Playing catch up again! Katie's Second Birthday Party

We need to really get in gear to show all the fun new pictures that come along with Rocco's birth, but first, a post dedicated to Katie's second birthday party, which we had a month early so she could have her special Katie time before a new sibling was in the picture! The party was a great success, we think. Or at least Katie had fun and everyone liked the cake. We had lots of food, and we were really happy that so many of our friends were able to make it.

It was a beautiful day, and we had a great balloon artist at the party, making lots of fun creations. Grandpa Penna and Dad put together Katie's brand new Big Girl Bed! She has been sleeping in it like a champ ever since. She's so proud of her bed, Grandpa Penna and Dad also put together some furniture in the new baby's room. Thanks for all the help Grandpa!

Ring around the rosy with some of her friends from playgroup.


Eating cookies with Grandma Henn. The cookies were delicious! The cookies and cake came from a new bakery nearby - Fritz Pastry. I would HIGHLY recommend it. The food was amazing.
CAKE!!

She has a laser-like focus on pastry that may or may not have been inherited from her mother.

Posing with Dad and the balloon artist. We had to wake Katie up from her nap, so she looks a bit dazed in some of the pictures from the early part of the party.
Balloons are Katie's favorite thing. Indy also needed to give them a good sniff to make sure they were all okay.

Opening presents with Dad.

Ripping wrapping paper is a party all by itself!

Grandma and Grandpa Henn, enjoying the day.

Bye bye!

Visit to Minnesota

We had a great trip to Minnesota in August. It was so much fun to stay with Grandma and Papa Tews, play with the Schwabs and relax! We can't wait to see everyone again soon!

Even though the lake was low, Katie still had fun playing with her cousins!

Holding hands with Jorie and Grandma is a great way to walk to the water.

A highlight of the trip was singing songs with Papa and Grandma before bedtime every night!

Random August Fun

Here are some assorted pictures from fun we've been having in Chicago. Even a Gophers dress!

The highlight of the end of the month was Katie starting a sort of mini-preschool program. She goes twice a week for an hour a half. The parents are required to stay in the waiting room the whole time, but we're not in the same room and the kids don't know we're there. Katie LOVES school! I was nervous dropping her off for her first day, but she just said "Bye mommy!" and trotted on in without looking back. Now she asks every morning if it's time for school. No surprise that the highlight of school is the juice box she gets during snack time.

On the way to a street fair.
Riding a pony!

Giving the pony a pat and saying thanks for the ride.

Here she is, the child her mother said she'd never dress in pink...complete with totally pink computer.

Finger painting on the deck

First day of school outfit.

Posing with one of her teachers, with her art work she created in class.

Late July visit to Indianapolis

I know we have a lot of catching up to do here, so I'm going to post these in several posts. In late July, we traveled to Indiana, where Katie spent the night with her Grandma and Grandpa Henn and Mom and Dad travelled on to Bloomington. We were engaged there 5 years ago, so it was a really cool chance to see the campus again and go back to the place where we got engaged (and, for David, a major highlight was 2 visits to Laughing Planet for burritos).

We spent the night in Bloomington and played golf on the IU course the next day, and Katie didn't miss us one bit because she was having such a blast with Grandma and Grandpa. They blew lots of bubbles, played with sidewalk chalk and the sprinkler and generally had a great time. Thanks again Grandma and Pa!

July activities- puddles, water table and a visit from the Shultz cousins!

We're having a good time this summer, despite the cooler weather. Katie has tried out her puddle stomping skills.

She has discovered she is an excellent chef, especially when she can wear the chef's hat and apron.
And MOST especially when she can sample what she's helping to stir (here, she's helping Dad make some pancakes).

We were so happy to see the entire Shultz family as they stopped in Chicago for the night on their way to adventures in Minnesota, all the way from Connecticut. Katie loved playing with her cousins, and is still talking about them.

With Cousin Abby.

With Cousins Anna, Abby and Jack. Katie didn't want them to leave!

We have a brand new water table, which Katie is having fun using. She doesn't care if it's only 60-something degrees outside. She'll stay out there until we force her to come inside!

Sheffield Garden walk party

We walked down to a block party and garden walk not far from where we live, and discovered that there was an entire block dedicated to kids' activities! We had so much fun wandering through the street, and trying new things. Katie got to go on her first pony ride, which she LOVED. And then she went for a ride on the pig train, all by herself. She was so proud of herself, and followed our instructions to hold on tight. Pretty soon she was even waving. Getting off of the pig train was a VERY sad thing to do. She cried and loudly proclaimed "I WANT A PONY!" all the way home. Katie leads a difficult life.

You can see the lovely tattoo Katie got on her left hand in this picture. She was very patient as it dried. We counted to 20 with her. Katie also helped and counted herself: "one, two, three, six, nine, two, cinco, quattro..."

Right here, Katie is yelling "Mas!" "Faster!" and pushing on the bar to try to get the train moving faster.

We ran into SJ's cousin, Peter and his wife Kim and their son Grady, so Katie met her second cousin for the first time. They just moved to Chicago from New York - we're so happy they're here in Chicago now and look forward to seeing them again soon.

Katie made a flower out of felt and a pipe cleaner. She insisted on wearing it around her wrist.

Waving to the paparazzi on the pony ride.

You guessed it. "MAS! FASTER!"

Pony rides are the best things ever, as you can see.