Tiny Tate

A week from today Tate will be two years old. T-W-O. I'd be in disbelief if my boy wasn't already doing, saying and BEING so much to remind me of the fact that he's getting older with each day. I was looking back this morning at some old videos and came across this one, filmed when Tate was just 3 months old. Oh, it made me smile! I'm so glad I have some proof that my larger-than-life son was once this small and defenseless; I swear I blinked and he was a toddler! A really freaking amazing one, at that. :o)

Tate's Morning Routine from Amy B on Vimeo.

Patty Tate

"And mark it with a 'T'...and put it in the oven for TATER AND ME!" He had fun singing this to family during a visit to Indiana. He's a a ham. No doubt!


Patty Cake Tate
from Amy B on Vimeo.

Wild Animal

This kiddo slays me! "It's Tate Burton!" Poor guy has water-table messed hair and is sucking on his fingers - and making some strange, never-heard-before blowing sound? - due to the beastly second-year molars coming in, and yet I still think he's cute (and smart) as can be. :o)

Wild Animal from Amy B on Vimeo.

Busy Boy

We have baby signing ("ball" - he whispers the word, too), standing and trying to climb into the toy bin...AGAIN. Oh, what fun!


Busy boy from Amy B on Vimeo.

(filmed 8/13/11 - 11 months old)

Valentine Heart

What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than to share with you an audio of Tate's prenatal heartbeat? This was recorded on July 1, 2010 during a doctor's visit before he was born. I love hearing this strong heartbeat today, knowing it belonged to the now vivacious, healthy, happy little boy who has brought so much love to my life.

Today - and every day - I wish you the kind of love that makes your heart go whoosh-whoosh-whoosh and bomp-bomp-bomp. xoxo


Chickpea/Tate Heartbeat - 7/1/10 from Amy B on Vimeo.

Tate Laughs!

Our boy has been giving us belly laughs for weeks (since 12/12/10), but we only just tonight got a good video of it. This, right here, is just one of many reasons why the late nights and occasionally cranky days are completely worth it. I'm so in love with this beautiful, laughing boy!


Tate laughs! from Amy B on Vimeo.

Waking Up

Mornings have never been my favorite...until now.  Tate is at his cutest and sweetest at this time of day and I can't wait to get up and see him again.  This right here is why:


Tate's Morning Routine from Amy B on Vimeo.

A Chat about Halloween

A conversation about Halloween... from Amy B on Vimeo.

Behold!

Tate rolled over for the first time on Monday at 5.5 weeks old. Look at my boy go!


Tate Rolls Over! from Amy B on Vimeo.

I'd had a sneaking suspicion that he would roll over for more than a week before I put him to the test.  Before this night, he'd only been doing 'tummy time' on the exercise ball...now I kind of wish I would have put him on the floor earlier!  We put him on the floor and he immediately rolled over.  This video shows his second time ever rolling over (I began taping as soon as Mark put him on his stomach)...as you can see, he works fast! Guess it's time to start baby-proofing the house, huh?!

Table for Two at the Gratitude Café

Today Mark and I celebrate our two-year wedding anniversary.  Two years ago today, I couldn't stop smiling.  I didn't have a nervous quiver in my stomach to speak of, and people giggled at me every time I would hop up and down with excitement about what I was about to do.  It was my favorite day, because I was there to marry my amazing, perfect-for-me best friend.

I've gushed about Mark before and talked about how happy I am with the life I've been given.  And yet, I don't think there are enough words in the world to truly convey how blessed and content I feel to have Mark in my life, to be able to call him my husband.  Thankfully, I have the rest of my lifetime to figure out how to express it to him in a way that measures up to the happiness he brings to my heart.

Last year, I made a video for Mark to commemorate our first anniversary.  I thought I'd share it with those of you who might not have been with us on that wonderful day or who haven't seen it yet (and yes, I totally just cried while watching it again...):

   

Amy & Mark's 1st Wedding Anniversary Montage from Amy B on Vimeo.

There was a time when I wondered if I would ever find someone to love me the way I was able to love - I worried that I might be too old to have children once I did find him.  I used to listen to a song that spoke to me, hoping that someday it would come true for me.  IT DID.  Two years ago today, Mark and I danced as husband and wife to that very song...and the meaning took on a new understanding.  I truly am The Luckiest.

Two years later, I'm so honored to be carrying within me a unique, amazing product of our love.  Five months from now,  everyone will be able to see for themselves just how powerful that love really is.  Thank you, Mark, for helping to complete the scattered, unfinished puzzle that was my life.  You were the piece I'd been looking for - dreaming about all along.  What a beautiful picture we have made together; I can't wait to add color and depth to it with each year I'm blessed enough to have you standing by my side.

Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than the words. It is making the time when there is none. Coming through time after time after time, year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of; the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism.  ~ Abraham Lincoln

To Grandma's House We Go

After trying for months to figure out how to upload videos from our new camera to the Mac, I succeeded! That means I can finally share with you the video that was taken (post about the day can be found here) when we told my mom, Carole, our baby news.  She is going to be so embarrassed that I shared this, but I'm pretty sure every one of you is going to fall in love with her if you haven't already.  Enjoy!


Going to Grandma's House from Amy B on Vimeo.

P.S. If you are having a hard time viewing parts of the blog right now, click here.  GRR!