The Kopfinger Family

Merry Christmas???

2011-12-21T21:10:00.000-08:00

I expected some tears and maybe a meltdown or two when we met Santa this year. I just didn't expect it to come from Tatum... Sorry for the weird pic - it was scanned in because I was unable to take a picture with my own camera. See the hand reaching in from the left side, holding Tatum's hand? That's me. It was the only way to get her that close to Santa. Oh well - at least her dress was cute! And the babies did great!

Merry Christmas!

Squirmy Worm

2011-12-06T08:53:00.001-08:00

At a very early age, we began calling Tatum a "squirmy worm" because she could NOT be still. She would roll off changing tables to the point where I had to strap her down to change her diaper. She crawled early, walked early, and was always on the move. I guess one squirmy worm attracts another because this is what Tatum brought to the door a couple of weeks ago.
Yes. To my horror, a worm.
I am not a bug, snake, frog, lizard or worm person. I like to look at ladybugs, butterflies and dragonflies, but I would prefer that even the pretty creatures stay at a distance. As for frogs and lizards (especially frogs), well, I'll put it nicely: I don't like them. In fact, I have an intense fear of frogs to the point that it is difficult for me to see a frog on television or in a book. You don't want to be around me when and if I see one in person - even at a distance. I don't want to impose this fear on Tatum or the twins, partly because I realize that my frog phobia is somewhat irrational. I still can't help it though. Peter does not share in my fear, thank goodness, and he has already captured several lizards for Tatum to pet and play with. I dread the day, however, when Tatum (or Libby or Allen) comes home with a frog to show me. Today it's a worm, tomorrow it could be anything. I'm hoping for another worm.

Spot On

2011-11-29T11:53:00.001-08:00

So this morning around 5:30am, Allen woke up for his usual early morning bottle. I always warm the bottle first and feed him in the dark in the hopes that he won't fully wake up and will easily go back to sleep. As we were walking around in nearly complete darkness, I notice a mosquito bite-looking bump on his face. Then I notice another one. Ugh. A mosquito. So I turn on the light to assess the damage the "mosquito" had done, and this is what I see:Alarmed, I start to undress him...

Holy crap. He's covered in spots. My thoughts were racing. Chicken pox? Measles? Small pox? How many chest compressions per breath? How many fingers for each compression? I stop myself before administering CPR. He's breathing. In fact, he's smiling. He doesn't have fever. So I yell for Peter. Peter gets on the internet. Mistake. He's convinced that I picked up an exotic disease while visiting a friend in the hospital who'd just had a baby the night before. I go back to my bug theory and search Allen's crib. Nothing. So... I wait until 8am and make an appointment to see the pediatrician. And the verdict is.... penicillin allergy. Allen has been on Amoxicillin for the past week for double ear infections. His ears were clear (yay!) so he'll take some steroids and Zyrtec for the allergic reaction. As the pediatrician said, "He had a rash this time, next time he could stop breathing." So no more penicillin drugs for this little guy!

NICU Memories...

2011-11-17T08:33:00.000-08:00

Someone posted this on Facebook and I had to share. Just a funny way to remember a pretty stressful time. Of course, it's all worth it now with 2 healthy babies at home!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like... Christmas???

2011-11-11T11:12:00.000-08:00

Why not? My mom has had her tree up with presents underneath it for about a month now. I can't wait to see it Thanksgiving. I wonder how many presents are for me... Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the holiday season this year. We are so blessed to have 3 beautiful children to celebrate. Plus, Tatum is at a great age. She is super excited already, and is anxiously awaiting the appearance of our Elf.

In an effort to not wait until the last minute, we had family Christmas pictures made. Here are just a few. I might add that with a 4 year old and 6 month old twins, it is very difficult to get a good picture of the 3 kids together. Very difficult. But we got a few that were pretty good. (Thanks to Christi Santangelo - check her out for your next photos.)

Merry Christmas early!

Sisters

2011-11-02T08:19:00.001-07:00

Libby at 6 months old.Tatum at 4 months old.
The picture of Tatum is poor quality because it's a photo of a framed photo - but I think you can still see the similarities of these sisters.

Boo!

2011-11-01T11:24:00.001-07:00

Boo!
If the witch doesn't scare you, maybe the skeletons will...

If the skeletons don't scare you, surely the bunny will!
Happy Halloween!

"Under a rock, under a stone..."

2011-10-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

"Where would a bunny find a home?"

Home For a Bunny has been one of Tatum's favorite books since she was a baby. Naturally, she can recite it word for word. And she does... to Libby and Allen! They may seem more interested in the toys on their bouncy seats, but watching Tatum "read" to them is something I'll never forget. What a sweet memory to treasure!

Libby: deep thinker...

2011-10-20T19:01:00.000-07:00

This is what I imagine was going through Libby's mind during the following sequence of pictures:

"Hmmm. Something's missing. Where is that pesky little brother of mine?"
"There he is. I'm gonna get him."
"Arrgh!"
"Wet willy! Wet willy!"
"Got him! Ha!"

Brooks Madelyn

2011-10-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Until recently, I didn't know this day existed. We lost Brooks Madelyn on December 22, 2010, when I was 17 weeks pregnant with the babies. She was their triplet. I often wonder if she looks more like Tatum, Libby or Allen. I hate that I will have to wait so long to find out, but so happy that she is smiling and pain-free in the arms of Jesus.

Solids...

2011-09-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

Today the babies started solids. First up: rice cereal. Look at their faces. They are beside themselves with anticipation.Libby is used to the taste given that her bottles have been packed with cereal since she was 1 month old. Taking it by spoon was different but no big thing.
She even opened her mouth for it!
Allen wasn't quite so sure. I think he'll be more excited when we try more interesting foods... but they say master the bland first so that's what we're trying to do.

This morning was so monumental that Tatum had to grab her camera and take a few pics. She's such a great big sister!

Smiley Happy Babies

2011-09-23T12:38:00.001-07:00

The babies just turned 5 months old a couple of days ago... and they are very happy about it! Could Libby smile any bigger?Allen isn't quite as "smiley" as Libby is - he's more laid back while she's more "high maintenance." Come to think of it, I remember another baby girl who earned the "high maintenance" title about 4 or so years ago... Anyway, Allen's smiles are just as sweet as Libby's are.
But he doesn't smile on cue the way Libby does so I don't get quite as many smiley pics of him. Here's another of Libby.
I'm so thankful to have happy babies!

Happy Birthday, Tatum!

2011-09-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

My baby girl turned 4 years old today. Where has the time gone? Wasn't she just born a few months ago? Hmmm.

This year Tatum had her party at an inflatable playground - aka "the batman bouncy house." There is a big Batman inflatable in one of the rooms there, hence the nickname given by Tatum. We invited several of her friends from school, gymnastics and family friends. And of course, her BFF cousin Jake was there.

