On Mother's Day, as I was just beginning my journey as your mom - I posted my status on Facebook as "Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible women in Rob and I's life..." This statement is so, SO true. Our family has some pretty amazing women in it. From your marathon running Aunt Cassie (maybe someday my body will look like hers??) to your Mema, Grandmim, Grandma Sugar, and boss lady Aunt Stacy - you really are lucky to have such strong women to look up too.
One very special lady who is very near and dear to my heart is Auntie Kathy Casto. I know Auntie Kathy through your Grandmim. They are very good friends (besties as Stacy and I tease)....and while I don't remember the exact details of our first meeting (most likely at the scrapbook store)- she is so special to us now. It's almost like she's just always been a part of our family...and man have we been on some adventures!
(Kathy and her husband Dave at your dad and I's wedding)
(Kathy showing of her funny side in the photobooth at the wedding)
When the Cloud ladies decided we wanted to go to Kenya in the summer of 2007 - Kathy came along too! It actually worked out perfectly as Auntie Stacy and I were roommates and Auntie Kathy and Grandmim were roommates. Kathy managed to herd us hang with us for 14 days - mothering us each day - reminding us to eat breakfast, bring our snacks and cameras, hustle us into the open air jeeps, and tuck us safely into our "luxury tent" each night. (If only someone would have given her the right adapter for her beloved curling iron - which ended up a melted, bent mess). She will likely kill me the next time she sees me for posting these pictures!
(In the back of our open air jeep!)
(Hanging out in the lodge - pre curling iron melt down :)
Since Kenya, Kathy has been such a wonderful part of my life and now yours! She is quick with a helping hand (just ask Stacy about Kathy hanging the curtain rod in her house), generous in spirit (half the plants in my garden are likely from her), can keep it real (she called my poppy out on his big old belly), and she's one of those people who keeps chocolate in her house all the time. Everytime we go over there - she has these little chocolate covered crunchy bits in a candy dish (side note: I think people with candy dishes are the BEST! Who doens't love chocolate?)
Kathy also has what I like to refer to as "real life skills" - like she knows how to use power tools, can probably change the tire on her car, understands how all her appliances work and just how to fix them (or who to call if she can't), figured out how to get the fire going in the terra cotta pot for smores (apparently it needs air circulation) - and even fixed my parents timer on their Christmas blow mold nativity. All this time though - I thought her main talent was scrapbooking - but she was holding out on us Max! She crocheted you the most beautiful baby blanket. It's soooo soft and huggable. Perfect for your little body to cuddle up with. I couldn't resist doing a little photo shoot with you all wrapped up in it.
(The ironic part is that Kathy also gave us most of the bedding we registered for when getting married) - so this picture is special for lots of reasons!)
(Max has deemed this blanket perfect for napping on. Man, this picture doesn't feel that long ago - but Max you are certainly growing on us!)
Then, she went and surprised us again - with cross-stitched baby booties!
(Max - you are going to be a total babe magnet with these monogrammed shoes!)
Little did we know that she was cross stitching up a storm....because on Father's Day she gave us another present - beautiful cross stitched bibs and a sippy cup to boot. And man, cross stitching is serious business - it's not one of those hobbies you can do while catching up on The Bachelorette (or is that just me?) You have to really be paying attention, counting stitches, and keeping it all from getting to be a big knotted mess on the back. Amiright??!! She does impeccable work!
(Look at the detail - can I really put these on you Max? They are practically works of art!)
You just never know what Auntie Kathy has up her sleeve (or at her house - did I mention the hummingbirds? She has lots of beautiful hummingbirds - so many in fact that she had to get a special "swing" for them to sit on while they take turns on the feeder...it's pretty adorable).
So Max, while I work on getting my mama sea-legs - we are so lucky to have such wonderful women (and men!) in our lives. They make me feel more capable and confident as a new mommy - but more importantly, they surround us with love and support everyday!
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