Hope to see you soon, sun.

Kennedy is changing so much, it is amazing.  She is starting to gather more language.  When you offer her a phrase (Kennedy, say “up, please”), she repeats it back with surprising accuracy.  She meows when she sees our adopted kitties and is fond of going around the house to the fridge, the cupboards that she isn’t allowed in, and the ficus- pointing at them saying, “no, no, no, no”.  I wonder if that is how I sound to her?  Kennedy loves to climb, last night we looked over from the kitchen to find that in the minute that we weren’t watching her, she had climbed onto a kitchen chair.  She has also summited the couch and has been attempting the coffee table.

She also still loves to dance, she will start bee-bopping around to the most subtle beat.  When Chris is playing guitar and singing with her, she will sing along, or climb into his lap to play the guitar with him. If you can’t find her dancing in the living room, she has probably found a tiny nook to climb into, she loves to play in these little spaces.  I foresee a future filled with forts and iPods for this one!

It is, as always, so fun watching her grow and develop.  She continues to be such an affectionate little girl, always ready with a hug or a pat on the back to make her mom feel very loved and appreciated.  I’m very thankful this year for such an amazing family, immediate, extended and the friends who have become our family, I am so fortunate to have you all!

When Kennedy was first born and we went to visit the Freemans, Campbell (then about 3 1/2) was very curious about age and “how many” people were. If he was three and a half, how many was Baby Kennedy? Three months didn’t quite cut it, because he was three and she was so much smaller than him, how could she be three too? Finally, we reasoned that she was zero (years) and it was a bit confusing. Well Campbell, today Kennedy is one.

Everyone says it, but it’s amazing how quickly time flies by.  About a month after her first steps, Kennedy decided to start walking this weekend.  I went to a class for work on Saturday and by the time I came home, she was walking all around the house.  She had a wonderful birthday party the next day, complete with Great-grandmas, Grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends.  Thank you to everyone who came to help us celebrate.  She enjoyed the cake (applesauce spice cake with cream cheese frosting), but I think she would have been just as happy just eating strawberries for dessert.

It is so fun watching this toddling, babbling, dancing little person become more independent and autonomous each day.  What an amazing year it has been!

When we got back to Gramma and Poppa’s house, she took her first unassisted steps while practicing walking with Daddy! She repeated her 1-2 step prowess again for me later. The steps are pretty inconsistent when she is unsupported, but she will push her little cart around without help from anyone. She is not very good at turning yet, so the long driveway at Gramma and Poppa’s was nice because she could go up and back (over and over) without having to turn.

Pictures to follow (of the carousel, we haven’t gotten the steps on video yet).

The biggest change for me (and for her, although she doesn’t know it yet) is that Kennedy will be starting day care next week. She’ll be going on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 6 or 7 hours. We went by the place again this morning for playtime and she had a blast. She is fascinated by the other kids and loved playing with the new toys. There was a 5 year old girl there who took to her right away, and brought her toys, showed her how to work them and was explaining the ways of daycare to her (there are no toys by the fireplace because we don’t play over there). So, even though I might be a nervous wreck, I think that Kennedy will have fun and learn a lot being around all those other kids a couple days a week.

Next up…mom and dad get ready to leave her (in good hands) for a weekend.

Just breathe. 

This weekend while Chris was helping his friends celebrate the end of bachelorhood in New Orleans, Kennedy and I went to Ladera Ranch to hang out with the Freemans. Despite terrible flight ordeals in both directions, we had a great visit. Kennedy went in a pool for the first time and LOVED it! She could have stayed in there all day I think. She loved the splashing and spinning through the water and did not seem to mind at all that it was a cool, foggy day! She also loved playing with her cousins, Samantha and Campbell, who loved showing her toys, cuddling and helping her get what she needed.

Kennedy’s four legged cousin Gatsby, the Freemans (quite big) golden retriever, was also a hit. Gatsby is huge and gentle and loves babies. He would give her kisses on her bald head and she would laugh a big belly laugh from her toes. They spent quite a lot of time cuddling this weekend too! It was a great trip, but I will recommend flying Southwest out of Oakland for anyone who might be considering flying SFO to Orange County.