Thanksgiving Week

Fall has been good to us! So many things going on it is hard to find time to get on here and write! I try my best though, but such is the life of a busy mom and wife! I have enjoyed every minute of seeing how my kids are changing! Tristan successfully finished his first season of soccer and Mia has mastered her walking skills! Now, if this child will just finish getting her teeth! She is 18 months old as of this week and still only a handful of teeth! IT is wreaking havoc on our sleep! But, bless her heart b/c I'm sure it is harder on her than us! She has been enjoying soft foods this past week. Got to love some Mac & Cheese......

Mia the morning of her 18mo check-up getting in the cabinets

Tristan ready for Game Day!

We had a great Thanksgiving! We were lucky to have my parents come in for the week and share it with the kids! It was our first Thanksgiving with them and the kids. The last time we had Thanksgiving together was when I was pregnant with Tristan! The kids loved every minute of being with Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Zach! They got to go swimming, to Chewcala State Park and lots of good food. Mia enjoyed her first taste of the feast and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! Mia loved seeing Mickey Mouse! She loves watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, especially Minnie Mouse!! She points and says "Min Min!"Tristan got excited when he saw Santa at the end of the parade! He kept saying "there is Santa, there is Santa!" I love that he still gets so excited about Santa and believes! These are the sweet moments to cherish. I love their childhood!

Watching Mickey Mouse in the Parade

Watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 

Tristan waiting to see Santa Claus in the Parade

                                                                                                                             

This Thanksgiving was all about family and just the time we get to spend together. With my family living so far away, each moment together was truly a treasure. God really knew what He was doing when he put this family together and for that I am truly thankful!  

Dewight and I were also able to spend some quality time together! With us both working so hard and taking care of the kids, it is understandable how little time we actually spend with each other alone. I am so thankful to my parents for giving us much needed time while they watched the kids! We were able to spend time at the neighborhood fire pit and then we built our own! That way when the kids go to bed we can have some time just us in our own backyard! We had fun putting it in our yard and testing it out! It was so nice! I LOVE IT!                          **notice Dewight's feet.....flip flops in November in the South..lol!**

Our new Fire Pit!

We also got to join some friends to watch the annual Iron Bowl (Auburn vs Alabama)! It was so much fun even though my team (Auburn) lost BIG to Alabama (Dewight's team). Yes, we are a House Divided! But that's okay, next year I know Auburn is coming back to WIN it!! 

AU vs Bama....House Divided!

Thanksgiving wrapped up the fall nicely and now on to Christmas Season! We are already getting excited for the Christmas Parties, family time and celebration of Jesus' birth! So, get ready for some posts coming soon of our Christmas decorating! 

Fall is Here!

We have made it to fall! Tristan has started Kindergarten and Mia is now walking! Two huge milestones for these kiddos! It has been fun to start back to school and see Tristan learn so much! He feels comfortable at school and likes his new teacher. he is working hard to be on extra good behavior so that he can get on the highest color at school...he hasn't reached it yet, but he has been on positive behavior colors so far this year.

 Tristan and Aubie at the Back to School Bash

Mia walking

Mia is walk/running everywhere and saying more and more words! On Saturday she said "Auburn" for the first time! As you can imagine Daddy was not too excited! Tristan, myself and Paw Paw were ecstatic! Mia is becoming her own person for sure! She does not like to be told "no" and likes to do it her way! She loves to read books and play with puzzles. Dewight says she may already be a nerd...to which I said like her mommy! She also is now enjoying playing dress-up and picking out her own shoes! She loves shoes.....this may not be a good thing when she is a teenager!

 Mia Playing Dress up

Mia Turns 1 (May 20th)

Tristan has decided to play soccer this fall and is loving it! His team is the Red Bulls! He and Kait are playing together and they think it is awesome! He is really good! He tends to play defense rather than moving the ball himself to the goal. He does an excellent job and has kept a lot of goals from being scored! They don't have positions at this age and it is a little more free for all, but it is fun to watch! Those kiddos can move! 

Tristan and Kait before their first Soccer Game!

Overall, our fall is off to a great start....Friends, Family, Football, Soccer and School! Tristan and Mia love curling up together and I love to see them loving on each other! 

 Mia playing with Daddy's hat

Hanging together

They are so precious!! How lucky am I? Oh and Dewight and I celebrated our 7th Anniversary! It has been an amazing 7 years with so many blessings! 

Spring Is Here

WOW! It is HOT in Alabama! We are already wearing shorts and tank tops! It has been enjoyable though to spend the weekends outside! This past week Tbug was out of school for a Mini-break and he and Dewight spent the days in the yard. While Tbug played with Kait in the sprinklers, Dewight manned the landscaping! Mowing, planting and mulch.....it looks great! Kudos to a job well done! I will have to add some pics of his hard work soon! I am hoping to get a few blooms on a couple of the plants first:) Tristan enjoyed his time with Daddy, too! Of course you know Daddy got him something fun...a new water gun! He of course had to show me how it worked! Dewight said Tristan had fun shooting Rita with water and she took it well while Shelby ran back into the gate. In the afternoons, Mia and I did enjoy time outside with the boys and our fresh cut grass & landscaping! Oh and Mia and I did our part by going to the stores to buy the new plants & soil!!

