Remembering the times

Feeling better!

2012-02-12T05:30:00.000-06:00

Tabs finally started feeling better this past Monday. By Tuesday, at her doctor's appointment, all signs of her pneumonia were gone! Here's to no more illnesses for a long time.

Giving you my cheesy grin!

Bye-Bye!

The first haircut

2012-02-11T13:30:00.000-06:00

Yep, we finally did it...18 months and Miss Tabitha finally got her first haircut. James got his haircut earlier in the evening and on a whim we decided to get Miss Tabitha's done as well, especially since James' favorite stylist was working. Much to our amazement she did fantastic, and like a true girl she even seemed to enjoy it.

Before....Tabitha is not sure what to think about this, but this gal must be good...Daddy says so!

During...sitting very still, just wondering where her curls are going.

All done! This was fun...when can we do it again??

Thanks Gayle! You did a great job!!!

18

2012-02-05T05:26:00.001-06:00

Eighteen is...

-The number of seconds Tabitha sits still for
-The number of times Tabitha pets Fred and tries to give him kisses in a day
-The number of times in a row that we sometimes have to read "Animals A to Z"
-The number of times that Tabitha likes to push buttons on her toys in a row (she hasn't quite realized that she only has to push them once)
-The number of times she says "more" in a day
-And of course...the number of months old Miss Tabitha is!

Sick little girl :(

2012-02-03T06:12:00.003-06:00

Poor Tabs...I have decided that for the next few years we are skipping February 2. There are two advantages to this:

1. I will not get a year older. It would be like having a leap year birthday!

2. Maybe Tabs won't get sick.

The poor girl has gotten sick on my birthday now for the past two years. Last year it was a case of RSV. While RSV can be serious, it wasn't too bad for Tabs. Just a little cuddling and loving was all that it took to get her better (okay, and maybe some medicine, too). This year though was a different story. My blog post on Monday showed you how crabby and "off" she was. Well, it has all come together for us now why she was acting this way.

To start from the beginning she has had a persistent cough for quite awhile. Not unusual since she has had a few colds. But, because of some pink eye, we took her into the doctor a few weeks ago, where we addressed both her eye and her cough. We got some antibiotics and thought we were good to go. She finished her medicine last Saturday and her cough was nearly gone. On Tuesday I got the dreaded call from daycare saying that Tabs has a fever and was falling asleep during playtime. NOT GOOD! We called the doctors office and talked to the nurse. At that time they didn't ask to see her. Well, finally yesterday our normal doctor called and wanted to see her ASAP. By the end of the appointment we realized the little girl has pneumonia.

I have to say though that she's a tough little cookie. She's been eating and drinking pretty normally. Her play and silliness, while not quite to her normal level, is still pretty silly.

Here's to hoping that she gets all of the way better soon!

Not feeling so good :(

A case of the Mondays

2012-01-30T19:41:00.004-06:00

Today was...well a Monday. While I wish we could start the day over again, as least I know it is coming to a close. Hopefully yours was a little better than this (or at least not worse than this):

-A very sleepy toddler who was not ready to get out of her warm bed this morning. In fact, when I turned on the lights, she burried herself deeper into her blanket and refused to wake up.

-Dealing with a VERY independent toddler who did not want to put her coat on. I reminded her that in about 6 months she wouldn't have to worry about this step in the getting ready to go to daycare process.

-A crabby toddler who was not willing to give up her blanket once we got to daycare. Thus, being the "mean" mommy that I am, I forced her to leave it in the car. This lead to a tantrum, whereby she laid down in the parking lot screamming. Oh, did I mention that it snowed last night, and thus she had wet pants for part of the morning.

-A nasty voicemail complaining that I never return the many messages that had been left previously for me. Subsequently, I returned the call, left a voicemail, and never received a call back in return. (Note: I had never received a voicemail prior to that time from this person).

-All of the treadmills at the gym were taken when I tried to work out. Of course I had the motivation to go for a run today. I hate the gym in January...all of the new people trying to keep their resolution. At least I know I won't have this problem in a few weeks once they have broken that resolution and stop coming.

-An upset toddler who was not willing to leave daycare this afternoon. Therefore, in a similar fashion as to how we had started the day, I left with a screaming, crying little girl.

-A hungry little girl who was not happy until dinner was made.

However, the day got subsequently better once dinner was over. A silly little girl, running around the living room, and giggling can make the whole day that much better. So, while the day wasn't all that bad, here's to hoping that tomorrow we can make it through the day with less meltdowns by both toddler and mommy!

Sledding.....

2012-01-21T05:39:00.000-06:00

The title of this blog post is a little deceptive. You would think that Minnesota in January you would have no problem finding snow to go sledding. But, how incorrect you are. This year has been one of very little snow...maybe only a few inches total. Therefore, many weekend days have been spent outside running around in the bare yard. Not that anyone has really minded though.

The problem with no snow is that Tabitha can't go sledding. Okay, not that we were going to go sledding down a hill yet or anything (what sort of mother do you think I am?!), at least sledding in the sense that we can pull her around the backyard.

So in lieu of snow in the backyard, we've resorted to "sledding" in the kitchen....diaper box and all.

My little toddler

2012-01-16T05:05:00.000-06:00

So, what's new with Tabitha you ask? About a month ago she moved up to the "Pooh" room at daycare. The Pooh room is for the toddler ages 16 to 29 months (approximately). While that may not seem like a big age gap it seems like it right now.

While you have to be a proficient walker to enter the Pooh room, that's about the one thing they have in common. In Tabitha's case, the rest of her classmates are all 2+ years old already and they are all about one head taller than she is. It means she gets a lot of attention from her teachers, but it also means that the rest of classmates think that she is their doll to take and do what they please. While it's cute at first, Tabitha does get annoyed. There's no doubt about this girl...she likes her independence and is not about to let someone a year older than her do whatever they want to her.

In addition, most of these kids have more than the three or four words that Tabitha possesses in her vocabulary. Just because Tabitha can't talk doesn't mean that she can't follow directions. She is very good about listening and following directions about 85% of the time (I would say that's good for a toddler). It still amazes me what she understands. I can ask her to pick up her books and she will. I can ask her to put her cup back in the kitchen and she will. Yesterday I was teaching her how to do laundry (she's really good at putting things in her laundry basket). Her teachers even comment on her listening skills. Let's hope that she keeps this up!

All in all Tabitha loves her new classroom, and in a year, when she's ready to become a "Tigger", I'll be looking at all of the younger kids and wondering what happened to the time when Tabitha was that age!

