Another video of Katie-bug's new moves...

More walking., originally uploaded by mcgills09.

Walking.

Walking., originally uploaded by mcgills09.

I didn't get her first steps on video because I was home alone and it was too hard...but isn't she just the cutest?

And we have a walker!

Kaitlin took her first "real" steps with me on April 20, 2011. I was so excited and dying for others to see it! Although she had been pulling herself up and cruising for a long time, she surprisingly showed no interest in wanting to walk on her own. But after we really started working with her, she grew more confidence. She began standing for longer and longer on her own and occassionally would take a step, then fall down. Then after a couple of weeks of practice, she finally took those special first steps. Crawling is of course still much faster and her preferred method of travel, but each day she takes more and more steps. Yesterday she was up to 7! Although I cannot imagine her being more active than she is now, I know that the real "fun" has just begun! Our little girl sure is growing up fast!!! Below are some pics of her showing off on Easter Sunday. I'll post a video later!

Walking to Mommy.

Such a big girl.

Proud of his baby girl.

Life with a 13 month old...

...is very rewarding and exhausting!!! Two months ago I did not think this child could get any more active. Oh boy was I wrong. With a later bedtime and less frequent/shorter naps, it is amazing anything gets done around here (it is also the reason for midweek cocktails). But we are also having a lot of fun. She is doing so many new things, it truly is amazing. My favorite is when she smacks her lips together when i ask for a kiss. She will do a little shake when I ask her to dance also...so freaking cute. She cries when I drop her off at the Kids Klub @ the gym, but then she has fun playing (especially with the boys). She says "hi dog" to Maddie. Bath time is still a favorite, but washing her hair is a challenge as she won't sit still. She walks when you hold her hand, but doesn't have the confidence to try it on her own yet. She makes us laugh all the time, especially when we hear her "talking" to herself and playing in her crib. She definitely has a mind of her own...some days she will eat whatever you give her, other days she refuses to eat even her favorites. She loves eggs and lima beans (strange I know). Transitioning to whole milk was a bit of a struggle, but we finally got it down. She uses a cup 95% of the time and only drinks from a bottle if she wakes up during the night (really kinda sad). She loves to be chased and loves to play outside. Running errands isn't quite as easy as it used to be, as she is not so content in the shopping cart anymore. Also, there is something about 5 o'clock that makes everyone in my house (dogs +baby) go a little crazy (reason for the cocktails) and there are definitely days that I wish my hubby could get home earlier. But, I am also treasuring this time at home with my little bug and am feeling very lucky that I have this opportunity.

On a side note...my family recently lost a family member in a very very tragic way. It has and will continue to be very difficult on many people. I am not going to discuss it on here, but I want to ask that if you read this to please take a minute to say a prayer for the family and friends, especially the children and grandchildren.

Love.

Hugging and kissing her even more lately...messy face and all.

Kaitlin and Mac.

Kaitlin and Mac., originally uploaded by mcgills09.

Learning to walk.

Learning to walk., originally uploaded by mcgills09.

She just needs a little more confidence and balance...

Marietta.

We are really enjoying our new city. We knew living outside of Atlanta was going to be different than living in the heart of Buckhead, as we did before. But, really its not so different (other than BJ's commute to work). We have absolutely everything we could possibly ever want/need within just a few miles. And we are close enough to enjoy all the benefits that Atlanta has to offer, without all the traffic. Since I am not working right now, I am really trying to get to know the area. Cobb County has approximately 700,000 residents and Marietta is the county seat. Marietta is a charming/quaint southern city with a lot of history. Kaitlin and I took her dad down to Marietta Square Saturday and Sunday. Marietta Square is a park (Glover Park) in the center of the city surrounded by restaurants and boutique shops. Every Saturday morning there is a Farmer's Market, so we headed there after the gym. Here is an iphone pic of BJ and Kaitlin (I was rushed out the door and forgot my camera):

Sunday we took Maddie and Kaitlin to East Cobb Park. Growing up right across from a park, I have always loved parks. Fortunately, we have MANY to choose from close by. But, East Cobb park is really pretty and seems the most kid friendly. Everyone was out enjoying this beautiful day. Watching some kids kick around a soccer ball. Reminds me of Ritter Park with the creek.

After the park, we decided to head back down to Marietta Square for some outdoor lunch and drinks. It was a great day!

Margaritas and live music...sounds like a great day to me.

After lunch, we walked across the street to Glover park for some photos.

I am so excited for Spring and Summer. There is so much I want to do!