We are family... part deux

I have just spent the past 3.5 days with eight of my beloved cousins and it has been a ball!
You would not know it from this photo shoot, however.
I essentially refused to partake in this exercise, thus dashing my mom's hopes of a lovely Christmas card style family photo.
Despite what these photos suggest, I have been on cloud nine all weekend. I have chased and been chased, laughed, squealed, clapped, learned new words, eaten lunch and dinner with the big kids, stayed up til 9pm every night, and last but not least...watched many, many episodes of Dora!
It's been so much fun!
Here's the same crowd of cousins last year in Fresno. Can you believe how much we've all grown since last September?

The Desert Sun Times

If you want to talk about busy, let's talk about my weekend.
Strolling the neighborhood with daddy and cousin Allie? Check.
Sliding the slides at the playground? Check.
and check:
Pick-up football game with my peeps? Check.
Learning how to open doorknobs?
Check!
Wearing my hair in ponytails? Check.
Singing karaoke with my super glamorous cousins? You got it...Check!
Feeling pooped at the end of the day. Yes indeedy!

The attitude of gratitude

Happy thanksgiving!

I have a lot to be grateful for today. I'm grateful for my family, my puppy Champ, and my friends. I'm grateful that I am a happy and healthy little girl with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.
My mama is also very grateful ...and she's grateful for the people who read my blog, because you are mama's nearest and dearest!

I also want to wish a special Happy Birthday to my Poppa... greatest grandpa in the world!

I love you, Poppa, and can't wait to see you soon!

And on that note... wishing you all yummy turkey followed by sweet and peaceful dreams!

Happy Weekend

I had a great weekend! Grandma Betsy was in town to play with me.Champy was also glad she was here!We were so busy having fun, we got backed up on chores and now I'm up to my eyeballs in laundry!So exhausting, isn't it?
Other activities: doing artwork,
Teaching my baby important lessons,and keeping clean with Champy's help!
Daddy was away all weekend and I really missed him. I was so happy when he came home!
Sorry I haven't been posting lately, I'll try to get better! (ps, did you notice someone got her bangs trimmed?)

Peek-a-boo

Things I like include eating graham grackers,
playing peek-a-boo,
smiling and laughing,
and eating more graham crackers!

Ye Olde Video Shoppe

As my auntie Margaret recently pointed out, something funny is happening when I post my videos online. Although the sound is working at normal speed, the actual video is going warp speed. Don't ask me why! I'm just a baby!

For true fans only

My mom's been working overtime lately and doesn't get to spend as much time with me in the mornings (or the night for that matter) as she would like. So she likes to make movies of mundane moments and watch them when she's missing me.

These videos are for true fans only. Anyone not interested in watching a baby eating breakfast might want to come back another day for a more exciting post.


If you're still reading this post, you really are a true fan!

Trojan love story

This weekend the Trojans may have lost, but I won! I found love (healing my broken heart - see post below) with Graham Sterling IV, also known as Grahamy to his parents and Boy, to me.



Grahamy was here for the weekend with his parents to cheer on the Trojans this weekend and suffice to say, I really grew attached. After he left yesterday I kept asking my mama for "Boy." So we hope he comes back soon!

A man who knows his way around the kitchen...

I've known my boyfriend Jackson since we were eight weeks old. He's been a great friend and neighbor and as you can see here, he also knows his way around the kitchen!
So we were very sad when Jackson and his mama, daddy and brand new baby brother decided to move to Idaho. They moved on Friday and we were so sad!
Of course we kissed goodbye!

Boo!

Happy Halloween!

I went trick-or-treating for the first time this year. It is a very odd thing for a person of my size and age to put on a funny outfit and walk up and down the street and then up driveways to ring their doorbells and be greeted by strangers with big plates of shiny things I am supposed to want.**
And to be honest, even before I got started, I wasn't convinced that I wanted to participate.

I mostly didn't wear my witch hat, and I didn't really want to wear my tutu so i took it off after about three houses, and honestly I had mixed emotions about the whole thing.

**Note from KR's secretary: for two weeks leading up to Halloween, Katie Ray practiced saying "trick or treat" with much enthusiasm. But last night, she wouldn't say "trick or treat," even if I said it first, and provided some (ahem) gentle encouragement.

The most commentary she provided was whenever we got to a house where a dog barked or - better yet - actually greeted us. Then she would squeal "Puppy!!!" with great delight.

After she went to bed , she lay in bed "talking" aloud about her day for the next 30 minutes or more. Mostly she babbled, but over and over she'd say, "trick or treat"..*pause*... "Puppy!!"

So I guess she's well-prepared for next year. And Mama is hoping for a re-do of the full costume tonight (just for posterity).