Totally Tatum – Page 297 – Hay Happens and Hay's Happen

October 11, 2013

Shoes and Choo Choos

Size 1. Did you know there was such a thing? Thanks to Marla at Temple Chai, Tatum had a nice pair of tennies on yesterday. This definitely helps the stability factor when attempting to stand. The weather has dropped in Phoenix to the 70’s and this means brrrrrrr for us wimpies here. Tatum needed to be bundled up in the morning and her feet need coverings now too.

I have a 4-day weekend, and to celebrate, we walked over to the McCormick and Stillman Railroad park to ride the train! It was the first time Tatum has been in her stroller sans the infant seat too. Plus it was to be 80 degrees today!

The place was filled with strollers and kids of ALL ages; the park is one big momfest! I imagine her riding the carousel very soon since her eyes became like saucers when we entered the park.

We got

So, first time today for many things….shoes, stroller, and choo choo!

We ended the day at Starbucks for some refreshments.

October 6, 2013

Post-Swim with Tater and MAMAMAMAMAMAMA

This weekend has been a bit of a breakthrough in a couple of ways. First, she has started to articulate her MAMA sound and appropriately when looking for me. Kinda like this! My confidence ebbs and flows with her which many find silly, but it makes sense to me. I want her to know how much I love her. I feel like Bruce Almighty when he becomes God…he finally gets how God must feel. When she fusses/moans/cries etc… I cannot take it personally. Yet I do. Ick!

When she says MAMA, she looks at me adoringly and for that I am so grateful.

Then at swimming class this weekend, she back floated confidently for 3 laps! She’s splashing like a many-finned fishy and having a blast. Also, when she comes up from going under, she now reaches for the side of the pool. WOOHOO! Now, getting out is the next step. After class this Saturday, we met Kelly, my sweet cousin, and the girls for coffee at Barnes and Noble.

A lovely time with Tater. Next thing I know, she’ll be walking. This lap time I’ll savor as long as I can 🙂

September 29, 2013September 29, 2013

Yielding control

The influence I have on one little life is insurmountable. However, I cannot control it. Currently, I am reading a wonderful book by Elizabeth George, Raising a Daughter After God’s Own Heart.

It is abundantly clear that the choices that I make, the tone I set, and the modeling I do will affect her for the rest of her life. I can only do so much, but what I can do cannot be stressed enough.

Often I will just stare it her and wonder what she will be like? Will she be the class clown? Will she be the one with the sunny disposition? Will she be the one everyone respects? Will she be the athletic jock type? Will she be a girly girl? It really does not matter. What I care about goes so much deeper and for that, I can have a positive influence.

First, she needs my prayers. It is not a chore, as George puts it, it is my mission. “Evil” will come my daughter’s way; that is inevitable. However, I can shield her with prayer. Here is a list of prayers I diligently lift up to God:

That she would come to believe in the Christ and His lovingkindness
That she would desire to follow Jesus (her OWN desire)
That she would grow spiritually
That she would reflect Jesus in character. (This is my favorite)
That she would choose wisely her associations
That she would marry wisely who is also a lover of Jesus

These prayers are my biggest weapon for her to have a clean heart. I will beg God to help me and do battle in prayer. He and ONLY He can grow and transform. I am just a vessel to be used. Tatum, you are adored and loved beyond belief. God is your daddy, and He wants the best for YOU because you are HIS.

She can STAND on all of these words.

September 22, 2013September 22, 2013

10 months and steadfast

“Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me” (Psalm 131: 21). This verse is a stark reminder that God never gives up on His people. Steadfast means resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering. Another way to say it is committed and constant. As a mother, I now get how God loves me because this is how much I love Tatum. My love for her grows daily, but it is unwavering and never ending. The fact that He can have this much love for me blows my mind, and I often feel so undeserving. However, it is committed and constant; nothing I can do will change that even when I blow it in every way (and often I do).
The last verse of this Psalm says, “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.” My strength and might comes from this infused love; this unearned love; this grace-filled love which is bestowed upon me. I pray that Tatum can understand this power of love which comes from her mom and from Him. Nothing she can do or say will ever change the amount of love she has surrounding her.

Entering the double digit of 10 months,

she is a bundle of joy and verve. Her smile is infections and she often makes everyone in the room laugh.

Bless you my little one. May angels surround your life and protect you. May you be filled with kindness and love.

September 20, 2013September 20, 2013

Ma ma ma ma..

La la has become ma ma. The wish of every mom is that her child would call her by her calling…Mama!

As she babbles away, I dream of being there for her in every way. When she soon begins to walk, I’ll be there for her when she falls. I know I she is about to bypass this crawling thing; for her, this is just too elementary. She wants to stand.

See mom? I can hold myself up with my tot feet.

September 18, 2013August 2, 2014

Should I worry?

Apparently, Tatum has a boyfriend. Huh? She has moved on from Jacob since now he’s in the 1 -year old room. Today, when Will saw she had arrived, he vigoruously crawled toward Tatum with a big toothless smile. She came toward him with her big blue eyes, and he was pleased. Then, she accidentally bumped the floor and began to cry. Will carefully placed his little hand on the small of her back. Oh my….

September 15, 2013September 15, 2013

Tatum’s learning her grammar

Pull; push

Slide to the left; slide to the right

Put it in; take it out

Her abilities continue to surprise me. Yesterday, she figured out which hexagon goes into the correct cup. There are 9 nested cups, and she is testing the sizes. It is adorable to watch her gurgle sounds while she figures it out.

The goal is for her to stay focused on the task, and I find she tends to be focused on EVERYTHING else around her. I wonder where she gets that?? Hmm…. So, we are helping her try until she succeeds.

My mom is such a HUGE help to her, because I feel so ill-equipped in teaching her these fundamentals. When I am with her, I tend to entertain her and help her stay HAPPY! Mom helps me be patient with her and SHOW her HOW to do whatever the task at the moment may be. She has a plethora of “teaching toys” which are full of inherent skills like push, pull, in, out, up, down etc. This ranges from blocks to puzzles to things with wheels. (thank you MOM!! 🙂 I can tell that this is the time when she can truly develop some great habits. Perhaps the brain is making those connections right now so when she CAN do something, she can build on that. Yesterday, she actually PULLED the beads apart on her own. Now, if she could just get the little square person in the little square hole. One verb at a time!