16 Months - October 2010

This is a few days late though I think the only people who noticed are your grandparents. I didn't forget about you, but this weekend has been crazy (does it seem like I say that a lot?), and as I typed that last sentence I heard you start to fuss from your room. Fantastic. Lucky for me you LOVE to sleep in so I bet you go right back to sleep. In fact, I am nervous for your school years because there have been times I have let you sleep in until after 11 a.m.! I'm not sure what time you would wake up if I didn't get bored and send Logan in to make some noise.

I am still without a functioning camera so this month's pictures are on the camera phone again. Did you know that once upon a time there were no cell phones? And that once upon a time a cell phone ONLY made phone calls? I don't have a fancy phone but at least the last few months have been captured via a crummy cell phone camera. This is one of my favorites from the last month.

It is hard to get a good picture of you because you move so fast they are always blurry. Notice the scrape on your head? Those are pretty common these days between your desire to climb everything in sight and your brother's desire to see how many times a day he can push/pull/knock you down. Playing on the railing on the stairs in front of the house is also one of your favorite pasttimes.

A few times at the park this month you have scared me to death. Once you climbed all the way up on the plastic cargo net-type thing and another time I looked up from talking with some other moms to see your little sneakers dangling in the air. I ran over to where you were and you were perched on some equipment Logan has just recently mastered just having a good time. I had to reach up way over my head to try to pull you down and you hung on to that bar with all your might until finally you were hanging by one arm screaming at me for ruining your big moment. When I finally got you down and walked back over to where I had been sitting you moved over next to our friend Teresa and snuggled right up next to her and proceeded to glare at me. You've got quite the glare!

You had such a fun time camping and playing in the dirt this last week with Grandma and Grandpa Veater even though our trip was cut short. You are starting to say a few more words and Grandpa was working hard on getting you to say grandpa. You got pretty good and say something that sounds like bumpa, and it is pretty dang cute. You say a few words now but the ones I can understand best are dog, horse (or Chatz), daddy, momma, dwink, and HI. You LOVE to say hi. I remember Logan used to say hi to everyone we passed in the store and you do the same thing to everyone who walks down our street when we are outside. You stop whatever you are doing to say hi and wave this cute little wave with your hand going up and down that makes me laugh.

Your dad (and me to some degree) have been a little worried you weren't saying as many words as Logan did when he was your age. Your words are definitely coming though, and I keep telling your dad that when you do start talking he might wish to go back to this stage. You jabber all day long in some Chinese-sounding language, and sometimes you stick out your lips and talk with a little duckbill. You definitely know what you are talking about, and we can't wait until we know what you're talking about too!

Love you Tess,

Mom

39 Months - September 2010

Summer is pretty much over and so are your days of no school! You officially started preschool this month, and so far you seem to really like it. Your dad and I were talking about how funny it is that he most likely went to preschool with your teacher, Ms. Teresa. I get to help out with your class, and it has been fun to watch you interact with the kids and learn new things. We also help with the 4/5-year-old class, and seeing them and what they can do makes me even more excited to see how much you will have learned by the end of the year.

The required "first day of school" picture, complete with Spiderman flip flops and backpack!

I decided to stop in the thrift store in town the other day while we were running errands to see if there were any treasures to be found and we found this...

I know you were Spiderman for Halloween last year, and it really wouldn't have been my first pick for this year, but once you saw this costume hanging on the rack I knew we weren't going home without it. It has stuffing in the arms and chest for muscles and as soon as you put it on and I zipped it up I started laughing. It really does look hilarious on you, and of course you love making your "bad guy" face.

You and your sister have been going the rounds lately. Since most of the toys in the house are "yours" you seem to think it is okay to just take things out of her hands whenever you feel like it. This, of course, makes her scream and cry, which consequently makes me yell. It makes for some long afternoons in this house, but in the end the two of you usually end up playing nicely together for at least a few minutes every day. A lot of the time this "playing nicely" consists of her not screaming while you dump dirt on her in the sandbox or pushing her around in her doll stroller at high rates of speed, but I take what I can get I guess.

