Katherine,

Sweet baby girl, 10 months old.  This month seems to have flown by, between the major projects around the house, homeschooling, and baseball, we haven't had a minute to spare around here.  But so many things have changed for you this month.

3-13, Lounging in her bedroom floor with her bottle

The biggest probably is that you have completely quit nursing in the last 3 weeks.  Within a week or so of your last post, you all of a sudden quit nursing except when you first woke up and when you last went to bed.  Then, you would nurse in the morning, but want a bottle to follow it.  After that you were only nursing for comfort at bedtime,to help yourself fall asleep, and in the last week, you haven't even done that.  To get to sleep you have to have a bottle though.  You still won't take a pacifier.  There are nights when you wake up that Daddy goes in to give you back your bottle, and you'll drink a little before going back to sleep.  He was pleasantly surprised the other morning, when you managed to pick it up, get it back in and fall back on your pillow.  I've thought about swapping you over to a sippy cup, but I don't think you could use the ones we still have from the others, and I hate to waste money on the soft top ones with handles that you'll only use a couple of months, so I guess we'll wait a little longer on that.

3-1, Dr Appt day - 28 inches and 16.1 lbs.

You abruptly quitting nursing was a bit bittersweet for me.  We haven't ruled out a little sibling for your one day, but I think for the first time we are feeling like we could be done with this baby business.  As much as I hate nursing, and I really do, it was kinda sad to think that we might be done with this stage of life, with tiny babies that are so very needy.  And your Daddy was less than thrilled because formula cost even more than it did for Rebecca about 4.5 years ago.  He had alot of grumbling about why in the world couldn't you just nurse another month and a half then we could have swapped you straight to regular milk.

3-24, She's not ashamed of eating this at all.

You still only have two teeth, but boy do you like to eat.  Paper and fabric seem to be your preference.  Just this morning you shredded half of a notepad that I was keeping note for school things to look into.  You also like to pull off your socks and chew on them.  You really hate wearing socks, no matter how chilly it is.  And you chew on blankets, well not exactly chew on them.  You put them in your mouth, bite down with those two teeth, and pull it out.  You do this over and over and over.  Last night at the ball field, you did it with the edge of my Auburn coat.  It's fluffy like a blanket.  You do occasionally chew on your pacifier, but you almost never suck on it.

3-5, Playing in her high chair at supper time.

You are only eating two meals a day.  The doctor wanted us to try to up your formula and decrease your table food when we were in there last, your growth curve has dropped off a bit.  You are still in the 25 percentile for height, but are now down to right around the 10 percentile for weight.  You get something for a late breakfast, and then you get supper either with us, or around 5 before we start all of the ball practice and games.  There is still not a food you won't eat.  Though you have figured out how to take an English pea, get all the pea out and then spit out the shell.  Makes peas much messier now.

3-23, Rocking with Daddy.

Perhaps the biggest change this month, is just how much you are trying to walk.  You squat most of the time when you are playing in the floor now, rather than sit.  And you frequently stand up in the middle of the floor, up and down you go.  You will let go and take 2 to 3 steps from my knee in the front porch rocker to the screen to watch the kids run around the yard.  And if Daddy is close enough, you will sometimes let go of the couch and step toward him.  There is still alot of falling, but mostly you land on your backside.  You still like to come into the kitchen when I'm working on lunch, or Daddy is cooking supper, and grab on to our pants.  Now though, you put one hand on each leg, and step with us.  You've gotten pretty fast at it.  I have to slow down stepping from place to place, but not all that much.  I've also had to start using the baby gate to keep you off of the back porch, where all the little toys are.

3-9, Sisters sharing a room.  Rebecca and Kate.

Another big change is that we moved Rebecca into your room with you.  Your sleeping has improved.  Though most nights Daddy has to go in there and give you back your bottle at least once.  Luckily Rebecca isn't the insanely light sleeper she was when she was your size.  She's not woke up with you fussing once.  She's so excited to share a room with you.  All month the two of you have been getting baths together.  You seem to love her fussing over you.  She likes to tell you about how when you are bigger you can sleep on the bottom of the bunk bed with her.

3-14, Rocking at nap time on the front porch.

Daddy thinks you still clearly prefer me, and it's most evident when I sneak out of a room, only to have you travers the house looking for me.  But you love it when he is home too.  You follow him around with your eyes.  Last night at the ball field, you were sitting in the wagon during Britt's game, and every time Daddy would walk back behind you or off to the other side, you would turn and watch him, or stand up and try to get to him.  At Church you watch him when he leads or when he sits with us on the bench.  And you are most inamored with his goatee.  You like to pet it.  The other day when we were talking with Mrs. Paige and Mr. Daniel, he was holding you.  You kept reaching for his goatee and then Daddy would say something and you'd stop and wait.  Then you'd reach for it again, and he'd answer Mr. Daniel, and you'd stop and wait.  You had me and Mrs. Paige just laughing.  You really love all of your family.  After Ruth was gone for a week to Memaw's house, you couldn't get enough out of smiling at her.  Rebecca and you spend alot of time together now, playing in your bedroom floor.  And Britt, he can make you laugh more than anyone else.

3-17, St. Patrick's Day, on our way to the Sugar Festival.

You are babbling more and more now too.  You say "Bwa, bwa" for Britt.  I guess you've heard me talk about "your brother" so much that's what you try to say.  Britt just lights up when you say it.  He'll lean over your car seat in the car, or pick you up at the kitchen table during school.  He thinks it's his personal job to make you laugh and babble.  Ruth also insists that you are making an r sound, but you aren't.  You say "Dada," mostly as a string of sounds, but when I ask you where Da-da is, you look for Daddy and when you find him, you grin and reach for him.  You were saying "Ma-ma" some but are making other sounds now.  Sometimes when you get real upset you cry "mamamamamama."  But any of the kids can tell you to go to Momma and off you start toward me.  You obviously know your name is Katherine because we can call you and you turn and smile.  Ironically enough, you don't always turn and answer to Kate, even though with the kids and your Daddy using it, you hear it more.  Daddy also calls you Katy-did.

3-22, Cuddling with Momma and Britt in the big bed.

Katherine, Little Love, Rainbow, Katy-did, Kate no matter what we call you, you are a joy.  Full of love and happiness.  Easily the most relaxed and contented of our children.  We love you so much, and are so very thankful to have you in our lives.

I love you,
Momma