Why kids need pets

2012-01-15T08:43:00.000-06:00

My aunt sent a great email the other day titled "Why kids need pets". It had a ton of cute pictures of kids and their pets. So, here's my version of that email:

Someone to check for dirty diapers when you are three days old

Someone to make sure you don't fall off the bed

A napping buddy

To play with

In case you need another nap

Someone to practice your fishing skills on

Someone to help watch for squirrels

Box buddies

A pillow

This is how Tabitha feels about Fred and about cats in general! (Thanks Julie for the shirt!)

Miss Independent

2012-01-14T04:55:00.002-06:00

As I watch Tabitha learn and try new things, several things have dawned on me:

Learning how to brush her own teeth. Trust me...
she does not like to give up on this one!

1. Kids keep trying. I find it amazing to watch Tabitha learn new things. Perhaps it's her personality, but it seems true with a lot of kids...they just keep trying until they learn something. I think that as adults someones we try something once and if we don't succeed we automatically give up on it. Kids are completely opposite...most of the time they keep working on something until they learn it. I suppose if they didn't we would never move past the infant stages in life. But I wonder what happens between childhood and adulthood that makes us give up more easily. Watching Tabitha reminds me that I should never give up on things.

2. Kids move to their own beat. As you know by now Tabitha loves to dance. She dances to anything and doesn't have a care in the world about what she looks like when she's dancing. Sometimes at church she claps her hands after a song is done. Tabitha likes to do what makes her happy. She doesn't care if she looks silly or if it isn't quite right. Once again, I wonder what happens to make us change....from the kid that moves to their own beat to the adult that has to be like everyone else. I hope that Tabitha remembers it is okay to be herself, and I hope as a parent that I can help to nuture her interests in things that make her happy.

Pulling "Ali" the alligator around the kitchen.

Dancing (part 2)

2012-01-07T05:42:00.001-06:00

James was able to capture a bit of Tabitha's dancing on camera....yes, it is just her feet, but it is quite fun. As you can tell she's a fan of Kelly Clarkson.

Dancin'

2012-01-02T05:14:00.000-06:00

For the past few weeks, we've made it a habit that after dinner we go down to the basement. Tabitha has some toys down there, and right now it's a nice cozy place to hang out. In the meantime, we'll turn the TV onto the music stations for a little background music....sometimes it's the toddler tunes station, sometimes it's the holiday music station, and sometimes (if James is in charge) it's the rock station. Nonetheless Tabitha loves her music, so she'll get into the groove and start dancing. It's fun to watch and of course she encourages us to dance with her too.

This picture was taken one night after daddy and Tabitha had danced up a storm...there were tired!

Happy New Year to everyone. Tabitha resolves to dance more this year!

Tabitha's 2nd Christmas

2011-12-26T05:29:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that we have already had Tabitha's second Christmas. I now understand why people would always say that the time goes so quickly. It's seems not that long ago that it was Tabitha's first Christmas.

Tabitha had a fantastic day yesterday. While I was thinking that she would grasp the concept more of opening gifts (instead she liked to just put them back under the tree!), we still had a great time.

Here's a recap of Tab's Christmas weekend:

We started Christmas Eve off at the zoo. As you can see, Tabitha is dressed appropriately with her zoo shirt on!

We then got dressed for church.

We prepared for Santa to arrive. After everything was just right, Tabitha went to bed.

Tabitha awoke to lots of presents under the Christmas tree!

Time to open gifts! Tabitha still didn't really get to tear at the wrapping paper, so mom and dad had to help a lot. Many times she also insisted on putting the gifts back under the tree.

When she had opend her last gift she gave Fred a big hug and a kiss. We think that she liked her Cabbage Patch doll and the craddle for it; however, at the time she insisted that it was meant for her to sit in. So, for the time being, mom and dad decided that because it requires adult supervision (in case she keeps crawling in it) that this gift would be put away for a later time.

Tabitha also got to do a lot of other fun things on Christmas Day, she....

-Skyped with her grandparents from Indiana. You have to love the technology because even though they are many miles away they got to watch Tabitha open her Christmas gift from them and play with it.

-Tabitha played outside. Instead of playing in the snow and making a snowman, she ran around in the grass and kicked the soccer ball in the 40 degree weather. I reminded her that this rarely happens!

-Went over to her Minnesota grandparents house for dinner and opening Christmas gifts there, too.

-While at the grandparents house her Auntie Abby called from Prague wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. Again...amazing how wonderful technology is that we can talk with our loved ones halfway across the world!

All in all, it was a FANTASTIC day for Tabitha!

Getting ready for Santa!

2011-12-24T19:55:00.008-06:00

Tabitha was prepping tonight for Santa's big arrival. She made sure he had all of the fixings so that he wouldn't pass her by.

A little note to make sure that Santa knew exactly which house he was at.

Getting everything ready.

I can't wait to see what he brings me!

Sick Day

2011-12-24T05:28:00.005-06:00

Tabs had a little something this week, so she stayed home from "school" a couple of days. As she was playing in the basement, Fred had to come see what was going on. A few minutes later we found them like this:

From Tabitha: Oh Fred....you make such a nice pillow!

From Fred: Hey, how do you get this thing off of me. She thinks I make a great pillow, which by the way I do not!

Winter Wonderland

2011-12-23T19:45:00.000-06:00

Unlike the title suggests, Minnesota this year has NOT been a winter wonderland. Last year at this time, we had snow up to our hips. This year, we've had just enough to cover the ground, only for it to get warm and melt everything.

So, one day while we still had snow on the ground, Tabitha and I headed outside to do a little playing in it. Oh what fun for a 1 year old! She loved walking around in the white stuff. There were constant smiles and laughs.

We didn't stay out long, but we look forward to playing in it when there's more of it to play in.

A trip to Elf-land

2011-12-18T04:54:00.009-06:00

Yesterday (yes, I am really writing about something that happened yesterday...hard to believe, I know), Tabitha, James and I went to the downtown Macy's store to see their 8th floor display. Each year at Christmastime they deck it out with a fun display. This year the theme was "A Day in the Life of an Elf". Tabitha enjoyed walking around and looking at the moving figures.

After the elf-land display, we had the chance to meet Santa. I was a little leary about this because my plan had been to let Tabitha watch Santa from a distance, then gradually get closer as we would wait in line. We just knew that it wouldn't be as easy as last year, when she didn't care who she was held by. Because we went so early on Saturday morning, there wasn't a line, but it was also a "surprise" to see Santa...as he was waiting from behind a curtain. Which, I have to say is nice, because the whole world isn't watching you then. So, we entered. Tabitha immediately squirmed to get out of my hands. We decided to sit by Santa for a few seconds, and then eventually put her on Santa's lap. As you can see from the photo she didn't really care for it. The plus-side...she wasn't screaming like some kids. We decided to get a photo to capture the day!

