Progress Update

Our Bug is growing up so fast. I just realized it has been a while since I've posted some of her latest and greatest new "tricks". Seems like she learns something (or a few somethings) every day.

Enjoy more "Scooch" shots in between. She's been quite busy around here "helping" me and loving on her doggies more and more. They have been awesomely patient and accepting of the extra snuggles and kisses. Thank goodness!

At our last Dr. visit Tatum weighed 25 pounds and 8 ounces. That's almost exactly 20 pounds more than when she was born (and about 1/5 of me!). She wear size 5 shoes! They are about half the size of my feet!

We saw Dr. Pruitt for more allergy symptoms. He's got her on some new medicines that I think still need tweaking, but I'm happy it's only allergies and not a virus or cold. Other than swatting my hands away when I wipe her nose she is not bothered at all with her symptoms.

Her favorite things to do these days are:

Play with her matchbox cars
Wear beads
Lay on the dog beds, random towels, and pillows
Get into all the things she shouldn't
Run (new trick!)
Climb stairs
Eat (nothing new really)
"Go!" (anywhere)
Read books in your lap
Bring you toys to play with and sit down in front of you to emphasize her want to play, even if you are standing
Whip all items from her toy box over her head and around the room violently
Show off her radar for remotes, keys, glasses, and phones
DANCE, DANCE, DANCE

(Yes, she's stuck half way in/out of the tub! SO FUNNY! And yes, I ran to get the camera before I helped her.)

Tatum's Vocabulary:

GuCK: (emphasis on the CK) truck (or car at this point)
Curh: car
Wrum Wrum: vroom vroom
GO!: this is always an exclamation
Dada: even when asked to say Mama
What does a cow say: moooooooo
Uh-oh: her first word
Tee: kitty
Yow Yow Yow: meow, meow, meow
Uuk: book
bah: ball
nigh nigh: night, night

Of course she understands SO MUCH more than we even know!

Yep, that little pink thing on her head is a BOW! I have to admit that I think it's pretty cute and I actually like it. Too bad that was about the only day that she wore it without ripping it (and some hair) out immediately after I put it in! I'll keep trying...

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day Z!
We love you so much.

Per Zach's request, we had breakfast at the Wimberley Cafe and then headed over to my parent's house to swim. Our friends from Austin, Jenny & Joel (and their girls, Larkin and Willa) came over to take a dip too and we had a very fancy Pizza Hut lunch. :)

Overall, it was completely relaxing and a wonderful way to celebrate our Dada!

Tatum being a goober on the back porch.

Watching Dada and Uncle Joel have a cannonball contest. The girls LOVED the huge splashes!

Dada and Uncle Joel

Zach and I got to spend some much needed quality time together while Tatum napped inside. It was awesomely relaxing to just float in the pool and chat.... and so awesomely HOT! I think it was 102 on Sunday?

T got to take a dip when she woke up. As usual, it was way too bright for her little sensitive eyes, so she was pretty squinty. I'm not sure if she's trying to kiss me here or eat my glasses.

There's nothing like skinny dipping! She tolerated the water better this time, but we kept it short and sweet. She's definitely warming up to the pool more and more each time!

Scooch

Scooch is what I like to call Tatum when she's gettin' into trouble.
Here are a few shots of life in Scooch's world lately.

She's mastered getting IN to the old, old, old rocking chair we have in the living room. This is fine and dandy EXCEPT she doesn't know how to get out. Oh, and it's what's hiding the littler box in the living room too. I think we'll be finding something else to go there. It just can't take the wear and tear of a 14 month old!

Look Mama! I can see you upside down. Bug gets in this position a couple times a day now. And she's just so proud of herself when she does.

The dogs have been getting lots of love lately. This comes in the form of tons of hugs and kisses and some pretty aggressive snuggles too! Thank goodness they are all very tolerant of their newest best friend.

Hey wait! That doesn't go there. Somebody was ready for tubby time a little early last week and brought me her tubby to prove it!

Who knew pantries were so much fun to play peek-a-boo in! Especially when you're wearing your signature beads.

I just had to throw this one in the mix too. She's certainly not getting into any trouble here. We try to remember to take a few pictures of ME and Bug every once in a while as I'm usually the photographer. I'd like her to know who I am, you know?? :)

New Braunfels' Landa Park

We took a trip with my parents just a little south of Wimberley to New Braunfels to ride the train at Landa Park. My parents took me to ride the very same train there when I was less than a year old! It was a beautiful morning and PERFECT for train riding and feeding the ducks.

Well, WE fed the ducks.... Tatum fed herself :)


After Landa Park, we took another short trip south to SA and ate at one of our favorite burger joints, Chris Madrid's! With full bellies, we drove back to my parent's house and Tatum and Zach took a dip in the pool.

Tatum's made progress in the pool! She'll now jump to Zach from the side and "blow" bubbles!

Welcome to the world Emerson Kate!

She's here!

My good friend from high school, Hillary, had her second baby on Tuesday, Emerson Kate.
She joins big brother Jackson who is 18 months old.
Emerson arrived after only 4, yes FOUR, pushes!

You go Hil!

Visit her blog:
http://www.jacksondeanhiler.blogspot.com/

Busy, Busy

I've been trying to tackle my to-do list(s) for a while and I finally made some progress!

I found the directions for these "Crinkle Squares" on an awesome blog I visit called Joy's Hope. They were VERY easy to make and with my mom's help, we had one made and the rest were ready to be sewn. Aren't they cute? You stick something crinkly in between the soft layers like plastic from a wipe bag to make it noisy. I have every intention of sending them to a few friends and cousins who are due any day now. I just need to get to the post office and DO IT!

While I was at Cowgirls & Lace in Dripping to get the super soft fabric for the crinkle squares, I picked up some SUPER FUN oil cloth fabric for my kitchen cabinets. Being that our cabinets take up an entire wall in the kitchen, it was an instant (and CHEAP) kitchen makeover! Zach isn't exactly thrilled with the cherries, but he's humoring me.

Too girly?? Tatum can't quite tell me, but she LOVES it... I just know.

Coming Soon:
Our garden (read: our HUGE ongoing project) is looking awesome! I've taken some new pictures of the green beans, corn, tomatoes, and watermelons and will post soon! But my "new" pictures need updating already. We were out watering last night and the quarter size watermelon is now about the size of a gigantic softball! Yipee!

Water Bug

Tatum June has discovered the water hose. The girl can drink!!!

Tatum still dearly loves her baths.
She's getting a little big for the sink, but doesn't she look comfortable?

She's still a little scared of the pool, but I think it's more a matter of how bright the darn sun is as opposed to the water itself. We're trying to take some dips in the evenings when it's not so bright and she's doing better!

What'd You Do To Get Those Beads Bug?

So, lately Tatum's favorite thing to do is wear her beads. She'll put them on all by herself in the morning and wear them all day. Sometimes, just sometimes, she'll offer for you to wear them. (Of course, I'm keeping a close eye on her and she's not sleeping with them!)

Gramma had a HUGE bag of them, so a few weeks ago we took a handful of them home. She has played with them on and off since, but nothing like lately. It's funny that our little tom boy who LOVES her cars also LOVES her pretty necklaces.

Tatum's also really into peek-a-boo and chasing after her saying, "I'm gonna get you!". I caught these action shots while hiding in the kitchen while she cruised around the corner to "get me". She's so adorable....