conversations with Cate

Oh my sweet little Cate... she is the most unique baby girl I've ever known-- bursting with life and wonder and joy. She's quick to giggle and operates only at full-speed ahead. She's passionate and stubborn and tender and kind. Lights up a room with that big smile and is just down right funny. I'm confident that her brain fires constantly and she says or does whatever crosses it. Impulsive, you might say. Spontaneous. Fun. Challenging. All wrapped up in one beautiful almost-four-year old little girl body.

Normally, I tuck Nora in and Jordan puts the big kids to bed. For some reason, tonight we switched rolls and I found myself snuggled up next to my middle baby, laying there lost in conversation. I don't want to forget these conversations, her scattered remarks, her quick thinking-- so here I am to jot it down.

We started out talking about what she wants to be when she grows up. Her response? A horse. When I explained to her that she would always be a human, she decided riding one would be good enough. "A cowgirl, then," she decided. I asked her where she would get her horse from, and she said she would buy one... except she didn't have money. "We should go to Papaw's house, because he has money," she said. When I told her that Papaw had to work for his money (as does the rest of the world), she decided she'd be a 'How It's Made' worker... you know, "because I like to make things" she said. The first thing she wants to make is cupcakes. Chocolate for her mama, she said. And then next she would make lightbulbs. And heaters. and paint. 'Oh, I want to be a painter!' she interjected. 'Did you know that I saw a fish skeleton by the lake with Mrs. Dumas?' she said immediately following the painter remark. (ha!) And then she moved on to being a bride. With a white, sparkly dress- no lace. She would then later have four boys and four girls.. except for when I explained that four plus four was eight, she concluded that she only wanted three. She'd name them Caleb, LuggyBunny, and Ella. And she would make them cake, too, she said. "Where will I live, Mama?" she asked. "Where is the house store? Where did we buy this house? Can I live at the lakehouse we just went to?" she streamed out loud. And then moving on...  "sometime, I'd like to try and make hair. Out of soft blankies. That I cut and paint. Oh nevermind, that won't work," she decided.
I started to uncover and tuck her in, let her know it was time to sleep. "Just one more thing, mama!"... "I can draw really good lady bugs. And Corban drew a good butterfly at school today. I mean tomorrow. Oh, you know, the other time."

and that was that.
Ha!
Isn't she wonderful? I put a picture of her up tonight on Instagram... just bathed, jammie-clad, sweetest smile. She looked at me so sweetly and then leaned in and whispered, "I want to go fight my daddy now." and then off she ran to wrestle with the boys.
So perfectly Cate.
And I would not want it any other way.