Before the party, they were so excited - and apparently the nervous habit of playing with your shirt is a family trait.
Finally in the bouncy house, the big super-fast slide was a hit!
We tried time after time to get them to slide together. This is as close as it got.
After almost an hour and a half of bouncing, it was time to eat!
The Care Bear cake, featuring Love-A-Lot Bear, was delicious. Thanks, Aunt Stacey!
Happy girl with frosting fingers.
Presents were last but certainly not least. Tatum racked up on puzzles, dolls, games and videos. Thanks to all who came!
Tatum's actual birthday is today, September 20. We celebrated again this morning with a cupcake for breakfast and a few small presents. Her big present this year - a big swing set!

We love you Tatum! Happy Birthday!

Back!

2011-09-14T08:37:00.001-07:00

Tatum and Allen watching t.v. before school one morning.Tatum and Libby in their matching outfits.

The babies are almost 5 months old, and Tatum is almost 4 years old so I figure it's time to start blogging again. If you read my blog (I know I'm referring to about 3 people...), you know what's been going on the past few months. To recap, the babies were born 6 weeks premature on April 21, 2011.

Libby Claire weighed 4 lbs, 5 oz. She stayed in the NICU for over a month.
Allen Thomas weighed 3 lbs, 14 oz. He also stayed in the NICU for about a month, but came home 5 days before Libby.
Their hats are numbered 1 and 3 because we lost their triplet (#2) at 17 weeks gestation.

The first few months have been very busy, mostly working out inevitable "preemie" issues. We decided that it is best that I take a "leave of absence" from work for a while to take care of the kids.

Today, the babies are doing great! See pics above. As usual, my pictures uploaded backwards from the way I wanted. Anyway... you can tell that Tatum is the best big sister in the world! She loves her babies.

So we're back... hopefully for good this time...

So...

2011-03-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

So I haven't written a post in quite a while. In fact, I attempted to delete this blog several times because it was so neglected (and because I became somewhat concerned with child predators). Now I've done my best to "predator proof" the blog, and recent developments have made me reconsider blogging especially given the new-found time on my hands. In a nutshell, and I won't expound because anyone reading this most likely knows the story, I'm 30 weeks pregnant with twins and have been in the hospital now for almost 2 weeks. On March 11, at a regularly scheduled doctor's appointment, I found out that I'm 3 cm dilated and my cervix is thinning. I was 28 weeks then. I was immediately admitted to the hospital and put on medicine to stop labor. Funny thing is, I didn't even know I was in labor! I have had contractions with this pregnancy since about 14 weeks but nothing severe or consistent. When they put me on the monitors though, I was contracting regularly. The odds were that I was going to deliver the babies that day, and they were both estimated at only 2 pounds each. I'm happy to report that I did NOT deliver the babies that day and, consequently, I am now in the "unpredictable" category.

Fast forward and here I am on hospital bedrest, still on medicines that are keeping me from going into labor again. I've been told that if I can hold out 2 more weeks, they will consider discharging me to strict bedrest at home. But it's not a definite and we're still taking one day at a time. The doctors seem to be a bit more protective of me because of our past loss. Again, I won't expound but this pregnancy was originally a triplet pregnancy, but we lost Baby B at 17 weeks. She simply had no heartbeat. Ironically, the doctor who made that discovery was the doctor who took care of me when I was admitted to the hospital. He has become one of my favorite doctors, which may not sound like much but I'm visited by at least 3 doctors a day - and they're different nearly every day!

So here I sit, blog renewed despite neglect for almost a year. I can't imagine that I won't update the blog quite often given my new "place" in life. But I can't promise many pictures because I just don't have access. Above is a picture of Tatum taken at Disney World in November. We were waiting to have breakfast with Mickey, Donald, Minnie, Daisy and Goofy.

The Fourth in Point Clear

2010-07-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

We spent this Fourth of July in Point Clear, Alabama with great friends. Tatum went on her first boat ride and had a blast playing in the sand and water. Thanks to Brian, Lisa, Lauren, Lance, Julie, John and Joey! We had a great time playing with you all weekend! Here is Tatum playing in the sand - she loved the sand and the water! She was a "Cool Cat" on the boat with her sunglasses and new life jacket.

Family pic on the boat!

Tatum, "Aunt Lisa" and Lauren hanging out at the marina.

Tatum loved watching the Veggie Tales in the car.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T07:52:00.001-07:00

Me: What do you want for breakfast in the morning? Waffles, pancakes, french toast...?
Peter: Whatever Tatum wants.
Me: But it's Father's Day - you can have anything you want.
Peter: I'm a Dad. I want what she wants.

Happy Father's Day to the best husband and father in the world. We love you!!

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!

2010-06-13T10:26:00.000-07:00

No, it's not Mardi Gras... but a simple heart or rainbow on the cheek simply won't do for our little Miss Priss. She had to have the most extravagant face painting offered. So... LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER! Even in June.

New, new, new!

2010-06-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

For the past two months, we've been trying out all kinds of new things. For one, we are MOVING to a NEW house. We should be in our new house in August. In the meantime, we've set up shop in a temporary rental. We are busting at the seams, but the rental is quaint and cozy. Tatum doesn't seem to mind at all. In fact, she hasn't even mentioned the old house once since moving.

Tatum is also trying all kinds of NEW things. She is an independent (and I mean INDEPENDENT!!!) two and a half year old. We are having so much fun with her. Here are just a couple of NEW things that Tatum has tried and conquered:

A NEW hairstyle: Homemade popsicles:

A big girl bed:

The potty:

Life with Tatum is an adventure, and we are loving every second of it. She brings so much joy to us every day - she truly is such a BLESSING!

As for Peter and I, well, we've got our hands full with our spunky little girl and the renovation project. Come August, we will need a vacation! More to come on that subject... we will be visiting a well-known mouse in November... stay tuned!

Sesame Street Live

2010-03-20T19:44:00.001-07:00

At Sesame Street Live! During the intermission, Tatum studied her new Sesame Street ball. She also got a t-shirt, thanks to Daddy. She was enthralled!

Big Bird was so close we could almost touch him! In fact, at one point during the show Bert (as in Bert and Ernie) came up to Tatum and tried to shake her hand (we really were very close to the stage). She didn't scream or cry, but she definitely didn't want to touch him. Is it weird that I'm a bit jealous that he didn't want to shake my hand???

On Saturday morning, the three of us headed out to see Elmo in Sesame Street Live. We haven't been to a live show since last year when we saw Playhouse Disney Live. We figured that Tatum would be able to enjoy a live show more now that she is older. We were right! She loved it! I have to admit that Peter and I loved it too. Compared to the Disney Live show, Sesame Street wins hands down. In fact, it wasn't really a comparison. The costumes, special effects, singing and dancing were great. Our seats were on the 6th row, which made the production even better. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. But Peter had his iphone so we were able to get some decent shots. The iphone pictures were taken without the aid of a zoom lens, so you can tell that we weren't very far from the stage at all.

