Potty Training

It is started. Yesterday Morgan, Chloe and I piled in the car and rode to Target where we bought a training potty and some Lightning McQueen undies. Over the past two days Morgan has spent hours on the potty - reading books, singing songs, and yes - he has even gone pee (once)! Yay! I am so proud of my little boy getting excited about the potty. Soon enough, I will only have one baby whose diapers need changing. :)

Sweet Stuff

Well, I have been "tagged" by my good friend Ruth to create a list of things that make me smile, giggle, laugh, or feel happy, so here goes (train of thought - definitely not by priority rank)...

The sound of wind rustling in the tops of the trees
Hiking
Hearing Morgan sing (see my last blog post for more about that)
Singing
Listening to FM100's - Soft Sunday Sounds on Sundays - I love LDS Pop
Kisses from Seth before he leaves for work, when he gets home from work, and everynight before we go to bed!
The Office
Scrubs
When I know that people I love are happy (especially after they have had a rough patch)
When Callie cuddles with me in bed on nights when Seth is working. She gets under the covers and everything - cute thing
Friday playgroup
Scrapbooking
Completing projects
Taking pictures
Naptime
Playing with Chloe
Playing with Morgan
Buying toys for my little ones
Buying clothes for my little ones
Alright - you got me - buying pretty much anything for my little ones
Camping
The Cabin
Catching up with old friends
Spending time with good friends
Working very part time (barely enough to call it work)
My family
Talking to my Mom - every day!
Hanging out with Grandma Colleen
That Seth still comes around and opens my car door for me when we go out
Going to the Temple
Sushi
ICE CREAM...mmmm
Holidays - especially Valentine's Day
Traveling
Fitting in my pre baby pants - It may be awhile yet before I get to smile about this one
A Clean House
A clean car - you'd never know it if you saw my car - right Mom?
Finding a really good deal (like $3 jeans or two vintage stools for $8)
Going to church
Scriptures
Conference
Leaves changing colors
Kissing in the rain
Writing music
Making homemade cards for birthdays, weddings, babies, thank yous and just because
Homemade cookies and milk
Cheetos
The fact that Seth will watch Chic Flicks and Romantic Comedies with me without any expectation of me watching scary movies or action films - ever!
The look Seth gives me when he looks over at me and finds me crying during the chic flik/commercial/song/mid-conversation/etc.
Country Dancing with my sweetie - even when he wants to do lifts and dips when I am pregnant :)
Reading with Morgan
Playing Ring Around the Rosy over and over with Morgan
Rascall Flatts
Seeing how much Morgan loves his Uncle Michael and Uncle Stephen and loving them all the more for how much they love him!
Living by both of our families
My in laws (parents, brothers and sisters - they are so great!)
Tate family movie nights whenever Jonathan is in town (or any other time)!
Getting priesthood blessings from my sweet husband
Knowing that Seth doesn't mind when I volunteer him to help someone move, give a blessing, or fix someone's car
Taking a nice hot bath every day instead of a shower - I think those days have gone.
Saying kids instead of kid when I refer to my family - Thanks Chloe!
Tickling Morgan - this makes me laugh hysterically
Reading scriptures with Morgan and having him repeat everything I say
Nights when I have fallen unawakably to sleep and Seth still reading scriptures out loud so we don't miss a day - he is just the most amazing man in the world
Chloe's giggle
Watching Seth interact with Chloe and Morgan
Knowing that I get to have my whole family with me in eternity - dogs included
Watching Callie and Roxy run around together when we go hiking
When Seth gets ticklish :)
Tickle Wars
Newly bathed dogs and kids
Boating!
Sleeping in
Nursing Chloe
Singing "If You're stinky and you know it say EWWWW" with Morgan to the tune of If You're Happy and you know it
Kisses and Hugs from my little man
Kisses and Hugs from my big man
Looking at Seth's amazing calf muscles
Bows in Chloe's "Hair"
Cooking for Seth and knowing that he loves it
Getting ready - hair, makeup and a cute oufit
Buying Scrapbook supplies
Sweet neighbors
Chloe's thighs
Knowing that being worried, overwhelmed and sleep-deprived is a small price to pay for the wonderful blessing of being a mom!

