Oh That Little Katie!

"Dosh Damma! Her got a lotta tids!"

This is a commonly referenced quote in the Freestone family. I have heard multiple versions of the story behind this quote so many times that I'm not even sure how it really originated. But I think it had something to do with Natalie's baby sister Colette as a toddler commenting to Grandma Chapman in disbelief as she saw some lady getting a bunch of preschool kids out of a big van.

In our family, we feel this way often. Although 5 kids isn't really that many (I mean, it's less than, say, 12), it sure feels like it sometimes! I often look at Natalie at the end of a crazy night (usually bath night) and say, "Her got a lotta tids!" We really do feel blessed to have all these "tids".

And yesterday we celebrated our baby Katie's very first birthday! Oh Katie, what would we do without you? After having Chase, we didn't think we could handle any more. For a long time, he just wasn't any fun. Sorry Chase... it's true. So when katie came to our family and was so sweet and squishy, we felt like she was our little bonus baby. Like a really good prize.

It really is hard to believe we've had this little sassy pants for a whole year! So here's a little update on what our Kitty-Kate has been up to recently, as well as the whole documented birthday to prove that she did get her own birthday cake at least once in her life!



Katie has moved up in the world. She finally inherited the crib and got out of that dang pack-n-play she had to sleep in for almost a year (yes- we know we're white trash). The first night was a little rough when she realized we actually wanted her to sleep in there, and not just play and pose for pictures. She kind of missed that W.T. port-a-crib.



Natalie loves to play dress-up with Katie. Natalie does not want this baby to grow up. Katie is her little dolly. I tease Natalie that when she gets old she's going to be one of those little old ladies at a nursing home who just sits in their wheelchair and holds their baby doll, thinking they are really their babies.

From about 15 seconds after Katie came from the womb to now, Natalie has kept her dressed to the nines.

Katie's latest favorites: sitting in pans, making her squishy face, and poking eyeballs.

As shown below, respectively:

(Let's not worry about the small choking hazard in her mouth in this one)

For Katie's birthday, we had a family lunch party. We made one of our family favorites: Tom Cruise Pasta (before he went all crazy extreme scientology on us). Then we had some amazing cake by Natalie, blew out a candle, etc.

Katie got her own little cake to try.

At first she thought we were trying to feed her poo, and she kept fighting it.

Until she got some of that creamy goodness on her tongue!

That was a game changer, and she enjoyed many more fingers-full of frosting, resulting in a nice buttery face.

Opening presents was fun. Caleb and Amy went all out- Caleb made her a card and gave her a dollar (I was jealous), and Amy gathered up some of her old "treasures" to pass on to her little sister.

Chase was also jealous.

Parker, as always, was just happy to be there.

Sometimes Amy thinks Katie is HER baby and gets mad when somebody else wants her. Katie feels torn (It's hard to be poular... we should know!)

Mom and Dad gave her new jammies. Okay, I can't really take any credit. Natalie sewed them and I approved!

What a blessing this baby girl has been to our family! She has brought so much love and joy that we never knew we were missing. Happy Birthday Sweet Katie! We love you!