Jumperoo

A rainy day today meant the kids were bouncing off the walls, literally.

Turning Three, Halloween and Other Things That Happened While I Wasn't Blogging...

Gotta get things caught up before the holidays are upon us, so here are the updates in sped-up style like the recaps of Glee each week:

So here's what you missed in the Robertson family...


Tate turned three and had his three-year-old doctor appointment. The doctor chewed out Jenny because she said "bedtime is a battle" and told her she was headed for an appearance on "Super Nanny." But that's all OK because Tate got a clean bill of health and has a height of 36.5" and a weight of 30.5 pounds, which means he's a little small for his age, but that's all OK because Rob was small until high school and then had a growth spurt.


Two days after the same pediatrician told me to stop worrying about Tate not being potty-trained and that it would happen when Tate was ready, Tate decided he was ready. And he was. And it was done. Just like that.


Then Halloween was upon us and Tate was a spider because he really, really wanted to be one. Even though Jenny bought a really cute dinosaur costume. I mean really cute. But he insisted on being a spider. So Jenny bought a spider costume and put the dinosaur costume on ebay. And then Jenny put the spider costume on Tate and he said "I want to be a dinosaur." Jenny told him he was three and that she would not reason with him anymore and that he was going to be a spider and he was going to love it. (And Jenny is sure that if she mentions all of this to the pediatrician, he will not only invoke the Super Nanny name again, but he will dial up the producers on the spot.) But Tate did love it.







He also loved passing out the candy more than collecting it, and even though I posted this video on Facebook several weeks ago, it's just so awesome that I'm posting it again.



We also went to a pumpkin patch and Tate rearranged the pumpkins and drove some tractors.





Now that Tate is three, we feel the need to list a few things he does, in threes.


Tate loves cars, trucks and dinosaurs.


His favorite books, which he can recite from memory, are "The Monster at the End of This Book," "How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" and "Pete the Cat."


His favorite songs are "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," "Five Little Monkeys Sitting in the Tree," and "Sugarfoot" by Black Joe Lewis.


His favorite things to say, or -- more accurately -- OUR favorite things he says, are "Nooooo thank you!," "Something's missing!" and "I'll be right back. Don't move."


Oh, and in the middle of all that, Jenny announced she was pregnant and expecting a baby on May 8.


And that's what you missed in the life of the Robertsons....

Three Years

Tate turns three today! I put together a video of highlights from his third year...

Little Slugger

Tate has been obsessed with golf since he could walk, but now baseball is coming in a close second. At my parents' house a couple weeks ago, he started swinging a vacuum attachment at balls tossed to him...and hitting them! We soon found a plastic bat and used the vacuum attachment as a tee (because we were growing tired of tossing the ball) and then it was all over. We couldn't get him to stop, and now all he wants to do is "play ball." Here is some video from the first night...

Busy Days

With the cooler temps, we've been keeping busy...

We went to the zoo:

Eagerly awaiting the train:

Happy to be on the train!

While on the train, we encountered a sleeping longhorn. Tate kept shushing us every time we'd try to talk because the cow was "sweeping." I got a little bit of the interaction on video. And it kind of makes you wonder who is the adult and who is the toddler....

Then we went to see Nick Jr's Storytime Live show at Verizon Theater with friends Valerie and Hank. The highlight for Tate, though, was wrestling with Hank in the lobby after the show. All the way home he said "Where's Frank?" and when I would say, "you mean HANK?" and he would say "NO, I mean FRANK!!!"

And not pictured from the past weekend are playing miniature golf at Mountasia (I got beat fair and square by Tate!) and hitting home runs over Mia and Big Guy's fence into the wee hours.

It's all enough to make you fall asleep on your feet:

Spoiled?

So Rob posted this video to Facebook:


And my parents saw it. A few days later, THIS appeared in their backyard:

He's got his grandparents wrapped around his fingers!

Hmm. So what will happen if I post THIS video...

I mean, the kid likes big TVs....I'm just sayin.

Baseball game

Tate brings good luck to the Rebs when they play LSU. Here, he cheers the Diamond Rebs on to a sweep of the Tigers:



Rob is sitting here telling me to add something about how this was following some homerun that so-and-so hit that tied the game. I just think it's a cute video. If you want play-by-play, talk to Rob.

Christmas 2009

Some pics and a video from Christmas...

After a rare blizzard created the first white Christmas in Dallas in 80 years, we decided to stay at my parents' house on Christmas Eve vs. trying to drive back to FloMo.

Tate learned the concept of "PRESENTS!!!" (how he says it) very quickly.

During the impromptu slumber party at Mia and Big Guy's, Tate and Blake were definitely up to no good...and they couldn't figure out how we knew their names every time they turned their backs on us.

But Big Guy was there to corral them. (Blake is a new addition to this traditional picture)

It was all too much for Blake who fell asleep on his Mom's knee. We made Nancy stay like this all night.

We got home Christmas Day and while Tate took a nap, Santa showed up in FloMo. Tate now thinks that every time he wakes up, there will be PRESENTS!!!

It was a great holiday. I put all of our favorite moments in a video below.

Now Rob and I have taken the week off until New Year's, and we are very excited to be spending this time with Tate, even if all he wants now are MORE PRESENTS!!!

The Pilgrimage

We made the trek to Oxford with Tate for his first Ole Miss football game. It was a pilgrimage of sorts that Tate took very seriously in his quest to bring a win for the Rebs over LSU.

We started with the traditional taming of the mighty Mississippi River...

And then consulted with three wisemen at the Memphis Zoo...

He said a prayer at the Wailing Wall...

And even rubbed Buddha's belly for good luck....