Yep...all those things make me happy, and there is so much more, but I am sure you don't want to read anymore! Thanks for the Tag Ruth!

Jesus Wants Me For a SunBEAM!

Morgan loves to sing. About a month ago, I was singing primary songs to Morgan while I picked out a few notes on the piano (very slowly) and he got all excited about music. Since then, we have tabbed his favorite songs in the songbook so he can turn to them and "play" them on the piano while we sing along. We marked Give Said the Little Stream, I am a Child of God, I Love to See the Temple and his very favorite of all...Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam.

Thursday I was working on a project in the backyard while Chloe took a nap and Morgan was out there with me riding around on his cars. He was babbling to himself the whole time, but then he started singing "Jesus wants me for a sunBEAM -to shine - for him - each day..." He loves to repeat the first line over and over and then go on to sing "In every way try to pleeease HIM, at home - at school - at play" and back to the first line.

Yesterday, Morgan wanted to call Grandma Tate on the phone, so Seth dialed the number and handed Morgan the phone. He talked to Grandpa first, and then Grandma got on the phone and he burst into giggles! He talked to her for a minute and then started singing, "Jesus wants me for a sunBEAM..." I know it made Grandma happy to hear him sing, but from the other room I was just beaming knowing that my little boy has developed a love for one of the most special things in my life - singing!

Mobile Baby

Chloe is getting to be such a mover. She is constantly rolling and scooting around - which is quite impressive since she is only 5 months old and she is gigantic (22 lbs.). Here is a cute little clip of her scooting around to play with some toys.

And some stills of my little sweetie...

Makeover

For anyone who is not aware, I serve in our Ward as the Mia Maid Advisor in Young Womens and Seth is the Scoutmaster in Young Mens, so Wednesday nights can be a little tricky for us.

Yesterday, both Seth and I happened to be in charge of our respective activities which meant both of us were trying to juggle kids and run an activity. Near the end of the activity, I had both Morgan and Chloe in with me and was trying to help some of the girls finish up their craft project, so Melanie (the Mia Maid Counselor) was holding Chloe and Morgan was digging through my purse - slightly unattended.


Morgan loves to go through the pouches in my purse, and decided to dig through the one with my lip gloss. Since this is not out of the ordinary and he knows that lip gloss goes on lips and not on carpet or clothes, I figured he would be alright and it would keep him busy for a minute. Unfortunatley, I forgot about a sample tube of mascara from my Clinque Free Gift that I had recently put in there.

Being the smart little observer he is, Morgan knew exactly what to do with the mascara! Words can't really describe how funny this moment was, so here's a picture that is worth more than a thousand words! His eyelashes were STUNNING!

And check out those kissably glossy lips!

Time Out

I have a little secret - I love time out! Don't get me wrong, I wish that Morgan would behave better and refrain from hitting, eating dog food and other obnoxious behaviors, but our time out ritual always leaves me smiling. You see, when Morgan has "done his time", I go in his room to end the punishment. I get down to his level and talk about why he had to take time out and how he could have handled the situation more appropriately. Then comes my favorite part - we "try again" and I get a kiss and a hug before he goes to apologize to whomever he as wronged. This hug isn't just any hug - it is a leap-out-of-the-time-out-chair-and-tackle-mom hug complete with endless giggling! Just another simple moment that makes my life so sweet! Sure love my little buddy!

Titling the Blog

I have been thinking about titling our blog and updating our profile for a while now, but when I finally took time to sit down and do it, I realized just how blessed we are. Our life is nothing special - just a collection of errands, playtime, sleep, poop, diapers, bills, owies, church, work, family, and friends. But somewhere in the midst of all these sweet and simple things that I find true satisfaction. My life is everything I could have hoped for - constantly changing, growing and getting better every day!

100% Boy

Yesterday Morgan came into my room to say good morning and I asked him to come and give me a kiss. So he snuggled up into our bed and gave me kisses, then put out his fist and said, "Bones, Mom!" After I gave him 'bones' and finished laughing hysterically, he put out his hand and said, "High five, Mom!" Good morning kisses have really changed since Morgan became 100% boy!