Behind again...

Tinsley all snug in her crib.  I LOVE her pajamas.  I want them to make these for big people and I want to have frogs on my feet too.  I'm dead serious.  How much did you all love those when you were little!?  For those of you that say you never know what to get me for Christmas...

Did I put this in last week's blog?  It's just so sweet I can't help but show it off.  

I love this.  Doesn't she look like a principal or a judge or something?  "I'd like to have a meeting and find out exactly how the hell someone thought I should be brought in to this crazy family!  I need some explanations here."  Look at her fingers!  They are so long...Tatum and I think she's going to be a pianist.

THE BLOG...

I broke my promise to do this weekly.  I'm sorry.  I really don't have a good excuse.  I will try and not make this entry too long but who am I kidding...you all know I'm famous for finding the limits of your voice mail system and tend to write more in here than any of you probably care to read.  On that point...I've got to say "thanks" for a bunch of random message and emails I've received.  I have probably heard from 3 or more people that have said how much they enjoy reading the blog and keeping up.  One friend said that he loved reading it because what I write is exactly how he feels about his girls and he enjoys seeing someone else share the same feelings.  It really makes me feel good to hear those comments from you...so thanks for taking time to share that with me.  

Tinsley continues to be another dream child.  Everyone sends jokes to us about "how are you enjoying no sleep, etc."  I have to send out huge kudos to Annie.  I don't know what she does but she has these girls well behaved.  Maybe if I'd listen to her Nazi regiments I'd be a better little boy myself but so far her powers have been useless against me. 

I love the schedule we have now.  I get home from work around 6 and have a good 2 hours to really enjoy Tatum and run around with her and learn from her and try and show her new things or a new word.  She goes to bed around 8 or 8:30 and after that Anne and I usually catch up on a little work/email and then put in a movie or watch TV around 10.  From 10 to midnight I usually will hold Tin Tin and just let her sleep in my arms or on my legs.  We don't communicate much...because she's always asleep...but I love just staring at her and listening to her little grunts and groans.  I really feel like I get to spend time with both of the girls and it's good time to spend with them.  I found with Tatum that I wasn't really involved until she was more like 8 months old and could kind of start interacting with me.  They all seem so attached to their mothers because of breast feeding, etc...I can't wait until Tinsley is old enough for a bottle...I think that's next week actually...and I can hold her and feed her and start really nurturing her.  I want to make sure she feels my presence and knows I care.  I worry hat I don't pay enough attention to her and I try and always let her hear my voice and know that I'm there for her.  In the mean time I'm really trying to make sure Tatum is having a comfortable transition and feeling like she's getting ample attention.  I haven't noticed anything but good so far.  She's had a little tantrum here and there but I think that's the "terrible 2's" on top of having a new baby in the house.  All in all she's been really incredible.  She wakes up asking to see Tin Tin and we always go in and she kisses her on the head and genly pats her tummy or her head.  She's an awesome big sister and seems to genuinely care about her little sister.  I can't believe a 2 year old can comprehend a sibling.  Like I said...she teaches me a lot.

Tatum holding Tin Tin

Me and Tinsley catching up with each other.  This is as good as it gets!

Check out that outfit!  We found it at Old Navy for something like $4.  It says "I want Candy" with a picture of a candy corn.  She was literally running laps around the house when I took this picture.  

I tell Tatum I want a "big kiss" and she opens her mouth as wide as she can and sticks it up to my lips.  I love it.  Here we are giving each other a "big kiss."

Annie and I are now down to our little family of 4.  We had both of our mothers stay with us for a week at a time.  it was unbeliveably helpful in so many ways and I can't thank them enough for all that they did and gave.  We had meals around the clock, Tatum was well tended to and Annie was able to get some much needed rest and focus on adjusting to an infant again.  They don't hire out but whatever rate they would charge, i'd gladly pay double to have them again.  It's such a blessing to have both of our families so close and have all our siblings here to share and enjoy...especially in times like this.  THANK YOU Pam and Mom for all you do...it's immeasurable and very much appreciated.  

Tinsley continues to grow and grow and is eating like a champ.  I'm not sure she can speak...i haven't heard a peep out of her.  She cries for about 20 seconds until we get her and put her in front of Anne, then she eats and is as quiet as a little mouse.  Anne did tell me that she let out quite a yelp today when Tatum accidentally kneed her head.  Poor thing.  Anne said Tatum felt bad and was petting her head to help ease the pain and gave her a little kiss.   I'm still waiting to hear Tinsley actually make a noise!  Maybe I should enojoy the quiet nights and not complain??

Tatum and I have done some fun things over the past 2 weeks.  We're trying to wear out the Zilker Train.  That's become one of my favorite things to do with her.  She seems to love it and waves to all the folks as we pass by.  She doesn't miss a doggie or a boat or a duck or a bird. Once we're off the train, she wants to feed the birds and do the slides and be pushed in the swing.  It's therapudic for me to push her...I think I've said that before...but I just love the 10 minutes of feeling her in the swing and remembering how carefree life was when we were around that age.  