Waiting for Santa

Meeting the guy in the red suit

Finally, to wrap up the day we watched a puppet show, which Tabitha LOVED! As her teachers at daycare tell us, she does great just sitting during music time, but I didn't know how she would do with a bunch of other fidgety kids. James got on the floor with her and they had a blast! For a 25 minute show she didn't make a peep or fidget.

Overall it was a great time...how do we know...Tabitha fell asleep on the way home!

2011-12-17T05:17:00.001-06:00

Tabitha now has her first "walking" injury. She was at daycare and playing outside. Because she's just a peanut, I've had a hard time finding her boots that will fit her, so I resorted to buying boots a size too big, which to a little girl, means they are huge! Normally she does really well, but throw in a combination of running and an uneven ground she's bound to take a tumble. Unfortunately, that tumble came at the cost of some skin on her nose.

A little TLC on the wounds, and a lot of hugs and kisses made it much better.

Good luck Auntie Abby and Uncle Steve!

2011-12-11T05:04:00.003-06:00

Tabitha's aunt and uncle are moving today. They sold their house in St. Louis and are trading it for a villa in the Swiss Alps. Okay, so maybe not a villa in the Swiss Alps, but at least an apartment in Zurich, Switzerland.

Steve landed a fantastic opportunity to work in Switzerland with his job for just shy of two years. Today is their moving day and they are headed abroad. Suitcases packed, boxes ready to be shipped, and cats with passports and visas.

Good luck Abby and Steve and we can't wait to visit you this summer!

Ready for winter!

2011-12-10T12:47:00.004-06:00

Tabitha is getting used to bundling up for winter these days. Last year it was fairly easy because we were just able to keep her in her car seat, and put blankets over her to keep her warm. Now that she's not in her bucket car seat any more, and we have to physically take her out of the car seat, she needs the whole gammet of clothing.

While we were smart last year to buy clothes on clearance at the end of the season, we misjudged her sizing for this year. We bought 18 month jackets thinking that they would be fairly close to fitting this year. Wrong....because she's barely wearing a size 12 month, we had to get her a new jacket. (The good news is that the 12 month size snowsuit we bought last year for $5 fits and she can now wear it!).

The one accessory she truly enjoys putting on...in fact Tabitha begs to have it put on, is her hat. As you can see by the picture, it's all about the kitty. It's cute how she'll just walk around the house with it on. Hopefully, someday when she's a teenager, she'll enjoy wearing hats as much as she does now (okay, probably not, but I can wish!).

2011-11-13T06:39:00.005-06:00

I just thought that I would post these because they are cute. They were taken about a month ago.

2011-11-11T04:59:00.002-06:00

I love this photo. It was a quiet Sunday morning after church, and the two of them were just watching the squirrels in the backyard. The moment didn't last long however...soon Tabitha realized that it was too quiet and started seeing if Fred could fit between the two doors.

2011-11-10T21:00:00.001-06:00

I'm finally getting around to posting more pictures from Tabitha's 1st birthday!

Think she got spoiled this year?

Ohh...this looks very interesting!

More gifts?

This bug house is cool! How come you don't like the real bugs we have in the house mama?

Yes, I am 1 and I am cute as a button.

What is this?

Hey what happened to that real cake you just put in front of me?

Why is everyone insisting that I eat this cupcake? I don't want to!!!

Fred...what else can I say? He did this on his own.

"We're off to see the wizard...."

2011-10-23T05:09:00.000-05:00

I didn't realize this until after I took the picture...but Tabitha's got a Dorothy (from the Wizard of Oz) outfit. The blue dress and ruby red shoes. What fun we have dressing her up! (oh...but she chose her"bracelets" that day...aka some rings that she's able to fit over her hands).

Go Dada Go!

2011-10-22T04:57:00.000-05:00

James ran (and finished) the Twin Cities Marathon on October 2 this year. Tabitha wanted to make sure that she didn't miss his first marathon, so she came out on a cool morning to cheer her dada on!

Tabitha with her sign

Ringing her bell for the runners

Goofin' around

Dada you are awesome...just 13 miles left!

On his way again!

I can see the finish line!

FINISHER!!

With his medal (too bad I didn't do a good job focusing the camera)

State Park #5

2011-10-21T19:44:00.009-05:00

A few weeks ago Tabitha visited Minneopa State Park. The park is about 1.5 hours south of where we live, in Mankato where Elise went to grad school. We were hoping for a better view of the fall colors, but most of the leaves had fallen. However, we enjoyed a nice morning of hiking, playing in the leaves, and a picnic lunch in the warm sun. Yay for fall!

Dada...I am ready to go!

Playing in the leaves is a lot of fun!

Evidence that I was at the park.

Yum...fiber

It's so much more fun now that I can walk.

That's all folks!

2011-10-10T20:29:00.000-05:00

I'm too cool.....

Walkin', Walkin', Walkin'

2011-10-09T05:14:00.000-05:00

Yep, the time has arrived...Miss Tabitha is now walking. Not a lot yet, but she knows how to do it. She proficiently stands and takes a few steps, then decides that walking is for the birds and reverts back to crawling. However, each day brings more and more steps.

Watch out Fred...your life is never going to be the same!!!

Here I come world!

Put me in the Zoo!

2011-10-08T05:02:00.005-05:00

Tabitha invited her friends to an outing at the Minnesota Zoo recently. A good time was had by all and they all loved watching the animals. The new penguin exhibit is the best because the kids can get right up to the glass and the penguins will swim right up and see them. Tabitha is excited to invite her friends back again!

Look! Here are my penguin friends!

Come here Mr. Penguin!!

Ladies...I had a fabulous time...let's do it again soon!

Apple picking

2011-10-01T05:36:00.006-05:00

A few weeks ago, Tabitha and I went apple picking. It is always a fun time down at Emma Krumbees. There is apple picking, the scarecrow festival, lots of baked goods, pony rides, camel rides, etc, etc. One cannot get bored.

This year we decided since Tabitha is still a little small to just do the apple picking. She was such a good helper by pointing at the apples she thought would be best and then holding onto them. We watched the pony and camel rides for awhile, and walked through the general store. We had a great time, but picking apples is hard work, so much so that Tabitha fell asleep on the way home!

2011-09-29T05:30:00.002-05:00

Tabitha has this thing about seeing how tight of space she can cram herself into. It's quite amusing to watch, that is until she gets herself stuck and can't get out. One of her favorite places is between the two tiers of the coffee table. She'll endlessly crawl through this area time and time again. What a silly little girl we have!

See mama...no worries, I can totally get myself out of here! I am little Miss Flexibility!

