53 days until the BIG DAY!! As in the day that one year ago our baby Tatum was born!
She is officially 10 months old and life is getting pretty crazy around here. You can take your eyes off of her, but beware...she has lightning fast skills when it comes to crawling. She's smart too...she knows when you don't want her to follow you. She just smiles and keeps on going!!
At 10 months old life has all sorts of new and exciting things our Little Miss Tatum. You are officially pulling yourself up on anything you can...couch, coffee table, your crib, my leg. Thomas and Taylor are learning quickly that nothing is safe when you're around. Your "official" first word is Mama, however I am not totally convinced you aren't just babbling that sounds like. You will say "Hi" and wave bye-bye to yourself and today Thomas taught you how to clap your hands. I have a sneaky suspicion there will be lots of firsts in the next few months.
My house is officially back to its original self...with the exception of the tree that needs to be taken outside. I woke up this morning and couldn't look at anything that said Christmas one more minute. I love decorating for the holidays, but when it's over...I'm over it!
Christmas was pretty quiet this year as we opted to stay home on Christmas Eve. I laughed midday because it felt nothing like years past. Christmas morning on the other hand was absolutely like years past. Thomas and Taylor were up at 6am whispering in my ear that Santa had come. And by 7am we were done opening our presents and getting ready to head to my parents house. We were all spoiled by both Santa and our families! The kids have just come off their Christmas high and I couldn't be happier.
I'm not sure Tatum knew what was going on, but I definitely enjoyed watching her reaction to everything. I imagine next year will be much more exciting for her, but I am in no hurry to find out.
It turns out all I needed was some cookie decorating with my kids and my mom to officially get me ready for Christmas!! And if my dad hadn't have been watching football and Tatum...Christmas music would have put this day over the top. I will take the memories minus the music though!!
If you had asked me this morning I would have told you my prediction for cookie decorating 2012 to go as follows...
Tatum cries because I am not paying attention to her.
Thomas and Taylor are bored with decorating after two cookies.
My mom and I do all the decorating.
We leave with no good memories and zero chance of Cookie decorating 2013!!
And as luck would have it...
I was completely WRONG!!
They decorated enough to leave cookies for Santa at both Nana's house and our house!! I hope they leave extra to make up for the fact they were still on the naughty list yesterday!!
I imagine you have been wondering what happened to me!! Well I have been here, just not here. I am not lying when I tell you my laptop actually had a thin layer of dust on it. Although I love the holidays and can't wait for Christmas morning to see my kids' faces, I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited for it all to be over. I am really looking forward to January!!
But since I have been MIA for almost a month I will give you a little recap of our month.
Two Holiday Performances
One Dance Recital
Two Birthday Dinners
One Birthday Lunch and Movie
Two Doctor Visits
Some Christmas Shopping
And...
A WHOLE LOT MORE I CAN'T REMEMBER!!
Stay tuned for the big Christmas post...it's only 3 days away!!
7 years ago I became a mom and every day since I have been lucky enough to call this kid my son!!
In 7 years this is some of what I have learned...
Being a mom is a job that you don't get paid to do no matter how much you deserve it...
Being a mom requires patience that you are not born with...
Being a mom is resisting the urge to pour yourself a glass of wine at 9am...
Being a mom means grocery shopping and peeing without interruption are like Christmas presents...
Being a mom means you talk just to hear yourself talk MOST of the time...
Being a mom makes you appreciate sleep and silence in a whole new way...
BUT MOST OF ALL...
To me being a mom means I have gotten and continue to get to see this kid grow up. He has a huge heart and wears it on his sleeve. He hates to lose and he hates to clean. He is an AMAZING big brother and an even more amazing son. He is mine and he makes me smile everyday.
Our Christmas cards are on their way...no this is not the picture that made the final cut!! You should know me a little better than that, I don't want to spoil the surprise!! At first I was a little totally annoyed that I took approximately 90 pics of my kids and NOT A SINGLE ONE were all three looking at the camera, but then I remembered that if they had been looking at the camera they wouldn't be MY kids.
And it turned out to be my favorite Christmas card to date!!
I will reveal the final card once the USPS has done their job!!
Yesterday was the Kinderbugs Holiday Boutique and like years past the there was an appearance by good ol' Santa Claus. Like last year my kids pointed out that he was NOT the real Santa. I told them that although they were correct...they would still be sitting on his lap, telling him what they wanted and letting me take their picture. Since it is Tatum's first Christmas I actually think we will be visiting the "mall" Santa, but just in case we do not...
Can you tell who wasn't a fan? I am pretty sure the mall will be no different, but she hasn't been feeling to good this weekend, so MAYBE it wasn't Santa that was the problem.
I am a few days late, but if you look at Thomas and Taylor's baby books I am a few years late, so I think we're OK.
I probably said this last month or even the month before, but Tatum I can not believe you are nine months old. I actually made the appointment for your one year check up and I am almost positive I felt my heart ache. Should I start planning your party now?!? Too early?? OK fine I will wait til after Christmas, but then all bets are off.
Anyhoo...
You are the one thing that makes everyone in this house smile. No matter what is going on, no matter how any of us are feeling...the second we make eye contact with you...we can't help but smile. I am smiling just typing this.
It's been another busy month for you Lil Sis. You cut two more teeth...this time on the top, but like a champ it didn't seem to phase you at all. Like another little girl in our house you are already super independent. You have no desire to lay cuddly in my arms anymore. Yep...again my heart aches. I had high hopes you would be my kid that likes to cuddle! Not holding my breath for that anymore. We've been ditching the car seat more often because frankly mom is sick of carrying it...which means riding in the carts. You are just like your brother and sister were...super curious about everything sitting in the cart entails.
