2 Little Fairies!

What a fun night!

The girls were beside themselves to go trick or treating, so I had a little trouble getting them both to sit and look at me.  Well, Landrie was excited about the trick or treating.  Tatem, on the other hand, is just a 14 month old! (Happy 14 month birthday!)

The first picture is to make up for Tatem's picture last year. :)  She was still in her scream-all-the-time phase then.  

She's not in that phase anymore!  In this picture she actually joined in with Landrie in saying "CHEEEEEESE!"  Of course, it came out "EEEEEEEEE!"  

Landrie was SO excited about dressing up this year and has been telling everyone who asked about her fairy costume for weeks!

(OOPS!  It looks like I left the door open.  I'd better shut that!)

Tatem's looking so grown up!

sweet sisters

I was just snapping away!  In case you're not from around here, it was HOT on Halloween.  After taking a few pictures, I quickly grabbed the girls and my camera, because we were late to meet our friends!  I went to open the front door, and it was LOCKED!  We were locked out with nothing but a camera. :)  I figured it was probably the world's best night be locked out though.  Worst case scenario, we could just start trick or treating early!  Thankfully, a few minutes later Mark came home and saved us!!  Whew!

Family picture 2012!

Flashback to 2011 with tiny girls and sheer exhaustion :)  I was impressed that our costumes lasted 2 years in a row!

Well, actually, it was year 3 for the strawberry fairy!!

Mark pushed a chill Tatem around the whole time. I tried to take her out and let her walk up to the first few houses, but she did not see the point and just cried!  I think all the craziness of the big kids scared her a bit. :)

Landrie was happy to run from house to house!  When it got busy though, she just let other kids walk up and get in line in front of her.  A few times I had to go stand in line with her or she never would have made it past third in line. :)  Most people were already outside, but one house the family was inside.  During the few seconds it took them to open their door, the mob of preschoolers and toddlers that had grown outside got really excited.  When they opened the door, all the kids just walked right in!!  haha!

It was just a little after 8:00 when Landrie had a breakdown!  She was SO tired she just wanted me to hold her and rested her head on my shoulder.  She was so sleepy/overwhelmed that she didn't even want candy!   We cut our trick or treating a little short.  She perked up when we got home. :)

I hope you had a great night too!! 

 I've loved seeing lots of your little cuties dressed up on your blogs and on facebook!

Rejoicing over T's 1st HEALTHY well check!!

Welcome back to the "Happy Birthday Blogging Bonanza!"  I'm loving catching up on this blog, because it's the only scrapbook/ baby book of my girls that exists!  I'm so thankful to have all these sweet memories written down!   

Happy 1st Birthday, Tatem Rose!
A SPRINKLES Party!
Party Pics
Peas in a pod
Yes!  I LOVE it!  (The many obsessions of an almost 3 year old)

Breastfeeding vs. formula...the stuff you won't read in a book:)
I LOVE YOU!
Rejoicing over T's 1st HEALTHY well check!!
Traditions
H
Dancing baby
A
Yipee, I'm three!!

Today we went to Tatem's 12 month well check.  Guess what?!!  She's HEALTHY!  That's right, for the 1st time we went to a well check and didn't come away with a scary new diagnosis!  Check out the past year:

(photo by Jenny Sawyer Photography)
newborn

When Tatem was born, she was just gorgeous and snuggly.  The pediatrician on call said her head was "squished."  We didn't like him so much!

2 month well check
She was diagnosed with torticollis, and began weekly trips to see her physical therapist, the AMAZING Miss Morgan.  We also started doing her neck stretches at home 6-8 times a day.  I was a bit over the edge at first, but it soon became so normal.

4 month well check
Tatem was diagnosed with Phlageocephaly!  This asymmetrical head problem is really common among Torticollis babies, since they like to lay on the same side of their still-squishable heads.  Tatem was fitted with her oh-so-fashionable helmet.  It took me about 2 minutes to scotch tape a bow on there!  

6 month well check

We were kind of expecting the other things, but we were shocked to find out she also had hip dysplaysia!  Thankfully she was able to wear this soft, removable harness instead of the full body cast the doctor originally said she needed!  It was HARD to bring my baby in public in this head- to- toe get up.  People were so kind, and it seemed like everyone we saw managed to strike up a conversation about it!