2011-09-28T20:10:00.002-05:00

What a fun day with the Babyroo today....even though she had to go to daycare, it was all of the fun things that she did today after we got home that made it so wonderful! Today was the first day that she went from sitting on the floor to standing up without holding onto anything (she subsequently practiced this over and over again), she would repeat the word mama back to me (yay!!!), and she learned how to play peek-a-boo by covering her own eyes. These were much too cute and just totally made my day.

My little princess is getting so old!!

The Box!

2011-09-25T05:40:00.006-05:00

Can you tell the theme of the month? Now that Tabitha is crawling everywhere, so likes to explore new things. One thing that was pretty new to her was a box. If you didn't already know though, Fred's favorite thing is also a box. So, one night when they were cramming into one box together (usually Fred leaves, but when it comes to a box, he does not...even if Tabitha is "petting" and giving him hugs and kisses). In the end, we figured it was best if they each had their own box!

So happy together! (Or not...Tabitha was happy...Fred, well not so much!)

So happy that they each had their own box!

Tabitha is 1!

2011-09-18T06:25:00.000-05:00

We had Tabitha's 1 year photos taken about a month ago. She did a great job considering it was a Friday evening photo shoot. One of her photos even made it on a poster that the photographer was using to advertise with. All of the photos turned out great, but here are the five that we chose to get digitally that we can share. (Thanks to our fabulous photographer...Jessica Barker! She was the one that did all of Tabitha's newborn photos in the hospital, too).

The anatomy of climbing into a box

2011-09-17T05:53:00.009-05:00

Hum....a box. I wonder what I should do with this box?

Aahh...I know, I will try to fit myself into this box

Wohoo...I made it!

Florida

2011-09-11T19:38:00.011-05:00

We recently went to Florida on a work/vacation trip. James had a conference and we ended up staying with Elise's Aunt and Uncle. Despite a nightmare of a trip down to get to Tampa, we had a great time. Tabitha was a such a great traveler and did not seem to mind anything that was going on. Good thing she's got daddy's great nature.

We visited lots of fun places and met a lot of relatives...here are a few of our favorite photos...

Helping mama pack (or just take it all out of the suitcase)

Pretty in pink in her new stroller

We went to Homosassa Springs to see the manatees. As it began to rain we went to the underwater viewing area where we were the only ones. Two manatees somehow knew that we were there and gave us the best show...turning circles and pressing their noses against the glass in front of Tabitha. They quickly went away when others came. What a fantastic experience!

Visiting the Gulf of Mexico!

Playing with Goldee the dog, which soon became her new best friend.

Walk, walk, walk...Tabitha took her first steps in Florida!

So many cousins to meet!

Thanks for the great time Aunt Mary and Uncle Bob...we can't wait to come back!!

2011-09-09T20:25:00.005-05:00

Ugh...a long time without an update. Eck. We've been awfully busy, so I'll try to get you all caught up here soon.

One fun trick that Tabitha has learned is how to crawl up and down the stairs. She has lots of confience going up the stairs, but we do have to remind her that the only way to go down is backwards, which she getting the hang of. Tabitha loves the stairs though!

Happy Birthday Tabitha (Part 2)

2011-08-12T20:05:00.001-05:00

Coming soon.......

Happy Birthday Tabitha (part 1)

2011-08-06T05:01:00.012-05:00

Thursday we spent the day together as a family...just roaming around town doing different things. We started the day at the zoo, where we saw the monkeys, penguins, tropical animals, and animals native to Minnesota. Next, we went on a errand, which Tabitha did a great job being patient with us at (it probably helped that she got sample blocks to play with). We then went to Emma Krumbee's for lunch (a great apple picking place). While the apples weren't ready to pick yet, the restaurant held lots of fun, new, and exciting things for us. Finally, we stopped at grandma's house for a few presents.

Whew...what a day!

Ohhh...a package from Auntie Abby. There has to be something good in here!

I love the zoo (and my dada!)

First bite of chocolate malt

What is this...I am not sure that I like it...it's cold....

Ah...I do like chocolate malts. I can't believe you've been hiding this from me. This is WAYYYYY better than those vegetables that you try to make me eat.

Surprise birthday treat!

Dada and Tabitha enjoying her birthday treat!

Had to get at least one picture of the birthday girl in her hat!

2011-08-04T07:00:00.001-05:00

One year ago James and I walked into the hospital as a couple, and at 7:49 a.m. we became a family. Today my little girl is one. It's so hard to believe that its been a year already because I can remember it all still so clearly.

Happy birthday Tabitha! Never in a million years did I think that you would ever bring me this much joy. Never did I think that it was possible to love someone so much. You brighten up all of my days. Whenever I am sad all I have to do is look at you...and with your smile, blue eyes, and laugh I forget everything that I am worried about. I love you so much!

12 months of Tabitha

August 4, 2010 (1.5 hours old)

August 4, 2010 (4 hours old)

August 5, 2010

August 2010

September 2010

October 2010

November 2010

December 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

April 2011

May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

2011-08-01T18:48:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago good friends from East Grand Forks came to visit with their 16 month old. Tabitha had such a good time playing with him. Since she's the "oldest" in her classroom at daycare, it was nice to have someone fairly close in age to her (and she learned many fun new tricks to show us). Here are some pictures from that fun weekend!

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?

Hi There!

Ooohh...what's on your side of the toy box?

Here...you need a hug!

2011-07-29T19:54:00.002-05:00

Our newest phrases in the house:

-Be gentle
-Be gentle to the Fred-the-cat
-Don't pull Fred's tail
-Be gentle
-Don't eat Fred's tail
-Don't lay on Fred
-Be gentle
-Leave poor Fred alone
-Don't drop your cup on Fred
-Be gentle

Thankfully Fred is a good sport...because Tabitha really loves her "brother".

2011-07-27T19:52:00.000-05:00

Tabitha and I over the course of a few weekends liked to occassionally turn on the TV to watch the Women's World Cup of soccer. What fun and exciting games the US women played.

During one of the games, they scored a goal, so I yelled out gggggooooaaalll and put my hands up in the air. Tabitha then followed suit....

GGGGOOOOAAAALLLL!!!!

2011-07-24T05:54:00.001-05:00

Another like brother, like sister moment brought to you by Fred and Tabitha.

How hot is it?

2011-07-23T20:30:00.000-05:00

Summer is here with a vengeance. It's been really hot and humid lately. How hot you may ask? Well, here's you go....

-The temperature on my run at 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday was 80. The heat index at that time was 91.
-Power outages everywhere from all of the air conditioners running.
-The inside temperature of the house at 75 seems cold.
-Roads are buckling everywhere.
-Construction workers on jobs have that have to be finished are being sent home early because of the heat (although after being in one of the buildings where they were sent home, I see why).
-Set a record for highest dewpoint: 82 degrees
-Set a record for highest heat index: 118 degrees

An interesting stat for you: The coldest windchill this year was -44. The highest heat index for this year was 118. That makes a drastic 162 degree different. I love Minnesota....when does winter arrive?

