we're park people.

Yes, another park post. Because apparently that's just who we are now...Park people. I'm feeling pretty good about it.

+ When we got to the park, there were a bunch of kids (AKA people who are my age, I just feel old) sitting out on a blanket and Tatum started heading their direction on the way to the play equipment. So I was leading her away and they were all like, "Aw, she's so cute!" All that good ego-boosting stuff. And Tatum just turned around and nodded her head. Apparently, she doesn't need the boost. But thanks, guys!

+ She thinks other people running is really funny. So, if you're at all insecure, basically what I'm saying is: Stay away from my baby.

+ The changes that happen in just a year are so crazy to me. This time last year, Tatum could simply drag herself along the floor a bit. Now, she is running, jumping, hopping, climbing playground equipment and going down slides. I know you're probably like, "Well, duh." But it's still totally unreal to me.

+ PSA: Watch out for those big metal slides. Those suckers are slick and fast...Just ask Tatum.

afternoon at the zoo.

We decided this past weekend was the perfect time for the first zoo trip of the year. The weather was so great...We couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Just like the park the other day, this was Tatum's first time being "aware" of what was going on around her. These moments are one of my favorite parts of being a parent. Like, I just wonder what is going through her head, you know?

So, Josh had the greeeeat idea (to be fair, I didn't object!) of taking Tatum out of her stroller 3 minutes after we got there. This meant she spent the rest of the time out of the stroller, of course. She was actually pretty well behaved for a 16 month old, walking freely. We're pretty sure there's a kid leash in our future, though. She prefers walking and I prefer to know that she is totally safe / not worry about her bolting. Honestly, I don't really get why people think they are "cruel." Or whatever. Is it just me or are most of those people non parents? What do you think?

Anyway, back to the zoo!

So, Tatum is like, obsessed with ducks/geese/swans (they are all ducks to her!). Loves 'em. She is really good at quacking, too. She would probably win in a duck imitation contest, just saying. (Weirdest mom brag of all time.) All of these birds just roam freely throughout the zoo, so you can actually get pretty up close and personal...Tatum made it her mission to do just this. She got so close to that guy up top. She was probably way excited. (Don't worry! She didn't antagonize him or anything.)

She also loved the flamingos. Like, arm flapping and screeching loved them.
And I think she thought the tamarins (my favorite!) were really cute.
She roared at the lions.
And called most things "cat." (We're still working on animal identification, clearly.)

Seriously already ready for the next zoo trip.

perfect park day.

Last Thursday we took a little trip (first of the year!) to the park.

Josh suggested it and at first I said no, because: 1. A certain someone really needed to wash their hair. Just some girl. Really, we don't need to name names..... 2. I couldn't find my belly band (that thing for your pre-pregnancy jeans) anywhere!
But then, I was like, "Hey, that's what dry shampoo and extra long maternity t-shirts and tanks are for!" (Okay, maybe not so much on the latter. Trust me. Do not try to use a tank top in place of a belly band. You will just be left feeling awkward.)

So, I got over myself and we spent some fun family time at the park.
It was Tatum's first time going and actually being able to do things, so it was kind of exciting. She loves the swings (as if you couldn't tell!), running aimlessly, and going down slides.
Seriously, she's a wild woman! She was even going head first (voluntarily) on the tunnel slides.

And of course I ended our adventure with a giant iced coffee. It just had to be done. Watching your husband chase  Chasing around a toddler is tiring, guys.

her first birthday.

On November 16, this girl turned one year old.
First, she woke up from her nap to discover her presents set out in the middle of the living room, waiting for her.
(I decided to do the "Four Gift Rule" for her birthday. One thing they want, one thing they need, one thing to wear, and one thing to read.)
She got: her first doll (an adorable handmade one from HelloMango on Etsy), a new pair of shoes, her own little armchair, and a couple of books. (Clearly I cheated on the need..."She 'needs' her own place to sit!" Ha.)

If it isn't obvious from the pictures, the shoes were the biggest hit that day.

Later, after her second nap, we went to eat lunch together. Oddly enough, while we were eating was when she decided to throw her first real tantrum, and in public! Awesome. It was almost like she was saying, "I'm a toddler now! Get ready, guys!"
Luckily, it lasted for about two minutes and that was that. Phew.

We got birthday cupcakes from our favorite place for later that night, but when it came time to have them, Tatum wasn't interested at all. Oh, well! She did, however, have lots of fun playing with the balloons we'd blown up for our little celebration.

This year has been really incredible. I can't believe how much has changed, how much she has changed...how Josh and I have changed.
It's such an awesome thing to get to watch someone grow and learn every single thing...to watch someone become who they are. I am so grateful to have her in my life. I could never, will never take this position lightly or for granted.

T, you're the smartest girl I know. You're funny, clever, beautiful. You are every good thing, wrapped up in one tiny little package. You impress me daily and I couldn't imagine a life without you in it.

RECIPE: let's make funnel cake.

Last night Josh decided he wanted to make funnel cakes, because he'd been wanting them for days. So we did just that.
When making them, we found that Josh likes his to be really thin and crispy, while I like mine to be thick and fluffier.
They are so easy + quick to make! And you really can't mess them up.

