"Dear Tate" - A Letter From Mama

My sweet boy Tate,

It's hard to believe you've been in my life for two months already, but it's also hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that you haven't always been here.  When I try to remember life before you were in it, it's hazy and feels like a waste of my time, really.  The reality is that I'm a better person because of you, and I couldn't feel more blessed or proud to call myself your mama. 

You are smiling so much every day, rolling over and cooing.  You are a happy, content little boy that lets your grateful parents sleep (since day one!) and you rarely cry unless you really mean it.  Two things make you cranky: hiccups and burps - you ride out the former and loudly declare the latter.  You're a voracious eater and one of my favorite things is hearing you let out a satisfied, breathy "ahhhhh" as you pull away.  Speaking of eating, your fleshy little rolls grow rounder with each day, leaving me no choice but to smooch and gobble you up every chance I get. And your cheeks...oh your cheeks!  I'm pretty sure if we tried to fly with you, they would charge us an extra fee for those delicious cheeks of yours!

Your favorite thing is the fan; when you're grouchy and need a distraction, we walk you under Fanny the Fan and you instantly stop crying and stare intently.  You are thisclose to laughing, and I cannot wait until the day you finally do - I can only imagine it will be the sweetest sound my ears have ever heard.  You are a very strong baby and have been holding your head up since before we left the hospital.  You love looking out at the world and get bored if we aren't placing you up so you can see what's going on around you.  You also enjoy tummy time, to my surprise, and can be found inching along the blanket whenever we put you down. You have a need to go-go-go all the time - when you aren't waving your little arms and kicking your legs, it surely means you're sleeping.  I have a feeling we are in for a very busy time once you begin crawling and walking! 

Your daddy and I are beyond smitten with you - it's sort of pathetic really.  We used to go out to dinner, take in shows and movies, or meet friends out for drinks.  Now we are content to stay at home declaring you the cutest, smartest, best baby EVER - and I hope you know we really believe it's true.  Our number one priority is for you to always feel our love as we feel it...and we will spend every day from now until forever trying to show you how happy and fulfilled you make us and our life. 

Every day from here on, you will learn and do something new - you have given us so very much to look forward to, Tate.  You are the answer to our prayers and the reason why our smiles are bigger than ever these days.

Forever in love,

Mama

A Chat about Halloween

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

Best Thing I've Ever Grown

Hope you all had a happy Halloween!  We had fun dressing Tate up and carving pumpkins, as you can see:

Burton Pumpkins (and one watermelon!).  I love how every year, Mark gives his pumpkin ears. Hilarious!

Best Pumpkin of all

We don't need no stinkin' BIB!

Smiley Guy

Little Pea Pod (he hated the hat, as seen below!)

Gardener and Pea Pod (best crop ever this year!)

As the saying goes, you reap what you sow; we'd clearly subjected this little legume to far too much stimulation!

Basket full of YUM

Cutest Bean Ever!

Can't wait until next year when he's old enough to get into the candy bucket! :o)

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?!

Inchworm Dance Party

It's time to 'git DOWN!

And when you hit yourself in the eye...

you just gotta collect yourself...

and KEEP DANCING!

Best Daddy on Earth

It goes without saying, but I'm gonna say it anyway: Mark is the MOST AMAZING DAD!  Tate is so loved by his daddy, and it's been such a gift to witness over the past 5+ weeks.  I think so often, the dad gets forgotten in the process of caring for a newborn.  So, today, I wanted to share a few pictures that do better justice to Mark's admiration and love for his boy than my words ever could:

Mark...thank you so much for being the father our beautiful boy deserves.  You amaze me every day with the fierce love and unwavering support you bring to our family.  Not only did you prove my predictions right, you've also made me aware of how much I truly underestimated how amazing you would be at this gig.  We love you...so much!

Staring Has Become My Favorite Past-time

About 15 times a day, I will look at Tate and get this sudden rush of happiness and think to myself, "I can't believe he's mine...I can't believe I made him and get to call him my son."  I wonder if I'll ever stop thinking that?  Something tells me it just gets better from here...

Cousins = Instant Buddies

The other day I got an email from my sister, Alicia, sharing the most adorable pictures and story about my 7-year-old nephew, Caleb (one of her four awesome boys).  Apparently he is quite a huge fan of his new cousin, Tate!  See for yourself: 

Hi Amy! 

I had to share with you how much Caleb loves Tate!  Ever since Tate was born, Caleb has been drawing pictures of Tate and Gavin dressed as football players.  He says that since they were both born on the same day*, they are both "ultimate babies", which means they are able to do a lot more than the average baby.  So, they are both football players at a young age!

The first attachment shows a picture that Caleb drew yesterday at church.  Keep in mind that Caleb might be the biggest Michigan fan in our house!  But, he conceded to the loss to State very well, on Tate's behalf.  The picture shows Gavin and Tate as football players and Tate is holding the "Paul Bunyan" trophey!  How cute is that?!  I was cracking up!

The 2nd attachment is of a song he wrote at school.  They were asked to write a song of praise to God about something they were thankful for.  You can see it was written the day after Tate was born.

Here are the words, just in case you can't make them out:

"When my cousin was born, praise the Lord!  Hear this Oh mom, as I sing to the God of Israel!  My cousin was born.  I was happy.  Lord please take care of my cousin."

Pretty adorable, huh?!
+++++

How cute is that?! To add to this story, on Tuesday Alicia and Gavin made the trip to visit us for the day.  She said that when she told Caleb where she was going, he refused to leave for school until she let him go with her!  Finally, he said he would go to school as long as she gave him a date for when he could go see Tate himself...they will be here again on Oct. 24th. That is one determined and devoted little boy. :o) And Tate is so lucky to have such great cousins in his life!

Tate and Caleb

Tate and his four cousins: Jacob, Nolan, Caleb & Gavin

*I was going to share this awesome fact with you when I finally posted my birth story (coming!), but this couldn't wait.  Tate and Gavin were born on the same day, just four years apart...how insanely cool is that?! 

Four Weeks, One Million Smiles

My beautiful boy turns four weeks old tonight. How has it already been four weeks?! And, more importantly, how has it ONLY been that long since I first saw his face, when it feels like I've known and loved him forever?...

My Three Boys

When my dad, Yom and little sister, Rachel, visited us the weekend we got home from the hospital with Tate, I was so excited to be able to capture some pictures of myself and the three most important males in my life - three generations and three hearts that I carry within me always.  I'm so blessed...