Here's how Tabitha chooses to cool off.

Sleeping like a baby...

2011-07-21T19:41:00.001-05:00

I try not to talk a lot about Tabitha's sleeping. I am afraid I may jinx something if I do. She's been a good sleeper during the night since about 1 month and a good napper since about month 5. Last month we learned how soundly she really does sleep though.

A thunderstorm came rolling through at about 4 a.m. It wasn't severe, but it was loud. I heard it coming for awhile since Fred decided he was going to wake me up at 3:30. There was one clap of thunder that was so loud that the house shook, caused several electrical outlets to trip, and made the singing camel start singing in Arabic. Of course I freaked like I always do, and it made James wake up as well (which means it was loud). I looked over at the monitor and there was Tabitha sound asleep. Seriously, with all of that she slept through it like it never even happened.

I shouldn't have been surprised though....there have been numerous other ocassions where she's just slept....the smoke detectors going off when she was about 2 weeks old (including the one in her room), me vacuuming right outside of her bedroom (granted the door was closed though).

She truly does "sleep like a baby". Now, if only I could take some clues from her!

2011-07-14T20:22:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since the last post. New pictures are on the camera but no time yet to up load them.

But I am sitting here tonight thinking that it is only three weeks til our little girl turns one. Can you believe it? I surely can't. A couple of colleagues came up to me yesterday, and one reminded me of her upcoming birthday. The other one then mentioned how quickly it seem to have gone by. Yes, yes you are right I told her.

No longer is Tabitha is youngest at daycare...instead she's now the oldest in her room and only a bit longer until she moves up to the next room (trust me our checkbook appreciates that fact). She's one that crawls all over the place. She's the one for whom the door needs to be closed otherwise she'll go wandering. She's the one that needs the cabinets locked and outlet covers on. She's the one that sits in the book corner and looks at books. She's the one that brings the younger (I can't say smaller because there's at least one that is bigger and weighs more than her) kids toys as they are sitting in the jumparoo. She's the one with the family poster up.

What happened? No longer is my little girl an infant, and for just a short while longer she's a baby, and much too soon she'll be a toddler.

Wow...what an amazing, tiring, fun, unforgettable, joyous, exciting, phenomenal, crazy year it has been. Here's to many more!

The Zoo

2011-06-26T12:10:00.001-05:00

Aaahhh...one of my favorite places to go! Here are some pictures from our first outing to the Minnesota Zoo last month.

This is great!!!

Take 1

Take 2

Take 3 (all including Eddie the Eagle are looking at the camera)

So close I could almost reach out and touch them!

Thunderstorm delay

This Tapir is much more interesting than dada (and mama...are you sleeping?)

Dada...watching all of these animals makes me tired!

2011-06-25T14:55:00.003-05:00

The highlight of this dreary day...chasing after my crawling babyroo, then catching up with her, tickling her, and listening to her squeal in delight!

2011-06-24T19:44:00.003-05:00

Today's conversation on the way home from daycare:

Babyroo: dadadadadadada
Me: Oh really...is that right?!

Babyroo: dadadadadadada
Me: Yep, that's nice

Babyroo: dadadadadadada
Me: Can we try mama now?

Babyroo: DADA!

I guess I am succumbing to the fact that Babyroo's first word is dada. Good thing she's so darn cute!

Happy Father's Day...Dada!

2011-06-19T19:38:00.008-05:00

August 4, 2010

August 6, 2010

October 31, 2010

November 2010

February 2011

March 2011

May 2011

The Nose

2011-06-18T12:53:00.001-05:00

Q: Who has seen Bewitched?
A: Okay...we all have, haven't we?

Q: What was the little girl's name in Bewitched?
>A: [You better answer correctly] Tabitha (They technically spelled it Tabatha until Season 5...thank you Wikipedia).

>Q: And what is so special about Tabitha and her mommy (Samantha)?
>A: They are witches.

Q: How does Tabitha and her mommy use their magical powers?
A: By the twitch of their nose.

Here's our Tabitha working on her magical skills now....

Photography by dada

2011-06-12T16:10:00.002-05:00

>Here are some of my favorite shots of dada's photography....

2011-06-11T06:20:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday, Fred! It's your day today, so do as you wish....sleep, meow, sleep, bite your mama at 3:30 a.m., sleep, eat, sleep, roll on the floor, sleep, eat some toliet paper, and finally, you guessed it...sleep!

You are 11 today...such a big day for a Fred-the-cat!

Fred's 6th birthday

Fred's 7th birthday

Fred's 8th Birthday!

Fred's 9th birthday!

2011-06-07T06:02:00.010-05:00

Dear Mother Nature:

In case you have forgotten, we live in Minnesota. Minnesota is known for having four seasons--winter, spring, summer, and fall. It seems somehow that you have completely forgotten spring. Last month at this time it was cold and we were getting flurries. Now, it's June and you've decided that it should be record setting hot at 95 to 100 degrees. What happened to spring? I've barely had time to plant my flowers and garden and now you are trying to kill them with your heat. I know you are trying to make up after the long winter, but trust me, this isn't the way to make us happy. Please bring back spring...in case you haven't checked the calendar lately, it's still spring until June 20.

Thank you.

PS--Florida has called and would like it's heat back.

Tabitha cooling off in her pool. I am pretty sure more than half of the water was splashed out of the pool by the time she was done.

How the babyroo changes

2011-06-05T07:15:00.001-05:00

We visited Cascade State Park when Tabitha was about 2.5 weeks old. We then visited the exact same park (and same waterfall location) nearly 9.5 months later. See how she has changed!

August 2010

May 2011

Memorial Day weekend in pictures

2011-06-04T05:50:00.007-05:00

Along Lake Superior

Dada and Babyroo at Grand Portage State Park

Family shot at High Falls in Grand Portage State Park

Mama and flying Babyroo at Thunder Bay, Ontario kite festival

Dada and Babyroo enjoying the trip to Canada

2011-05-30T19:42:00.002-05:00

A quick recap of Memorial Day weekend 2011. Photos to come....

-6 hour drive Friday to get to the north shore.
-Grilling by dada on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
-Babyroo's first international trip (to Canada)
-Happening upon the kite flying festival in Thunder Bay, Canada
-Lake Superior (need I say more?)
-Playing in the lodge while it rained
-Two state parks
-Two gorgeous waterfalls
-Best. Massage. Ever!!!
-Cabin fever!