This particular day you'd worn Tess out and even though I'd begged you to leave her alone you couldn't help but climb up next to her and "snuggle her" while she took a little nap.

Grandma Hillier was feeling a little Logan deprvied the other day and begged us to come over to Peach Days in Hurricane. I didn't want to because it is always so dang hot but we ended up going anyway. It was HOT, and pretty soon grandma had you all lined up with a blue bubblegum snow cone. As soon as you had it in your hand you face went from "melty, I'm-going-to-lose-it" to "Ahhh, blue bubblegum frostiness!" And as always you love showing off your blue tongue.

It's been a lot of fun to see how you do with the new schedule of going to school. The 3-year-old class is a whole lot of crazy and you kids still don't play a ton together, but it is interesting to watch your different personalities mesh. I am glad I get the chance to see it first hand. I know by the time you read this letter you'll have learned your letters and what they say and how to write them, but I hope you also learned how to be a friend to everybody cause you're a dang cute kid, and anybody who you aren't friends with is totally missing out!

Love you bud,

Mom

15 Months - September 2010

Looking back through pictures of this last month it seems like it has been the longest month ever! We've done a lot of fun things you keep experiencing more "firsts" like your first merry-go-'round ride.

You look worried but after the initial bug-eyed look that you gave Aunt Lisa when the ride started moving you really enjoyed it. Although somebody should get the Washington County Fair board to consider moving the fair to November. All of our faces were pretty much constantly red the whole night.

You go to go to the petting zoo which was fun since you absolutely freak out when you see animals of any kind. If someone is holding you usually it is all they can do to keep you from jumping out of their arms to get to whatever cat, dog, bird, horse, etc., may have caught your attention. You were pretty much in heaven here...

A few weeks later Aunt Lisa came over with Grandma to take you and Logan's 1- and 3-year-old pictures. We are just a couple months late, but we won't really notice down the road. We definitely got some keepers which is somewhat surprising considering the fact that, well trying to get nice pictures of you both is difficult at best.

I love this one. You two actually look quite happy to be that close together instead of fighting!

Such a happy girl. Don't mind your tupee-looking hair. I'm still waiting for the sides of your hair to grow. You've got those long, straight locks on top, curls in the back, and nothing on the sides.

And by this time you were done being good, smiling, and being cute and resorted to one of your favorite poses, the "mommy-pick-me-up-or-I-will-die" pose.

You're kind of a funny thing to watch, and both your dad and I enjoy watching you in the evenings just kind of wander around the house doing strange things here and there. On the phone the other day I was telling him something funny you were doing and he said, "She's kind of funny, isn't she? She kind of reminds me of you, but don't take that wrong. You just both are kind of wrapped up in the thoughts in your head all the time." Well I'm not sure how exactly to take that, but if that's the case with you it sure does make you an entertaining kid to have around the house. Like the other day when I had you in one of Logan's old shirts and you decided you wanted to try out a new fashion statement.

And yes, you are 15 months old and still have your binky, but I'm just not ready to give it up just yet!

Then last Saturday I was washing and vacuuming the car on the lawn while keeping an eye half on you. I could see your head but couldn't see what you were doing, but I assumed you were fine since you weren't crying. When I finished what I was doing and walked up to see what you were up to I turned and ran right back into the house to grab my phone to get a picture. When your dad asked why I needed it I said "Cause your daughter is a dork." There is no end to the entertainment.

You keep us laughing and also wanting to rip our ears off our heads at times too. The molar that was MIA last month has shown up and has thrown you off your sleeping schedule and made you irritable, but overall I'm still not complaining much. I just hope you grow out of the
"mommy-pick-me-up-or-I-will-die" phase soon.

Love ya sis,
Mom

38 Months - August 2010

Your letter snuck up on me this month because we've probably just finished the busiest week of an already busy summer. The worst thing about this letter though is going to be the lack of pictures. Both my camera and your dad's camera have one foot in the grave which basically leaves us at the mercy of the cameras in our phones and anyone else who might be nearby taking pictures. Whether we have picture proof or not, we did have a fun, busy month since your last letter.

