Kate the chef!

Kate has really gotten interested in helping me cook dinner these days. Every evening as I head to the kitchen to start preparing dinner, she follows me into the kitchen and demands, sometimes with a "please", that I get her ladder out so she can help make dinner. While I love that we can spend a few minutes together doing this, it can be frustrating as well. Kate is not the best at being the student. She wants to do it herself which is where the frustration comes in. It's difficult for a 2 1/2 year old to open cans, brown meat, and work over a hot stove. This is where the struggle usually begins and we have a minor melt-down, every time! I will say that as we continue to cook together, she is getting more patient and more willing to let me do the adult work and she handles the easy stuff. Her strength...stirring!

Is this bad?

I'm afraid we've created monsters! The pictures below show Kate and Maggie, yes, my 4 month old, completely mesmerized by the t.v...Yo Gabba Gabba no less!!!

(In this instance, they definitely are their father's daughters!)

Time flies...

Maggie is 4 months old! I can't believe that it's been 4 months since she joined us. She is such a sweet, sweet baby and still very content. My dad was saying that if you don't make the effort, you sometimes forget to give her much attention because she's just so quiet and loves to take it all in.

Maggie is getting into the really fun stage of babyhood. She belly laughs at about any silly noise or silly face and smiles all the time. She is still a wonderful sleeper and eater - in fact, she started rice cereal on Christmas and is trying to figure out the spoon and swallowing. I really can't think of one thing about her that is frustrating as a parent...although ask me again when she becomes mobile and/or starts talking!

Some "firsts" for this month were: her first cold and it was a bad one. I took her to the dr. just to make sure it hadn't gotten into her lungs because she had a terrible cough and runny nose. Fortunately it was just a cold, but unfortunately we couldn't do a thing to make it better except to wait it out and it took a good 3 weeks for all of her symptoms to clear up. We had a few restless nights and days, but we made it though. She also experienced her first minor ice storm. It was never really bad at our house, but out south was a mess and so we were home-bound for a few days which was kind of fun. We stayed in our pjs and just enjoyed hanging out. Maggie also celebrated her first Christmas. She got lots of great presents but will only remember her first Christmas by looking at pictures. She did have some really cute outfits for the season and it was fun to dress her and Kate alike!
4 months have gone so quickly...kind of makes me sad! She'll be turning 1 before I know it. Enjoy the pics of her. And again, I included a picture of Kate at the same age. (Maggie is the picture on the bottom left and Kate is the picture on the top right.)

Happy New Year!!

Toyland

"Toyland, toyland, little girl and boy land. While you dwell within it, you are ever happy then." Those are the words to the classic Christmas song "Babes in Toyland" and they perfectly describe the Butler girls' Christmas!

We started celebrating on Saturday at Glammy and Papaw's in the morning followed up by Nanny and Bumps' that evening. There were so many fun, new toys that for once in her short life, Kate was nearly speechless and motionless. She just didn't know where to begin. But, once she laid eyes on the princess costumes, everything else was forgotten...until she spotted the her digital camera! Needless to say, she had a very busy morning, a long nap, and a busy evening as well. Maggie had no clue that there were so many great toys for her...she slept through the entire morning.

Santa found Kate and Maggie at Mimi and PopPop's house this year and they must have been a good little girls because Santa left them some great toys. Kate is really into art these days, which Santa knew, so he brought her an art easel and art supplies. I'm sure she'll be producing masterpieces any day now. Santa brought Maggie a lights and sound stage that she will love once she can sit up and and play with it. Until then, Kate is putting it to good use!

We had a great week celebrating with our families. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

P.S. We did have more pictures of Maggie celebrating her first Christmas, but Kate got a hold of my camera and somehow managed to delete some pictures. The life of a 2nd child!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

Kate and her classmates had a small Christmas program this morning to show off their singing abilities! They sang the favorites: If You're Happy and You Know It, Jingle Bells, a song about Baby Jesus, and ended with We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Kate is always a very willing participate as you will see in both videos.


We have talked alot about Baby Jesus, his mommy, Mary and his daddy, Joseph. Kate loves to play with our nativity scene!

Kate and her best friend, Caroline, wishing everyone a "Merry Christmas!"

The sweetest sound

Here's a quick video of Maggie giggling...which is precious if I say so myself! (Please ignore my obnoxious ploys to get her to laugh!)

A visit with Santa

Our Santa visit was way more successful this year than last. Kate fussed while we waited in line, but once Santa started chatting her up she was smitten! The picture isn't so great (at all), but hey, at least no one is crying this year. Santa did ask Kate what she wants for Christmas this year to which she replied, "a present." She is going to be so easy to shop for!