It was a great weekend away!

2011-05-20T05:13:00.004-05:00

Yesterday's daycare quote of the day from one of the teachers to a two year old toddler:

"Not all people are mommys".

This said as a dad walked by and the toddler said mama.

2011-05-18T18:51:00.000-05:00

Canada geese are annoying. They are everywhere, they are messy, and they are just plain mean...especially when they have their little goslings by them. But, there was a moment the other day when I felt bad for them. I am not sure what they were thinking, but obviously humans were interferring with their intentions.

I was driving back to work from a meeting in downtown Minneapolis along I-394. For those of you who don't live in Minnesota, this is a busy, busy freeway area. About halfway back to the office I noticed flashing lights and thought there was just a stalled car, someone that got pulled over, or something other random. As I got closer and closer I finally noticed that a mama, dada, and baby goose family was walking as fast as they could along the shoulder of the freeway....the inner shoulder of the freeway next to the median. It was at that moment, as a mother, all I could think about was that poor goose family.

I don't know what happened, nor am I likely never to know what happened. I hope it was all good. With a FIRST response truck helping them along I am hoping for the best....even if they are annoying birds.....

2011-05-17T19:50:00.001-05:00

We've had a buildup of old (meaning a few months worth) of photos on the camera again. James has taken to editing them, but I haven't yet received the actual photos yet. So, in order to get them, I've relegated to copying them from his Facebook page...so the quality isn't quite as good.

Let me add...that these are photos by mama taken at the end of February.

2011-05-15T06:40:00.020-05:00

Last Sunday we celebrated my first mother's day. A wonderful breakfast of pancakes, a fresh bouquet of roses, a family trip to the landscape arboretum, followed by afternoon naps for all filled our first lazy Sunday together in four weeks. What a wonderful day!

Despite being cold, windy, and rainy, here are a few pictures of our time at the arboretum.

The best picture is yet to come...but you may have to wait for it as it may be our Christmas photo.

Dada's coming home

2011-05-07T06:06:00.002-05:00

It's been a long four weeks, but today, after much counting down, James is coming home! Tabitha's excited for dancing with dada, kisses from dada, and reading/playing with dada. Mama's excited for a break, for kisses from dada (James), and for someone else to get up when she happens to get up in the middle of the night (which I think was twice in the past four weeks). Fred's excited for attention, the stretch and roll, for attention, and did I mention attention.

We are all so excited!!!!

The magical laughing book

2011-05-06T20:04:00.001-05:00

This book (thanks Tina!) has magical laughing spells that only come out at certain times....usually not at the most appropriate times, either. The past few weeks at church I've taken this book for Tabitha to read. See, it's not that funny of a book when we are at home; however, when it comes out at church, it has magical laughing spells it puts on babies.

The first time I showed it to her at church it was during the sermon. Yes, it was quiet, it was Palm Sunday, and there she was laughing up a storm because of this book. This past week I took it again to church (mainly to see if it was really that funny). Sure enough, during the children's sermon this time (so thankfully it wasn't as quiet), the book's magical laughing spells came out again.

At least I am surrounded by people with other kids, so they think it is rather amusing as she begins to giggle away.

A post by Tabitha

2011-05-04T06:30:00.001-05:00

Today is Tabitha's 9 month birthday, so she wanted to share something with all of you!

b gmu,m gj jk k d n bfb mnbgf5fddsbnghaxz v

dsdfglhgn fdx Aavdgtnykuiuiuyjtrbav a xzn

d v ch v

2011-05-03T05:51:00.001-05:00

Tabitha helped me to sort the mail on Monday. She organized it into several piles...one for ads about household products, one for ads for restaurants, and one for junk mail. She takes after her mama for being organized. Haha...at least she didn't try to eat them like she normally does!

2011-05-02T17:45:00.001-05:00

In addition to her own toys, Tabitha loves to play with Fred's toys. I am not sure what the fascination is with them, but she surely enjoys them...especially the fishing pole.

When she was smaller, she used to sit on our laps while we played the game with Fred. This would entertain her as she would watch Fred run back and forth like a buckaroo.

One day I was playing this game with Fred, and needed to get up and get something. Tabitha was sitting next to me, and when I got up it didn't occur to me that she might try and play with Fred's toy. Of course she reached right for it after I got up, but I soon saw that instead of playing with the toy, she was trying to get Fred to play with the toy. I was able to capture a few pictures of her and Fred playing together!

The Simplest of Toys

2011-04-30T11:15:00.001-05:00

Tabitha has a lot of nice toys to play with. She loves to play with them all, and even though we rotate them around so she doesn't play with them all at once, she does like new things to play with.

Usually these are the simplest of things...at first it was the tupperware. Then it was her socks and shoes. Now it has become the empty ice cream pail with the wooden spoon. How this "toy" amazes her and keeps her occupied for minutes (in Tabitha time that's a long time) at a time.

All I want for Easter...

2011-04-29T17:46:00.004-05:00

Okay, so Easter has come and gone, but all Tabitha wanted was her two front teeth (the bottom ones that is). Well...guess what?! She got them! They aren't all of the way out yet, but they are sticking out. The poor little girl. There were some tough moments with them....but a little chewing and a lot of drooling, and a bit of tylenol helped.

Two down...how many more to go???? Oh, and that's right, we get to do it again once she loses her baby teeth. Ugh.

She does not readily show off her new pearly whites. This is about as close as I can get with her showing them off.

Go Abby Go!

2011-04-18T06:32:00.000-05:00

Good luck to my little sister as she runs her first Boston Marathon today! You are a rock star!

2011-04-17T07:50:00.000-05:00

Like brother....

Like Sister....

Longing for spring...

2011-04-16T04:01:00.007-05:00

We got a taste of spring last week...60 and 70 degree days, sunny, and just perfect. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the winter, but when winter starts in mid-November with a large snowstorm and snow is on the ground until April...well, we all start to get a little tired. So, when the days got nice last week we took a walk. Finally, a chance to get out of the house! With the tulips coming up and the birds singing, how can you resist not being outside.

That all has abruptly come to an end for now. As I write this it is snowing (once again) outside. A fresh layer of snow now covers the ground. While it won't last for long--hopefully not more than a few hours--it is just wrong. Did Mother Nature forget that it is April 16? I know that in a few months, when it is 90 and humid outside I will be begging for this day again. But, until then can we just have some spring?!

Tabitha says "Flowers make me happy". But she is wondering where they all are right now!

See how they grow

2011-04-03T19:37:00.012-05:00

The lovely ladies of my new mama's group have gotten together several times since class ended last September. What fun it is has to get to know these women, the babies, and the spouses. Additionally, it's been fun to see what they've been up to. I met these women when the babies were between 2 weeks and 1 month old. Now we are entering the 8 and 9 month old stage. Oh how fun it is to see them move and play with each other and to see how they've grown up and how their personalities have developed. Here's to a great group of friends!

