Look out world, she's 3!

(warning - this post is long - but it is really a journal for me to remember her big 3rd birthday... Read at your own risk!)

We officially have a 3 year old on our hands! Tate turned 3 on Wednesday, and I seriously remember the day she was born like it was yesterday!!! How can it be that she is already 3!?!? We started her big birthday week off on Sunday night with a big family dinner at Grandma & Grandpa Bodine's house - it was to celebrate all of the March birthdays in the family, including Grandpa, Kayley & Kristen's. Tate was showered with gifts, which we honestly weren't expecting, we sure do have a generous family who loves our little girl, which makes us feel so very lucky. She had a blast seeing everyone, playing, eating cake and opening her presents. Plus it was so nice just to be with everyone --- we actually all enjoy being together, which can be rare in this world now a days.

Carmen, Dayna, Tate & Kayley

Lisa, Grandma & Mom

Grandpa & Tate - patiently awaiting their cake (and my fave pic)

and blowing out their candles

she loves her Aunt Dayna

On Tuesday, she had her Bible School, which she loves, and then got to go to the library to pick out some books. Her friend Courtney brought her an early birthday present --- a 24 pack of playdoh --- oh my, was she ever happy!

On her actual birthday - what a big day for her!!! We started it off with my doc appointment - 24 week check-up, all is good - and then headed off to her 3 year old check-up with her new pediatrician. She did EXCELLENT and loved her doctor, which is such a relief! I loved him, too, and am excited for him to take care of the new baby. And, no shots, so I wasn't too mean of a mommy for scheduling her check-up on her birthday!

Then --- off to the Children's Museum for her big day of fun! She wanted her cousins Jolie & Branson to meet her there, so their Mom drove them down and met us there along with her cousin Maggie and cousin Courtneigh. What a blast! We were the first ones there, shockingly, and decided to go and visit the dinosaurs, as she has never been down there yet. WOW! How cool!!! There was a place to dig for dinosaur bones, a thunderstorm, spots to build your own dinosaur, and of course, the HUGE bones. She loved it! Then we headed upstairs to check everything else out and by then, everyone had arrived. We played and played, and played some more and completely wore ourselves out. She ended up falling asleep before we even reached the car.

digging for dinosaur bones

Maggie & Tate

Tate, Jolie & Branson

But, she had to be up and ready for her next bit of fun at 5:30! Her buddy Mason and his family came over, along with Meemaw & Peepaw, and we all had birthday pizza and brownie sundaes. Mason picked her out a pretty dress for her birthday and told her she looked "Beautiful!" HOW CUTE!

Tate in her beautiful dress & Mason

Thursday was not to be missed as well, as she got to attend an award winning performance by the Waverly Elementary 1st & 2nd graders at Meemaw's school. Tate loves watching the little kids, and claps enthusiastically for them whenever she feels necessary. She loves to yell at them, "Good job, kids!!!" and keeps an eye out for Meemaw whenever she peeks around the curtain. After the show, we came home and got ready for her buddy Ella to come over and spend some time with us while her parents had an appointment. Ella and Tate are about a week apart in age, and are 2 of a kind. They had a blast together, playing, dancing, dressing up, having dinner at their little table, painting, and watching Sleeping Beauty. She wanted Ella to spend the night so bad, but the 2 of them were so tired, they were almost past the point of tired to the "lose it" stage. There will be plenty of time for sleepovers soon enough.

Ella & Tate - full from dinner

watching Sleeping Beauty in their dancing dresses

And now today - she is coloring away and having her Friday waffles while watching cartoons. She is excited to spend the night with Meemaw tonight - one of her favorite things to do - and has talked about it all week long.


We are so proud of our little girl. She amazes us with her little life daily. Tate is a busy, happy little girl who loves to sing, dance, color, paint, run, ride bikes, play house, wear her dancing dresses, play pretend anything, loves animals, her baby dolls, to cook and bake, movies, music, and her family. She is such a fun and sweet addition to our family and we are so thankful for her! She cracks us up with her pretend animal of the day --- somedays we are 3 different animals --- today she has already been a kitty and a puppy. She also has an amazing imagination and her friends "the tigers" grace us with their presence weekly. We always have to be careful where we walk because we could step on a baby tiger, oh no!!! She is a wonderful little mommy to all of her babies --- and knows all of them by name. Usually they are naked, as "All babies like to be naked, Mommy!" She has also mastered the potty and is now getting on it and off it without the use of her stools anymore, she is so proud when she gets up there on her own and usually yells for me to come and look and asks, "Are you proud of your little baby Tatum???" She is a "private pooper" and has to have the fan on and the door shut, thank you very much! This is when she does some of her best singing as well... :) She also is learning that time outs go better if she doesn't fight trying to come out of her room, and now when I tell her to go to her room (and she's not too far past the point of no return...) she will march her little buns up there and sit in her rocking chair and scream until she's done! It would be nice if we didn't have to have those, but in all reality... it's getting a little better!?!? She is QUITE stubborn and strong willed, but some day these qualities may come in handy... right? All in all, what a beautiful, smart, happy, funny, crazy, goofy little girl we have --- and we feel so lucky she is ours! We love you, big girl!!! Happy Birthday, Tootie Bootie!