Happy 1st Birthday Kate Elizabeth!!

As I sit here at my laptop, I smell a waft of old vomit coming from my skin. Today is Kate's birthday....her very first birthday, in fact. In a meager attempt to celebrate this big day, we went out to Gloria's Mexican Restaurant with our dear friends Annette and Carl. About a quarter of the way through our meal, Kate decides to throw up all over herself and her mother. Now, I'm not talking about a little spit up....I'm talking about a head to toe throw up - on both of us. Fun. So, I went to the bathroom to clean us both up, an impossible task, I found. Where it is cute and appropriate for a baby to walk around without a shirt on, it is just not ok for the mom. I tried to clean up in the bathroom, but it just wasn't working. I ended up rinsing off my shirt in the sink and putting it back on. It felt soooo good to put on a vomit/water covered t-shirt. Gross. We are now home and we have both changed clothes 5 times. Happy Day. Now, I sit here writing, smelling the vomit, thinking about a shower, but wondering what good it will do when I will probably be thrown up on again.

One year ago today, I was huge, uncomfortable, and ready to get this baby out of me. My ankles (cankles) had swollen to the size of my head - I'm not kidding. My body just hurt....it was time. Ruthie and I pulled up to Medical City Dallas Hospital around 7am. After laying in a hospital bed all day, the doctor decided I wasn't dialating fast enough, so she decided to do a c-section. Kate Elizabeth was born on Friday, April 25th, at 7:40pm. At first, she scared me. I hadn't been around many babies - especially newborns. I wasn't the one people called when they needed a baby sitter, if that says anything. But....it didn't take me too long to fall completely in love with this precious girl. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought I had no reason to go on - I felt I had ruined my life. But, God's gift of Kate has allowed me to experience life in a way I never thought possible.

Today, Kate took her first steps! 5 steps in a row! She is an amazing child. She engages people in a way unlike I've ever seen. She never meets a stranger and will wave and give a smile to anyone that will look her way.

Next weekend, Kate and I will fly to South Carolina and celebrate her birthday with our family. I can't wait!! I'm sure we will have lots of pictures to share.