9 month well check
I filled out the developmental paperwork for her appointment and soon realized I wasn't able to check off many boxes. :(  As a matter of fact, little miss was behind in every single area (speech/communication, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, social development and whatever other categories they had!).  Tatem's doctor said I could wait until her 12 month check up or call ECI (the state's early childhood intervention program), but we opted to work with Tatem's physical therapist instead.  I quit treating Tatem like a newborn, and we got to work!!

12 month well check

Tatem can talk, walk, play peek-a book, wave good-bye, throw a purse over her arm, pick up her favorite tiny black beans and frozen peas...she's right where she needs to be!  We are SO, SO thankful for such a great report.  This morning her doctor said she looks like a very healthy little girl. :)  We will continue PT for a bit longer to help strengthen her neck as she learns to walk, but all the other problems are completely healed!  No more x-rays or sonos or appointments with specialists or stinky helmets or driving all over town!  

As a Christian, God does not promise me a perfect life, free from any problems.  He DOES promise to be right there with me, every step of the way.  We are so thankful for Tatem's complete and total healing!!  I am so thankful that my God was there to comfort me and give me peace through the past year of so many things we were not expecting for our beautiful baby girl.

Peas in a Pod

Whew!  Nothing will get you out of a blogging slump like committing to doing a series!  I'm having so much fun!  I hope you're enjoying them too.  :)  Today is Day 4 of the "Happy Birthday Blogging Bonanza!"  

Happy 1st Birthday, Tatem Rose!
A SPRINKLES Party!
Party Pics
Peas in a pod
Yes!  I LOVE it!  (The many obsessions of an almost 3 year old)

We had a little gender reveal party to find out if Tatem was a boy or a girl.  I was THRILLED bite into a PINK cupcake because I couldn't wait for Landrie to have a sister!!

(photo by VanReet Photography)

Landrie could not WAIT for her baby sister to be born!

Landrie was ready to play with Tatem day 1!

Tatem wasn't quite as into all the "playing" at first!

But after a few months...

They were BOTH ready to play!  Oh, how happy that makes this momma's heart!!

People will stop me at the grocery store and say, "Did you know your daughter is giving your baby a drink?" Sure enough, there's Landrie holding her sippy cup up for Tatem to drink from!  (Of course other times, Tatem is shrieking because Landrie put a box over her head or something...)

Landrie is SUCH a helper, and loves to push Tatem in the swing, or get her cup or teach her sign language.  They love each other SO much!

I mean, they love each other a TON!!  :)

Party Pics!

Today is Day 3 of the "Happy Birthday Blogging Bonanza!"  Here's a look at the first few days:

Happy 1st Birthday, Tatem Rose!
A SPRINKLES Party!
Party Pics
Peas in a pod
Yes!  I LOVE it!  (The many obsessions of an almost 3 year old)

We had such a great time at the girls' party!  This was the first year that Landrie really was so excited to have a party and have friends come to it.  To say she was excited was really and understatement.  If you've been around her and her her squeal with glee, then you know what I'm talking about!

"I'm 3!"  

(Well, she will be soon!)

The girls got this playhouse for their birthday.   It was a hit with all the kids!

McKinnan, Aiden, Ashton and Adelynn

Tatem loves her Uncle Rusty!

The kids made themselves at home inside and out!  We have a little kitchen set up in the living room by the backdoor, and it was hopping!

Shari and her baby...haha!  You'll see sweet Judah in lots of people's arms.  He's such a great baby!  Really, that's Shari holding Kimi's baby, Thomas and Smith and Kimi. :)

Lunchtime!  

Thomas, Smith, Carson, Lochlyn and Lake

The girls' cousins Tucker and Gramm:)

Tatem eating drinking milk with Aunt Beth and Uncle Rusty.  I don't know that she ate anything all day!  By the next morning, her two new teeth were finally all the way in.  :(

We borrowed a tent, and it was great shade!

It's cupcake decorating time!  I love how intense they all are.