Family Fun

2010-03-20T19:13:00.001-07:00

For those of you who follow this blog, I'm sure you are wondering where we've been the past couple of months. After all, our last post was about Christmas. Well, we've been busy... but to be perfectly honest, our busy lives is not why we don't post very often. The lack of recent posts is directly related to my hatred (or very strong dislike - whichever you prefer) of my camera. The camera seems to work better outdoors and now that it is finally warming up, I've taken a few pictures. Just recently my brother and his family came to visit for the weekend. Here are a few recent pictures from the weekend.
Tatum and Jake loved playing together. Here they are running down a hill near our house. We went to the neighborhood playground, and the kids had lots of fun. Here is Tatum trying to climb down something that is way too big for her. She's such a daredevil!

No doubt that Jake was up to something in this picture. Just look at that face!

Tatum loves her cousin Austin. I think he loves her too...

I wish my brother and I lived closer so that the kids could play together more often.

Since my last post, a lot has happened. Here is a short run down: Tatum is potty training and doing great - she's almost there! Tatum's hair is just long enough to pull back into a ponytail; She has learned the word "No!" and uses it constantly; she talks in complete sentences and can carry on normal conversations; she loves to sing songs and knows many by heart; she has memorized several of her most favorite books; she can count to twenty in English and ten in Spanish; she can spell her first and last names; she is still the most beautiful, most precious person I know.

Three Christmases

2010-01-18T14:31:00.001-08:00

This year we celebrated Christmas three times! Once at our house, once at my parents' house and once at Peter's mom's. Tatum is spoiled rotten! Here are a few pictures from all three Christmas celebrations. As you can see, Tatum must have been a very good girl this year.
In her Chef's clothes, with an ice cream cone. Peanut is sneaking in for a lick!

On to my parents' house - we were thrilled to spend the holiday with Papa, my grandfather. Here is a picture of three generations. Tatum was clinging to me like a little koala bear, but that didn't stop us from taking the picture!

Okay, the pictures somehow got out of order. This always happens to me. Here is a picture from Peter's mom's house. Tatum got so much stuff!

And back again to my parents' house - with Tatum and Jake hanging out in Dad's recliner.

Too Cool

2009-12-04T17:24:00.000-08:00

At just 2 years old, Tatum is starting to show some sass. Just check out this pose!

Happy Thanksgiving... and Halloween!

2009-11-29T17:09:00.001-08:00

I'm obviously a bit late posting about Halloween, but better late than never! This year Tatum was a sunshine for Halloween. Her school hosts a huge "Fall Festival" where the kids wear their costumes to school, they have fun games and yummy snacks, and get lots of goodies. I went as a "helper" this year, and I had just about as much fun at Tatum did.
Fast forward to Thanksgiving... this year we hosted the Kopfinger Family Thanksgiving. All Peter's brothers and sisters came, along with his Mom and all the nephews except one. I think the final head count was 20. I had to borrow Thanksgiving decorations from a friend of a friend and everything seemed to work out just fine. I have a whole new respect for my mother and grandmother who host Thanksgiving AND Christmas year after year, doing all the cooking and preparing alone. It was quite a task for me, and Peter's sisters brought most of the food! Here are some pictures from Halloween and Thanksgiving.
First up - Tatum on Thanksgiving Day, eating a waffle before everyone arrived.
This is one of the two 8-foot tables we set up in our keeping area.

We decided to be festive and put up the Christmas tree before Thanksgiving. All that's missing is a topper.

My little Sunshine.

Tatum's class at school with her teacher, Ms. Bernetta.

Tatum was checking everything out at the fall festival.

Jumping inside the spacejump.

Tatum was sitting on some pillows in our bedroom watching TV before school. She is totally zoned out. Dora must be on.

Tatum's 2 Year Pictures

2009-11-04T16:30:00.001-08:00

We took Tatum's 2 year pictures on October 17. Getting good pictures of a 2 year old is not easy. Tatum was all over the place - she never sat still and did NOT want to be held to get a family picture. However, Christi, as always, came through with some wonderful pictures that we will cherish forever. Now comes the task of choosing the ones for prints!
I love this picture. We even got a nice picture of Mom and Dad!

And the whole family (minus Peanut).

How beautiful!

Look at that smile!

This is such a sweet picture of her profile.

Pumpkin Patch 2009

2009-10-23T18:59:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we visited a local pumpkin patch. Well, we had to drive a little ways, but it was well worth it. We had so much fun! Not only were there pumpkins, there was a petting zoo, swings, face painting, tractors, and all kinds of fun things to play with. We'll definitely make this a yearly event and in the spring we can't wait to try out the strawberry patch!!
First Tatum checked out the mini-tractors. She's a natural... gets it from her Papa. Photo-op with Mommy on the tractor.

Photo-op with Daddy.

Moving on... she had to try out the fun water pumps that pushed little rubber duckies to the other side. Too bad she was too short to see the duckies. She had fun nonetheless!

Oh, the horsey-swing. It was a battle to get her off the horsey-swing. She loved it, and she did NOT want help. In fact, she didn't want either of us to stand within a five foot radius. Thankfully she did not fall off!

Finally onto the pumpkins! Gosh, there are so many! Found one I like!

Got it!

Now I need another one. We wound up with five total.

This was the only picture we took with the face paint. It was smeared all over in a matter of seconds... but cute for those few seconds!

Happy (belated) Birthday, Tatum!!

2009-10-23T18:44:00.001-07:00

Okay so I'm over a month late in posting pictures from Tatum's party. Better late than never, right? Tatum had a blast at her birthday party. The theme was jungle safari because Tatum loves animals. We had a total of 5 little ones (between the ages of 1 and 2) which was tons of fun. We set up the slide and a small ball pit outside in the back yard. Aunt Stacey made the most perfect safari cake, I made edible playdough, and we had a pull string pinata that was a hit! I think everyone had a blast. We were in sugar detox for about a week after the party, but it was well worth it. My little baby is 2 years old! I just can't believe it. It seems like yesterday when Peter was driving like a mad man to get me to the hospital in time to have her. Time certainly flies when you're having fun. Happy (belated) birthday, baby! We love you so much!
Check out that cake! Thanks, Aunt Stacey.
Tatum loved being the center of attention as every sang to her. She's such a ham!
The first present she opened was a toy coffee pot. She didn't care about any other gift - she had to have that darn coffee pot! Finally her Daddy opened it for her and she was able to "make coffee."
Pure joy!

Detroit

2009-09-09T19:03:00.000-07:00

Mee-maw and Tatum at the New Orleans airport before flying out. Tatum's first time on an airplane. She's not too sure about it.

On the carousel at Greenfield Village.

In front of the fountain at the Detroit Zoo!

I love the zoo!

Finally we are back home from Detroit! Two full weeks is a long time to be away from home, and considering the circumstances, we are thrilled to be back, safe and sound. Overall, the trip went well. Peter tolerated surgery very well and is on his way to a full recovery. Tatum had a hard time being away from home, but she was such a trooper - especially on the airplane. Here is a short recap of our trip. I didn't take very many pictures, so this is about as good as it gets.

