Kate Elizabeth and other things

(Mommy says:)

First things first, Katie Beth turned one last Friday. To say this past year has been surprisingly joyful would be an understatement.

When we found out we were having another girl, a part of me honestly wondered how in the world a girl would fit in with Avery, who seems to fill every space with life and energy. Oh how Kate has answered the call.

Instead of what I expected (another boisterous sister vying for attention with over the top shenanigans), Kate has carved out a space in our family with gentleness, quietness, and just a hint of quirkiness. From her tiny little birth size to her own understated way of doing everything, Katie has filled our hearts with a new kind of love and a new kind of joy.

Really, to write a post that is fitting this precious child is impossible. There are no words that are adequate to describe the way I fall in love with her every time I get a glimpse of her, or the way she balances vitality with calm, or the way I look forward to racing to her room in the mornings to get another Katie hug. She is everything I never knew I wanted but that now I cannot imagine life without. She has surprised us with her ability to bring even more joy, even more adoration, and even more life into our home.

Katie Beth, we absolutely adore you. You make our world a better place and you make me want to be better for you. Happy birthday, little pumpkin.

And, as if there is anything that could add to a post about our little lady, we also had a full weekend on other counts:

We made our first fondant covered cake (translation: Jordan made our first fondant covered cake while I looked on with support).



Jordan raced his first triathlon and did swimmingly (haha) in the first leg. 14th out of 55 in his age range for the swim leg!



Avery and her adorers saw Mary Poppins on broadway. Kate spent the day with a babysitter (the first time we've ever left a child with a babysitter!) and loved every minute of her time with Bailee.


And we had our annual Rowdy Rebel Halloween party with a new addition: structured games! It was so much fun and my favorite part was the impromptu foot races. Good times.



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