. . . but she's not a baby girl anymore. Last Tuesday Katie turned six. It was a tough birthday for me because the weekend prior while organizing in the shop I found a toter of keepsakes from when she was a baby. Seeing those items unearthed a flood of memories. Earlier that week I found a bag containing all of the keepsakes from the hospital, such as the gown Rick was wearing, the caps we were wearing. It all has gone by so fast and gosh, when I look at Katie now, I cannot even remember how small she was that August 14 six years years ago.
We like to change what we do for Katie's birthday. Last year we did the big princess blow out and went to Disney. We were planning on flying over to Disney for a quick four day vacation, but because of tae kwon do belt testing and my doctor appointments, it just won't work out. We also looked at going to the Gaylord in Grapevine, but there really isn't anything going on for kids during the week days. So we settled for a "Just The Three of Us" party. Rick and I decorated the dining room, ordered the cake, got flowers and managed to wrap all of the presents without her every catching on. When she woke up from a nap on her birthday, we had a sash for her to wear that said "Birthday Girl" and we escorted her to the dining room and her throne. It was a bit of a surprise for her because we never let up that we were going to do a family shindig at our house. She thought we were going out to eat. Anyway, we sang "Happy Birthday"; she blew out her candles which had colored flames; we ate cake and she opened a mountain of presents. Katie said it was her best birthday ever. So like Rick said, "Mission accomplished."
As for presents, her main present from us is a redone bedroom with the piece de resistance being a new loft bed. We also got her quite a few Lego items to build. From her Aunties she got a leather kit where she can make a wallet, key chain, coin purse; a jewelry organizer and nail polish. From her cousins, Aunt and Uncle, she got money. From one set of grandparents she got money and the other set got her books one of which is recorded in her grandparents voices; and a rock painting kit. After each gift she said, "Thank you. I really appreciate it."
She still loves Scooby Doo
We went with the jewel tones of purple, green, pink and turquoise. Those are also the colors of her new, big girl bedroom.
Waiting to be escorted to her party
The traditional "blowing out the candles" shot
Let the ripping begin!
As noted in the beginning of this post, I was running into a lot of stored keepsakes and that is because we are doing major reorganization/reducing. We emptied Kate's walk-in closet and put a closet organizer in there and it looks so nice now and you can even walk in it! I have finished the kitchen cabinets and drawers and pantry. The dining room cabinets are next, as well as our walk-in closet. It is freeing to rid the house of junk and to simplify and downsize. Nine years ago a fire destroyed everything I owned. While struggling to find a positive from the devastation, I found relief in no longer having a junk drawer and that stays with me to this day. If I haven't used it in six months, out it goes. I try to do this every six months. Rick does not follow the plan because we have the gigantor Quonset Hut, but I feel mentally happier without crowded drawers and closets.
A week ago Saturday, Kate tested for her red belt in tae kwon do. There are four levels of red belts and this is her first one, so she has three more red belts to test for before she tests for her black belt. She's nearing the end! She loves tae kwon do and we are so proud of what she has accomplished.
Acting as the attacker in a one-step
Taking down her black belt partner in a one-step.
Doing her high-blue belt form during testing
Now, as for doctor appointments. I am back on bone loss medication because I am showing bone loss. No big shock there because of my lactose intolerance and low calcium intake. I also broke down and saw my doctor about my migraines. I am on a daily medicine that I take whether I have a migraine or not and another prescription that I take if I do get a migraine. The second medication stops the migraine rather quickly, but the daily medicine did not decrease the amount of migraines so the dosage was increased. Another issue I have is a numb patch on the outer side of my left thigh. It started as soreness, progressed to intense itching then numbness and intermittent red hot tingling. I was referred to a neurologist and have another test to go through. The initial thought is that it is Guillain-Barré syndrome, albeit a mild case and not deadly as some cases can be. I am already on the upswing. As a side note, I was in the exam room waiting for the neurologist and in walks the mother of one of Katie's tae kwon do friends. We were both a little taken back especially since we have chit chatted at tae kwon do. I typically don't know the last names of the kids in tae kwon do, so I never made the connection.
Yesterday Kate received her red tae kwon do belt at the Team Chip tae kwon do Belt Ceremony.
Kate sliding her high-blue belt behind her signifying putting her past behind her.
Her black belt presenter tying on her red belt belt. She looks pleased as punch with her new belt.
I have absolutely no clue what this pose is all about. I stopped taking pictures after this because I could tell more weird faces were going to come.
I know I am forgetting some major event of the past few weeks, so if the forgotten included you I am sorry for the oversight. Kate starts school next Monday and I hope to have a little more time, but not to spend on myself, just to clean this darn house! We have just been running, running, running and I have been struggling just to get dinner on the table. It's a good night if we are eating before 7:30 pm. Time to get Katers out of the bathtub before she's a prune. Ciao.
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