We have also been enjoying time with Uncle Dewayne! He and Kelly were over St. Patty's Day weekend and Mia enjoyed her time with him as did Tbug. It has been fun having him around so often...thank you Kelly for him coming to Auburn so often!! LOL! I love Tristan and Mia getting to spend time with their uncle so much!

Tbug has started T-ball practice and games will start in April. So, be looking out for pics from his first game coming up soon!! I am sure I will have some good stories of him and the other kids! They are all a mess! Tristan is pretty serious when it comes to practicing so I am sure the games will be even more fun to watch! All the moms are loving it and we have our own little fan club for our boys! His team is the Mets and the shirts are orange and blue...of course I love them!

Oh, here is a little funny from Tristan this month: So as ya'll know Dewight is a very PASSIONATE Alabama Fan and Tristan has chosen to follow his mama's alamater and is an Auburn fan. So we pull up to Marble Slab for his treat and there are a bunch of Alabama Softball players in their jerserys sitting out front. Before we get out of the truck Tristan says they are Alabama players? And I say yes and he proceeds to say that Daddy likes Alabama and We like like Auburn, Right?! Yes, of course. So we get out, wave and just as we walk into the ice cream shop he shouts, "War Eagle!" It cracked me up! He just had to get it in to those Alabama players:) Of course one of them says Roll Tide and I explain our house divided and why Tbug has to shout "War Eagle" to spite his daddy!

More to come in the upcoming month! With Tball, TSC Walk and Easter all in April we will have more to share with the TATUM FAMILY!!

A little catching up on the Tatum Fam

Okay, so having an infant, big kid (officially now that Tbug is 5), full-time job and a crazy schedule does not lend itself well to keeping up with a blog! How do you bloggers do it?

Anyway, a little news on the Tatum front: The new Year is busy but fantastic! Mia is now crawling! At 8 months old she beagn crawling and got her first two teeth! She is also pulling up as well! She loves to stand up....pulling up on my shirts is her favorite! I think I am going to have some stretched out shirts....but I wouldn't have it any other way! She just turned 9 months on Monday. Where did the past nine months go? She is 20lbs and 26 1/4"! She has not started food yet...docotor gave us another A+ on nutrition and the breastfeeding...as you can see she is getting her fill! I love my sweet baby! Before long we will start food and start the weaning process. She is already trying to grab our food so I am sure she will love trying her own. Mom bought me the Baby Bullet for Christmas so I can't wait to try it!

Tristan has now turned 5! So hard to believe my baby boy is now considered a big kid! It won't be long before he is starting Kindergarten! We celebrated his birthday with a BANG! He had a Spiderman birthday party with a huge bouncy and slide, fire at the fire pit with hot dogs, hot apple cider and smores! And of course his Spiderman cupcakes...wish I had taken time to capture all of it on film..or digital images as they are these days! We just had his 5 year-old check up and he was so BRAVE getting 3 shots! He didn't cry, but I could tell they hurt! Bless his Heart!! He does come up with some cute things, too. The other day Dewight and I were having a disagreement in the car and Tristan says," Why are ya'll fighting? You just got married! What is there to fight about?!" He is such a good kid and a great big brother. He helps out a lot with Mia. She adores him! It is so cute when she lays her head on him and rests! So precious! God has really blessed Dewight and I with AMAZING kids!

Oh and we have a new addition to the family...Rita. Dewight and Tristan found her at the paper and brought her home! She is a good dog and growing! Chewing of course everything! Shelby is tolerating her and letting her hang in the back yard. Tristan and Dewight both still miss Boudreaux, but having a little puppy brings a little joy back!

My Sweet Babies

Watching Tristan and Mia grow is so much fun! Each day brings something new. Mia has a couple of different sides to her. On the one hand she is very serious when she is studying something new. For example, the other day her daycare provider took her to the park and captured her in a photo looking so seriously a leaf turning it over in her hand. It is the most precious picture! And it is so indicative of her. Whether it is a new person or environment or object she is going to look at it thoroughly!

Then there is her goofy side! She gets so tickled at Tristan! She laughs and smiles at him! She also does the funniest faces! It is so fun to watch her try out new things with her face whether it is her discovering her lips and making a kissy face or sticking her tongue out so far she almost touches her nose!

Then there is Tristan! He cracks me up with something new everyday! He is such a mess! He is doing well in school and working hard to stay on "green!" Those "yellows" can be tough to stay off of though..."yellow" are the minor offenses in the classroom and I am sure you can guess which one Tbug has a hard time following...not talking too much! He loves to talk and has so much to say! But he is learning a lot and his little southern accent is fun to listen, too!