My baby ain't no baby anymore ...

This next Monday Tatum will be 1 1/2 ... Wow.  I'm loving this age, as her personality is really becoming her own, making life all the more exciting and entertaining. 

In the last 6 months she has learned to: Walk, run, jump, swim with floaties, play soccer like a pro, color, eat with utensils, say a ton of words, drive a motorized car and a billion other things.

Her favorite: words to say are cracker and ball, her favorite day to day activity is going on walks and picking up every single stick, rock and flower she can find, her favorite toy is her baby doll, and her favorite food are peas and blueberries.

Loves: having dance parties, splashing in the ocean waves, daddy, grandmas and grandpas, and playing with anything that is electronic and really expensive. 

Hates: getting her diaper changed, going in her stroller, riding in her car seat, reading the same book for more than 60 seconds, and potatoes.

Obsessed with: the show the fresh beat band, real life babies, and cats.

Most difficult traits: Endless energy, fearless daredevil, super stubborn when in the wrong mood, and loves throwing her food on the ground.

Most wonderful traits: She's a little comedian, has sick dance moves, learns quickly, is a great sleeper, is sensitive and loving, and is stinkin beautiful and adorable.

Favorite thing about her being almost 1 1/2 years old: The fact that we can take her places and she can truly enjoy herself, rather than just being stuck in a stroller or carseat. Hence, the fair this last weekend. She LOVED it and we took a gazillion pictures.

You know your husband is an amazing father when ...

In honor of fathers day coming up this weekend I wanted to write a quick post ...

My husband is a jack of many trades, but one of his finest in my opinion is being a wonderful father ...

... And you know your husband is an amazing father when the random pharmasist at Kaiser tells him that when he found out that his wife was going to be having a baby girl, that he thought of (Jeremey) and how he always has his baby girl on his hip when picking up medications. It's an amazing thing to know that a stranger can see the Love that my husband has for his daughter, and out of all the many hundreds of people he sees everyday, he remembers Jeremey. Happy soon to be fathers day, to a devoted, Godly, energetic, and loving dad.

A weekend away, and a husbands realization.

I spent this last weekend out of town with my husband, WITHOUT Tatum for the FIRST time EVER. (no I'm not overly protective or possessive of my baby, just the opportunity for us to be away without her hadn't presented itself yet.) But my mom happened to be visiting from Oregon during the same time Jeremey had planned to film a wedding, so he took me along as a second videographer, while grandma stayed with the baby for a couple nights. We had a nice "working" retreat in the beautiful/small town of Juilan California, and stayed in a cabin up in the woods, how fun, how "Oregonian." When we weren't filming, I felt like a fish out of water, without my baby on my hip and a million "mom" details to think about. I caught myself thinking "wheres the diaper bag? do we have wipes? Is there going to be a highchair at the restaurant we are going to? Is there anything dangerous for my baby to run into? You know the normal things a mom of a toddler thinks about ... It's hard to remember what my life was like before I had her, what did I do with my time, and what did I do with all the extra mind space I had that is now taken up by so much "protect, love, teach, feed my baby" mind space.

Though I loved the down time, the outdoors, the one on one time with my husband, and to be able to help Jeremey film the wedding, I missed my baby way too much, that by the time the trip ended, Jeremey said this to me "You are definitely ready for another baby." :) ...

Tatum and Grandma had a blast together though. I don't think she even noticed we were gone, she got frozen yogurt every night, and received more presents than her birthday and Christmas combined. Thanks mom, for watching our wild little girl for us and for loving on her so well. She already misses you! (pictures courtesy of Grandma Pruitt).