For as Long as I Remember

For as long as I remember, giraffes have been Katie's favorite zoo animal.

Who wouldn't love giraffes?

Figuring Out the Piano

Katie was never interested in taking piano lessons, but she was interested in figuring out how the piano worked.

I used a piano app to figure out how to play a song on the real piano!

The Meeting

After making plans all that morning, it was finally time to meet Mo Willems.

I loved listening to Mo Willems talk and read!

A Picture

Another thing Katie did to get ready to meet Mo Willems was to draw him a picture.

I wanted to show Mo Willems how much I loved his characters!

A Favorite Author

When Katie was little, she loved Mo Willems' books. Nothing made her happier than getting one of his new books. When we found out he was coming to town, we knew we had to take Katie. As she prepared to meet him, she found all sorts of ways to review his books.

I loved all of his books, but Elephant and Piggie books were my favorite!

Unexpected Treats

It was a hot, spring day, and we had taken Katie to a new park. While we were there, an ice cream truck came by. It was Katie's first experience with an ice cream truck.

You have to be happy when you get a surprise treat!

Bubbles

The dogs used to love when Katie played with bubbles. They would chase and eat the bubbles.

I bet the dogs miss my bubble obsession!

Dancing

Katie's #1 favorite dance teacher was her first one - Ms. Moriah. 

I still miss Ms. Moriah. She made me love dancing!

American Girl Doll

I remember that time when Katie had matching outfits with her American Girl doll.

We could dress just alike!

The Love of Reading

I love that Katie has always loved books!

My book taste has changed with time, but I still love to read.

The Joys of Water

Nothing is more fun than water on a hot day! Katie would rather be cooler than hotter to this day.

I like keeping myself cool, and I might as well help others by spraying water on them too.

The Pool

When there was a heat wave, I got Katie a little pool, and we had to work to get it in the car. Katie didn't enjoy waiting in the hot sun.

It was so hot waiting, and I couldn't wait to get in the pool.

The Rabbits

Katie went through a phase where she was determined to pet one of the rabbits in our yard.

I would try so hard to sneak up on them, but they always heard me.

When Jennifer Moved

When Jennifer moved into her current house, Katie loved the built in shelves!

This looked comfortable enough for a nap!

Taking Notes

I so clearly remember the days that Katie couldn't go on a walk without bringing a whole collection of things with her.

I used to take notes about the things I observed.

A Gift

When Katie was in kindergarten, she planted seeds at school and let them grow. She gave them to me as a Mother's Day gift.

I was so proud to plant my sprouts!

Easy to Sleep

It seems strange now to think about how easy it used to be for Katie to fall asleep in the car.

I would fall asleep just on the short ride to dancing.

Little Break

At Katie's age, she doesn't always appreciate pictures being taken, so I took a little break. In the meantime,  I found some good memories to repost.

This was my spring singing concert in kindergarten. I still know these friends!

Researching

 It''s so crazy to compare Katie's homework to my homework. She does everything on a Chromebook, When she has research, she just pulls out a phone. So much for paper, pencils, and encyclopedias.

Technology has taken over.

The Original

It has been a long time since Mr. Limpet was the only young cat. He and Katie will always have a special bond.

Mr. Limpet appreciates attention after I've been at school all day.

Time for Homework

Whenever I mention homework to Katie, she's not thrilled about it, but tries to put her best foot forward.

This is the look I often give when the word "homework" is mentioned.

Learning Japanese

Katie doesn't want to just learn to speak Japanese. She wants to learn to read and write it as well. She has spent hours in her room at night studying the written language. She has pages and pages of practice.

This is a goal I don't want to give up on. 

Weekend with the Cats - Part 4

Wilson goes back and forth. He likes to be in the other cat bed, so he's close to Gilbert. Then he wakes up and looks for a lap to sit on.

Weekend with the Cats - Part 3

 General Washington also likes blankets, but he also likes to be next to a person.

Weekend with the Cats - Part 2

Mr. Limpet likes to be close to a blanket.

Weekend with the Cats - Part 1

What do the cats do on the weekend? Gilbert can be found curled up in the cat bed. He likes to keep one leg out of the bed.

Relaxing

After a long day, it was time for a little relaxing.

Sometimes the couch feels so good!

Sketching

When Katie was home with a fever, she still had the energy to sketch a bit.

Party #2

After her sleepover ended, Katie went to her second party for her other friend. She got to go bowling. While they played, she got a strike. It made us laugh because she quit watching her bowling ball and didn't even see her own strike. She was fine with it though. 

Party #1

Two of Katie's good friends have the same birthday, so she had two parties to attend. Her first party was a sleepover. She didn't get much sleep, but she had such a good time celebrating her friend.

Sharing

It's always a good sign when the older cats share with the younger.

They don't usually share a blanket.