Baby Tate

Baby Tate

Mommy's friend Elizabeth (also known as Tripp's mom) had her baby last week. Loving babies as much as I do, no one is more excited than I am about her arrival. I know we'll be good friends. Since I am older and wiser, I can teach her many things!

Mommy's Night Out

Once a month, Mommy leaves me with Daddy and joins her friends for dinner. Last night was the night. In an effort to lay a large guilt trip, when Mommy pulled out of the driveway, I was plastered to the window, crying. She called a few minutes later to check on me, and Daddy informed her I (as usual) stopped crying as soon as her car rounded the corner. After that, Daddy and I had a great time. We ate dinner together and read lots of books before I started to ask for Mommy. In an effort to distract me, he said it was bath time....which means bubble time! After the bath, I decided I did not want to put on my pajamas (or even my diaper, but Daddy made me). After trying more than a couple times, Daddy let me sleep in my diaper. Mommy was concerned that (1) I would be too cold and/or (2) I would take off my diaper during the night, which would result in some extra laundry. I am pleased to report that I did just fine. Daddy does things differently than Mommy, but he is just fine too!

Family Photo

Here's a recent photo of the three of us. If you saw one taken of Mommy today, you would notice she has a black eye. When the tickle monster (aka Mommy's hands) came after me last night, I was flailing and kicking and accidentally got Mommy right in her left eye. Oops!

Museum Mondays

On Monday mornings, the Dell Children's Museum has its Baby Bloomers program for kids 0-3. In addition to the regular fun activities, there are special story and song times. I sometimes see my friend Richard there.

Ringing up groceries in the store

Driving the bus

In the construction zone

Family...Family...and More Family

Kisses from Aunt Pearl

Taking a Walk with Aunt Teri and my cousin Katie



Tickling Granny's Feet

Playing with Three-Legged Molly

Smelling Aunt Pearl's Flowers - Yes, she still gardens at 97!

What a day! We hit the road at 9:00 a.m. and returned at 10:00 p.m. We spent seven (long) hours in the car and six (all too short) hours visiting with family.

Our first stop was the Wick (maternal great-grandmother) Family Reunion in Sweet Home. There I saw my BaBa, Uncle Randy and his family, Uncle Jeff and his family plus all the distant relatives, some of whom hadn't met me yet. In addition to seeing my cousins and playing, there was a spread of desserts two tables long! I couldn't wait until after lunch, so I helped myself to a cookie while I was under Daddy's supervision. I think he let me have it so he could split it with me. Anyway, I had fun running around outside and swinging before heading off to our next destination...Houston.

We stopped briefly to see Aunt Celia and Uncle Larry. Then we headed to see Granny and Granddaddy. They live in an assisted living facility and have their own apartment. There were many people in the lobby, on the elevator, sitting outside and I greeted them all. They really seemed to like that I was there. In the apartment, I explored and played with Molly, their cat. She has only three legs. Since I am learning to count, counting legs on animals is something Mommy and Daddy do with me, so I know cats usually have four legs. Mommy told me that sometimes things are different from the usual and that is just fine. I had fun dancing and prancing for Granny and Granddaddy before heading across town to see Aunt Pearl.

Aunt Pearl is now 97 and a half! She still lives independently and drives (yikes!). She has spent the last few weeks raking and bagging up the mess left in her yard (at least 20 huge bags) from the recent Hurricane Ike. Mommy always says she named me after Aunt Pearl because Aunt Pearl is strong and feisty - all the things you want your daughter to be, except when she is a teenager! While there, we walked around her lovely flower-filled yard and visited with the dog next door.

It was a whirlwind trip, but well worth it! There is nothing that compares to the love of family, and I am so very fortunate to have a great family - on all branches of my tree. I love you all!

I (Used To) Hate Peas

First Taste of Peas - June 2007

When I was first starting to eat solid foods (which aren't solid at all, I might add) Mommy gave me peas. She found it quite amusing to watch the faces I made. She even laughed as she cleaned up the subsequent throw-up. I really didn't like them, as you can see. Since then, eating vegetables of any kind really hasn't been my thing. Mommy secretly makes veggie purees and mixes them in with my food. For instance, my mac-n-cheese always has cauliflower, carrots and sweet potatoes "hidden" in it. Last week, Mommy put whole peas in it and I ate them. I could even stab them with my fork, which was almost as impressive as eating them!

Sorry, Uncle Chris. You'll have to attend the Pea Haters Convention without me this year.

Good News

I have stopped putting the sidewalk chalk in my mouth and have started using it for its intended purpose - to make Daddy say, "What's all that on my garage floor?" He prefers a clean garage. In his once tidy garage, there are now strollers, outside toys, an extra car seat, a pack-n-play...It's not the first (or last) adjustment he's had to make since my arrival!

2008 Football Season

Since I may not get to go to another Aggie game this season (see previous post), I thought I would post some photos of the games I have seen so far. I have really had fun! I got to see and pet Reveille twice. She is handled by the guys in E-2, which was Daddy's outfit when he was at A&M. I also love to watch the military fly-overs at the beginning of the game and the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band play and march at halftime. I am class of '29!

Timing is Everything

Before the "meltdown"

I may have only been around a short time, but I already have some things figured out. Tantrums should be sandwiched between periods of exceptional behavior. That way, parents enter the tantrum phase with the WE HAVE THE BEST BABY IN THE WORLD mentality (see the letter Mommy wrote me last week!) which results in a period of bewilderment before you are disciplined...and leaves them forgetting all about the episode. I think it is brilliant. I practiced it this past weekend at the Aggie football game. We happily entered the stadium, anticipating a great game. By the middle of the first quarter, I changed my mind. I don't know why - I wasn't hungry, thirsty, tired, etc. -I didn't need a reason. Mommy spent the rest of the game trying to calm what she termed the "meltdown" by walking around with me, going outside the stadium, even breaking out the emergency Elmo video. Nothing worked. The following day, I was back to my normal self. I must have given Mommy 500 kisses and not so much as a whimper crossed my lips. I sang, I danced, etc...She again thinks I am wonderful!

Naked Girl

My new skill for today is undressing myself. When Mommy went to get me from my nap this afternoon, this is how she found me. Cute tush, huh?