Category: Totally Tatum

 

How do I keep up with this inquiring mind and voracious appetite for learning? I have noticed that her play area (s) is filled with toys from when she was only 4-6 months old. It’s time to rotate and learn what she can thrive on. Yes, I have been given some amazing toys and gadgets, but I need to understand what is age appropriate and opportunistic for learning. Plus, when she is in her lobster, she gets bored easily, and I want her to learn to entertain herself instead of relying on everyone around her to keep her entertained. (Although she does recover quickly and make the most of her time)

I scoured blogs and various mommy sites to see what is working for others out there (Thank goodness for other minds since I’m clueless!) Then, I decided to create little “boxes” for each area of the house and just rotate, adding new toys as she grows. Some things I have around the house!
Here are some ideas I discovered:
1. Tape down some wax paper on the island (while she is in her lobster) and let her fingerpaint with pudding or yogurt. I can also tape down paper and get some crayons teaching her to draw!

2. Various puzzles and nested cups keep her occupied and teach her spatial relationships.

3.Empty mini boxes and bandaid boxes. Plus I can add stickers and let her learn to stick things! I figured mini-post-it note tabs too.

4. I am going to make some playdough which does not require cooking: flour, salt, oil and water and food coloring. She can make shapes and I can give her some pasta to make designs.

5. Various mini-pots and pans with lids, whisks, spoons…etc.

6. One of my old purses with lots of zippers..fill with compact, plastic keys, mirror…She loves to rifle through my things!

I am adding to this every day! I have to continue to learn how to help her learn!! 🙂

Here are some of her boxes. I have a ways to go! Today, I am going to get some crayons and a few other accessories for her to play with!

Work in progress to keep up with the Tot!

Trying to find foods Tatum can chew, I’ve been experimenting with all types of veggies. Of course the old stand-by of mashed banana has worked, but now she begs for her green beans and peas. She even said “apo” today when I ate my apple. They have to be canned however since she only has four teeth! Today, we tried edamame and HOORAY! Success 🙂

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So far, she is downing the mozzarella sticks, chicken breast pieces, pasta (I buy the mac and cheese and just make the noodles and then I just add a wee bit of tomato sauce for flavor), sweet potato bits and butternut squash bits.

Well, if she has mastered the finger action, one can assume a fork should not be so difficult. Banana on a fork! She felt so grown up and wanted to do it herself.

All gone!!

She’s whisking up some concoction in her little lobster. I love this little seat! Anyway, she is now in transition into finger foods. This is difficult because now I don’t get to hold her as much! Before, I spent meal times spooning the baby food and holding her bottle. Now, she is moving into more independence and this means ….well, it means so much!

First, what the heck do I feed a one-year old? Before, I just went to the baby aisle and VOILA! All the meals are complete and idiot-proof. Plus, they were pure and preservative free. Now, I have to think and plan. So, what did I do? I perused multiple blogs, websites and AAPA to find what were her needs at this age. Then, I met with Mary and Marla at Temple Chai to see what this would look like at school so we were on the same page. Tatum is just learning to chew so this has not been the simplest of transitions. We have to peel each pea since she spits this part out anyway. Also, the various textures sometimes make her wince! (Ex..egg yolk, broccoli, apple)

We finally got it down to an approximate menu. She needs about 1000 cals/day, and this cannot be more than a 1/3 from milk. I won’t give juice, so she must now get adequate veggies, fruits, grains and protein.

Breakfast:

One scrambled egg, 4-8oz milk, 1/2 banana or other fruit

or 1/2 cup oatmeal made with milk mixed with banana + 4 oz milk

Snack:

Choices: graham cracker, cheerios, fruit cup, string cheese cubes, carrots/peas/beans mix + 4 oz milk, 1/2 whole wheat muffin (pick two but include a veggie or fruit) not too much sweet..

Lunch:

Diced chicken + veggies + 4 oz milk

Snack: See above (with 4oz milk)

Dinner:

Rice or pasta

chicken or ground turkey

veggies (edamame?)

I want to try quinoa with her too!

Her tendency is to want to drink only her baba with milk from her bottle. Forget the cup or anything else besides milk. I have to be persistent in trying other ideas like water and having this in a real cup.

In the meantime, I am enjoying introducing her to new foods. Her palate seems to be pretty diverse at this point 🙂

 

 

It’s been a tough few weeks, I must admit. Tough because Tatum has been sick off and on (more on than off) and with the house in remodel mode (which includes a myriad of obstacles that come with disorder in house), I’m truly spent.

Coming out of Christmas was so refreshing because Tatum finally was getting better. She’s exhibiting her adorableness in her mutterings of “baba, mama, lala…”…etc. Plus, her wobbling as she attempts to take steps is so cute! She’s so close! The bottle (and of course her bear, Coti’s ball and her blankie are close seconds) and all start with B! Baba…

 

My heart just overflows as I watch her enjoy her little attachments. It shows me that she has a big heart as well and loves to love! What a wonderful quality; the ability to pour out love and to love another. She also is attached to me which (I admit) warms my heart. The nice thing is that she recovers quickly and jumps right back into her playing. This is showing her resilience, I hope! So coming back to school this week was difficult. Dropping her off at Temple Chai, although l adore the place and the people, she did not want me to leave her 🙁 BUT, what made it all better?
Marla. Thank you Marla! Tatum is now in the 1-year room with Alex, Will and Malea, and she is thriving in there! Marla is so good with the kids. I can walk away knowing she is in wonderful hands.

The week was going swimmingly as I was accomplishing my work, getting caught up, knowing Tatum was doing great, and the house was getting finished. Then, 3:30, Wednesday, Marla called to tell me Tatum threw up twice and has a fever of 100! WHAT!? Not again. So, she is home today with my mom (THANK YOU MOM!!)

