On the Move

In late August, Kate decided it was time to "get her move on"! She wasn't content with just sitting and playing with the toys around her anymore. She started off by rolling to things and that very quickly progressed into her "army crawl" to get from place to place. I don't think I'd make it as far as she does by just using my arms to pull the rest of my body like dead weight around the room.

With this new found way to travel, Kate also discovered the tile floor in the kitchen. She thought it was pretty neat to crawl around on, but was even more interested in seeing how it tasted. Good thing Mommy had just washed the floors!!!!

The new found mobility also means more things to get into when Mommy isn't looking.

7 Months Old

On August 15, Kate was 7 months old. A few days after her 6 month vaccinations when the Public Health Nurse had me all worried because she wasn't sitting on her own yet, she started sitting!

The highlight of the month was how great of a sleeper Kate's becoming. She almost always sleeps through the night and at some points I've even started to worry about it. One night she slept from 7:30 at night until 10:15 the next morning....yep, I was in there a couple times making sure she was still breathing!!! After the sleep-a-thon and a couple days of 3 naps per day, Kate had her first tooth. I decided I liked Kate's version of teething...just sleeping all the time. Here's hoping we're this lucky for all the next ones to come!

6 Months Old & Time for Solids

Where does time go???? On July 15, Kate was 6 months old and it was time to start solids. Here is her 6 month picture and her first taste of rice cereal. She didn't love it, but has since found that it's really not as bad as she first thought!!!

"Mom, what are you trying to give me, this tastes funny!"

"Okay, this isn't funny anymore....this stuff is gross!"

"Can someone get me a bucket, I think I'm going to be sick!"

"Okay, okay, they were right, this stuff isn't that bad!"

I Love Reading Already!!!

Kate is already taking after Mommy in her fondness for books. Yes, half the time it's still chewing on the books, but she's interested in them nonetheless! Here are a few pictures from Kate's first "alone time" with one of her books.

"Mom, why are you bugging me, I'm just getting to the good part!"

"This part is totally confusing!!!"

"Oh, I get it!!!"

Played Out!!!

I'm sleeping much better these days, but it's not often that I'll fall asleep in someone's arms anymore. I prefer to be put down in my crib and left alone. Apparently, Mom tuckered me out one day in early July, as she was talking on the phone to Nana one night and when she hung up she looked down and I was out for the count! She was even able to set me down and get out the camera and I didn't flinch...which definitely isn't like me!

Happy Canada Day

Having a child definitely gives me a new perspective on how lucky we are to live in Canada. Universal health care, year long maternity leave and a beautiful, free country to raise our child in...how lucky are we!!! We celebrated Canada Day this year out in the mountains with Alyssa, Phil and Matthew.

Trip to Saskatchewan

At the end of June, Kate made her third trip to Saskatchewan. This time it was for Daddy's cousin Jeff's wedding in Estevan. I got to meet a lot of Daddy's family and the highlight was definitely meeting my Great Grandma Michel. The wedding was in the evening, so I only managed to stay up for a few dances before I was tuckered right out!

5 Months Old

On June 15, Kate was 5 months old...where does time go??? I still like to smile for the camera, but those toes are so distracting these days!!!

Our Little Giggler

The last week in May also held another big milestone for Kate....her first "real" giggles. She's given us the odd giggle here and there over the last month (especially at herself in the mirror), but nothing like she gave us last week. We were in Red Deer, driving in the car with Auntie Kim and Andrew. Kate sneezed, at which point Andrew mimicked her little sneeze. She thought that was pretty funny and started laughing at him. Kim nearly drove the car off the road and I wouldn't have noticed because I was too busy scrambling for the camera to try and capture those giggles. We pulled over and Auntie Kim was able to capture a bit of the laughing fit.

Kate's First Hair Cut

I was trying my hardest to not cut Kate's hair and to just let it grow, but by 4 and a half months it had to be done! Nana gladly picked up the scissors and helped us out, while Daddy held down Kate and Mommy took pictures. Here's some pics for Kate's first hair cut.