On August 25, we set out for Detroit. Peter, Tatum, my mom and I left for New Orleans that morning. From New Orleans, we had a straight flight to Detroit. The day started off great because we were able to upgrade to first class!!! After being on the plane for 30 seconds, we realized that with a toddler (especially one named Tatum Elizabeth), coach isn't an option. Well, at least it wasn't that day. Tatum did great, however, and the flight was smooth. We arrived in Detroit, got our rental car (a Toyota Highlander) and drove to the Henry Ford guest housing. As Peter was checking us in, we observed a large Indian family who arrived just before we did. They have since become our friends.

After check-in, Peter and I drove to Macomb Baptist Church. The church let us borrow a pack and play and a booster seat for Tatum so we didn't have to lug ours along. My wonderful friends set this up for us - Thanks Girls! That day the weather was great - sunny and about 78 degrees. Low humidity. Weather we dream about in Baton Rouge. Little did we know that in 24 hours we would be freezing with our t-shirts and shorts in the mid 40s! That's right... it is COLD in Detroit, and we were not prepared. A trip to Wal-Mart a couple of days later resulted in the purchase of several long sleeve t-shirts and hoodies for Peter and myself. I'm sure he will deny ever wearing a hoody, but I think I might have a pic or two.

A day or so after our arrival, we discovered that the Indian family we saw the first day was staying just down the hall from us. From their rooms came the most wonderful aroma of Indian spices and food. Peter mentioned to the Indian "Dad" after seeing him in the hallway that it always smelled so wonderful when they cooked. (Peter and the "Dad" had the same surgery on the same day so they were able to walk the halls together - walking was a MUST after surgery.) That same night, we heard a knock at our door and the Indian "daughter" brought us a full Indian meal - in American terms we had roasted potatoes, chicken and rice and beans. It was delicious! We received three more Indian meals after that one, and they were all wonderful. Our sincere thanks to Yusuf and family. I was promised recipes (via facebook) and I can't wait to try them out. We even received an invitation to visit them in Bombay!

As for accomodations, the apartment we stayed in was great. It was small but had everything we needed. They only thing lacking was a nice surrounding neighborhood. To put it mildly, the hospital is in the hood. We went to a nearby CVS pharmacy and were nearly surrounded by panhandlers wanting money. When Peter gave one guy a dollar, he got mad and said he thought Peter would give him more! He then asked for a ride to 7-Mile Road (just one mile from 8-Mile Road as featured in the Eminem film, "8 Mile"). We said no and got out of there as fast as we could. We never went back to that CVS...

One other bloggable event: our second night there, we saw a man walking the halls of our floor (again, more walking around after surgery - doctor's orders!) Peter and I both looked at each other and said "I know that guy!" We couldn't place him, but both of us recognized his face. Peter, being the outgoing one, asked who he was and low and behold he is our pharmacist in Baton Rouge! He had the same surgery Peter had just two days before Peter's. Talk about a small world!

Since our stay was extended by about 5 days, we decided to make the most of it. We visited the Detroit Zoo, Henry Ford's "Greenfield Village," as well as various malls and restaurants. It was a good trip considering the circumstances, but I must admit that unless absolutely necessary, I will never go back to Detroit again. However, I loved the team of doctors, nurses and others that took care of Peter and myself during our stay. I will always have a special place in my heart for them, especially Dr. Mani Menon, Peter's surgeon. Aside from being a world renowned surgeon, expert and pioneer in the field of robotic prostate surgery, he went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable and assured. He even accompanied me to the hospital chapel and prayed with me after Peter's surgery.

Thanks to Dr. Menon and the Vattikuti Urology Institute at Henry Ford Hospital!

Happy 4th of July!!

2009-07-05T07:59:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July! This year was so much fun. Peter bought sparklers and smoke bombs (and some other "snake" thing that was so terrible it isn't even worth mentioning). He also made homemade chocolate chip ice cream! After supper, we headed outside to celebrate. Tatum did great with the sparklers. She only got burned a little bit - just kidding! We were right there to prevent any disaster. She wasn't scared at all and even held the sparklers all by herself! Then we enjoyed ice cream and had some fun with the pool.
The pictures are actually backwards from how I wanted to post them, but I can't figure out how to rearrange them. So... here is Tatum splashing in the pool! Those darn sprinklers!!

Oooh, I like the ice cream.

Am I close to my mouth?

Sparklers!

Water Fun

2009-07-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

Tatum is 21 months old now... just around the corner from 2 years old! She's learned so many new things lately: She can say her name. She can say the names of many of her friends at school - we hear A LOT about Dorothy (her BFF) and Ray (affectionately called "Ray-Ray" by Tatum). She's putting two or more words together. She recognizes many of her letters and can say most of them. And the list goes on. We're having so much fun with her. It's hard to believe that she's growing up so fast!
Now that it's super hot outside, we're playing alot with water toys. She loves the pool and the water hose, but isn't too sure about the sprinklers! Here are a few pictures:
Joy! Helping Daddy water the grass.

Whoa! Sprinklers!

Chillin in the pool. Helping fill up the pool.

Just playin

2009-06-04T19:01:00.001-07:00

On any given evening, barring the rain, you can find the Kopfinger family outside, just playing. Tatum loves to be outside, and the fresh air is good for us all. We usually play with ride on toys or the sprinklers. Sometimes we walk to the practice holes (golf) and play on the greens. Of course, a walk around the neighborhood would not be complete without a visit to the two fountains in the front. Anyway, here are some pictures of our family, just hanging out outside after supper one evening.

Look at those teeth!
Smelling the flowers.

Playing with Mommy on the plasma-car.

Even the door frame is alot of fun!

Peter tied a rope to the plasma-car to make it easier to pull around. Tatum has such a tough life!

Goodbye Grandma

2009-05-09T08:23:00.001-07:00

We recently got back from celebrating Grandma's life in Louisville, Mississippi. Elsie Ray Chambliss Kirk lived a long, happy life of 88 years. We will miss her terribly, but are at peace to know that her body is no longer holding her back. She left to be with Jesus on May 6, 2009.

Country Day School Art Show and Zoo!!

2009-04-27T20:05:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure if I've ever expressed how happy we are with Tatum's school - Country Day School, so here I go. When we began looking at daycares at only 9 weeks pregnant, we were set on finding a place for her that would provide individual attention as well as a happy learning environment. After visiting many, many centers, we placed Tatum's name on the waiting lists at four places, but our absolute favorite was Country Day School. (By the way, she is still on two of those waiting lists, seriously.) Two months after she was born, in December of 2007, she still had not gotten into a center. About two weeks before I had to return to work in January of 2008, we received a call from two of the centers. Tatum was in. We chose Country Day because of its small class size and home-like atmosphere (they only take 5 babies). We have never regretted our choice and in fact, we are thrilled with the many projects and activities they do with Tatum. On Saturday, we headed to Country Day for their annual art show. There were animal balloons, magic shows, face painting, games, and of course - the art!! Here is a picture of Tatum with the infant and toddler teachers. The green diamond shaped poster behind them contains Tatum's many works of art that were on display. Tatum with her current teacher in the "wobbler" class, Ms. Amy. In this pic you have a better view of her precious art.