Last weekend we spent most of our Saturday morning at Chick-fil-a.  I'd never been there for breakfast and took her to give it a try.  Breakfast was fine but what was much cooler was the indoor playground.  There was NOBODY there and we had it all to ourselves.  I'm not joking when I tell you that we were there for over an hour doing one slide.  I can't believe she had the energy but she went down the slide, climbed the huge stairs and did it over and over and over again and again and again.  I stopped counting at 30.  That little girl has an energizer bunny inside her.  She just doesn't stop.  I was having so much fun watching her laugh every time she'd come off the slide...I called my mom, who was close by, and told her to come and just watch her.  Tots reminds me of how great those simple pleasures are.  I crawled up the slide with her several times but it's rough on a 6' guy to hunker down and crawl around in a cage that was made for someone 2' tall.  I had fun and laughed and explored with her.  I really wonder what an idiot people think I am because I just turn in to a moron when I'm with Tatum...I try so hard to be in her element and laugh and yell and play silly little games. I'm kind of numb to everyone and everything around me when I'm with her.  

I hear Tatum's swimming is really impressive.  My Mom and Annie have been taking her this week...we're doing it at a friend's house that can afford to heat their pool.  Tatum's swimming the length of their pool with only one breath in the middle.  I'm going to make it a point to go by and see her do it this week.

"Bee-Lay" (Ballet) seems to be another thing Tatum has jumped in full tilt boogie with her hair on fire.  She can't get enough of it!  Several times we'll wake up to her saying "I want bee-lay"...we keep trying to tell her "its' on Wed"...but she wants to do it all the time.  We've got her putting her hands in the air and twirling around on the living room floor.  She loves the attention and always has a huge grin on her face while she spins around and around until she loses her center of gravity and rolls to the floor.  Then she gets right back up and does it again.  I get dizzy just writing about it!  She's learning to "jump" and loves to yell "up and down" and try and jump.  She gets about 1" off the ground...if at all...but in her mind I think she's flying.  I've started to throw her up really high when we're laying on the couch and she makes me do it over and over until my arms hurt.  You should see her little face giggling as she loses her stomach and keeps saying "Daddy, Up" and wants me to throw her up again.  

Tatum ready for Bee-Lay. She is now obsessed with Woo-Woo's (Lulu) leash.  She comes in saying "Lulu on" or "Lulu potty" and she wants to drag her all over the yard and house.  Poor dog.  Lulu sees her coming with this thing and runs for the hills.  It usually takes me about 10 minutes to find her quivering under a couch somewhere.  Tatum loves taking her out.  Sometimes if we can't catch Lulu she'll say "Daddy on" and wants me to wear it.  I'll put it around my ankle and she hauls my ass all over the place.  I'm waiting to trip and knock my teeth out.  Honestly I'd feel better about than than her strangling the dog.  The worst is when she stops walking the dog and Lulu is taking a much needed break and Tatum starts going again at full speed and I just watch the leash slack being taken up and see Lulu's neck yank out of socket as she goes out on another exciting run around the place.  Lulu deserves all the clothes and pedicures.  You guys make fun of her for it, but believe me, she deserves it.

Today we went out on the boat...just a quick run to Ski Shores for a hamburger at lunch.  Tatum has been saying "Daddy Boat" for 2 days....I've been promising her we'd go out on the boat.  Last time we went she cried and was not excited about getting on.  Today she couldn't in fast enough and was great about putting her life jacket on, etc.  (Big thanks to David and Shelby for helping us load the family up and keep everything under control!).  Tatum doesn't like to just sit on the boat...she likes to sit in my lap and drive!  She sits there completely focused on the task at hand and doesn't look anywhere but straight ahead....which is the instrument panel.  She can't even begin to see over the dash.  And she doesn't care!  She just concentrates on driving us.  It's hysterical...as soon as I take my hands off the wheel, Tatum takes a 90 degree hard right.  All you see are her little pig tails tilting right and her skinny little arms whirl the wheel clockwise as far as she can make it go. We all just laugh and clap as we're watching the boat take dead aim for the shoreline but she's proud of herself for making it do something.  I'm trying to get her more interested in honking the horn rather than steering us to our death but so far she prefers the steering wheel.  I assume she'll take after her Dad and like the roller coasters when the time comes.  

Well...again, I've typed too much and will cut it off here.  There are so many more stories to tell but it's 1:30 and I've got to get to bed so I don't hate myself tomorrow.  Once Tinsley starts sleeping through the night I'll probably go back to my crazy hours but for now this going to bed around midnight thing has been working well for the whole family.

Oh yea...last quick side note.  I can't believe the number of friends that have sent all of us such wonderful things.  We're as fat as we've ever been from Tiff's Treats!  Bless you all for those much loved hot boxes that arrive on our porch.  We have had so many cute things sent from some of the neatest people.  The ones that really tug at my heart are our friends that aren't married, dont' have kids and have been thoughtful enough to really put an effort in to finding something for Annie or especially Tatum!  I would have never though about the importance of giving Tatum a gift but boy has it been great...she's got some house shoes, a huge Monkey, all kinds of toys, clothes and animals and a bunch of great attention.  The things we're received from everyone have been incredible and I really appreciate everything especially for Anne and the girls...my mind jumps to people like Jerry Maher, Jenny Hall, Jess Gonet, Wiggles, Ted, Kyle...people that I never would have expected would have thought to send something because they are so far away or they dont' have kids, etc.  Its' really touching to see how much everyone cares.  We have so many wonderful friends...THANK YOU all for everything you do and for being such a wonderful part of our lives.

TX/OU weekend this weekend.  See you in Dallas??

Cord