Category: Totally Tatum

Sometimes the biggest messes we make create the best opportunity to clean up.

We do it every day; we make a mess of something. Maybe it’s a conversation we messed up, or maybe we spilled our salad dressing all over the counter. Sometimes it’s deliberate (our messes) and sometimes they are quite innocent. Whatever the case, it’s a mess. What we do with the mess? Well, now that is the true test.

Let’s say our mess was an accident. You were at Starbucks at the sugar/cream station, and your ripped yellow packet missed the garbage and the cream you poured dripped all over the counter. Did you just walk away? You just created an opportunity to clean up. Clean up not only your mess, but clean up your intentions. Are you thinking about the fact that you are late or the next person who will be using the cream/sugar station?

Was your mess intentional? Tatum’s mess yesterday was intentional, but she did not realize the ramifications of her intentional actions. When I walked in from her nap, there it was. Two whole books torn to bits all over the floor. It was a sea of pages surrounding her crib. As usual, I had given her about 6 books for her to read while in her crib for nap time.

She loves to sing and talk with her books during that time. However, she decided to tear out each page of two of her books. This was not out of anger but for enjoyment, yet when I walked in with my face filled with sadness, she knew the fun was over. This makes me think she knew it was wrong.

Now what? How do I handle it? How should she handle it? This was an opportunity to clean up not only her floor but her character. After I silently picked up each page one by one as she watched my somber face, I placed them in a plastic bag. I was as silent as a mouse, and she knew I was very sad. As I did this, I tried to think of what to do!? I capitalize on the mess. So, she wants to tear up stuff? Great. Let’s get a box with paper and designate it the tear-up paper box! Have at it!! But books, “NEVER, Tatum…NEVER HURT YOUR BOOKS because it is mean and not nice to the books or to me.”

Mess Happens. Mess gets cleaned up with the right attitude and a plan to make the best of the mess.

Make every mess a learning opportunity.

Was I to enter the land of oval shaped breaded chicken wads or chemically-colored orange goldfish? Or, could I possibly make that piece of broccoli actually taste delicious? Maybe my daughter might like a pea pod or a cucumber slice if I could just override the green, crunchy, not so fancy effect of the  veggie.

It would be a challenge, but I was up for it.

Trader Joe’s has become my Disneyland. I

It’s not hard to find something healthy there, but more importantly, tasty! What I have found is that if you can mix the veggies with something like hummus, spinach/kale dip (mixed with greek yogurt), or guacamole..mix it with a  bit of salsa, you have a great BASE for any veggie concoction. You name it…steamed broccoli, peas, cucumbers…the list is endless.

Add some spiced chicken (which I broil every week) or a Smart Dog…and you have a meal!
She also loves the Kabocha squash, which adds a bit of sweet to the savory.

Ok, she really is like this when she eats. Having a blast. And..it’s broccoli.

Snacks!? NO problem here either: Chips like these:..are darn tasty! OR…

Fruit in a bag. Messy? NOPE! It’s freeze dried, and if you live in Phoenix, that is a bonus. Everything needs to be temperature friendly, or it melts/rots/stinks. These rock the casbah! So, I’m just having fun watching her enjoy good food. Good tasting and good for her. Cookies? Sure. Treats are just that…treats. She will have her share of these, and I don’t want to make any food forbidden. However, if she can eat the non-chemically treated food, she may just like the real stuff better! 🙂

 

Super Bowl Sunday, OH THE TOE!

Tatum hates it when people ask her what happened to her toe or if they look at it, she cries and wants to hide. This must be the part of her that wants to be in tact and fully functioning!

Well, now, it is March 29th, and the TOE is now ready to be toenailess. And…it is not pretty!

In fact, it’s pretty painful, the poor Tot. She usually wants to wear socks in this 90 degree heat, and always reminds me to “Be careful of my toe, mommy!” I wish I could rip the darn thing off and make it feel better. And so it toes…..