"Mom, I really don't have time for pictures!  There's a cupcake, frosting AND sprinkles here!"

Thomas, Tucker and McKinnan hard at work!

Mark and my dad chatting during all the decorating.  Wait...if I was with Landrie, Mark was holding a cupcake, and that seat back there was empty...where was Tatem???

Poor, sweet, teething baby was taking nap #2!  She took a nap before the party started, which is a normal naptime.  Not long into the party, she was just so tired I had to put her down for another nap!  She was out like a light and let me take lots of pictures of her without stirring a bit.  I decided to let her sleep a bit longer. :)

My love!

Beautiful Finley enjoying her creation!

Oh, how Landrie LOVES her P-Pa!

Aunt Megan with Judah :)

Shari, Micah and Erin

Last night, Micah and Erin actually got to meet their baby boy!  He was born just 3 days after the party.  Congrats!!

Summer, Erin and Ashley...such sweet friends!

Mark lit the candles, and don't worry, a sweet friend pointed out that there were only two candles, and I added a third before we sang!  haha!

I'm...trying to show you hold old I am, but at this point I'm confused!  Am I still two?  Am I three yet?  :)

She LOVED everyone gathered around singing to her.

Everything she wanted is in this picture- candles, a pink cake and SPRINKLES!

Everything we wanted is in this picture too- a precious little girl!!

Does anyone else get choked up singing "Happy Birthday" to their kids?  She's getting SO big!

My mom is always ready to help!  She's serving cupcakes to the parents.  I'm pretty sure they were thankful that these were decorated by a grown up. :)

I went in to check on Tatem, and she was still out like a light!  So, I did what any good mom would do.  I scooped her out of bed so she could come and eat her cake!  

She FINALLY woke up after being in the kitchen, in the middle of all that noise.  She had been zonked out!  When Tatem wakes up, Landrie loves to tell her "Good morning, TayTay!!" in her best sing-song voice. :)

And Landrie's other favorite thing is for me to hold them both at the same time and say,

"TWO babies!?!"

Yes, Landrie Grace, I can't believe it either.  It makes me SO happy!!

Eph. 3:20

Kimi, me, Shari, Ashley and a very sleepy Tatem. :)

"Seriously?  What am I doing out of my bed?"

If you know Tatem, this is NOT a normal look for her!  She was so out of it.

There's a smile!  Thank you to whoever was jumping up and down behind the camera. :)

Happy Birthday to you...

She HATED it!  We tried everything to get her to dive in.  Nothing.

Look at that face!!

How could she not want to eat that yumminess?

Landrie tried too.  She even took a few tastes herself to show Tatem how to do it. (So kind!)

Tatem wanted nothing to do with it.  We finally gave up and decided to try again later.  After a long nap (#3!), she was happy, but still wanted nothing to do with the cake!  I'm stumped.

What a cute picture of Tim and Summer!

Daddy and his twin.  I love that they even have the same expression here. :)

Ashley made Finley's dress!  Isn't it too cute on her?

Adelynn and McKinnan are cousins from opposite side of the families, but they've been close ever since their moms (two of my sister-in-laws) walked down the aisle at our wedding pregnant with them!  They were born just a week apart.

Time for sprinkle art!

Lots of these were actually heavy to pick up because there were so many sprinkles and so much glue on them!

Abbie helped Landrie with her masterpiece!

The guys have to stick together at a party full of pink. :)

Judah passed out with Kimi from too much fun!

Awake again and ready to play!

My parents and their two tiniest grand kids!

Time to cool off inside!

I love this little beauty!

Landrie took her job of passing out chocolate covered pretzel favors very seriously!  She'd say, "Here you go, guys!  Do you want chocolate or white?  Thanks for coming to my party!"  

Shopping up a storm!

After most everyone left, Landrie opened all of the presents.  I think she was this excited about every single one, even Tatem's! :)

If you made it all the way to the end of this record- breaking looooong post, I'm impressed!  We had over 350 pictures from the party, so I really did just pick "a few!"  :)

Thank you so much for all the sweet birthday wishes for all three of us, both in person and from afar!  The girls' party was actually on my birthday, and I couldn't ask for two more precious gifts. :)