Kateri Amelia, THREE

Kateri Amelia "Kitty" "Kate" Gokie is 3 years old! 
I can't believe it! David and I did the math and we've officially had Kitty as part of our family now longer than we were together before we got married (if that sentence makes sense...).

She has quite a personality but really is a total sweetheart most of the time (aka when she gets her way). She loves all of us and prays for everyone in her family every night by name, and heaven help us if we try to shorten the prayer.

We think the terrible twos were avoided, but the threenager in her is coming out something fierce in the last couple weeks. She whines and throws neat little tantrums/crying fits when things go her way, but that's to be expected for a three year old, I suppose.

She is a dream when it comes to imaginative play - most days. She loves to wheel her little cars around, make dinner for her stuffed animals and Cora and me, vacuum and sweep her house, go to the "grocery shopping" and the post office. I can count on a good 3 solid hours of independent play from her in the mornings, and usually more outside after naptime when it's nice.

Kitty's known to make friends wherever she goes - she is 1000% extrovert to the core, which is exhausting for this introverted mama. It's so great to see her grow into this little independent person, who will go up to strange kids on the playground and ask them to play with her. She can win over the hearts of pretty much anyone when she sets her mind to it, knowing that a smile and hug and kiss will make everyone ooo and ahhh over her - she uses them to her advantage.

All around she's a loving little girl, an adventurer, a risk-taker, and a friend-maker. She's just great.

Some of her favorite things include:
+ Playing outside with her bicycle and mini car
+ Reading books, anytime & anywhere
+ Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (every.darn.day. for lunch)
+ Pushing her stroller/shopping cart around in circles
+ Hide and seek with Dada
+ Wearing necklaces, dresses, headbands, ribbons, anything girlie
+ Watching Clifford and Daniel Tiger
+ Praising Cora when she rolls over
+ Coloring and painting
+ Putting things in the mailbox "Just wike Daniel Tiger does!"
+ Going to rosary group or the playground to visit Dada
+ Facetiming with her family

Some stats about our sweet Kitty!
Height: 38"
Weight: 33-34 lbs
Shoe size: Toddler 8
Clothing size: 3T-4T

Some recent quotes:
"Dis isn't married. Dis is just church!" (with her arms spread wide and a concerned look on her face)
referring to the fact that at my cousin's wedding, we were just in a church, nothing special here...

"Row row row your boat, gently down the STREET."
Will not be corrected to stream, no matter how hard you try.

"Cobuz you haz a headache?"
Me when I ask her to stop being loud, pretty much anytime. Cobuz is her cute way of saying because.

"Mama, I wanna see Cora's diaper."
Why? It's yucky.
"I wanna see it!"
No honey, it's gross. Why would you want to see it?
"I just want to...it's complicated."


I finally remembered to take a birthday interview video! Click through to watch if you're on a reader, I don't think it'll show up right.

Kateri Amelia turns 3! from Hannah Gokie on Vimeo.

If you're curious:

birth story

year 1

year 2

Having a three year old seems out of the realm of possibility. I keep saying that with these growing up posts but it's really true, the 3 years have gone by in the blink of an eye. We can't imagine our lives with out her joy in them.

Happy birthday sweet Kitty!

love,

your mama, daddy, and sister