The last two weekends in July you put some hours in on your fishing pole. First we went to the Hatch reunion and we went to Tropic Reservoir with Quade and "fished." I think the first night we went I spent more time trying to untangle the two of you than anything else, but it was fun to see you two casting your bubbles out about 3 feet in front of you and reel them back in. Your dad caught a fish the second night and instead of being afraid of it you actually held it and when dad told you to throw it back you did just that and hucked it back into the lake. The poor thing was stunned for a second but eventually did swim away. Next time we'll have to tell you to put it back nicely and see how that goes.

The weekend of the 24th we went to the Panguitch Lake cabin with Grandma and Grandpa H. and Uncle Joe and Aunt Lisa. We went fishing for a little bit again up there but didn't have as much luck. You had a good time throwing your Buzz Lightyear off the deck on the back of the cabin and watching movies. I love when we get to hang out with Uncle Joe and Aunt Lisa because Uncle Joe knows just how to tease you and drive you crazy. In fact, he's pretty good at doing that to me and grandma too.

This last week we went to Hurricane to stay overnight so I could go to some appointments the next day. We went and visited with Kasidee and Bentlee and you gave us a pretty good laugh when you asked Bentlee for a hug and immediately after letting her go said, "Now a kiss?" Bentlee was shy at first but eventually did give in.

Later that night we went to the County Fair and Aunt Lisa came with us and Gma & Gpa. These are the only pictures I have from this month because Aunt Lisa was around to take them! The first ride we went on was the merry-go-'round. We were the first ones in line so we had to wait a while after getting on for it to start. You did okay until about the last few minutes when you started getting nervous and begged me to let you off. I wouldn't let you and tried to distract you until finally it got going. It jerked when it started and you just looked at me like I was the worst mother on earth but by the time we had gone around once you were loving it.

You did the same thing on the big slide with Aunt Lisa. You had both climbed the stairs until you were up too high and there were too many people behind you to turn around before you started freaking out. By that point the only way down was the slide so she stuck it out with you and by the time you made it to the bottom you were asking to go again.

We also went to the petting zoo and you rode on the train and even went on the ride with the trucks and motorcycles all by yourself twice. I was pretty impressed!

I was laughing at myself because I was trying so hard to find rides that you could and would go on by yourself and was so excited when you finally did, until I was standing on the outside with the other parents waving at my kid riding by himself. What a big kid! In my limited experience of being a parent I think watching you be brave and become more independent and learning new things has been the best part. Keep it up kiddo!

Love you bud,

Mom

14 Months - August 2010

Well you went from crawling to full on walking/running/climbing nonstop in a hurry. You are definitely more of a climber than we can remember Logan ever being. Just today I was in my room with Logan and I heard his spring horse that we got him for his Christmas a couple years ago, and when I went to see what you were doing I found you sitting on it just perfect! When Logan got that horse he was 18 months old and couldn't quite climb up on it by himself for at least a few months after that. Just tonight your dad came out of our room and informed me you had gotten up on our bed and were pestering Logan. He didn't put you up there so that means you somehow made your way up - and that bed goes almost all the way up to my hip! Of course Grandma and Grandpa H. just laugh at this - apparently I was a climber and they are enjoying watching me get a little taste of Karma.



We have kept up going to the pool, and you haven't stopped enjoying it. Now that you can walk pretty steadily your new favorite thing to do is to walk in the water until you have to walk on your tip-toes. I scoot along next to you looking like a dork with my hands out ready to catch you when you lose your balance and go under the water. You don't cry, just laugh and push my hands away before you've even gotten your balance and do it all over again.

Throwing rocks in Navajo Lake on our picnic.

As for the teeth situation - your fever and fussiness from the end of last month was totally justified. You got two teeth that week instead of the one I saw (one front tooth and one bottom tooth) and are currently working on five more. Yep, FIVE! I thought it was just the other two in front and a molar, but somehow I got you laughing and saw two more molars! That's seven teeth in one month. Not bad, kid. I guess you figured you had better start catching up.


This was a grumpy morning while working on getting some teeth.

