Camping

We went camping this weekend. We went to Aunt Brielle and Uncle Matts land up in Inkom and had a great weekend.  You were so much fun!  I am loving having you around like a little buddy--it's so fun to do things with you!  Thanks for being so great.

We went to see an real Indian inside a real Tee-Pee...he gave us all Indian names.  It was cool.  You got the Indian name of 'Bright Star' and that is really true. You are a bright star.  You are my bright star!

A little update...

Hey sweet girl!!

You are 5!  We celebrated your birthday last month and you were SO excited!! It sure is fun to do birthdays with you these days...you really get into it and get so excited!  We made you a princess cake and you got spoiled with presents. You did so get accepting them graciously! (We even practiced before your birthday to make sure you could find something good about every present you got, even if it wasn't something you wanted!)  

You are becoming quite the big girl these days.  You start school in 2 weeks and we have been getting ready--you are so prepared!  You can pass off most everything on our kindergarten-get-ready list and I am so proud of you!  I am excited for you to learn how to read this year, and I am excited to see how you love school.  I am also nervous.  And sad... :(  It makes me sad to think of you leaving every day now--pretty soon you'll be going off to college and then we won't get to see you as much. I sure love spending time with you!  Just yesterday you and I went to a bridal shower together...it was so fun to do girl stuff with you!! Thanks for being my best buddy!!

I sure love you, Katelyn girl!

Love, Mom

Miss You Already...

Dear Katelyn,
I went over to a friends house today and we ended up talking about school. It's hard for me to believe that you are going to Kindergarten this year.  We go to Kindergarten Round Up next month and we will walk through the school and meet the teachers and see the classrooms. I can't believe you are going to school already!! I am always so excited for all of you kids to hit the next milestone: crawling, walking, talking, playing, sleeping, eating, teeth, etc, etc, etc.  But this is the first one that makes me weepy and sad--once you go to school, it's over!  Pretty soon you'll be going away to college and then married and then moving across the country, far, far away.  It breaks my heart.  You are just starting to get to be so fun. You are helpful. You are sweet. You are loving.  You forgive.  You are eager and happy and joyful.  I'm going to miss you, Baby girl. I miss you already.

Love, Mom

So helpful!

Dear Katelyn,
You were SO HELPFUL today.  It was like having another mom around, with another set of hands. We had a crazy busy day as we were trying to get ready for Valentines Day and for Mom and Dad to go away on our trip.  While I was doing dishes--again!--you fed Luke. It was so helpful! He ate almost the whole bottle of food, which is way more then I have been able to eat.  It was so cute...he was going 'ahhhh' every time you did and the two of you had a great system.
More and more I am realizing how helpful you are.  You can get me diapers when I ask, you keep Luke safe, you make your brother happy, you can get dressed all alone, you can turn on the tv, you can clean up, you clear the table, you can sweep, you are mostly always obedient.  It's really great, and I feel lucky everyday that you are my oldest sweet girl. I sure love you, Katelyn girl!

Love, Mom

Sick, sick, sick!

My sweet Katelyn girl!
You have been sick, sick, sick.  Today makes 3 weeks that you have been running a fever more then you have not. This makes you extra cranky, but also extra snuggly. You especially love to have Dad sit and hold you for hours on end.

Today, we went to play with Grandma Williams down in Salt Lake.  By the time we were done, you had fallen asleep in my arms, and when I put you down, you just stayed asleep.  It's so sad.  You aren't eating very well, you say you are hot all the time, you say your head hurts, and that your tummy hurts. We went to the Pharmacy, again (!), today and picked up another prescription for you.  A stronger one this time and I hope that it starts to work right away--and that it stays working! I want you to be your happy, helpful, friendly self again--and soon!

                                         

Love, Mom

Love Letters

In preparation for Valentines Day, I was talking to a friend. She writes her children a 'love letter' every Valentines Day and will eventually put them all together in a book to give to her children. I love this idea!
Later, I was talking to another friend and she shared an experience with me which sealed my resolve to write to my children.  As a teenager, she was rebellious and difficult. During a particularly trying time in her life, she found a journal her mom had kept for her.  In this journal, there were notes of love and appreciation and affirmation to her, from her mom.  That day, finding that journal, reading those letters, changed her life.
So, here is my attempt to record, catalog, write, and love my children.
I love you Katelyn!
Love, Mom