On Sunday, we took our first visit (of many more to come) to the Baton Rouge Zoo. It was so nice, and I'm sure that Tatum loved it. She got to see zebras, giraffes, elephants, jaguars, monkeys, birds, and many others. But... as you can see... her favorite was the goat enclosure. Here is Tatum walking with Daddy by the petting zoo area.

She LOVED the goats! Look at that excited face as she pats him on the back.

The zoo provided brushes for the goats, but Tatum didn't quite understand what to do with it. So she just laid it on his back... upside down.

I'm sure there was a rule posted somewhere about not pulling the goat's tails, but Tatum can't read yet...

She also enjoyed the geese.

I'm sure there is some kind of animal behind us, but I have no idea what it is.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

Let me start off by apologizing for the number of pictures in this post. I took over 100 pictures this Easter weekend, and it was a feat to choose just 15 for the blog. And... I actually uploaded the pictures in a certain order so that they would be somewhat chronological. Unfortunately, the blogger decided that it would choose a different order that I'll just have to deal with. We started off the Easter weekend with the Thornton family in Clinton, Mississippi. We had tons of fun with Grandpa, Mamaw, Uncle Terry, Aunt Stacey, Cousin Austin and Cousin Jake. Then we headed back to Baton Rouge and were visited by the Easter Bunny! He brought Tatum a tricycle! Wow - I can't believe he thinks she's big enough for a tricycle! But I guess he knows best. After playing with the tricycle for a while, we headed out to meet up with the Kopfinger family. Tatum had alot of fun playing with her cousins and hunting Easter eggs. Here are a few pictures from the weekend. In case you are wondering, the big scab on Tatum's chin is from falling down at school. And I take all credit (and/or fault) for her pretty hairdos.

First up, frolicking at Grandpa's and Mamaw's with Daddy.
Next, frolicking with Uncle Terry.

Sitting with Mommy.

Playing in the grass (see what I mean about the non-order of the pics?)

Tricycle! Yea! I'm not too sure about this helmet though.

Sweet Cousin Jake.

I think I'll join him on the swing.

Hunting Easter eggs with Cousin Austin.

Ooooh, I found Jake's belly button!

I love Jakey.

Grandpa, Mamaw, Jake, Austin and Tatum.

Easter at the Kopfinger's... what is this wooden box, Em?

I found an egg! Yippee!

Thanks for the sidewalk chalk, Aunt A and Uncle Chuck!

This tree is staring at me. (again, totally out of order - the face tree is at my parent's house).

No Excuses Update

2009-03-30T17:58:00.001-07:00

This post is long overdue. I have no excuses in not posting any pictures in 2 months! But... here is an update. Just recently - this past weekend - we went to a birthday party. It was a real rodeo round-up with real horses! Tatum loved the horses. I think she would have ridden her horse all day long if she could have. She rode some by herself and some with her friend Emily.

So - you might be wondering what else Tatum has been up to since my last post. Here is a short recap. As seen below, she's found the door to the outside. When she isn't outside, she constantly tries to escape the confines of the house.

She loves to play on her plasma car. She gets it going so fast, pulls her legs up and glides across the floor. Here she is playing on her plasma car with her tiara (thanks Aunt Nikki) wearing only her bloomers.

She found the dirty clothes hamper.

She found the tupperware.

She found the box of splenda packets.

So that's it for now. Hopefully it won't take me as long to post another update!

Quick Update

2009-02-11T11:24:00.000-08:00

It has been a few weeks since I last posted, and I'm sorry to say that I haven't uploaded any pictures lately but will try to soon. This post is just a quick update of what's going on with the Kopfinger family. As usual, it's all about Tatum.

Tomorrow (Thursday, February 12) Tatum's class is having its Valentine's Day party. I have to make cupcakes for the class. There are only 4 toddlers in Tatum's class and since there isn't a cake mix that will make only 4 cupcakes, I'll have tons of extra. I would buy the cupcakes from a store, but I think homemade cupcakes taste so much better. The party is Thursday instead of Friday because Friday is parent/teacher conference day at Tatum's school. My conference is scheduled at 8:45am. I still think it's funny that one year old's have conferences. Last year, Tatum's parent/teacher conference occurred when she was just under 5 months old. I remember that the evaluation form said she was making good progress in learning how to sit up on her own. She was also eating her solids very well. The form also said she enjoyed circle time. I have no idea how they knew that. It was a pretty thorough evaluation, and this year I'm expecting more of the same. I have a feeling that her evaluation will include things such as:

Tatum enjoys lunch nearly every day.
Tatum enjoys art projects.
Tatum needs to work on keeping her shoes on throughout the day.
Tatum loves to read books.
Tatum loves birds.
Tatum has a borderline unhealthy relationship with her pacifier.

I guess I'll have to wait until Friday to see if my predictions come to fruition. Stay tuned...

By the way, Peter, Peanut and I are doing great as well. Happy Valentine's Day!

Magdalena Grace Roberts

2009-01-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

Sweet Baby Magdalena passed away this morning. She lived for 160 days with Trisomy 18. You can read about her amazing life on my favorite blog, O Love That Will Not Let Me Go. Please pray for her family as they try to cope with their loss.

More Christmas 2008 Pics!

2009-01-07T19:45:00.001-08:00

Tatum loves her cousins, Austin (11) and Jake (11 months). Tatum and Jake are captivated by Elmo.

The babies seem overwhelmed by all the presents. Tatum would rather play with her purple ribbon.

Still wearing the purple ribbon, Tatum finally starts tearing into the presents!

Now she's got the hang of it!

Christmas 2008 Pics!!

2009-01-07T19:36:00.001-08:00

My horsey!!! Stay away!!! Who stuck this bow on my face?

I love my Elmo bike!

I'm getting the hang of this unwrapping thing...

Em and her boys.

Update

2009-01-06T09:30:00.001-08:00

I'm really behind on updating the blog. I plan to have Christmas pictures and other pics posted very soon. We had a wonderful holiday, and were able to visit both sides of the family this year! Tatum got loads of gifts and had a great time opening presents and visiting with everyone.

Now that the holidays are over, we're back to the old grind. Work (for Mommy and Daddy) and school (for Tatum). On the positive side, Mardi Gras is just around the corner!!

15 Months Old!

2008-12-22T08:39:00.000-08:00

Tatum recently had her 15 month checkup. Here are her stats:
Weight - 23.2 lbs. (50%)
Height - 31.5 inches (75%)
Head Circumference - I can't remember the number, but she was in the 90%!!!

