Author: Blog-admin

We love to practice. Ok, I probably love it more. The thing is, I’m taking piano WITH her so I can learn. So, I get excited every time we play because I get to play also.

Today, she played the song, “Rockets,” and it truly soared. It has the harmony going because we finally are playing a melody with two hands harmonizing.

She got it, and she’s pretty excited!

Later, we worked on the puzzle from church. She wanted to figure out the CODE. We did it together and the answer was Psalm 13. Well, the end of it when David is singing of God’s steadfast love.

Kind of like I feel for Tot.

Occasionally, Tatum and I get a night to ourselves. Mom will have Bible Study or movie night.

This night, I think my expectations exceeded reality. I envisioned us engaging in a deep philosophical discussion about playground antics or how did God work in your day today.

I set the table with special placemats, and I even made PIZZA (Ok, Gluten free/cauliflower crust but it was still PIZZA!)

I think she was excited.

I know I was.

(Notice Coti’s strategic positioning)

Anyhoo, our conversation was not deep nor spiritual, however, it was silly and fun. We often play questions basically meaning that each one gets to ask the other a question. OR, we play stories. One tells a story, and then you get to ask questions or make comments upon the story’s finale. It’s riveting really.

I ask her questions like:
Was anyone playing alone today?
Did you laugh today and at what?

What is something you wish you could tell me but are afraid to!?

See? These could go any direction. Tonight, I’m not sure they got the intended effect. BUT, we did have fun, and we did laugh a lot. Oh, and we definitely had cookies. Key ingredient to the evening.

I LOVE YOU TOT!!!

Often when I put Tatum to bed, I’ll run downstairs to get my water bottle, to get my laundry, to get a snack, or what not. I’ll hear the pitter patter of footsteps.

What is she doing???

Then, I’ll go in my room, and I’ll find this sitting on my reading chair.

Be still my heart.

It happens often.

So, of course,  I return the love with my own little note.

Then she gets surprised in the morning.

Sneaky but incredibly sweet.

Coti and I were Tot’s students yesterday. She had her list going on the board if we blurted out. Our name would be erased!  No grace there. None. You blurt; you lose.

So we were silent until she asked us a question. Then if you know the answer, you may quietly raise your hand. Coti paid CLOSE attention to Tatum because he did not want to disappear into the eraser never to return!

Thank you Tatum for being a great teacher!

 

 

It’s a Monday. Tot is off today due to Columbus sailing the ocean blue in 1492. So, it started with:

Mommy watch this:

The stools have become the monkey bars.

Coti, what do you think?

He just wants her to drop a blueberry or some oatmeal. This is pretty much what his kitchen job is.

That or this:

It’s a rough life.

Ok, onto our day.
We went skating and Tatum wanted now to show me her monkey ears.

When we got home, we found out she has a test on Friday on some sounds, spelling and math. So, now, it’s time to monkey around with making test prep fun!
I told her I’d be the teacher and she could be my student. I set up the white board on the chairs, and she asked if baby could be a student too.

We got our respective hats on:

And we are ready!

Ok, Tot: Write down this sentence: 3 + 7 =. Then answer it!

Then we did some spelling: YES!

a:

Here’s a tricky one! KISS:

I can’t think of a better Monday with my girl. Plus, we made test prep fun!  Monkeying around with my little monkey is truly memorable.

Eeks! Officially, he has his innards showing. What now, Mom!?
A needle and thread always does the trick.

She picked orange. Meet her new orange-nosed baby.

Nose to orange nose feels just right.

Thanks mommy for sealing him up with a kiss!

I decided to give Tatum access to a camera through my iPhone. We went to the aquarium to try out her ability to SEE what she could see.

The sloth, Squidney, was actively itching himself which caused him to fall asleep. It took him about 3 minutes to scratch with one arm, then he switched. Tatum took a video of the whole process. It was exhausting to watch this little guy move so slowly.

Then a close up of this black-nosed slow poke.

We moved on to more still creatures, but he wouldn’t hesitate to bite off her head. She snapped him before he would snap her!

She took many more, but these were her favorites. But of course the piece d’resistance was Coti. She had to feed him some of her play milk and strawberry cookies.

He looked more tired than the sloth.

OH, Tot. You have such an eye to capture the true emotion!