September 30, 2010

October 31, 2010

January 22, 2011

April 2, 2011 (Notes: Tabitha is so small--and obviously not having a good day on Saturday!)

Moving

2011-04-02T21:25:00.001-05:00

Tabitha hasn't mastered moving yet, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't like to get about. Occassionally, when she is motivated, you'll find her far, far away from the spot that she began in.

For example, what started upright at the far right side of the green blanket (near the monkey on the blanket), turned into falling over, then rolling around until she ended up by the couch. She seemed rather content and proud of herself that she made it that far. Additionally, the little book (by her head in this picture) made the journey with her.

It will be soon that she'll be crawling and we won't have a down moment, but for now, it's fun to watch her move.

The Gerber Baby?

2011-03-31T14:13:00.001-05:00

More than once, we've had people comment that Tabitha has the look of the Gerber baby. I guess it's the big blue eyes that do it. Of course we think that she is the most adorable thing on the planet (well, her and Fred that is).

One of my all time favorite pictures of Tabitha (to date that is!)

2011-03-29T10:11:00.004-05:00

We are home "sick" today. Because Tabitha was running a fever yesterday, we are required to stay home from daycare for 24 hours...therefore, Tabs and I are hanging out. She's feeling much better today though. How do I know this....let's count: 1) She is making goofy sounds as we write this 2) She only took a 30 minute nap this morning instead of the 3-1 hour naps yesterday 3) She rolled around the living room floor in search of new toys 4) She's smiling again.

Here's what Tabitha has to say about feeling better: 89u9999999999999999pkkmjh

Vacation???

2011-03-27T05:39:00.001-05:00

We decided that it is time that Tabitha got a passport. With us, you never know when we may decide that we want to go somewhere, and knowing that Canada is so close, that it was probably best that we have something for Tabitha.

While we were at the AAA store getting a passport photo for Tabitha (which is a trick in and amongst itself), Tabitha and her daddy did a little cruising around the aisles to try and find some good places to go.

Hum...where to go????

2011-03-26T11:33:00.001-05:00

I'm so big!

2011-03-22T20:08:00.002-05:00

Happy birthday to my wonderful husband!

Swimming

2011-03-20T05:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was our first real swimming lessons with Tabitha. She had a blast...the little fish that she is. The class was about 30 minutes long and Tabitha, along with her friend, were the smallest in the class. That didn't stop them from enjoying the water! The swimming lessons will continue for 10 weeks total. Here's to more fun!

My daddy's a rock star

2011-03-19T15:03:00.004-05:00

A few months ago, James found this really cute top for Tabitha.

Little did he know at the time, that his namesake, James Durbin, would be in the top 10 for American Idol this season. We don't watch the show, but everyone we know likes to keep us posted on what happens. So now, we make it a tradition that Tabitha wears her "Rock and Roll Forever" top on Fridays after American Idol. She'll probably outgrow the top by the time this season of American Idol is complete. Somewhat fitting, huh....

2011-03-16T20:53:00.003-05:00

March 16 really isn't a day that most people remember, unless of course you were born that day, were married, or there was some other traumatic or maybe exciting event. March 16, 2010 probably won't be a date that I'll always remember but just a year later it's still fresh in my mind.

I remember sitting at a seminar for work when all of a sudden it felt like my muscles in my stomach were twitching. I didn't think much of it, but as it kept happening throughout the day I finally came to the realization of what was going on....that little baby inside of me was kicking and I could feel it! It was probably at that moment that I realized that this little thing existed...something that the initial ultrasound and even hearing the heartbeats couldn't do for me.

For the next 3.5 months after that first kick I think that I could probably feel everything else. As Tabitha has gotten bigger I now understand why it felt like she never slept when she was inside me. She's such an active little girl...always moving around, looking to pick up something, move somewhere else, or jump in her jumparoo.

While I probably won't remember this date forever it holds a special place in my heart for now.

2011-03-13T06:49:00.004-05:00

Tabitha's new trick is...throwing! Yes, much to my dismay this has become a regular habit for her. I am not sure where she picked it up, although I would have to say that it's likely from daycare (although the parenting books and magazines just say that kids 6 months to 1 year are exploring by throwing).

Poor Fred has been the victim (more than once) of a flying object. And Tabitha...well she has managed to hit herself (also more than once) while in the process of launching the object.

Let's hope this is "just a phase", which ends rather quickly.

Ready.....Set.....Throw!!

Names

2011-03-12T09:16:00.003-06:00

Here are just a sampling of Tabitha's names that she goes by.... so far:

Baby
Baby buckaroo
Babyroo
Tabs

Tabers
Ted (Tabitha Elise Durbin)

Sweetheart

Sweetie

Pumpkin

Fred's little sister

2011-03-06T06:51:00.004-06:00

James told me that this blog is turning into Tabitha's blog. Well, what can I say, our time and life is consumed with not much other than Tabitha. There isn't much to share in the world of James and Elise, and with Tabitha changing every day, well, her life is much more exciting.

But, for those of you wondering, here's what James and I have been up to lately:

Work
Taking Tabitha to daycare
A couple of date days (while Tabitha was at daycare...oh how guilty I felt!)
Snowblowing
Clearing the snow off of the roof
Longing for a vacation
Work
Laundry
Working on the "man cave"
Changing diapers (especially yesterday)
Getting over one cold after another
Work
Spending hours at the bank only to try and figure out later what they really changed (although they claimed they changed something, but what we can't figure out)
Snowblowing some more
Singing the "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "If you are Happy and You Know It", "The Wheels on the Bus", etc.
Playing with blocks
Work

Well, from that list you get a sense of why I no longer blog about us.....

2011-03-05T06:08:00.003-06:00

We always wonder what Tabitha will be when she grows up. Perhaps, she'll be a pianist...

Swimming

2011-03-01T06:11:00.000-06:00

On Saturday we took Tabitha swimming for the first time. The city that I work for owns a gym and recently they finished remodeling the swimming pool area--and put in a new kiddie pool area. On Saturday we decided to check it out. We were a little nervous about this because while Tabitha enjoys bathtime, it's a different world in the swimming pool.

There weren't a lot of smiles, but there wasn't crying either. I think that she was just trying to take everything in. There were other kids there that she seemed to enjoy watching as well. After awhile she became accustomed to the water and started to splash in it. By the time we were done she was wet everywhere, including her head and face, but that didn't seem to bother her one bit.

It looks like now we are going to have to get that family membership to the gym!

