Anyone there?

I've missed this little corner of the internet where I can share my thoughts, my heart and what is going on in my little family's life. I will try my hardest to include most details of what has been going on since last August.  Our family has gone through a lot of changes!  Getting ready for the longest post in blogging history. 

We went through 5 more glorious months of raising our baby girl.  Words cannot even describe how much we have enjoyed  every day watching her grow into the sweet girl she is.  I cannot believe in 2 1/2 months she will be one year old.  I think I might have to carry a box of tissues around with me that whole day.

Going back to August...just before Tatum turned 5 months old, we welcomed our precious nephew, Sawyer Robert Templeton into this world! Due to complications during Courtney's pregnancy, she had to have him in Houston.  We got to Houston just as she was delivering him by C-Section and waited anxiously to be able to see them both.  Abe and Courtney were amazing throughout the whole process and took to parenthood instantly.  We stayed a little less than a week in Houston and got to know our sweet nephew via the NICU in Houston.  He is safe and sound now in Abilene and is growing like a weed.  We love him so much!  

Tatum turned 5 months old on August 24th!  She was still waking up about two times/night and momma was one exhausted lady!  She was still nursing every 3 hours on the dot.  She was learning how to sit up better without support, loved puppy dogs and was getting better about putting herself to sleep for naps and bedtime. 

At 6 months old she continued the same routine until about 2 weeks in.  At 6 1/2 months, my milk just completely dried up and with all of the pumped milk used up, we switched to all formula and also incorporated baby food.  She ate them both up great and became a completely different baby when it came to sleeping.  Just like that, she started sleeping through the night and it was glorious.  I guess she had gotten into habit of nursing during the night and when that wasn't available anymore, she just slept right through those "feedings".  Tatum started getting into everything that she could reach while rolling all around instead of crawling.  She started to say "mama" and it absolutely melted my heart.

We got Tatum's 6 month pictures taken and they were so so precious.  Aunt Ashlee also took her picture by some pumpkins and they turned out so cute.  October marked the beginning of a fun journey of building our new home.  

At 7 months, I knew something was different with Tatum and I contributed it to teething.  We didn't see a tooth pop up until 8 months but she were definitely in pain during month 7.  She would rock back and forth on her hands and knees but didn't start crawling until a few weeks later and then she was off!  She started "dancing" when she heard music and it was the most precious thing ever.  We also started telling her "no no" when she would touch something that she wasn't supposed to.  Such a funny baby! Tatum was a mouse for Halloween and stayed nice and cozy in Sugar and Grandad's house with her first sink bath to follow!

During month 7, we dedicated Tatum in our church to our Lord Jesus Christ.  We know that she only "ours" for such a short time. We will do everything in our power to point her to Jesus and be a light unto the Lord.  We thank God for however much time we have with her but know that He can take her whenever He pleases and in whatever directions He wants.  Blessed be the name of the Lord and thank you God for our precious gift in Tatum Blair!

At 8 months old, Tatum got her bottom two front teeth, started pulling up on furniture, loves to open/close cabinets, says "mama", "kitty-kitty" and "ho ho ho".  Still loves puppy dogs and still the happiest, sweetest baby around!

During November, we also traveled to College Station to spend Thanksgiving with Addison's family.  Addison and I even got to go to an Aggie game on Thanksgiving night.  It was a lot of fun until I started feeling bad about halfway through and ended up getting the stomach bug.  Booo!  

Also, the house started to form, Addison ran his second half-marathon,  and we took Tatum to her first Christmas Parade in downtown Abilene.  Tatum graduated from her baby bathtub (this was way overdue) and since I'm too cheap to buy a bathtub seat, I lay a towel down at the bottom of the tub and watch her like a hawk.  She loves bath time and loves playing with her bath toys.  

 A sweet kitty came upon our doorstep at the barn and found just the sucker to take care of it....(me).  It has still stuck around and I guess that means it will be our snake and rat killing machine when we take it to our new house.  Just like that, we moved into the last month of year...

December was fast and furious with lots of things going on.  My sweet husband put up a small Christmas tree in the barn that Gaylene had up in storage.  I hung all of our Christmas cards on it as ornaments and Tatum loved being able to pull them off and put them back on herself.  Tatum also got to go to Annalee and Macee's 3rd and 1st joint birthday party!

We had a fun time at the annual FDLIC Christmas Party where we played Blackjack all night and listened to my favorite local band, "Freeride".  I know I say this every year but we are truly blessed to be apart of this amazing company.  

Sugar and I took Tatum to visit Santa and she took to him quite well.  She was very intrigued with his beard and just kept smiling and staring at him.  

We had such a fun first Christmas with Tatum and everyone spoiled her rotten!  We first had Christmas with Addison's whole side of his family.  This includes twenty-two people in his immediate family when we all get together.  We all have so much fun talking, playing games and cooking.  We just love it when everyone can get together.  

Christmas morning was spent with my parents and two brothers opening presents, eating cinnamon rolls, drinking coffee and watching Tatum play with her toys.  We also went and visited my sweet MawMaw (my moms mom) in the nursing home. We were sad to have Christmas lunch at her house with all of our family without her being there. She fell before Christmas and had to have a hip replacement, in addition to have Alzheimer's and Dementia.  We are so thankful to be able to go see her and give her a hug before we left or Taos the next day. We were blessed beyond measure this Christmas season!

The day after Christmas we left for Taos, NM at about 3:40 in the morning to go skiing with my family.  Tatum slept for about 3 more hours and was such a trooper the rest of the way.  I was so excited to get to go skiing this year as last year I had a big belly with a beautiful baby girl inside.  Before this year, it had been about 6 years since I went skiing, so it took me a little bit of time to get use to it again.  By the end of the week I was having such a fun time getting more comfortable with everything.  Tatum stayed with Sugar inside the cabin and slept and played! 

Tatum turned 9 months old on Christmas Eve.  She still really enjoys her baby food but absolutely loves people food.  Even though there isn't that much room in the barn we went ahead and moved her high chair in here so I could start feeding her more "people food" meals.  She has started to stand on her own sometimes without realizing it and then quickly grabs on to something so she won't fall.  It's just a matter of time before she is running around!  She loves to get into the dog and cat food, chase Millie around, get into everything she shouldn't, fake cry, fake cough and is just the silliest girl around.  Nine months is so much fun!

Since we've been back from Taos we have been getting back into our routine here in the barn.  Addison is back to work (with a new job title I might add...we are very proud of his accomplishments!)  and Tatum and I are quite settled spending our days playing, learning and doing things for the new house.  

We have about three months left (give or take a few weeks) before we are in the new house, so we are trying to take advantage of the "easy life" until then.  I will begin to plan Tatum's first birthday that is in just a few short months and am looking forward to her first Valentine's Day next month!  We feel very blessed going into 2015 and cannot wait to see what the Lord does in our lives in the next year!