Time for some adorable Tatum stories and other random life events of the Maines.
One significant new thing in Tatum’s life as of late is that she has gone to childcare for her first time ever!! That’s right. She is 15 months and last week was her first time in childcare anywhere. She stays with Brian or my parents quite often, but never anyone else yet. I have been going to Studio 57 three times a week for zumba classes and until last week Brian had been staying home with Princess. But, I got to thinking about it and decided that she would probably really enjoy getting to play with other kiddos for a little while and also it would be nice for her to get out of the house more often. Poor thing; she spends most of her day and home with me and Im sure a little more adventure would be nice for her. I wasn’t too worried about how she would do because she has the most amazing temperament and ability to adapt to most circumstances, plus she just loves people. However, I was blow away by how great she did! When we walked into the kids room I set her down and she just casually walked over to a bucket of blocks. I told her I was leaving and that I’d be back soon. She just turned around and waved “bye bye” to me and blew me kisses. When I came back an hour later she looked a little sad, but I quickly realized that it was because her new boyfriends were leaving her. She was blowing more kisses to them and saying “buh buh” (bye bye). When she saw me she smiled and gave me a big hug. She is so amazing.
When I tell her to smile now (i.e. for pictures) she squints her eyes and crinkles her nose while showing her teeth. Precious fake smiler.
When I ask if she wants her milk (chocolate; the only kind she will have anything to do with) and she does not want it she will look at me with big doe eyes and shake her head ‘no’ and say ‘no’ in the cutest voice while also signing ‘all done.’ She does not want there to be any confusion about the subject. I also really appreciate this because she used to take the sippy cup and throw it on the floor when I tried to give it to her and she didn’t want it.
Her current favorite foods: BLUEBERRIES (aka buh boos), tomatoes, green beans, yellow squash and zucchini, pizza, grapes, and crackers.
The other morning I was feeding her breakfast but she was just kind of slowly picking at her food and nibbling more than eating. And she kept reaching/pointing towards the refrigerator while saying something that sounded a lot like ‘baby’ and signing ‘more’. I was really confused since there are no babies kept in our fridge. Finally I got it- she was saying blueberry and asking for them! Haha! Once I got out the ‘buh boos’ she chowed down!
On a related note- I have been sp amazed lately at how quickly she picks up words. When in the right mood she can repeat most words I ask her to. And she constantly learns new words that I didn’t even know she knew (case in point- blueberry).
She can make the noises for: dog, cat, fish, cow, duck, horse, and sometimes rooster and sheep.
She loves reading books that have animal noises in them and when I say the animal’s name she will make the noise and smile soo big looking so pleased with herself. Precious.
When I am sitting on the floor and she wants me to read her a book she will pick one out and bring it to me. Once she hands it to me she will crawl into my lap and scoot right down into the nook of my legs (I’m sitting Indian style). Such an amazing feeling to have oyur child crawl into your lap.
Words she says regularly and knows the meaning-
Dog ‘doohg’
Cat ‘caa’(and can tell the diffence in pictures and real life)
Duck
Cow
Turtle ‘tuudle’
Woof woof (usually whispered these days…not sure why)
Meow ‘mow’ (like ow with an m…not like mow your yard)
Quack quack ‘kack kack’
Mooooo
Dada
Daddy
Mama
Amen ‘menmen’
Signs all done
Signs more
Blueberry ‘buhboo’
Baby ‘buhbii’
Banana ‘na nana’
Josh ‘jshhh’
Muncle ‘guncle’ J hehe
Poppy ‘popo’
Grams ‘gaga’
Nana
Papaw ‘popaw’
Tatum ‘taytay’
Bye bye
Hi (with a thick Texas accent)
Pattycake ‘paa yyy’
Diaper
Poo poo
No
Thank you ‘tan too’
Cup ‘cuu’
Chocolate ‘kaka’ (this is what she calls her milk)
Water ‘wa wa’
Bath 'baaa'
Cracker 'caker'
cookie 'cuotie'
At the end of a prayer she smiles and says ‘menmen’ she has also said this at bedtime when we are praying and she thinks the prayer is getting a little lengthy.
Before nap time I always sing Jesus Loves Me with her before I lay her down. She will smile and cuddle up with me and sing along. And she sings the right sounds to the right part of the song. For instance she says bible (bibil) when I sing the word
She looooves playing pattycake and will walk arounf the house clapping her hands and saying ‘paaa yyy paa yyy’.
being silly. She makes this face often.
Eating barbeque beans. The best part of this picture is that Brian thought he was in it too. HA! Sorry honey.
Sitting in her chair (after eating a blue dum dum...she wasnt freezing, I promise)
Playing with her sweet friend Avery.
LOOVE this one
With Daddy at the Gumbo event at the Venables house
Waiting in line for said autographs. Tatum did really good being patient!
Tatum with Leah and Lincoln Dooley. Whats better than Lincoln and graham crackers?