We got to spend two weekends with family in July and you were sweet as can be. I think you pretty much enjoy just being anywhere but in this house because no one ever believes me that you can be a monster. We went tent camping at Tropic Reservoir for the Hatch reunion the weekend before the 24th and you had a pretty good time riding around the campground in the bike trailer with Logan and Quade and just hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa Veater. That is, until we tried to put you to bed in the tent. We're pretty sure you were terrified of it because the first two nights we spent there you screamed yourself to sleep. I'm so glad you were walking by this time because a crawling baby + camping is not exactly a good mix.

The weekend of the 24th we went to the cabin at Panguitch Lake with Grandma and Grandpa H. and Aunt Lisa and Uncle Joe. It was SO nice to not only be out of the house but out of the HEAT! I don't think anybody took any pictures while we were there, but we pretty much just enjoyed being able to be outside without melting. The second night we were there you refused to go to sleep. Finally Grandma gave up and went to bed and you kept going back into her room and climbing up in bed with her and almost falling asleep before you'd get mad, wake yourself up, and come walking back down the hall dragging your blankie. You had us laughing because by the time we all decided to go to bed around 11:30 you looked like you were sleepwalking.

Playing t-ball!

I have spent a lot of time getting on Logan's case in the last year making sure he is nice to you. Well as you've gotten more mobile and more independent that way you've also started to show more and more of that mean streak you have. I sent your dad a text the other day that said, "I have a bad feeling that Logan's got nothing on Tess." As I watched you throw a royal fit over something Logan had that you wanted I had this feeling of dread. I hope you use that stubborn/mean streak that is in you in the right way (which means against boys and not your parents and Logan).

Oh we'll clash all right, no one that knows me or your dad would expect any less from our child, but I hope you learn to choose your battles early in life.

And just remember, I'm pretty much always right.

Love ya,
Mom

P.S. I just noticed you are wearing the same shirt in 3 of the 5 pictures in this letter. I promise you do have more clothes than that.

We took you and Logan to see Toy Story 3. It was the first movie in the "Theodore" (as Logan calls it) for both of you. Unfortunately you and I spent most of the movie here, in the lobby.

37 Months - July 2010

This month for your letter I thought I'd take an idea from our friends Rachel and Channer and do an interview with you. I asked you these questions before I got the link to Rachel's interview with Channer, and by the time I got hers you were all questioned out so I'll ask you those ones next month maybe.


YOUR FAVORITE...

FOOD? Eggs.

CANDY? Treats.

PLACE TO GO? Store. (I thought you'd say pool or camping or something)

GAME TO PLAY? Softball. Later on you said a puzzle. Then even later you said Basketball!! You made sure I wrote it down too so there you go buddy.

TV SHOW? Cartoons.

MOVIE? Cars and Ice Age and Toy Story. You're like your mom here, I can rarely pick a favorite anything.

PERSON? Daddy. (I knew I was asking for it on a few of these and I totally knew the answer to this one before I asked it.)

THING TO DO? Just play.

PERSON TO PLAY WITH? YOU! (Ha! I win that one!)

COLOR? Blue.

TOY? Cars.

HOLIDAY? Christmas.

THING TO DO WITH DADDY? Just play.

THING TO DO WITH GMA & GPA H? Just play.

THING TO DO WITH GMA & GPA V? I like to play with their toys to-ooo! (You were getting annoyed that I was basically asking the same question here...)

NUMBER? 3

ANIMAL? Mr. Pettybone. (When I asked who that was you said it is Goofy's cat. I have no idea.)

CARTOON CHARACTER? YOU! (Aw, thanks buddy.) Then you told me it is Lightning McQueen from Cars.

THING ABOUT ME? Grandma. (I cringed when I asked that one cause I was afraid what you might say. If Grandma is your favorite thing about your mom I guess that's ok for now.)

PLACE TO BE TICKLED? The store. (I laughed forever about that one.)

PLACE TO GO WITH DADDY? A restaurant.

DRINK? Water, milk and juice. But we are out of juice.

TREAT? Candy bars.

PLACE TO VISIT? Visiting teaching. (and you said this with like a "duh, mom" voice)

BOOK? Blue's Clues.

WHO IS YOUR...

BEST FRIEND? You. (thanks, buddy!)

BEST PAL? Daddy.