 

 

“Why?”.…Yes, the first, “WHY?” poured from her lips yesterday. I said we were not going to go to gymnastics open gym and she asked me why. After giving her a satisfactory answer, she continued to ask me. This is the sign of things to come. Curiosity is a fine trait, but broken record questions can be a tad tiring. 

The question I enjoy hearing is, “How are you?” This has been a question she asks on her Minnie Mouse “phone” (it’s a mirror but I don’t want to diminish this pleasure) to the people she calls. Today, however, as we walked up the stairs, she said, “Mom, how are you?” I returned the question, and she says, good. Now, was that sufficient? No. She then asked the surroundings in the house how they were. I told her to ask follow up questions like, “Are you happy today?”

Basically, Tatum has to be continually talking. If it is not to me, it is on her little mirror.  If I try to get a word in, she says, “S-cuse me, talking!”

Now, I can only project what life will be like with a questioning, conversing, monologuing, garrulous child/teen. It can mean life will never ever be boring. The key is for me to teach her the part where you turn it off and use those things on the side of your head. God even gave us TWO!  “Know this, my beloved [Tatum] : let [you] be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19)

She will blossom into an articulate leader who can influence others for GOOD! 

Muffin or Pancake? This is my usual breakfast choice for Tatum. I make delectable coconut muffins and pancakes…if I do say so myself! 🙂

This morning, I opted to see if she wanted eggs instead. She hopped on that wagon and I decided to make her scrambled eggs with fruit. Now, I partook of the same delicacy, but I always put this super hot Chalula sauce on my eggs. A little dab will do ya, yet I pour it all over. She saw me doing this and wanted to try it.
My warning did not faze her one bit. In fact, she asked for the bottle. I decided to give her plastic cup of just a touch. 

Then…she just reached for the bottle.  What do I have on my hands her? My Spice Girl? Holy Moly, I am in for a wild ride with Ms. Tatum…and I love it. 🙂

 

More Jocy! Tatum cannot get enough of my dear friend. Blessedly, I enjoyed a day with her one more time sans her girls (which was sad, but nice to be with her).

We went to the Scottsdale Arts Festival

without the dreaded stroller. Yes, it did work as she got to run a bit ahead. Jocy wanted to visit a few jewelry stops and some art booths. She almost bought this cool piece:

which was made of glass…way cool.

Tatum was more interested in the behind the scenes; LOVE! After I told her what it said, she leapt off! (Just kidding! 🙂 She had a blast just being in and out of this  wordy sculpture…and I had a fun time chasing her around. (well not really)
Time for a break and selfies:

(Love my giraffe shirt from Jocy!)

Then a silly one with mom. La La La.

Finally after Jocy found a gorgeous ring:

We made some wishes and plopped pennies in the fountain. Funny enough, I NEVER have pennies nor change, so I had to beg for them!

 

Plop Plop! We made two wishes. Wouldn’t you like to know!?

A teeny tiny time with Tatum getting to draw. The crayons at this stage are more fun to pour out of the cup than to utilize for drawing. Alas… the drawing ended in about 2 minutes.
Finally back to the car. Lucky me, I had to carry her back to the car, and again, lucky me, we were on the OPPOSITE side of where we parked. Got my workout in!

Jocy, I adore you. I adore you as a mommy, friend, daughter, and woman. You exude beauty in how you handle pressure, how you parent, and how you love others. Being in your life for over 30 years keeps me reminiscent of how special our friendship is. May you be blessed in your life with Joseph, Ella and Audrey. XOXO

 

Zoo-bound and ready to enjoy the animals!

We enjoyed seeing the lions and tigers, but they were sleeping. She was confused that they get to lay around all day. But then, the activity livened up when she saw the giraffes. Feeding them lettuce made her feel just like being with her mommy! LOL. 

Then I got to feel this monstrously long tongue come towards me. 

Jocy treated us to a ride on Crocket the Camel. She kept greeting him with “Hi Crocket!”  Lasting about 2 hours, she soaked it in as much as she could. I think the monkey pit freaked her out a bit as they jumped all over. Jocy made it fun since I did not have to be the 100% monitor. Love her..XOXO