Dear Kate,
Mommy cannot wait to meet you! And your big sis is just as excited (and yes, Daddy, too, and maybe even Kitty - okay, not Kitty, but you get the point, we're all excited!), but you still have a few more weeks to go, maybe like 6ish?? You've been in Mommy's belly for 34 weeks now and man alive, have you been on some adventures. I don't know what got me thinking about it, but just the other day I thought, goodness, this baby girl hasn't even entered our world and she's done some fun stuff!! In late February, we went on our annual ski trip. You will soon see, and hopefully take after me and not your Daddy, that I am obsessed with snow skiing. I heart it. And because it typically only happens once a year (for awhile, not at all!), I really jump on the opportunity. This year though, I had to think about other things, i.e. you - and so I did, and decided to take it down a notch. Just a little notch (i.e. no blacks), and it worked out perfectly. I was able to get my annual dose of skiing in and I'm pretty sure you enjoyed it as well :)
Then, in April Mommy went with your big sis's BFF to Austin. I definitely played it safe here, but we still had tons of fun. We even had a flat tire and TRIED to use you as a sympathy card - but people in Austin didn't seem to care that a preggars was changing a tire, or maybe I didnt stick my belly out far enough :) Next on the 'to do' list was run a marathon. Yeah, you heard me - well, a half marathon. And, well, there wasn't much running involved. I have a close friend whose Daddy is sick and so we 'run' the marathon in honor of him. Aunt Ash-ash was kind enough to participate with me, and by that I mean she was nice enough to patiently 'run' at my pace!! We had lots of fun, though! THEN, you got to go to the beach!!! This was our annual beach trip with the gang, and you did fantastic. It was a good time to go because I was past the beginning stage of sporting you around but hadn't reached the last stage. So we both enjoyed the beach rather well. We've done lots of fun stuff this summer like go to the lake and lots and lots of swimming. You got to go to your first U2 concert!!! That was a big hit for me. I hope you will one day get to see them in person rather than just listening to them live. Oh, and man alive was it hot. But, being pregnant has it perks. People were super nice to me and were giving me compliments all night long. Between seeing The Edge in my hometown and being told by multiple people "you look so precious", it was a great night :) And then to wrap up your adventures inside my belly, me, Abs and her BFF, Sarah, decided to make one last trip to the beach. That's right, we just came back, and yes, I'm in that last stage, but, I must say, you did quite well, considering. I think it helped that Sarah was there and that when the two of us are together, we totally take it easy! And we did. Lots of hanging around, lounging on the beach, chillin' in the pool. You clearly enjoyed your time and I think wanted to pop on out in that pool because you kicked like crazy all week!! Mommy would sit her book on my belly and we'd just watch it bounce left and right and up and down!!! We were laughing so hard because it was like you were saying 'get me out of here! I want to swim with my sister!!'
Now we're headed into the last 6 weeks (if that!!). Mimi came up last week and helped me get all prepared for you and your arrival. We, fine, Mimi washed all your clothes and folded them by size. It's so weird to see all your clothes because they were all Abby's and it just doesn't seem like she was ever that small, but then I think about you in my belly and think 'please be that small!!!!' We've set up your 'room' and even got a few 'supplies'. I put 'room' in quotes because, well, you don't get a room just yet! I know, sounds terrible huh, but in reality it's SOOO not and your big sis would die for your establishment! See, we're building a house and it's not going to be ready until probably a month or so after you are born, so in the mean time, we're just putting you in our room. We're using your cousin Clara Lee's changing table and the cradle all your Clark cousins (and Abs) used! I personally think it's a rather cute set up. Of course everything is pink, so how could it not be. Anyway, so we're all ready and prepared for you! Maybe give it a couple more weeks, then feel free to make your entrance, although if Mimi has it her way, she'd make you stay until your due date (member, it's her birthday!!).
I love you baby girl, and so does the rest of your family!! We cannot wait to meet you, to see your pretty little face, to tickle your tiny little toes, to hear that pretty little voice, even if it is a cry!!!
Hugs and kisses from all around!!!!!