So, she's tall and thin with a head full of brains!

GETTING READY FOR SANTA

2008-12-16T19:39:00.001-08:00

We are ready for Santa! Our house is decorated, inside and out, and we even got dressed up to take family Christmas photos. All we need are some cookies and milk - and a little something for the reindeer - and we'll be good to go.

Surgery

2008-12-02T14:06:00.000-08:00

Peter and I woke up at 5am Monday morning, surgery day. We got ourselves ready, loaded the car, and got everything ready to go before we woke Tatum up at 6:30. We had to be at the hospital at 7am. Tatum usually gets a bottle first thing in the morning, but this morning she couldn't have anything to eat or drink. I expected some fussiness because she LOVES her morning bottle. I went in, got her up, changed her diaper, and we headed out the door. She didn't fuss at all! In fact, she was very happy. We got to the hospital right on time, filled out paperwork and were immediately called back to the pre-op area. The nurse gave us a little hospital shirt to put on Tatum, and we watched cartoons (with another little baby boy) while we waited to meet the anesthesiologist. By this time, Tatum spotted the bottle in her diaper bag (which we brought for after the surgery). She whined for it, but Peter hid the bag and she was fine. We met the anesthesiologist and the ENT and they both gave us the rundown of what was going to happen. They would give her gas to put her to sleep, and the doctor would check her adenoids. If they were enlarged and/or blocking her the passage between her mouth and nose, he would take them out. In that case, she would be intibated and would get an IV. If they were small, he would leave them there and put the tubes in her ear - that procedure doesn't require intibation or an IV. After we spoke to Dr. Krupala (the ENT), the nurses came to take Tatum. She went right to them - no problem. Peter and I went into the waiting room. About 10 minutes later, we got word from a nurse that they started the procedure and that they were taking out the adenoids. The surgery lasted about an hour. Before we went to recovery, we met with Dr. Krupala to discuss how the surgery went. He said everything went smoothly. Her adenoids were completely blocking the nose/mouth passage so they really needed to come out. After we talked with him, we headed back to the recovery area. I could hear Tatum screaming when we turned down the hallway. She was coming out of anesthesia, and I'd heard many horror stories of how babies react during this time. She was thrashing around, arching her back, throwing her head around, screaming, all with her eyes still closed. I held her the best I could and tried to comfort her. After about 15 minutes, she started to open her eyes, but the thrashing and screaming continued for close to an hour. She was given more pain medicine and a breathing treatment at the hospital to help her. Then we were released to come home. On they way home, she calmed down and when we got home, she went right to sleep. She was pretty good the rest of the night. Today, she is back to being Tatum. You would never know she had such an ordeal yesterday. I'm glad we went forward with the surgery. I hope it helps her little ears. Here is her hospital bracelet.
And here is Tatum in her "surgery pajamas" the evening after her surgery.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-12-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving in Baton Rouge. We had so much fun visiting with the Kopfinger clan. Tatum loved being the center of attention. On Peter's side of the family (and mine too now that I think about it) Tatum is the only granddaughter. Peter's mother, "Em," had only grandsons before Tatum came along - 6 of them!!!
Here is a picture of Tatum and Em playing "See and Say." Tatum and her Aunt "A" (Adrienne) playing with Tatum's cell phone.

Cousins Stephen and Evan.

Cousin Andrew and Peter.

Tatum and Aunt A.

Pre-Op

2008-11-26T08:45:00.001-08:00

This is a long post. I apologize ahead of time.

Tatum had her pre-op appointment yesterday. She had bloodwork done and had to be cleared for her surgery. The appointment didn't go as expected, but Tatum was a trooper. We got to the lab around 2:30 yesterday aftenoon. The plan was to get a vial of Tatum's blood for a CBC. The problem - Tatum's little arms have even littler veins that are apparently invisible. Three nurses tried to find a vein with no success. I guess that's what happens when you're dealing with invisible veins. Plan B was to prick her finger and, drop by drop, fill the vial with blood - a feat that takes time and patience. We've done this before - we had the same invisible vein problem at her 9 month appointment. It was miserable. Tatum screamed and cried during the entire ordeal. It took about 5 minutes to fill the vial, but it seemed like eternity. So, I braced myself for more of the same...

The nurse pricked the middle finger of her left hand, and Tatum didn't flinch. She started filling the vial, drop by drop, and Tatum didn't flinch. Instead, we sang songs, looked a pictures on the wall, and played with the nurses funny looking jacket. Before we knew it, the vial was full and all was well. So... off to see Tatum's pediatrician to have her cleared for surgery.

But wait... not so fast... the nurse came running out to catch us just before we went out the door. Tatum's blood clotted in the vial. The sample was no good. We had to do it all over. By this time, it was just after 3:oo and Tatum's appointment was at 3:20. We decided to come back to the lab after her appointment...

We got to the pediatrician's office about 5 minutes before our appointment time. We walked into a FULL waiting room. I had to search to find a chair to sit in - not a good sign. Around 4:00 we were called back. At this point I'm a bit nervous because the lab closes at 5:00. I didn't want to have to come back another day to complete the bloodwork. Tatum got a clean bill of health - she's good to go for the surgery (weighing in at 22 lbs, 9 ounces, 31 inches long). Around 4:30 we headed back to the lab.

A team of about 6 nurses gathered around us. The plan was simple: find an invisible vein in one of Tatum's arms or take the blood from her foot - which is something the nurses wanted to avoid at all costs. So, the nurses went at it. They went from one arm to the other, trying to find an invisible vein. They wrapped the rubber band around her tiny arms and thumped the inside of her elbows trying desperately to find one. No luck. Finally, the senior nurse thought she felt what seemed to be a "slight" vein in her left arm. All of this happened in a span of about 10 minutes while Tatum sat quietly and stared at all these nurses who, in her mind, simply wanted to thump her.

The nurses all left the room except for the senior nurse who found the "slight" vein and another helper nurse. With Tatum in my lap, the senior nurse told Tatum she wasn't going to hurt her (yeah, right) and she stuck the needle in her arm. Tatum did not make a sound. Of course, the "slight" vein turned invisible again after the needle was placed in Tatum's arm so the senior nurse had to "fish around" with the needle to find it. Eventually she found it and took about half a vial of blood before the "slight" vein again became invisible. After more "fishing," we finally had a full vial of blood. Tatum wimpered a little at the end (during the fishing expedition) likely because she was sick of sitting in the same boring seat for so long. Overall, she was much stronger than I was. We finally got in the car around 5:10 that evening. For supper last night, Tatum got whatever she wanted. Daddy even brought home frozen yogurt!!

It's incredible what a trooper Tatum was through the whole ordeal. She's a tough little girl who never ceases to amaze me. God's work can be seen in so many ways. Through my sweet baby girl, I learned lessons of tolerance and patience, two of my more prominent weaknesses. I cannot thank God enough for Tatum.

