Big Birthday Bash

We had Kathryn's 1st Birthday party yesterday! She had been sick from Thursday to about Saturday, so needless to say, having 30 people over to watch her tear into her birthday cake was a little overwhelming. Of course she did not "perform" like she was supposed to :), but she did pretty good considering. Much food and fun was had by all!

Dad took care of preparing the food

The Birthday Girl!She was not too sure about her cake, but cousin Cozy loved it :o). We actually forced her to eat a bite, and she started crying... Surely she is not related to me!

Brad was in charge of the cake for all of the guests, so of course he chose an ice cream cake from DQ

She wasn't too thrilled about her gifts at the time, but after everyone left, and she woke up from her nap, she played, and played, and played!

Thanks to all our friends and family for sharing in this very special day with us! A special thanks to Austin for being our videographer, and to Allen and Ashley for taking great pictures!

Home again!

Kathryn and I are back home again, and back to high speed internet :)! Here are a few memories from the day of her birth. Pretty hard to believe it has been a year since this! What a blessing she has been in our lives!

One year ago today...

Happy Birthday to Kate! Unfortunately, we are very sick with a fever virus at the moment. Ugh! Hopefully it will be over by Monday for the birthday party! We are reporting from White Cloud... visiting Aunt Hannah... and are working on dial up, so pictures to come later!!!

This is funny!

Of course she never performs for the camera like she does normally, but this is still pretty funny. This is her favorite toy right now. Just randomly throughout the day, I'll hear the little song playing and peek in the living room. She puts the ball through the hole, dances to the music, stops when the music stops, looks for the ball, and repeats. This time, the ball got stuck in the dinosaur, so she stops to look for it, and unfortunately the performance ends a little sooner than usual. Check it out...

Kathryn & the Dinosaur

Happy Father's Day

I am thankful to God that I married such a Godly man, who takes so seriously his role as a husband and a father. I could not have picked a better father for my children. I am also very thankful for my own father, who most importantly taught me to love the Lord.

Daddy with Kathryn in her special Father's Day dress that Mommy made!

Stories on Kathryn and Brad

Kathryn has played out in the pool everyday this week, so it really should not have surprised me when she brought me over two of her "pool toys", threw them in my lap, and grunted. I gave them back to her, and she proceeded to give them back to me, this time with a little bit more annoyed grunt. Finally I asked her if she wanted to go outside. She started jabbering and waving her arms hysterically, walked as fast as her little legs would carry her over to the back door, then turned around and looked at me like, "what's taking so long, Mom?!?" My little puppy dog!!! Of course, once she gets in the pool, her favorite thing to do is throw stuff out of the pool and see how far she can reach. If it is not enough of a challenge, she will throw it a little farther out until she can't reach it anymore, then grunts for me to get it for her. Her favorite pool toy is the nasal aspirator (a clean one, of course :o). She loves how I can fill it up with water and squirt her with it. Unfortunately, once I start this game, I have no choice but to do it for the rest of the time that we're in the pool.

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Kathryn's new hobby is re-arranging. She will pick up little things from all over the house and move them to "better" locations (mostly just putting small things in containers and such). I told Brad if she were a squirrel, and our floor were dirt, we would have oak trees growing all over the place. Anyway, I'm usually the one who finds her creations, mostly because she hides things in the pots and pans, tupperware containers, or baskets. Last night I asked Brad if he would empty out the rest of the twelve pack of Coke that was in the pantry into the fridge. When he got to the bottom, there was something rattling. The look on his face was priceless. His hands were moving fast, and he looked up at me and said, "Honey! I think we actually won something!!!" Then he pulled out a big Disney World collector's medallion. I know it's never as funny when you're not there, but it was a truly classic moment... Especially for those of you who know Brad :o).

Fun in the Sun

The expression on her face says it all. I think we have a new favorite afternoon activity. I couldn't get her out of the pool!

Memphis Wedding

We had a great time this past weekend in Memphis at Matt and Amanda's wedding. Unfortunately, the lighting in the ballroom messed my camera up and I didn't figure out until almost time to go what I needed to do to fix it. I'm sure they'll post some much better ones on their site when they get back from their honeymoon, but here's a sneak peek until then...

And of course when Brad spotted this old Shelby, we had to circle back around so he could take a picture for Adam :o).

The 5:15pm ritual...

"Mom! I think Dad's home! I hear someone coming in the front door! I'll go and see!!!"

Harebrained Ideas...