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

Toe Sucking and Rolling Over

The end of May held a big milestone for our little gal. She discovered her toes a while ago, but only in the last couple of weeks decided these would make a tasty treat and started sucking on them. With toe sucking, comes quarter rolls so we knew "the first official roll-over" was coming near. What we didn't anticipate was actually missing "the first official roll-over." We were in Red Deer and I was getting ready to change Kate, so I was gathering things out of the diaper bag. I heard her fussing and when I turned around, she was on her tummy!

4 Months Old

On May 15, Kate was 4 months old. Here are a couple pics from that day. She's starting to be able to sit up better for the pictures (and smile on demand for the camera...which we all know is a must for all members of the Michel household). When she does start to fall over, she thinks it's pretty funny!

Happy Mother's Day

My first Mother's Day was so special!!! Not only did I get to celebrate the fact that I now have the best job in the whole world....being a mom, but Kate gave me a gift that I absolutely loved....she slept through the night for the first time!!!! Here are a couple pics from our first Mother's Day (note how refreshed I look, after having my first "all-night" sleep since she was born).

Meeting Great Grandpa Jack at Easter

On Easter weekend, Mommy and Kate flew to SK to visit with Great Grandpa Jack. We arranged it so that Nana, Papa, Auntie Kim and cousins, Kyle and Andrew would pick us up in Regina and we'd all drive together to Redvers. It was so special that Kate got to meet her Great Grandpa Jack and he got to meet his Great Grandaughter who was named after his beloved wife. Not only did we get to celebrate Easter with Grandpa Jack, but we also got to celebrate Grandpa's 92nd birthday a few days early!

We stayed at the farm near Maryfield where Nana grew up and Kate got to meet her Great Aunt Carol and Great Uncle Dale, along with Shawna, Eugene, Jordan, Ethan and Aaron (some of her second and third cousins). On the way back to Regina to catch our flight, we also stopped in Weyburn and got to have a quick visit with Grandpa and Grandma Michel, Auntie Lindsee, Uncle Chris and cousins, Olivia and Ben. We definitely packed a lot into 2 days as we "hopped" from one place to another!!!

Go Flames Go!!!

In April, we had a visit from Auntie Kim and cousins Kyle and Andrew when the boys were on their spring break from school. They spent a few days with us before Nana and Papa and Uncle Matt joined us that weekend. We had a great time playing together. We played a little peek-a-boo and even ventured out to Chuck-E-Cheese. The boys all went to a Calgary Flames game on Saturday night (although they did let Kate into the photo op. before they left as she received a cute Flames outfit from one of Mommy's co-workers). Mommy and Daddy even went out on a date, while Nana and Auntie Kim stayed with Kate. It was a great weekend...until the flu bug visited our house and left a few of our house guests not feeling well at all!!!

Played Out!

All of this eating, smiling, cooing and tummy time definitely take their toll on a 2 month old! Here are some of our favourite "napping" shots:

Leaving on a Jet Plane

In mid March, Kate took her first plane ride to SK. Daddy was playing in a 3 on 3 hockey tournament in Weyburn. She was great on the plane ride, sleeping most of the way there and back (although there was a bit of crying while we were delayed for an hour and a half on the way home, but Mommy was ticked off about the extra waiting too)! :-)Not only did we get to have a visit with the Weyburn Michels, we got to watch Daddy play some hockey and we got to see Olivia dance at her annual dance recital dress rehearsal. It was a great trip!

2 Months Old

On March 15, Kate was 2 months old. Here's her onesie picture from that day:

Her second month held a few notable milestones, the neatest one being the smiles!!! Kate already had her Mommy and Daddy wrapped around her little finger since the day she was born, but once she brought on the smiles we've fallen even harder!!! The only trick has been trying to capture them on film....here's the best we could do from month number two!