Happy Birthday Kara!

Time is a funny and interesting thing.   A minute waiting for a phone to ring, a red light to turn, a child to stop crying or other such items can take forever; while a year can go by quicker than the blink of an eye.  It seems like at most a few months ago that we had just moved into our home here in Phoenix and we were celebrating Kara’s first birthday.  Another year has passed and it has been time to celebrate Happy Birthday #2.

What a joy Kara is in our lives!  Her beautiful smile, funny expressions, cute catchphrases, continuous growth and development and her Christ like disposition help to make this Nutthouse a Nutthome.  Kara knows how to crack a half smile, especially when she has done something wrong, just enough of a smile that can melt at the very least half of any anger or frustration that has been felt.  If she is happy her smile is big and bright enough to warm a person to their core.  You cannot help but smile and be in good spirits when Kara is around and her happy self.  The way in which she shrugs her shoulders as she walks or isn’t sure what to say or do; or how her hands turn up by her shoulders as she asks “what happened” are unique Kara characteristics that provide glimpses into who this magical girl will become.  Talk about smart!  Kara is learning and growing each and every day.  Brent will come home each day and find she has learned new words.  In the past year her unsteady steps have progressed into runs, marches, awkward skips and not quite off the ground jumps.  Between the ages of one and two Kara has gained an opinion and not just on one or two things, but on everything!  She knows what she likes and she knows even better what she doesn’t like.  She likes milk but enjoys her chocolate milk, homemade macaroni and cheese is her favorite meal and if something is hot you better blow on it or she won’t take it.  Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears rule the world with Funshine Bear (aka sunshine as she says), Strawberry and Cherry Jam being the coolest characters EVER.  Kara now enjoys dancing, playing ring around the rosies around the kitchen island, and she can never hear enough stories – from anyone.  Her memory is as sharp as a tack when it comes to people and events she knows and enjoys (when it comes to remembering things mommy told her – that one is a work in progress).  Kara is learning so many new things at a pace that awes me daily.  She knows her basic colors, shapes, animals and animal sounds, how to count from 1 to 10 (though the number 9 gets skipped every time… at least she is consistent, right?) and so very much more.  Watching her learn and grow amazes me and makes me thankful to be on this life journey with her.  When I look at Kara and her disposition I can see the love of Christ in her eyes.  On a regular basis I find myself in awe of the love and patience that our Heavenly Father must have for us knowing how much I love each of my children.

Kara was lucky this year when it came to her birthday.  Thanks to a visit from my parents we celebrated Kara’s birthday a couple times.  I know think she believes birthdays are magical month long events full of balloons, presents and frosting coated goodies.  (It is my hope that she never thinks differently)

With my parents in town Kara was spoiled with the best type of birthday present – lots and lots of love!  Of course, when you are two you believe the best types of presents are the ones that come with wrapping that is meant to be torn off so her birthday was filled with several wrapped gifts as well.

Grandpa & Grandma Lang spending quality time with both Kara and Kaden

One of her favorite presents was the doll stroller from her grandparents

   

Combining her love of Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears.  Homemade Strawberry cupcakes with Care Bear toppers where the birthday treat from her first birthday celebration

Testing out the new stroller with one of her idles

Following the visit from my parents my mom stayed in town while my sister came for a girls week get away and once again, Kara was spoiled with love and attention.

Learning the importance of proper make-up application techniques from Aunt Allison

When at lunch with the "girls" one must feed all guests

Children's Museum fun

 

Bonding with Aunt Allison

One may think after all that fun that Kara had had enough, but she hadn't and it wasn't even her actual birthday yet.  Where Kara enjoys balloons we placed some around her bedroom when she went to bed on her birthday eve so when she awoke she was greeted with pink, purple, and blue Happy Birthday balloons.  When she came out to show us she was excited to see the pile of presents waiting for her to open them.  After the mandatory breakfast she excitedly opened each of her gifts and enjoyed the time she got to have with them before being whisked away to church.  After church we had family over for a tiny birthday party.  I even attempted to make her birthday cake!  Now, the icing and care bears may look cute and inviting, but I thank my lucky stars she wasn’t too into the flavor of the cake and our Nutty family is too kind to complain.  Lesson learned for next year - either A) purchase a store bought cake or B) use a box cake mix or C) practice, practice, practice before the actual birthday cake is needed! 

"Hurry and take the picture so I can open the presents!"

Birthday shoes, but not THE "Happy Birthday Shoes"

Birthday morning loot!

Birthday dress from Papa & Grammy Smaellie

 

She LOVES her big wheel!  We are working on the pedaling  and steering concepts now.  But once she master's them... watch out! 

As Kara’s birthday has faded and the glorious year of the “twos” have arrived we are reminded regularly that Kara has not forgotten her birthday as she still refers to the shoes she got on her birthday as her “Happy Birthday Shoes”.  As in awe as I am over how much this angel from heaven has grown in the past year I am equally anxious to see her growth as I reflect over her development next year around this same time.

We have not forgotten Kaden and hope to be more updated including his latest milestones soon.

As the Nutt House enjoys the Nutty lives we have, we hope each of you do the same.  Remember, to take time for the little, mundane, trivial parts of life - that's where the most memories can be found!

With love, from our Nutt House - to yours!