Surgery is Monday. Stay tuned.

4th and 4th...

2008-11-26T08:37:00.000-08:00

So I went to my sister-in-law's blog and got tagged in the 4th and 4th game - where you go to your pictures folder and find the 4th picture in the 4th folder and post it to your blog. Here goes... This is one of Tatum's 1 year pics. Isn't she pretty?

Time for Tubes... and More!!

2008-11-19T07:43:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Tatum was diagnosed with her sixth ear infection in the past nine months. Her Godfather, Brian Higgins, who just happens to be a doctor, had the honor of diagnosing what we hope to be her last ear infection. On Monday I made an appointment to see an ENT for an evaluation, and on Tuesday we met Dr. Krupala. I liked him right off the bat, probably because he was VERY kid friendly and kept calling me "Mom." He examined Tatum and didn't seem to mind the cheetos crumbs, even when they got all over his instruments. (It was snack time and she was eating the cheetos while he was examining her!) He announced that she has fluid in both ears and an infection in one ear, despite the antibiotics she's been on since last Friday. He recommended tubes right away and then brought up something I wasn't really prepared for - removing Tatum's adenoids. We talked about the additional surgery for a while... of course I had to go home and talk about it even more with Peter. We decided to go ahead and have the adenoids removed when she gets her tubes. It is a more invasive surgery, but we feel that it's best to do it in one procedure. Even if the removal of the adenoids doesn't help, it won't hurt.

The surgery is scheduled for December 1. We're very nervous, but excited that this could be the end of all her ear infections. Please pray for Tatum and our family as we prepare for the surgery. We'll keep you posted. Stay tuned...

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-02T19:34:00.001-08:00

Happy Halloween!!! This was Tatum's second Halloween, but her first to really dress up and enjoy it. She was a pumpkin (as you can see) and she loved her costume, except for the hat. We took her around the neighborhood in her wagon, and she loved walking up to everyone's door to get candy. Most of all, she loved pushing her wagon around - she enjoys pushing the wagon more than riding in the wagon these days.

Then, on Sunday we went to the neighborhood fall picnic. Tatum had fun running around with all the other kids and sliding down the big space jump slide (with Mommy). We had a great Halloween weekend!

Happy Birthday Mommy!

2008-11-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

On October 11, we celebrated my 31st birthday with a chocolate cake. Tatum really enjoyed the icing... and so did Mommy.

One Year Pics

2008-10-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few of Tatum's 1 year photos. There are many, many more, including some family pictures that I'll post later. As you can tell, I am going to have a VERY hard time deciding which pictures to get!

God Bless Peanut

2008-10-06T07:53:00.001-07:00

The Blessing of the Animals
Father Ken and Deacon Tim
Father Ken blessing Peanut

A nice afternoon stroll around the LSU lakes
Even though the day was about Peanut, we had to sneak in a sweet photo of Tatum drinking her juice with her leg propped up!

Ever since Tatum was born, she has been the center of attention, and rightfully so - who can resist those big blue eyes and sweet smile? But... sadly, this means that our other baby girl has had to give up her throne, so to speak. I'm talking about Peanut, our beloved 8 year old golden retriever. This weekend, however, was all about Peanut. On Sunday, our church held its annual "Blessing of the Animals" and of course, we brought Peanut to receive her blessing. Afterwards, the whole family went for a nice afternoon walk around the LSU lakes. It was a nice, relaxing Sunday afternoon.

LSU/MSU

2008-10-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

Tatum was so excited to have Brittany, Mark and Baby Kennedy come visit for the weeked of the LSU/MSU game. We all had lots of fun - we enjoyed the tailgate and the guys enjoyed the game. The weekend was even more special with Nicole came to visit on Saturday!

Baby Kennedy is such a happy baby! She's a big girl, but her feet are teeny-weeny!

Aunt Nikki read Tatum a book. She must have a special voice because Tatum never sits still for us to read her a book. Then Aunt Nikki gave Tatum free speech therapy! She helped Tatum learn to say "moo" and "eyes." Thanks Aunt Nikki!

Of course, Aunt Nikki brought Tatum a sparkly present, including a tiara.

Our little princess!

We traveled to the tailgate Saturday afternoon and had loads of fun! Brittany's mom and Donnie came by to say hello to the babies (they didn't really seem to care about seeing the adults... I guess that's what happens when you have babies).

I wish I had a better picture of sweet Kennedy in her MSU outfit! She is adorable!

Tatum fit right in with her LSU dress.

Britt and I took the babies for a stroll to Tiger Stadium and look what happened! Two sleeping beauties!

Birthday Party At School

2008-09-30T08:53:00.001-07:00

Tatum had a birthday party at school the Monday following her birthday. She wasn't feeling very good that day, but she was a trooper. All the babies and toddlers enjoyed cupcakes (well, not the little babies), party hats and singing.

Starting to get a little fussy...

Gage really likes cupcakes!

Party's over for Tatum. She must prefer chocolate icing...

Kristen is very concerned about her screaming friend, Tatum.

BFF Kaylin is laid back eating her cupcake!

Radio Flyer

2008-09-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Daddy gave Tatum a Radio Flyer for her first birthday. Tatum loves it!!! Just look at her smiles.

Happy Birthday, Tatum!!

2008-09-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Tatum! Tatum celebrated her first birthday on September 20, 2008. Here are a few pictures from her big day! She loved her special birthday cake!

And all her fun presents!

Many friends came to celebrate this special day.

Gosh, this cake is good!

The after pic of Tatum's cake. What a perfect little handprint!

The before pic of Tatum's cake.

Tatum's friend Kinley is only a few weeks younger than Tatum!

Cousin Jake loved his cupcake.

What a beautiful cake for a beautiful baby girl!

The Day Before Tatum's Big Day!!

2008-09-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

Today is September 19, 2008. Right after lunch on this day last year, I started having contractions (although I didn't really know it at the time b/c they didn't really hurt!) Last year on this day, I worked a full day of work, went home, took a walk (sort of - I only made it down the front walk!), took a bath, and headed to the hospital to deliver Tatum Elizabeth, who was born at 1:52am September 20, 2007.

Today is much different from last year. Peter and I woke up at 6am to find Tatum burning up with fever. She was so sick and miserable, she slept for over an hour on Mommy and Daddy's chests. We headed to see Dr. Bankston around 9am and about an hour later we found out that TATUM HAS ANOTHER EAR INFECTION!!!!

The good news is that she is not contagious and with the proper medicines, she should be just fine for her big birthday bash tomorrow. The bad news is that we have to see an ENT about tubes in a few weeks. But for now, we aren't going to think about that. It is time to celebrate the happiness and joy that have filled our lives this past year. Tatum is such a blessing. She is the most perfect little girl God has ever created. We are so lucky and so blessed. Happy Birthday, Tatum!

The next post should have plenty of fun pics from Tatum's Big Day!