BEST COUSIN? Quade. (Sorry Bosten!)


After those questions our conversation went like this...

Me: Anything else you want to tell me?

You: I do. (long pause....)

Me: (after waiting forever...) What do you want to tell me?

You: Um, Buzz Lightyear. Can Buzz Lightyear fly?

Me: Do you want to tell me that you love me?

You: Yeah. I love you.

I may have had to pull it out of you, but I know you love me. And you are a pretty dang funny kid to talk to.

One other thing I wanted to write about from this last month is the incident on the big slide at the pool. We had gone down together one day when Grandma H. was watching a sick Tess at home and you liked it a lot. The next time we went I had to explain to you that I couldn't take you down because I had to stay with Tess. Well you decided you were going to go by yourself. I was impressed since you have been pretty timid (but getting better) around the slides at the pool so I let you go. I told you to wait in line and went back down to wait at the bottom to catch you. Well you decided to cut in line so I started up the stairs to stop you. Well before me or the lifeguard could stop you, you made it to the front of the line and down the slide. I ran back down the stairs as fast as I could carrying Tess but by the time I got to the edge of the pool you were already in the water. Scary! You were flailing around and in and out of the water and just before I got there the lifeguard who had jumped down after you rescued you and handed you to me. You were scared, I was scared and embarrassed, and we went home to tell dad what happened. You haven't gone down since!

Your rockin' tan line...

On our picnic at Navajo Lake

In the caves with daddy at Mammoth.

13 Months - July 2010

Where did last month go? I was so busy planning your and Logan's birthday party that the whole month went by super fast! You had a good time eating your first birthday cupcake with me, your dad, and Logan...

and then trying to figure out the candle on the cupcake at your party (Logan'll show ya)...

We did have a fun month even if I can't remember where it went. I bought a season pass for me for the pool since you and your brother are free and we have sure made good use of it. If I counted right we have gone 13 times since we got the pass. Like I keep telling everyone it gives us something to do and gets us out of the house for a while. You love the water and now I let you out of your baby float and let you crawl around in the water. The pool slopes in along one edge instead of just dropping off so you can crawl in and out of the water. It definitely isn't a relaxing time for me though because I usually end up having to save you over and over again from crawling into water so deep your arms and legs are floating instead of on the bottom of the pool. It does wipe you out though and I can pretty much bet on you taking at least a 2-hour nap when we get home. You've gotten a cute little tan out of it and when I get you out of the bath and you are crawling around naked you've got this cute little white swimming suit outline on your tan skin.

I think this picture was taken when I put you down for a nap after the pool. Newborn or 1-year-old babies are so sweet when they sleep. You've been teething for the last week or so and your 9:30/10:00 p.m. bedtime hasn't been so sweet so I take advantage of naps.

Speaking of your late bedtime, last week you ended up missing your nap because of a doctor's appointment and I ended up putting you to bed at 6:30 thinking you were so tired and grumpy you would sleep until morning. Wrong-o. You woke up at 9 p.m. thinking that was a nice nap and you were ready to play. Well I was busy working so I just let you play on the floor. I turned around to catch you doing this with my ice cream bowl I had left on the floor...

You just kept trying to get the last little bit out of the bowl and had me laughing pretty hard. You thought you were pretty funny yourself.

You started walking this month too. Remember way back in like April when I said I thought you'd be walking? Yeah apparently you do things on your own time when it is your idea. Grandma H. says that's a trait you get from me but I think that is definitely from your dad. You still do the Frankenstein walk but pretty soon Logan isn't going to be able to outrun you by very far.

I mentioned earlier that you were getting another tooth. I thought for sure with all the hell you've been giving us it had to be at least 2, or more likely 5 teeth coming in at once, but I finally tricked you into letting me look in your mouth tonight and it is just 1. One stinking tooth. You've been beyond cranky, had your sleep schedule thrown completely off, and run a fever for one stinking tooth. We still have 15 to go in the next year or so and I just pray that you will get over being so dramatic about each one or we will be in big trouble.

Like every month at this stage in the game you are always doing or experiencing new things and I can't wait to see how much you change next month after this crazy one.

Love you Tessa Lin,
Mom