Summersweet Orchard

We love to pick apples.  The weather was really nice for a really long time this fall, so we took Kate out one afternoon.  I busted out my DSLR for the first time since May (slacker!), and got a few cute pictures of our little munchkin.  I really like fall.

copycat

Kate is super verbal, especially for her age, and she's been saying some pretty funny things lately.  We really have to be careful what we say, because she repeats EVERYTHING!

I must use some phrases repeatedly, because she's picked up on them, and uses them now (in context!).  Here are a few examples:

• good job
• oh yeah
• what's the deal?
• it's ok
• check it out
• all good
• okie dokie
• ready, set, go
• you did it
• come on, mom
• exactly

Kate, you crack me up! I love you:)

ArtPrize 2013

If you live in West Michigan, ArtPrize needs no explanation.  It's such a fun time to be around Grand Rapids.  There are people everywhere and art everywhere, and it's so fun to see the creativity of all the artists who submit their work.

This year, Kate and I had a chance to go and walk around with our friends, Steph and Eli, for a morning.  The next week we met Matt after work and walked around again for a while.  We managed to see all of the Top Ten between the two days, and had a lot of fun doing it. Here are some pictures of our favorites:)

ArtPrize 2013 winner (it's a quilt!)

zoo day!

We went to the zoo with Grandma while the weather was still nice.  It was such a fun time - and much less busy than the summer months had been.  Kate was on a major Grandma kick that day, and only wanted Grandma to hold her or give her piggy back rides.  If I remember right, she also only wanted Grandma to change her diaper when we got home - that one was fine with me:)

Baby Abigail

My best friend, Sarah, had her sweet baby girl! Abigail Elizabeth Molenkamp was 7 lb, 10 oz and 20 inches long - almost the same exact size as Kate:) We got to go meet her in the hospital and it was love at first sight.  Even Kate was smitten:)

hugs and kisses for Abigail

Sunday Fun Day

After Kate's nap we drove over to Orchard Hill Farm (68th and Hanna Lake Rd) for some fall fun.  They have a fun little farm stand, with lots of Michigan apples, and a free hayride for families.  The ride wasn't too far, but we got to see lots of fun stuff along the way.  They even had animals to check out at the end, which Kate really enjoyed.

bigs

Kate likes to be lots of big things lately...

big girl
big helper
big climber

And, most excitingly, big sister!

We're having another baby next February.  Now that I'm out of the first trimester and feeling much better, it's pretty exciting.  Kate knows where mommy's baby is (she points to my belly), and likes to give baby hugs and kisses:) Each time we ask her if the baby is a boy or a girl, she changes her mind.  I'm not sure how much she understands about the whole thing, but it's fun anyway.