Top Ten Things I Love About My Katie

Top Ten Things I Love About My Katie on her 3rd birthday

10. I love how she agrees with you even when she has no idea what you're talking about ("Yeah, that's my favorite too.")
9. I love how she's Captain Obvious...always stating what we already know, but for her it's like she's just discovering it. ("Wow, that is really loud.")
8. I love when she wants me to pick her up and she wraps her legs around my waist her and her arms around my neck.
7. I love when I'm lying on the couch with a blanket, and she says, "Want to cuddle?" She doesn't even wait for me to answer, she just climbs in next to me and pokes me with her bony body a thousand times so I don't want to cuddle anymore. :)
6. I love when out of the blue, without warning, she reaches over and kisses me. When I look over at her, she's got a giant smile on her face.
5. I love the pouty face she makes when she doesn't get her way, and she wants sympathy. (Don't think it's going to work on me, Little Missy, I taught you that look.)
4. I love the way she smiles at me when I get home from work or I pick her up at school.
3. I love when I kiss her goodnight, she intentionally wipes it off because she wants to be showered in kisses. I know this because if I leave without covering her face in kisses, she yells through the door, "Mommy, come back, I wiped off your kiss."
2. I love how after her prayers every night she thanks Jesus for the little things I don't think of. She starts by saying, "Thank you Jesus for..." and she specifically names every person in her life, and ends with things like "outside, the water, ducks, and Great Grandpa's boat."
1. I love how when we've only been apart for a short time, like a couple of hours, she runs over to me gives me a hug and whispers in my ear, "I missed you."

**Disclaimer: There are a lot more things I love about Katie, but these things stick out the most in my mind.

Katie's B-Day Party

Katie's birthday is on Monday, and we decided to have her party at the Carousel at the Parks this year. She loves riding mini carousels at stores, so I was sure this would hit the spot. It came highly recommended from our friends (they do all the work for you-providing the cake, invites, thank-you cards, cutting the cake, clean-up, etc.) It ended up being a success. She had a blast, and the parents said their kiddos loved it.

Top Ten Things I Learned in NOLA

10. The city stinks, like has an unpleasant odor, sometimes smelling like garbage...other times smelling of other unmentionable things.
9. The French Quarter actually has more influence by the Spanish than the French (thanks Richard.)
8. All above ground cemeteries are closed on Sunday.
7. Beignets are like heaven covered in powdered sugar and should only be eaten with Cafe du Monde coffee, which is the strongest coffee I've ever had in my life.
6. Mardi Gras beads are available year-round and have some interesting things on them, if you're wondering what, just ask. Plus they still hang from trees in the garden district.
5. Just about every third door on Bourbon Street is a daiquiri shop which is like the Baskin Robbins of bars, 31 flavors of daiquiri.
4. Johnny's Po Boy and Ralph and Kakoo's aren't what we expected.
3. Snugglepuff and Hunky Dunky are great names for spouses.
2. "My mama told me..."
1. "Beware of the dingus attack!"

4th of July

We went to Brad and Lisa's for 4th of July festivities before the Ranger game. Katie got to see Lisa's family, play with Addie, and see Little Mister, Jack. She was all dressed up for the day.
After BBQ and many snacks, we headed to the Rangers game. Katie was excited because the last game she was at got rained out.
She was quite the trooper, and the Rangers prevailed. Then, we moved to the porch to watch the fireworks. Katie was speechless for almost the entire show. Then, she would point and tell me the colors or which one was her favorite. She still talks about the fireworks to this day.

Happy Birthday Dave!

Dave's Birthday took us to the Grand Opening of Chuy's in the Highlands. I've missed Chuy's since I graduated. I've been a couple of times on my trips to Austin, but it's great Tex Mex and fantastic drinks. Dave wanted a Guitar Hero World Tour set, so everyone chipped in and he got one. Katie did a great job of breaking in the drums the next day.