Cord's Corner: April 2009

So much has happened. I don't know where to begin. I'll try and keep this short and more about the pictures..as I know that's what you really want to see. I'm sitting here doing an open house and nobody is coming through...I thought I could take advantage of the free time and get caught up on here. Tinsley is just beaming! I swear you've never seen a happier little princess in your life. I know everyone says that about their kid....but ours is different! She's 7 months now and sitting up on her own, her big curious eyes are scanning everything around her and I can tell she's really soaking the world in. She loves to sit in her "exersaucer" and play with all the things around her in it. Tatum always rushes to her side and pats her on the head or gets right in her face and gives her a big excited smile and giggle. The 2 of them are really something together. I have to remind myself to call her "TINSLEY" everyday...I keep getting stuck with Tatum's "tintin" nickname for her. Tinsley is giggling, smiling and letting out these huge inward gasps when she gets excited. It's so heart warming to hear her. I've decided I'm going to get her crawling and am really working with putting my hands down against her feet and giving her some resistance to push against and learn how to get some forward momentum going. I dangle her little "Sophie" giraffe out in front of her, about 1 foot out of reach and make her work her way to it. She's really been making good progress. Tatum lays down next to Tins on the floor on her belly and pretends she can't crawl either...she's trying to "learn" with her sister...it's so sweet.

Easter was one of the best holidays we have had! We had about 2 weeks of "trial runs" with Tatum to get her in the spirit. Here she is on one of her "tester runs..."

She was exited for everything and when we got to Austin Country Club and the hunt started Tatum stood there with an empty easter basket and a thumb in her mouth. It was awful. Finally some sweet little boy came by and put 3 eggs in her basket. I do admire her entreprenurial spirit of making someone else do the work and her reaping the rewards.

Still...I was less than excited that all of our practice runs left us with a goose-egg (not actually, unfortunately). After the egg hunt we went to the club party and got to what she realy wanted...the "bounce house." That girl was definatley in the Easter Bunny spirit when it comes to hoppin' around. She would have done that all afternoon if I'd let her. Then the piece de resistance (I know I didn't get that spelled right)...the face painting. PaPa was there and because he's like me and wants to throw the kids in to anything and everything under the sun...he suggested Tatum get her face painted. I was scared to death because Tatum's Mama has always made less than favorable remarks about what she thinks of kids running around with "that stuff" on. Well...here we went. I was worried I was going to be castorated when we went back to the table...but au' contrare....it was the hit of the day and the photos are probably the best I've taken all year. How could ANYONE have this face walk up and be upset? It's impossible! So great... GOOD WORK PAPA!!

Once we got home from the club and had our family easter egg hunt in the backyard it was priceless...I started Tatum and her cousins all at once and Tatum took off racing from one egg to the next and filling up her basket 2 times! Apparently she was just waiting for the right moment when she knew she could dominate the field and get all the eggs she needed. Why work for it at the club if someone is going to come and put them in your basket for you? At home, she knew she had to fend for herself...and she's got more easter candy than she knows what to do with! Here she is finding on of the eggs a in the backyard...

Tatum's vocabularly continues to amuse us. She says polkadots "poke-a-bots", something "sunkin' ", jelly is "gel-lay", "where's him going", "what's in me hand?", "where'd yo' truk go?" (I sold my truck)...the list goes on. I'll check with Anne and add some of the other cute ones to this list. There's so many. I started keeping a list online of the cute things she says. I hate to think of teaching her the proper pronunciation because I just want to hear those cute sayings forever.

Tatum loves "takin' a rain with Daddy"...taking a shower with me. We both play in there until the hot water runs out. My favorite is while I'm washing my hair and have my eyes closed it never fails that I feel a loofa scrub on my legs and she tries to help get me clean. When she gets out I once warned her that it's slippery....now she always very serious and cautiously tells me "careful Daddy, it's slippy right there" so we are always careful to watch our footing as we get out of the shower. Night night time has become one of my most cherished moments with her. I made her a CD of some of my favorite more contemporary songs....DixieChicks Lullabye, Billy Joel Lullabye, Mark Coen's The Things We've Handed Down...all GREAT songs to put them to bed to...and ending with Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World. She'll just look up at me when we walk in her room and say "Daddy sing to me" and she crawls up in my arms and curls up in my lap, thumb in her mouth and listens as my cracked voice paces through the songs. It's such a magical moment for me. When I put her in her bed I always turn off the light and say "I'll see you in your...." and she answers back "deams (dreams)." I seriously just teared up writing that line. Ugh. These girls have me hooked. I can't imagine my life without them...all of them. Annie, Tinsley, Tatum and Lulu...they just fill my heart.

Okay...open house is officially over! I can pack up and go play with my girls! Yee haaa.

I'll see you in your......

Tatum on the hunt for eggs well hidden eggs (thanks J., Sara and Annie!)...

Tatum and 2 of her cousins at the startign line of the annual backyard egg hunt...

Tatum in her special Easter Dress...THANK YOU Hardemans! Tinsley got a beautiful lavender one as well pictures in the very top pic.

Me and my 2 Easter Bunnies...

Mommy with her Easter Treats...

Tinsley got in on the face paint too...good work Pippy.

Tatum and Nats were completely cracking each other up with their faces painted. I love this picture.

The teeth on the bottom lip are about the most creative thing I've seen.

PERFECT!!

Look how happy this girl is...

Tatum in heaven bouncing like a bunny in the "bounce house"...

I love Tinsley with her bunny ears on...

The whole family just before the big ACC Egg Hunt...

I tried to take Bluebonnet pics this year but it just didn't work out. I bought the girls matching dresses and thought it would be perfect for the bluebonnet shot...it was so cold this day and Tinsley wasn't enjoying it. We cut the photo session short but at least got something so we can mark the year.

This was a Saturday morning at Tatum's cousin's house...her and Nats were helping Aunt Boomies cook eggs. I love their expressions. They were having a blast.

I love the rare occasion when someone takes a picture of ME!

How awesome is this!? Look at this girl...she's 6 months and needs a training bra. I love all her little rolls....they go with her giggles. She's starting to grow out of the roles and I'm missing them.