Catching Up

2008-09-17T07:22:00.001-07:00

These pictures of Tatum and Cousin Jake were taken when we evacuated for Hurricane Gustav. Tatum loves playing and swimming with Jake!

BACK AT HOME

2008-09-09T08:09:00.001-07:00

We are finally back at home and back to our normal daily schedule. Tatum and I were in Clinton from Saturday to Thursday. On Thursday, even though we still did not have power at our house, we drove back to Baton Rouge and stayed with Brian and Lisa Higgins, whose house is run on a full back up generator. We stayed with them until late Sunday night when our power came back on!!! Tatum was such a trooper throughout the entire ordeal. She's definitely happy to be back home though. Her school opened back up today, and this morning when I dropped her off she was all smiles. She loves her school so much!

Now that storm is gone and Ike is headed to Texas, we can begin concentrating on Tatum's first birthday party! Whoo-hoo!!

EVACUATED

2008-09-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

We've been in Clinton since last Saturday to escape Hurricane Gustov. Looks like we'll be staying awhile. The Hurricane knocked out all power in the entire city of Baton Rouge. It's very, very bad. Peter stayed behind to take care of the house, and it's a good thing he did. We had water leaking in the roof of our kitchen and in the side hallway. He cleaned that up, cleaned out the fridge and freezer and headed to Brian's house (Tatum's Godfather) because his house is run on a back up generator. City officials are saying it could be weeks before the power is restored. For now, Peter is at Brian's but I'm hoping he might make the trip to Clinton soon. Tatum sure does miss her Daddy!

No pics this time... but we'll catch you up as soon as we get back home!

PANTS

2008-08-26T07:10:00.000-07:00

She doesn't wear pants when she swings...

Or when playing with her favorite things...

Tatum has always been pretty squirmy, but now that she's walking, it's gotten much worse. She's constantly on the go, which explains why she can't stand to have her diaper changed. She's gotten so squirmy lately, we're lucky to even get the diaper on at all, much less her pants. So... she just goes without pants.

GO AWAY, FAY!

2008-08-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

Our vacation has been postponed thanks to Tropical Storm Fay. As of now, we've rescheduled for the week of September 21. On the positive side, this will be a "birthday vacation" for Tatum since we are leaving the day after her first birthday. We're still pretty bummed about not being on vacation this week.

Whoo-hoo!

2008-08-21T12:56:00.001-07:00

Her ears are clear! Beach, here we come!

11 MONTHS OLD!!

2008-08-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

Tatum playing hide and seek...

Tatum turned 11 months old yesterday! She is getting so big. She is walking everywhere and beginning to show her independence. For example, she now refuses to eat baby food. Apparently, it is soooo beneath her now that she's a big girl. So, Mommy has to fix her real supper everynight and let her feed herself. Last night it was chicken casserole with fresh tomatoes and peaches. She liked the tomatoes the least.

Today is also Tatum's follow-up ear infection appointment. If her right ear is still infected, we are off to see the ENT about tubes. Hopefully the infection cleared and she's good to go. Keep your fingers crossed! We are leaving Sunday for a vacation in Fort Walton Beach so I would really hate for her to be sick during her first ever beach vacation.

WEEKEND FUN

2008-08-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

Tatum enjoying broccoli...

Tatum looking beautiful...

Tatum reading...

Tatum walking...

I'm finally catching you up on our very relaxing weekend. We ran a few errands, entertained a few friends, but mostly relaxed at home. Tatum spent her time walking around... catching up on her reading... eating new things (broccoli) ... and just looking beautiful! I hope this weekend is just as fun!

ANOTHER EAR INFECTION!!!

2008-08-08T11:19:00.001-07:00

We had to visit Dr. Bankston yesterday. Tatum has another ear infection which means that if she gets one more, we're off to the ENT for a consultation ... about getting tubes! Poor baby. She's on an antibiotic along with the Clarinex she takes daily anyway for allergies. But, she is feeling much better and we're hopeful that the infection will clear up completely this time (it was only 2 weeks ago when she had double ear infections... see earlier blog post...).

Here is a picture of Tatum playing. Yes, that is a puzzle piece in her mouth.

WALKING!!!

2008-08-04T08:08:00.000-07:00

Tatum is walking!!! Sort of. She can take about 3-4 steps at a time before she falls on her hiney. She tries so hard and I'm sure it won't be long until she's walking all over the house. Luckily, her Mamaw and Grandpa were in town and were able to witness this momentous occasion. Mamaw joked that Tatum was waiting for them to visit to take her first steps.... Mamaw was right!!!

Also, Tatum is beginning to try (and love) table food. She's been eating cheerios for a while now, but just recently (this weekend) Tatum has tried bananas (not mashed up but in little pieces she can feed herself), green beans, broccoli, and macaroni and cheese. She still eats baby food, but she would prefer to feed herself. Looks like Mama will have to start cooking soon. Boo.

Here is a picture of Tatum looking out the window in her playroom. More recent pictures will be posted soon!

I LOVE TO PLAY WITH BLOCKS AND MY CATERPILLAR!!

2008-07-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

10 MONTHS OLD!!

2008-07-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

Tatum is 10 months old!!! She turned 10 months on Sunday, and to celebrate, we went to the lakes around Peter's office to feed the ducks! Tatum loved looking at the ducks, but she loved eating bits of the ducks' bread even more. She can now stand up without any assistance, and she's getting much better at cruising on the furniture.

Unfortunately, Tatum went to the doctor yesterday and has double ear infections and chest congestion (but not pneumonia). This is just after Peter and I are getting over a stomach virus which thankfully she didn't catch. We're all on the mend now, and I'm sure she'll be back to her old self in no time. Here are a few pictures of Tatum at 10 months.

I CAN STAND!!!

2008-07-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

Tatum has been pulling up for over a month now. Her legs are getting stronger and stronger, and pretty soon we expect her to take off walking! She's cruising around on furniture, and she really enjoys walking behind her push toy (even though we have to walk with her so it doesn't roll too fast). Even with her cruising around, it is still faster for her to crawl from place to place than to try to walk. But she is so determined, I'm sure it will happen soon. Here are a couple of pictures of Tatum standing up.

I have no idea why one is smaller than the other.

2008-07-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Tatum and her cousin Jake. She just loves to pull his hair!

2008-07-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

Tatum Elizabeth Kopfinger was born on September 20, 2007. She weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19.75 inches long. She is now 9 and a half months old. At her 9 month checkup, she weighed 19 pounds, 6 ounces and was 27 inches long. She is in the 50th percentile for height and weight. Here is our baby crawling into mischief!!!

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Here are a few more recent pictures of Tatum. She is 8 months old in these pictures.

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The Kopfinger Family has finally jumped onto the blogging bandwagon! Hopefully everyone will enjoy watching our family grow - espcially Tatum, our pride and joy. We will try to keep this post up to date with cute pictures and fun information. Tatum is already 9 months old, so we have alot of catching up to do!

Enjoy!