We tried another sleep over at Nana and Papa's house and minus your new dislike for Lucy and Otis (what is up with that?) you did pretty good. I even think you might warming up to Papa finally. We will revisit that in a month though and see if it stuck. You are into EVERYTHING and when I say "into" I mean everything goes into your mouth. I forgot that part and the solution eludes me. Oh well I guess I will just keep telling myself you are building up your immune system. Bad mom??
Happy 9 Month Birthday Tatum Marie!! May I be blessed with the energy daily to keep up with you and the shenanigans you get into!
I may or may not have yelled at my kids this week.
I may or may not have cried because of my kids this week.
AND I definitely questioned my ability to raise 3 good, respectful kids this week.
BUT...
After all was said and done and I sat on the 4th stair with my head in my hands I decided there was more to be thankful for than not...
So without further ado I will give you my list this year...
1. For all the moments when being a mom seems thankLESS... there are moments that make it all worth it. On Tuesday night I went into my closet to get ready for a school function, I put on jeans and boots and then grabbed a shirt...a shirt I thought was cute...Taylor came around the corner and said "Mom, that shirt is UGLY!" All I could do was laugh...Oh and change my shirt!! The absolute brutal truth only comes from kids and for that I am very Thankful!
2. As Tatum's 9 month birthday is one week away I can say I am SOOOOOO thankful that I have had another happy, healthy baby!! Life can dish out A LOT...but at the end of the day if my kids are healthy I know how lucky I am!
3. There are days when I still wish I had a job, mostly because I just want an excuse to get away, but I am actually VERY thankful I have the LUXURY of being a stay at home mom! But what I am even more THANKFUL for...is having a husband that gives me that luxury. I don't give him enough credit...I am not sure he could do what I do all day, but I doubt I could do what he does either! I love my hubby!
4. I am very thankful for my friends. I have had a few rough days lately and nothing beats friends who listen to you vent! It is a whole lot cheaper than therapy, which would require me to make an appointment and get a babysitter! If there is one thing I have learned over the last few years it is that I am not alone.
5. My mom...she keeps me busy. Her creativity spills over on me and for that I am thankful. She thinks I can do anything even if I strongly disagree!! I love you mom!!
My plate has been full lately...that's the excuse. Up until Halloween I had completely neglected all things in and around my house which is why for the last two days I have done nothing but CLEAN!!! And I am happy to say I have an empty laundry basket...an organized closet...a large batch of homemade applesauce...and my Halloween decorations are down and put away!!
But even though I have closed the book on Halloween 2012 and am now counting down the days until Black Friday Thanksgiving I had to share pics of my little munchkins!!!
As usual my talented mom shared her seamstress skills and whipped up Taylor's costume. She got off relatively easy this year (wink wink) because I only requested one handmade costume. Thomas got to pick his own from the store and I ended up buying Tatum's after deciding she may only tolerate it for minutes. Thank you mom for another AMAZING costume!!!
Taylor was Little Bo Peep and Tatum was her sheep (or lamb) and Thomas was an army guy!!
The girls got to wear their costumes twice that day, once for Taylor's school party and then to trick or treat!! Thomas had to wait til that night, but now that he is getting a little older he didn't seem to mind.
ALL 3 made it the whole night with no tears and no fights!! Two of them came home with completely full buckets and the other one having put smiles on tons of faces!!! It was another awesome Halloween!!
Personally I think they look adorable, but I might be slightly bias!!
It has just officially hit me how close you are to turning a year old!! Last year at this time I was trying to convince myself that with the holidays, time would fly by and it would be February before I knew it. I am not sure then it felt like the time was flying by, but since then I can definitely say that it has.
Another month come and gone, but lots to report...
You took your first trip and it was a biggy...Disneyland. You were an absolute rock star and lasted every day with the rest of us. Your favorite ride was The Little Mermaid ride, but I think It's A Small World was a close second! I kid...I kid...even you thought that was a snoozer!
You have 2 teeth now and haven't let it phase you one bit.
You are a huge fan of Gerber Puffs...or as I refer to them...the baby drug of choice!! Nana and I tried giving you some plain old cheerios and well...someone is a little spoiled and wasn't a fan.
Aunt KiKi and I were discussing the fact that you DO NOT laugh and well it's true. I have officially heard you LAUGH two times, both while watching your brother. I am not going to read too much into that because it raises a few questions like You don't find mommy funny?? Or Of all the people in our family you find Thomas to be the funniest?? Anyhoo...maybe by nine months you will find mommy funnier!
I am not sure how much weight you have gained, but you have definitely gotten taller. I know this because I was finally able to retire your 3 month onesies!! One more month and we will know where you land on those charts.
And last but certainly not least...you are a crawling machine and sitting up with little to no assistance. Dad is not a huge fan of you crawling...he prefers you to stay in one place. I am not positive if it is for your safety or his sanity, either way he is not a fan. I don't mind you crawling all over the place however, but I would prefer you NOT to put EVERYTHING in your mouth. Just sayin'!!
Such a fierce and intimidating name for 10 boys that are all under 48 inches tall. don't you think?!! Yep...that's the name of Thomas' football team and although they may not be fierce and intimidating...they are winning nonetheless. It is the highlight of my weekends watching my little man. Thomas absolutely loves football. Oh lets be honest...Thomas loves ALL sports, but football is definitely his favorite.
Watching him never gets old and I am glad that with the wonderful AZ weather he gets to play two seasons of football!!
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