Category: Totally Tatum

Answer: She stayed in her bed with feet on the pillow (she wiggled around to that position), but she did NOT sleep in. 6am wide awake. I laid there and told her to go play with her Paw Patrol characters out in the living room. My darling sainted boyfriend awoke to play with her and they let me sleep. So that would be a YES I slept in and a NO Doug did not get to.

When I awoke around 7:30 (hallelujah), I saw Tatum and Doug playing happily together in the living room. We are all ready to fly the coup and go down to the beach.  As you can see by the picture, I’m the only one awake.

We headed down to go huntin’! For sea shells that is.

Success!

As we were walking to the beach, Doug had said he wondered if we’d find some sand dollars. Well….

Tot, a sand dollar!! We found so many of these little guys.

Drop ’em in girl!

OH we found so many, and Doug had the brilliant idea to collect some sand and fill some glass jars with some of the sand and our shells. We’ll write the date on the jars and now never forget this amazing trip. 

He thinks of everything!

Next stop, breakfast and then back to the hotel to change and get ready to load up for the beach. Stay tuned!
Questions: Will we be able to make one trip down to the beach? Will Tatum enjoy the sand? Will Doug and Mommy brave the waves on their boogie board? Find out more in Part 3!

The idea of even getting to go to CA was a dream. Then, throw in going to CA with Tot and Doug…and Coronado Island!? A pipe dream! But it came true. Thanks to Doug. He made it all possible with all of his planning, supplies, easy attitude and can-do spirit. Plus his love. This trip would have been a sheer disaster or more of a constant challenge had I attempted to do this as a lone wolf. Glad I was not that single wolfy lady.

What made it even more special was the fact that as a child, I never got to do stuff like this with my mom. We had no way to do it! That would now change with my Tatum.

OK, so we left on a Monday morning (Labor Day). Now, this was strategic thinking because we knew all would be returning home instead of arriving on Labor Day. The car ride promised to be a joy because Doug and I vowed to give Tot a new Paw Patrol character every 100 miles. Beautiful. She picked out of a grab bag each one; one by one. Rocky, Chase, Zuma, Skye, Everest, Rubble, Marshall, and of course Ryder. 

Doug was a skilled driver too. Much better than I could have done! Alert, fun, and focused! 

Our stop in El Centro was a highlight of the journey. The young man who served us at Subway commented that we were such a happy family and what a rarity that was. He was very kind and generous with portions too!

When we arrived in San Diego, I could smell the water. Then I spotted it: That gorgeous bridge to Coronado. Heaven, we have arrived. We drove up to our hotel, the El Cordova, and we chose the room with 2 bedrooms/2 baths. Very cozy and BIG!

The Mexican restaurant which surrounded our hotel wafted a scent that intoxicated Doug the whole time. Mmmmmmmm tacos y tortillas al fresco!

We instantly changed and headed down to the beach. But first..

Some silliness. Side note: I scoured the web searching for beach wear that would cover our very pale bodies. Success! Hats included.

It was time! Anticipation of seeing the sand, water, waves…all of it was bubbling up inside of me.  The minute we saw the sand, I awed about how God was so cool to put this sand here. No man could have done this. She was mesmerized. Let’s get that water!! Slowly slowly slowly, she approached. OK…

Let’s run!!!

 

 

 

You can do this TOT!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OOOH her little toes in the sand!

 

Run away!!

Together now We got this!

Now some awesome rocks to climb

Then we played hide and seek with Doug. She is a good little hider. Easy if you’re 3 feet tall!!

Then she attempted to take our picture. Or maybe this was the aim she wanted? We’ll never know.   And BINGO, She got it! 

After cruising around the Del, seeing cute birds, and playing in the sand a bit while we chased her…, 
We headed back to the hotel to get ready for the next day. Now, first we need to get Tot some dinner since Doug and I would enjoy a later dinner. We headed to a local Mexican restaurant and she wanted to taste the mango salsa. BAD idea, but natural consequences for her when she begged and I warned her. Her lips and mouth burned for 30 minutes and guess who carried her home. (she wanted me to). Milk to the rescue. (and Paw Patrol!)

What a great first night. Stay tuned for day 2! Questions to learn:  Will Tatum enjoy sleeping in her own bed? Will Tatum sleep in? Will the mommy get to sleep in? Will Doug have to entertain her in the morning? These inquiring questions and so much more!

We are trying to be more adventurous for lunch. Sometimes, I like to take her out. Today, we tried a cool new fresh asian food place called Foosia. Tatum and I got silly with our chopsticks. 

She decided they were more fun to poke the food with than to eat the food with. That is not the only thing she did with her hands today. She wanted to paint, but I did not think she meant herself. Well, her hands to be exact. They were a perfect mixture of blue, pink, purple, yellow and red.

Then, I got to be entertained. Again, Tatum’s imagination created a microphone. We were building these stackable cups, and next thing you know, she’s singing her lungs out!

More imagination every day with this girl. It is NEVER a dull moment! XXOO

Doug comes over and puts Tot to bed. Now, he is having us text a pic back and forth.

This is what I sent her:
 She said, “HI mommy!

Then Doug texts me back a pic of her:

Hi Tot! I cannot get enough of her precious eyes.

Doug has the whole night time routine down to a science. I’m very proud of him, and I know Tatum relishes every moment. We love you!

Scream!!! Lots of them on Tuesday. This all happened after our Nordstrom lunch. She blamed it on the raisins.

For some reason, both Tot and I were REALLY messy on Tuesday. She was not the only one with a bad tummy and very tired, but she had it worse than me.

“Mommy, my tummy is exploding.” That is what she kept telling me. Now, I wanted to laugh, but all I could do was rub her little back and comfort her. It reminded me of her baby years when EVERY DAY she had an “exploding” tummy. She wanted me to know that she did NOT have a tummy ache. No, it was gas (note the “explosion”) OH…OK, yes, I see.

Today, Wednesday, she woke up early with more complaints of explosions, but she still went to school. All I can do is hold her and let her know it will pass. It does pass, and then it “explodes.” She sure knows how to give me a word picture.

Love you, Tot.

Tatum sees me put my hair in a ponytail all of the time, (more like a big ball on my head) and she has been wishing her hair could be in some sort of holding device on her hair. Enter my ponytail holders from *&^* years ago (resurrected from who knows how or where they came from!?) WE attempted the other day to wear to school.

The only problem is that the holders never made it home. The playground must be wearing them? (I inquired)

So, we are sticking with home ponytails right now. 

Well as we rifled through the treasure trough of ancient ponytail devices, she discovered “cupcakes” for her babies. (Her sense of imagination amazes me). Many of them are broken, so I cut off the end and she put them in a baby bottle to feed Amy and Ann (her twin dolls which were mine). 

After this, she found some old post it not flags and made a man (she says) on the board. 

After this, she wanted to play with her new pillow! Mama made her a homemade SUPERMAN pillow, and she can’t get enough of it.

She even took it today to Vivian’s house to play with it. Of course after playing and jamming on the guitar. 

This ponytail, pillow-loving, playful little gal just rocks my world.

Robert brings out the bounce in Tatum.

I think these two will be friends for a long time. Where does she get her bounce?
Well, I showed her a picture of from my high school cheerleading days (AAAHHH!!!!), and she insisted we go to the play place so she could bounce as well. (With Robert, her BESTIE BFF of course)