He chased out screaming LSU fans (note these are the children of Rob's LSU alum cousin)



He even paid his respects to Mr. Faulkner ...(side note: Tate said this statue "scare me." As an English major at Ole Miss, Faulkner scared me, too, Tate...)


We finally made it closer to Mecca as we peered in at the Grove from afar.

And ended up at the mothership:

Finally, we made it to the game! We cheered on the Rebs for two whole quarters....

And then, after a two-day pilgrimage of bringing good luck to the Rebs, Tate passed out and missed the end of the game. Not unlike most fans at an Ole Miss game.

And, also not unlike most fans, ended up in the arms of a girl he'd never seen before...


But that's OK because the Rebs won! And Tate did his victory cheers all the way home...


Hotty Toddy!

Tater Van Halen

I got my $9.99 out of this Hawaiian ukelele.

Budding Golf Fan

Tate was apparently paying close attention to Rob all day as he watched the PGA tournament. When the highlights came on, Tate started providing his own commentary. Luckily he didn't repeat some of the words Rob said and only imitated the sounds he made.

Learning to impress the ladies

Tate has learned a few tricks, and they are all sure to impress the ladies. First, some animal noises. Then, some big smiles. And finally....the gun show.

18 months

Tate is 18 months old and getting more and more personality every day. For my own records/posterity, his stats are: 

Weight: 26.6 pounds (60%)

Height: 32 inches (50%)

Head circumference: 19.5 inches (90%) 

At his 18-month appointment, his doctor asked me if I had any concerns and I said "Well, he doesn't say words on his own. He only says things if I prompt him." At that exact moment, Tate picked up his toy cell phone and said "Hello!!!" and then he shut it and said "Bye Bye!!" I just looked at Dr. Beth and said "Um...nevermind...." in a small little voice.  

In other milestones, Tate is turning into a little goofball. He knows how to make us laugh and he knows how to work a crowd. For example....watch as he takes a lemon and makes lemonade...or at least makes us laugh....

Tate TV

Check out this little short clip of Tate. It is one of several videos that will be used to introduce a segment called "Your Child's Health" on the local news. And before you think I've gone all "stage mom"...Rob works in the PR department for the children's hospital that created these.

Sidebar: I actually had Tate in a very cute little one-piece corduroy romper for the shoot. We arrived and found that they were using a green screen. The romper was green. Not wanting Tate to look like a head floating by, I had to take off the carefully-selected boutique outfit and put him in the ratty jeans I keep in his diaper bag in case of accidents. Figures. 

And so, without further ado, I give you Tate's TV Debut! (Don't blink or you'll miss it) 

Funky town

Yes, Rob and I both already posted this on our facebook pages, but some things just deserve to be repeated.

Tate and Bill Make Up

As faithful readers will recall, Tate had a falling out with Bill Murray. 

First, there was the showdown:  Click here

Then, there was the beatdown:  Click here

And now, we have the make up: 

Whew. We can watch Groundhog Day again. 

Boot Camp at Mia's

While I was away for a week in Hawaii (and Rob joined me for half the trip), Tate got to spend some quality time with Mama Mia and Big Guy. They whipped that boy into shape.

They taught him manners. He now says "thank you." (and uh oh and buh bye)

They taught him to get to sleep on his own. For the last two months, bedtime has been a test of wills involving much chasing and cajoling. Now, all I have to say is "It's nite nite time" and the kid actually walks to his crib and acts like he's trying to climb in. Unbelievable.

Finally, they taught him to work for a living. Observe him mopping the floors in Wal-Mart.



Who needs Super Nanny when you have Mama Mia?

Kill Bill

We think Tate stayed awake last night plotting ways to destroy Bill Murray. He woke up this morning and this is one of the first things he did...I love how he looks so proud at the end. 

note: I removed the sound from this video so you don't hear me laughing and Rob singing (yes, singing) and then me telling Rob to stop singing in the background. Trust me, it's better this way. 

My kid hates Bill Murray

Rob has a Caddy Shack figurine he was given by his brother Lamar -- it's Bill Murray's character and when you push a button the figurine yells lines from the movie. It's lovely, really: 

Anyway, it was in our gameroom and Tate pushed the button one day and Bill yelled "It's in the hole!" and Tate leaped into my arms and started crying. He was clearly afraid of him, so we put Bill away. That was a couple months ago.

Tonight Rob was tired of trying to keep Tate out of our room (we have to leave the door open because of our cats) so he retrieved Bill and had him stand guard in the doorway. Sure enough, Tate started motoring toward our room and froze halfway down the hall when he spotted his arch nemesis. 

I caught part of the standoff on film: 

Poor Tate. A lifetime of no Caddy Shack. No Saturday Night Live classics. No Lost in Translation. And God forbid that Groundhog Day ever comes on TV. 

One Year

Tate had his 12-month well-baby appointment last week, and the stats are:

Height: 30 inches (50th percentile)
Weight: 23 pounds (50th percentile)
Head: 19 inches (90th percentile)

In other words, he's built like the candy-holder decoration from his birthday party:


At one year, Tate is:

• Eating table food only (no more baby food!)
• Drinking from a cup only (no more bottles!)
• Drinking milk instead of formula (which equates to a $100/month raise for us!)
  
• Saying words like "dah" for dog and "bah" for ball and "duh" for duck. (But only on occasion and if he's in a good mood and if the moon is full and it's Thursday.)
• Still not saying mama (grrr)
  

He took four steps on Friday night while at my parents' house, so we fully expect him to be walking soon.

Finally, while Rob was out of town this weekend I spent a fascinating and exciting Saturday night playing with iMovie on our Mac. I made this little video of Tate's first year. (Basically, we spent waaaay too much on professional pictures of Tate this past year, and I needed to do something with all the prints...)