Unfortunately we forgot the regular camera and while we got some good shots on the phone camera, they all went away after the phone crashed. I guess we'll have to replicate the experience some other time.

A shopping cart ride

2011-02-27T05:33:00.001-06:00

Tabitha has been sitting up on her own for about a month now, a few weeks ago when we were out and about, I decided to stop at the grocery store. Since the car seat doesn't fit very well in the cart (and I am too scared to put it on top), I decided that we would try out the child seat.

She obviously loved it by her reaction from this picture. I crammed my purse in there though with her to give her some more padding. Being the wee thing that she is, I thought that she could use some more stability. Perhaps this is a sign that I can now take her shopping more with me!

A future doctor?

2011-02-26T05:27:00.001-06:00

Perhaps Tabitha has already realized her future career. As we were doing a photo shoot with the baby one day, James asked me to capture some pictures of her with him. As she became more uninterested in the camera she began to look around for something else to do. I guess daddy's ear was much more interesting....

2011-02-25T05:09:00.000-06:00

Yum...carrots...need I say more?

Flexibility

2011-02-21T05:20:00.000-06:00

Everyone we know who sees Tabitha reach for a toy is amazed at her flexibility...even I am somewhat amazed, but not really. See, as a gymnast I did not have much flexibility, except when it came to a pike sit (like Tabitha is demonstrating here). I guess this is another way that she takes after her mommy. Now...just to get James on board with letting Tabitha take some gymnastics lessons when she gets older.

The Swimsuit

2011-02-20T05:08:00.001-06:00

So, now that Tabitha is 6 months old, we've been given the ok to go swimming. While auntie Abby gave her a very cute two piece suit, it is size 12 months and right now we are just growing into 6 month clothing (yes, she's a little peanut). Because we enrolled her in swimming lessons starting in March I had to buy her another suit.

Target had several size 6 month suits that I could choose from, so I picked one out and brought it to checkout. The gal at the checkout was very friendly and talkative. When she got to the swimsuit she asked if this was for a doll. I almost burst out laughing...but instead I said it was my daughter. I will probably always remember that question...and someday Tabitha will hear the story and how little of a peanut she was!

Chatterbox

2011-02-19T17:18:00.000-06:00

We have quite the talker on our hands. Little Miss Tabitha loves to talk. While James claims that she says "Da Da" quite often, I told him that it doesn't count until she understands what it means (hence, we still have more time to learn "Ma Ma").

One night a few weeks back she was particularly chatty, and we were able to catch it on video. Enjoy!

2011-02-15T06:05:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was Valentine's Day and Tabitha's first one at that. She was really adorable in her Valentine's outfit (which I didn't get a picture of--but trust me she was cute).

I had a night meeting last night so James was responsible for picking up Tabitha. I figured something was up when he asked if there was a florist close to daycare. As I learned later he picked up a dozen roses for Tabitha and then brought them in to her at daycare. I guess she loved them! I am looking forward to hearing all about his surprise for her today when I drop her off at daycare.

Do you think that she has him wrapped around her finger? Ah yes....

Oh and I was told that she might share her roses with me.....

Clapping!

2011-02-13T06:24:00.001-06:00

Tabitha learned a new trick this week...it's clapping! She loves her monkey that sings "If you are happy and you know it clap your hands", and so when it plays we frequently like to do the motions with her. And now she can do the motions on her own (okay, so with a little prompting!). It makes momma so happy every time Tabitha claps now.

Here's a short movie of her clapping for the camera!

Her daddy's eyes

2011-02-12T06:52:00.000-06:00

I've finally come to the conclusion that Tabitha has her daddy's eyes. Everyone tells us that, so I guess that I am going to have to accept it. Not that it's a bad thing...obviously I love James' eyes--the beautiful blue that they are. However, he has started taking this to a new level as he consistantly reminds me (as in several times a day) that Tabitha has his eyes. Yes, enough already....

But...at least she has her momma's tongue!

The Jumparoo

2011-02-09T20:15:00.000-06:00

Tabitha likes to move. Luckily crawling has not been mastered yet; however, she gets impatient after awhile and needs to get her energy out. So, the jumparoo that she got for Christmas has been a great toy for her. I can put Tabitha in the jumparoo and she'll go to town in it for about 30 minutes until she gets bored.

Besides just jumping there are little toys and activities that she can play with to perfect her fine motor skills. She's gotten the hang of spinning the toys and grabbing the toys as well. Once she gets a little older, hopefully she'll figure out that she can move herself in a circle to get to the other toys. Until then though, mommy's happy that Tabitha so willingly goes into the jumparoo and plays by herself so well!

Jump, jump, jump!

The first picture

2011-02-06T05:20:00.000-06:00

I often find myself looking back at the "old" pictures of Tabitha. I enjoy this picture a lot because it is the first picture that we have of her. She's about 1 hour old and getting her first bath. Here we are 6 months later, but it will always remind me of my little baby.

6 months

2011-02-04T05:02:00.000-06:00

How did that happen...I wonder how 6 months went so quickly?? Is this a sign of things to come for the rest of my life? I mean, I am sure there will be times that I will want it to go more quickly, but I still can't believe my little girl is 6 months old already.

2011-02-02T04:44:00.001-06:00

I rarely nap, so when I had the chance to nap with Tabitha I took the opportunity. A nap that started out as the two of us, soon turned into a nap with the three of us. Soon after, Fred became restless and wanted to play, so he insisted on licking my nose to get me up. Thanks to James for capturing the moment!

2011-01-30T05:30:00.001-06:00

I must admit that we've been EXTREMELY lucky. Our little girl sleeps through the night about 95% of the time. We know that once she's got her thumb in her mouth, and she's turned to the side, that she's out...see you in the morning little girl.

Last night/this morning we were not that lucky. Something seemed to bother her, we just didn't know what. Maybe she needed food. Nope...that wasn't it. Maybe she needed a new diaper. Nope...that wasn't it. She was fine in our arms, seemed to get drowsy, but as soon as her head hit the matress...BOOM, eyes were wide open and the crying began the second you left the room. For two hours we played this game. We tried to let her cry it out (TORTURE for mom and dad), but she would get so worked up that she would never put herself back down. Finally, at 1 a.m. she was asleep. I took nearly 5 minutes to leave her room once I figured out she was asleep because I did not want to take a misstep and hit something or cause a tiny noise that would make her wake back up again.

I can't complain, 95% of the time bedtime and sleeping are a breeze; however, since we haven't done a two hour, middle of the night, stint like this since about the first month, it seemed like torture. So, in honor of Tabitha's "Sleepless in Minneapolis" night, here are some very cute pictures of her actually sleeping. There's something so peaceful and beautiful about a sleeping baby....