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2 cups of oil
2 eggs
1 + 1/3 cups of milk
4 tbsp. of sugar
2 + 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 tsp. of salt
2 tsp. of baking powder
powdered sugar (as much as desired!)

1. Heat your oil in a deep skillet.

2. Beat together the eggs + milk. In a separate bowl, mix together your dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry mixture to the eggs + milk, beating as you go. Continue until smooth.

3. Pour the mix into a big ziploc bag and seal. Cut a small hole in one of the bottom corners and squeeze batter into the oil, working from the center of the skillet outwards. Make a fun swirly little pattern with your batter. (Remember that the amount of batter used and how you use it will determine the taste and such of your funnel cake!)

4. Cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Add powdered sugar and enjoy.

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teething.

Teething is in full swing over in these parts.
For the past few days Tatum has had a runny/stuffy nose and Robin (Josh's mom) told us that that can be a sign of teeth coming in.
It could be coincidence, but I'm pretty sure she was right, and it is related.
Tonight we found that her two little bottom teeth are popping through.
I can't wait to see that toothy little smile.

In addition to the nose stuffiness, she was also in a terrible, sad, whiney mood today.
Obviously I get it.
I'd be pissed if I had teeth cutting my gums, too. Sorry, sister.

Baby bad mood = I need a brownie.
It's no homemade, straight from the oven goodness, but it'll do.
Love you, Debbie.
<3

zoo day.

For Tatum's 6 month birthday we went to the zoo.
It was her very first time there, and to say that she didn't care is basically the biggest understatement of all time.
That's okay, though! Josh and I still had lots of fun.

My absolute favorite part was seeing the tamarins! I've seen them at zoos before, but never really noticed how adorable they are. In fact, when we were looking at them, I actually said, "You are the cutest things of all time!" And then, I looked down at Tatum and said, "Besides you, obviously."
But seriously...tamarins.

Oh, wait. Change of heart! I really loved the tamarins, but right after I typed that out, I remembered the giraffes. That was actually the best. For real the best. We bought some crackers to feed them, and that was super neat because Tatum got to feed one! Doesn't she look cute doing it? (Minus that whole tongue deal we've got going on these days. Maybe she was trying to be like her little {ha} giraffe friend.)

The worst parts of the zoo were the alligators and giant nasty koi fish (at least, I think they were koi?). You can see pictures of both of my traumatic experiences above. For starters, the alligators: They wouldn't have been so bad, except they were fighting over a dead white rabbit. Enough said. Secondly: Giant. Nasty. Fish. They have disgusting mouths. One had a wonky eye. Shudder.

Before we left we stopped by the gift shop to get something for Tatum as a keepsake. Turns out, the kid loves zoo memorabilia. Everything we showed her was hilarious. It was non-stop laughter the whole ten minutes we were in there. We decided on a monkey hand puppet. She still thinks he's funny, so that's good.

I miss the tamarins and their weird little faces.
Good thing we're going back in a few weeks when family visits!

P.S. That picture of T and Josh is my new favorite ever.

six month celebration!

{Cupcakes from The Cup, always.}

{Her face as soon as I gave her a piece of the cupcake. I laugh every time I see this picture.} 

{Best. Ever? Maybe. She looks terrifying. The cake looks like snaggly fangs.}

Yesterday Tatum turned six months old. We'd been talking about it for days, so excited. And then, if I'm being totally honest, Josh and I both forgot about it. He left to work at his store, and Tatum and I laid down for a nap. As soon as I woke up, I remembered, so to wake her up I sang her "Happy Birthday." She was like, "About time, Mom!" She said it with her eyes.

So we texted Josh with a picture of us being fake pouty, saying something like, "It's rude to work on my half birthday." Whatever. And he came home! 

When he got here we were still being lazy girls and he said, "Get your zoo pants on!" (He meant jeans. I do not actually own designated zoo pants.) 

We had a really nice time at the zoo! (It was Tatum's first time.)

After that, we ran by the The Cup to grab a couple cupcakes: One for me, 1/4 for Tatum, 3/4 for Josh. I wasn't so sure that she would be into eating her piece, but I was totally wrong. She was all about that. As soon as I put it on the tray, she picked it up and got a maniacal look on her face (as pictured above). 

I'm crossing my fingers that she will make that face about cake for the rest of her life.

Good for me, potentially embarrassing for her.

I really loved yesterday. It was one of the best family days we've had so far. : )

The Littlest Aunt.

My little sister, Chloe, is probably the best kid (of the girl variety) ever. She's 6 and gets more + more neat every single day. Recently, Josh and I talked about how she's starting to look so "grown up." She's looking less baby faced + way more kiddish. I saw it a lot in these photos I took yesterday. It kinda kills me.

It's a hard thing to explain, but since Tatum came along it has been difficult on me a bit to balance the two of them. Chloe was always "my baby." Not reealllyyy, but you know? But now I have my REAL baby, and I know that I'm still struggling with learning how to make time + attention for Chloe, too. That's important to me, because we've always been so close.

Eventually, we'll find the flow and I'll make it work. I'm trying. I hope she knows that.
BAH. I just love her so much!

P.S. Sister has an awesome tan!