Monday, March 30, 2009

Just a little journaling...

Don't worry, she went straight to the bath after this lunch! Tatem loves pasta! Her favorite is shells with Alfredo sauce! She is such a great eater! She eats everything by herself except for her beloved sweet potatoes. She still loves her baby food sweet pa-tots! Other foods she loves: bananas, strawberries, blueberries, oatmeal, puffs, carrots, green beans, black beans, the veggies and noddles from Progresso Chicken Noddle soup, cheese, Mac n cheese, apple sauce, pears, and anything we are eating. It always tastes better off the mom or dads fork for some reason, right? Seriously, do I have to put a baby-gate around the toys? She's crazy! She thinks everything needs to be climbed. She still loves climbing up and running on the couch. She's really quite the dare devil. Not a thrill-seeker so much, just a dare devil. There's a small difference between the two! Tatem is confidant in everything she does! Ian thinks she has a cocky strut to her walk. And, she's gotten pretty good a running. When she's just walking around the house minding her own business, I love to sneak up behind her and scare the crap out of her. In her attempt to run away from me with her fast feet, she becomes paralyzed with giggles and fright and will sometimes lose her balance. Ever seen those mini-billy goats that fall over stiff when they get scared? Legs straight out! Yeah! That's TOTALLY what happens to Tatem, so of course it makes me want to do it over and over. I'm like a 5 year old who keeps yelling BOO over and over and, really, after the first two times, it's just not that funny any more! But I can't stop!At first, Tatem wanted nothing to do with this hat her Grandma Service made her for Christmas. It's been sitting in her toy box (the ottoman) unused and lonely. I caught her the other day trying to put it on her head, which looked like she was just throwing it over her shoulder, over and over. It was so cute! I went over to offer my assistance and now it's one of her favorite toys right now. If it falls off, she will attempt to put it back on by herself. The other night, she brought the hat over to Ian and then tucked her chin into her chest and leaned toward him. She wore it around the house for a good 10 or 15 minutes! She is so independent! And she is very observant! I love that she tried to put that hat on by herself. The other day, I caught her rolling around on the floor, wrestling with my slipper, trying to put it on her foot. She also tries to put on her own socks. SHE MAKES ME LAUGH SO HARD. And of course, I think she's so dang cute and smart. (She's got her Daddy's looks. She's got her Mommy's smarts.) She loves it when Daddy comes home for lunch! If she's in her highchair, she kicks her legs in delight as she hears the door from the garage into the house open and shut. She says "hhhhhhiiiiieeeeeeee" (extra emphasis on the "H" and the "E") in her sweet little voice before she even sees him! If she's playing and hears that door open and shut, she instantly stops all play, looks up at me with those huge eyes like "did you hear that?" and then goes running toward the door saying her sweet "hhhhhhiieeeeee", again, before she even sees him.
Daddy took her outside to kick her pink little soccer ball around in the grass. Daddy made her work really hard on building her technique and skill as an 11 month old soccer champ! Running drills. Up-downs at the blow of a whistle. Relentless wind sprints. They came back into the house smelling like the outside. Ya know what smell I'm talking about. That smell when your kids have been playing outside, sweating, and getting dirty...ya know? Well, a girl can only sweat so much before she needs to feel like a princess again! A tutu is like a white tank top. You can wear it with just about anything!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

What you guys, what?

Monday, March 23, 2009

What's wrong with my Daughter?

She eats her bath bubbles!!!

My happy little Bubble Eater!
Tatem loves bath time. She will stop whatever she is doing if she hears the water running. She's not a big spasher even though I encourage it! However, she loves to lay on her tummy and look back at her kicking legs. While on her tummy, her daddy helps her with a few tidal waves. Every kid needs to master the art of a good tidal wave in the tub! Why not start early!?

Wednesday, March 18, 2009



Tatem has found a new love! She LOVES walking the length of the couch! We have taken out one of the cushions so she can climb up onto the couch by herself. She knows she has to turn around backwards if she wants to get down off of something, but she spent hours last night practicing getting off the cushion going forwards. She was real proud of herself (and whacked out crazy) by bedtime last night. I swear she dreamed of walking the couch all night long, because as soon as she woke up, she was out on the couch! She is a crazy monkey! Then Daddy came home for lunch again and chased her around. She loves to be scared! It's really funny to me!

In this video I love how she gets angry as she is forced to dismount the couch because of a pillow. She is one determined little girl. And I do mean LITTLE. She is sporting a new 9 month outfit today and it's still a little big on her. She'll be one next month!

Hey, look what I found!

Almost from birth Tatem has been know to hunt for the corners of her favorite blankie and slowly rub it on her face. Well, she found a "new corner" today when Dad came home for lunch!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

tippy toes

or should it be titled...sweet sideburns!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Feelin' a little like SPRING!


Helping Dad wash the car She was having a very intense conversation with the grass!

Thursday, March 12, 2009



Tatem loves to climb!! For the past 4 months she's had stairs to climb up and down, but now that we are back in Idaho in our own home, she only has this window sill to climb up into. She seems to be making good use of it.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

FRAZER

Spunky little 4 year old Frazer is home with her new family! I love everything about her! I loved how she walked into her new house for the first time with such confidence, as if she had already been there a million times. How she found Isaac and Owen and ran to give them hugs...until she saw the dog. (Then I and O hid in their room because they were nervous!) I loved how she grabbed my hand to go down the stairs and to explore the rest of the house.
I seriously was squealing! I love her! My sister-in-law, Sage, was in Ethiopia for nearly the entire month of February. Oh the stories she has to tell. But the one I can tell you about her is SHE IS AMAZING!!! COMPASSIONATE!!! LOVING!!! GIVING!!! (and receiving). BRAVE!!!
And A WAY BETTER WOMAN THAN ME!
Sage with her two little girls, Frazer (4) and Maya (20 months)
SISTERS!
It was nearly midnight when they finally got home, but there was still time to play "dress-up" for two little princess'. We woke Maya up out of a dead sleep! She was so excited to see her new sister and kept attacking her with hugs! Frazer finally put her arm around her when the cameras came out. Sage said Frazer will pose and smile for any camera!! Part of the culture of an orphanage. Hmmm, did I come from an orphanage?
Hey, there is a troll in your family picture!


I love her. Plain and simple - I LOVE HER!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

POOPIN' PALS

Memory lane again. Just humor me.
My twin nephews, Isaac and Owen.
Jenny - this is what you have to look forward to!

I've been traveling down memory lane...

and I can't stop laughing!