Kathryn found the tupperware cabinet a long time ago, but she has just recently discovered that she can fit inside it! She still can't figure out why she can't stand up in it, though. She tries and cries, and tries and cries :o).

When we found out #2 was on the way, and we had to give up our office/sewing room, I wasn't too thrilled about the thought of it being in the living room. But now I think it will work out nicely. Another one of Mom's harebrained ideas comes to fruition (thanks to my father-in-law, husband, and Adam's tools!) It's a bookshelf desk!

More Pictures

We just got back from visiting little Claire! She is so, so sweet! They are all doing great, and were able to get some good sleep in the hospital last night. Here are a few more pics, this time including the proud parents...

She's here!!!

Adam and Rosie are the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl! Claire Marie Shumake was born about 3:57 pm today (June 3rd). She weighed in at 7lb 14oz and was 20 1/4" long. She is absolutely perfect. Mom and baby are doing great (and Dad's doing pretty well too, I guess :o). I'm sure there will be many more pictures to come! Please keep them in your prayers as they adjust to life with a little one!

Update on Rosie!!!

FINALLY! Rosie is at the hospital, and it shouldn't be too much longer until she delivers little Claire! We are on our way to the hospital right now. I'll have some pictures to post when I get home!!! Keep Adam and Rosie in your prayers!

What we thought might be "The Last Supper"...

Gramma and Grampa came down to help Brad and me out with with some projects yesterday and today. Adam and Rosie went out to eat with us last night, and we had many hopes that it might be our last little fling before Claire Marie was born, but no such luck. Still no baby!! It will be any time now, though :o)! Just a couple of new pictures to get you through the weekend (for Mom, who says I don't post often enough :).

Story time with Gramma...

Kathryn's Little Steps

A very, very short (and sideways) video of Kathryn walking, for her Nana, who has yet to see it! (Since it is video from our digital camera and not a camcorder, I can't change the direction of it. So sorry! It's not long enough to give you a neck ache, though :o).


Kathryn's Little Steps

Kathryn's Toy Box

Many, many thanks to Adam and Rosie, who found us this treasure at a garage sale on Saturday... Kathryn's new toy box. Unfortunately for her (and fortunately for us) she cannot yet reach inside, but she does love to get inside and play. How much fun would it be to be 11 months old again?

Mommy & Kate on Mother's Day!

No one could have ever told me how wonderful (and tiring :o) being a mother could be.

Playing in/eating the dirt

I think I see now why she wasn't hungry for lunch! Thirty minutes after we came in she spit out two pieces of mulch. Yum, yum!

Both of my babies are sick!!!

...One with strep throat and one with an ear infection. Our house is pathetic right now. Nurse Mommy is working around the clock (with quite a bit of help from Dad...)

It's a Girl!!!

EDIT: My Dad said this picture kind of reminded him of some of the pictures that he saw of Hurricane Katrina a while back :o). I just thought I would clarify: this is a profile shot of the baby's face.

We're going out tonight!

This is a really good depiction of how our day has been today... I think I have five strands of hair left. Any babysitting volunteers?

Kathryn's First Car

We bought Kathryn her first car at the garage sale last Saturday for $2. All she wants to do now is drive. I think she's going to be like her Aunt Hannah, though. She can't make turns very well :o). We are afraid it has helped her a little too much. She actually took her first steps yesterday!!! Four of them! You'll never guess what she was headed for - golf balls! Figures! Brad was so excited about that :). This is just a short video this time...

Kathryn's First Car

Kathryn in the Garden

Just a few more sweet pictures for Gramma and Nana!

Gross Dishwasher Story

Kathryn's favorite thing to do in the kitchen is to play in the dishwasher. She LOVES to pull all of the silverware out of the holder and bang them around on the dishwasher door. When they are dirty, I still let her do this, even realizing the unsanitariness (wd?) of it (mostly because it is a nice, quiet way of getting dinner fixed). Well, this was the last straw. I had left the room for a second, and when I came back, I noticed that she had her head down, drinking the water (and bits of food) from the dirty dishes that I had just partially rinsed off. Being in the state that I'm in, I nearly threw up right then and there. She thought it was absolutely hilarious! The pictures do not even do justice to the look she had on her face when I caught her. The good news is, she is still alive and well...

Rosie's Shower Pics

My only excuse is that this is the third time I have tried to write this post, and each time my computer has shut down and NOT saved all of my hard work. As a result, three weeks later, the story is lost, but here are the pictures that go along with it :o). Mostly I just wanted my Mom and sisters to get to see!!! Enjoy!