Well, she's big now. Our Kathryn Elaine is 4 (or "fo" as she says it) and apparently that is big. We kind of split things up for her and Oliver's birthday's this year. We got back from our trip to Nauvoo the night before Oliver's big day. The Big kids were going to be out of town on Kate's birthday so I figured we would do some cake and ice cream with family and then have a birthday dinner and gift when Amy, Tyler, and Emily could be here (about a week after Kate's birthday) and no one would know the difference. Well, it sort of worked out that way... aaaand it sort of didn't.
On July 30 we had a cake and ice cream gathering with local family that could come. I'm not normally a birthday-cake-maker because I think I want to do something simple but nice and I usually unintentionally try something new so I end up more stressed about it than is necessary. Such was the case with Kate's cake. I decided to do a stacked cake, strawberry lemon with a light lemon frosting. The cakes ended up being too heavy so they started to sink, squishing the bottom layers. It didn't help that we figured we would do 4 layers, so sinking and sliding were both problems. I stuck some skewers in it and put it in the refrigerator between attempts to ice the whole thing. In the end it tasted yummy but looked rather sad. If I had to choose, I'd take yummy over pretty any time.
So here is the Happy Birthday song and blowing out of candles.
Kate had been asking when her birthday was for several weeks before. She's known the date since she was 2 years old, but she wanted to know how many days until it was her birthday. I realized, a little too late, that she was going to notice if we didn't do anything on her actual birthday since she had been counting the days. So on Saturday night Matt and I taped up streamers and balloons on the bedroom door for her to wake up to see. We sang happy birthday as she opened the door. She seemed to think that was pretty great. We had sausage and bacon for birthday per her request (and I through in some scrambled eggs and toast with homemade jam just add some variety).
I did her hair extra special for church - it's in the shape of a heart (the angle wasn't the best, but it did turn out cute).
We also had macaroni and tater tots for dinner on her birthday as she requested. So it was a fun day. Even though we did those things on her birthday and we told her frequently that we would have a special dinner with our family plus grandparents and presents a week later she still told anyone that asked that "We didn't do nothing for my birthday." I felt awkward at first, because it happened a lot that week as she told people that she was now 4 and they would ask what she did for her birthday, but soon laughed it off and appreciated that this little girl was indeed getting bigger and more aware of her world.
The following Sunday we did enjoy a "Build Your Own Grilled Cheese Sandwich" meal with all six kids and all four grandparents (pretty awesome!). I made little menus, of sorts, for people to pick and choose their toppings. It was a little hectic getting all the different sandwiches made, but the fun kind of hectic that can only be enjoyed with family.
Grandma and Grandpa Cornish had got a book for Kate that they had when the older grandkids were small called "Pickle Chiffon Pie." It came in the mail (which was also exciting for her). I haven't gotten a picture of it though she had read it several times by this point. From her Macdonald Grandparents she got some magnetic dolls that she enjoyed dressing and sorting their clothes.
For Kate's gift we got her a butterfly garden. That is to say, a cup with 5 tiny caterpillars with food and a little net "garden" to put them in as soon as they had grown and made their chrysalises. I had primed the pump a little by ordering a book about butterflies and reading with her several times in the previous few weeks so she knew what a chrysalis was and the stages of a butterflies life. I worried that this was a little much for a little person to have a gift that required some delayed gratification, but she was really excited. I added some butterfly shaped beads and string to make necklaces as well. I'll post updates about the butterflies because, to be honest, I'm really quite excited about them, too!
It was a fun day. I think back to those first weeks after Kate was born and how often I cried because she was finally here to hold. I couldn't imagine loving her more. And now she's 4. How grateful I am, still (even after she was 3...) that she is ours forever. Here are a few things about our girl Kathryn Elaine:
- She has a stash of special items that she calls "my collection." Some of the things currently in her collection are a pink stuffed triceratops that we got on our trip to Vernal, the magnetic dolls she got for her birthday, pink binoculars from Christmas, a bag with floss and toothpaste that she got from the dentist, and a husky beany baby named Nanook.
- She does a lot of imaginative play - making a cave out of pillows from the couch, telling others that "you are the mommy, he is the baby, and I am the sister,"
- If she names a toy it is almost always named "Kate."
- She asks what specific words mean that she hears in conversation or in songs. Recently she's asked what destination, ************
- Her questions are getting more direct and meaningful: "Why did Jesus make thunder and lightening if I don't like it?" "What is the sky made of?" "
- She has added green to her "What's your favorite color?" response. She now always says, "Pink and purple and green."
- She used to be very afraid of dogs (most animals, actually) and has really made an effort to be brave. She often wants to pet dogs that we see, but depending on the personality and size of the dog she'll act on that desire.
- Her hair is long, golden blonde, and very fine.
- She sleeps with the elephant blanket that Grandma Kay and Grandpa Tay have her.
- She and Daniel can play really well together. She used to be quite bossy or not want to play with him at all. But the two run around together more often than not.
- She deals with an inner urge to want whatever toy Daniel is playing with. For a while it was a constant frustration because if he had it she would take it or trade it (without his consent) or throw a fit until he gave it to her (which he often tried to do but we wouldn't let him if she was throwing a fit). I can see in her a greater understanding developing. She still often wants what he has but now she'll say, "Can we take turns?" or be upset for a few minutes and then move on. I'm learning to try and see things the way she does and teach principles to follow and then... have faith in her and in truth.
- She still enjoys doing school work and asks how to spell things or points out letters and a few words that she knows. Her handwriting is improving and she's been able to write "KATE" and "HAPPY" for a few months now. She's working on the alphabet in ASL with Grandma Kay and knows many (if not most) of the signs.
- She likes to snuggle and read a book.
Something else we have started doing at birthday dinners is measure people on our wall ruler. We only mark who's ever birthday it is but we tend to measure anyone who is around just to see how we've grown. I love it. It was fun to catch Grandma & Grandpa Cornish and Uncle Reid this time. We didn't get pictures of everyone being measured, but here are a few. I'm not sure why, but I just love these pictures. I can hear the laughter and chatting and remember the shifting of postures as everyone stepped up.
No comments:
Post a Comment