A Cate Family Christmas '08

We Had a wonderful Christmas! And a great Birthday for Amelia(She's two, and showin' it). Preston, Amelia and I travelled to Alabama to see his Mom and Dad, two sisters and their husbands and kids...Whew. It was tons of fun (and some fighting over toys)...the kids, of course, however, the guys all really took to a dirty santa gift that practically electrocuted the slowest player to push a button on some device that plays this psychotic music over and over again. It's called Lightening Reaction Revenge "this time it's personal". REALLY, I would recommend it to any party-goer wanting to liven up the place.

ABC...It's Easy As 1,2,3

I Have to brag just a smidgen about our smart(genius)daughter who revealed to us today that she knows her ABCs...all of them! We have been playfully reciting it out with her having no real goal in mind, but I suppose they really are like little sponges. She boastfully let Preston know at Ingles while shopping for much needed paper products (how can anyone run out of paper towels, Kleenex, baby wipes,and toilet paper all at once???),anyway, when suddenly, out of the wild blue yonder, Amelia announces her alphabet geniusness (did I say that already). And, I missed it all sense I was at work, so preston recounted the moment like this: She shouts it for others to hear, or for others to join in, saying A!B!Ceeeeeee!Dee!Eeeeeee!!f.(whisper)g.(whisper).Hshhhhhh!Ieeee!J. K. Lllllll!Mmmmmm!Nnnnnn!O.(whisper)PEEEEEEE!Q.R.Sssssssss!Teeeeee!U.Veeeeee.W.X.Y.ZEEEEEEEEE! I asked Preston on the phone if he made a big deal or a BIG DEAL about this. He said that he cheered, but it was a little subdued. I WISH I could have been there to cheer her on. I hate missing these small/BIG deals. It's the small/big deals that make this parenting thing so fun! I am well aware that others out there, those who have kids doing the EXACT same thing as mind, hitting all the same milestones as mine ("let me guess, her favorite word is 'No'")may not be as impressed with this feat. But, most first timers are equally enthusiastic about these small things. To me, it's like she's doing everything she is designed to do at all the correct times. It's amazing to me! There is such a beautiful design that takes place, and I have front row seats for it. There will be many more of these small/big deals to come. I look forward to cheering it all on, even when I can't be right there to see it.

The Rest of Our Trip

Our trip to Winnsboro was wonderful! We got a good bit of outdoor time with the cousins. Preston, myself and Little A stayed at "the cabin" on "the farm" at my Dad's place. Most of the pics are of us chopping down our Christmas tree this past Friday. Such a hallmark family moment. Amelia totally dug the outdoor time, wanting to go there every waking minute. I still can't get over how funny it was to see little Calie (Logan's youngest and closest in age to Amelia)trudgging through the brush, trying to keep up with the tree hunters, all the while holding tight to her precious baby doll and worrying that her bow may somehow fall out onto the dirty ground. Callie, YOU GO GIRL! Way to be a sport, I love ya.