!!!

A sweet picture...

Daddy helping Kate ride her bike.

Kate got her birthday present a little early.  We got her a Trek Float bike.  She loves the pink bike!  This bike is different because it doesn't have training wheels.  You take the pedals off while they learn to walk and balance  on it.  Then when they can balance and walk, you put the pedals on it.  They should be able to learn to ride it easier that way (from what they tell us at the bike shops).  We'll see how it works but she loves it!!  She has been waiting for at least 6 months to get her first bike!  She is thrilled!!  It was so wonderful to see that look of pure joy on her face when she saw it for the first time.  It was amazing!!  What a great feeling for us as her parents!  It's hard to believe our little girl will be 4 on Thursday!!  Happy Birthday Kate!  We love you!

"Fancy Nancy" Kate

Kate dressed up as Fancy Nancy for school today.  They are having a special week where they dress up in different colors, etc. this week.  Today, they got to dress up as their favorite character.  She chose to dress up as Fancy Nancy.  She loves all the Fancy Nancy books!!  She was so excited to wear some jewelry, sparkle shoes, & her fancy tutu to school.  (Thanks to Ava for the sparkle-y Belle necklace -- it was a must wear piece!)

Easter

My little poser....she loves to strike a pose.

Kate smiling outside getting ready to go to church.

After church with Daddy looking for her Easter basket.....did she have one?

Kate found her Easter basket!  She was so excited opening the eggs and finding her new movie, Bolt, new book, & Sleeping Beauty bubbles!  (Along with reese's peanut butter mini cups).

Kate loved her Easter dress.  Mimi & Poppy got it for her.  I just love smocking on little girls dresses.  This one reminded me of the dress Mary Beth made for her when she was born.  It had pink & green smocking and was absolutely beautiful.  Kate asked if she could wear this dress every morning along with her new Stride Rite sandals (that are pink and look like tulips).  She told me that she looked beautiful.  She's not proud at all!  Ha ha!  We had a great Easter with wonderful friends but missed our great families!

What a difference a year makes!

2008 - Kate in April with the tulips (one of my favorite pictures)

2009 - So I squeezed Kate into this adorable Hartstrings outfit for one more time, one year later.  What a difference a year makes!  She has grown up so much and looks so much older now.  She's definitely becoming a "big girl" as she likes to say.  Her face has changed so much!