This brings me to a needed reminder of his love. This morning when I awoke, I had a million things to accomplish before I left for work. Of course, I had to get ready, but more importantly, I had to make sure Tatum’s food was ready for the day; that she had somewhere to play in the house since my mom can’t carry her very easily; that all of her needs were taken care of before I left, basically. Plus, I had to get Coti fed and walked. Nothing was easy because I also am getting a cold, so I feel like a bus hit my body. As I walked outside with Coti on leash, my head was down and my mind was racing with tasks tasks tasks…I then looked up and saw it. It was the most gorgeous sunrise filled with a prism of red, purple and pink colors. WOW! It was such a reminder of not only HIS providence and power, but His love. He made this beautiful sky, and He loves us so much to paint it for us. I needed to focus on THIS and not ME and MY problems.

Do I focus on what is good; what is pure; what is lovely; what is righteous? Or do I focus on the negative. It’s a choice….every day.

 

 

Dearest Tatum,

We have had an incredible journey together this first year of your life. You have brought me more blessings than I can even express, and this is through you just being who you are! You are my gift from God: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17) You never have to prove anything to me; you never have to make me love you; you never have to worry about doing anything that would change the way I feel about you: It is a truly unconditional love. You may wonder how that is possible because you’ll mess up and make mistakes and you’ll wonder: Will Mommy still love me? Will mommy still be there for me? The answer is YES.

You see, I was raised with this from my mom. But, more importantly, I learned that as a human we are fallible and make many mistakes! God showed me this true unconditional love that never fails or lessens. This is how I learned about true love and acceptance. HE taught me this and He is this. Now, as your mommy, I can show you this kind of love. This is the confidence you need to make you continue to persevere through the journey of life’s ups and downs.

Tatum, you are going to have an amazing life. I did not say it was an easy life; in fact, it will be difficult and at times, painful. BUT, take heart! You will overcome and succeed! You will make it because you will have help, you will have support, and you will have the biggest cheerleader in me and MANY others!!! You will and do have God’s arms to surround you and hold you up when you feel completely weak and defeated.

I want you to know that you are made by God and designed by Him for HIS pleasure and for good works! David said this in Psalms, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you,when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:13-16 )

Finally, Tatum, God said you were made to do wonderful things which we can discover together and it’s because God loves you so much!!!  “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:8-9)

Let’s enjoy the blessings of life! Let’s savor each day together and make the most of each day or as they say, “Carpe Diem!” I love you with all my heart and will make sure you never forget that.

Goodbye 2013!

Hello 2014! 

Love,

Mommy

 

I love you so much  

 

She’s on the mend…my little Tot. It has been a long 7 days of fussiness, frustration, and fevers. The blessing is that I was home during this time, but it also was a curse because I had NO break. She was 24/7, and I was literally spent as I’m sure she was. But now…. she’s back, and enjoying discovery.

The beauty of this age is discovery and savoring. I have filled her play area with all kinds of gadgets, including new toys she received for Christmas. This includes more nested cups, a shopping bag with various pseudo fruits and veggies, a rolling xylophone, puzzles and games. Watching her teaches me the joy of learning…she just tries to fit things where they don’t belong, gets frustrated, cries, then regroups and tries another option. I don’t want her to give up, but she looks to me to rescue her from her frustration. I just smile and say, “It’s OK Tate…you got this!” She continues despite this and moves on…perfect!

Currently I’m reading a book called Mindset by Carol Dweck. It differentiates between a fixed or growth mindset and that we all have one or the other.  She notes, “praising intelligence and ability doesn’t foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment, but may actually jeopardize success. With the right mindset, we can motivate our kids and help them to raise their grades, as well as reach our own goals–personal and professional.”  I want to create a love of learning and a resilience in her which I can only foster by letting her work through her failures and frustrations, yet with STRONG encouragement and support. (leading her to a GROWTH mindset!) What counts is learning and embracing challenge not IQ or what we have to prove.

I love her so much, and I just want her to be able to handle all that comes to her knowing that I have her back and God will give her the wings and the boost to soar!

Postponed until Saturday, we celebrated with the family! Of course, the annual picture had to precur this lovely event which happened an evening prior at the be-EEKING hour of 5pm. Now, I knew that having a dog and a 13 month old sit still for a picture while we wait for the camera was a feat unto itself. Then, to have the 10-second lag was sure to make a disastrous pose. So we did a warm-up. Would you believe this was the best one!? Pictures are so funny…they capture a single millisecond of pseudo-perfection (hah!) only to regroup to reality: Chaos!Finally, we are ready now to have a Christmas with the cousins at the Kramers! Saturday arrived, fevers were gone, Kramers were healthy, we were set! Sadly, no Christmas brunch in our jammies and awaking to a understuffed Christmas tree, but James was making salmon and the girls, Nyla and Morgan were excited to hang out, so this trumped the other.

 

Morgan received her “puppy” or to be exact, her polar bear which looked a lot like a little Coti!

Tatum nestled next to James, and it made me see how much she enjoys a wonderful man holding her! Who wouldn’t!? This is a prayer of mine for her, that she would have this in her life always. Until then, I am so thankful for Kel and James 🙂

It was a beautiful dinner of BBQ Salmon by Chef James and delish salad and potatoes from Kell. Taters enjoyed eating the taters and tried salmon. The mango made her scream which confused me then I realized it was because it was the mango from the spicy salsa. Oops! Too spicy for the Tot tongue.

Driving home, the sunset reminded me of God’s beauty and His love for us. What a lovely day!