Tatum's Seventh Week

First--the weekly pic!

Seven weeks! I'll add the cute little words on her onesie when we get our other computer back...I miss Photoshop...

And now, for the start of our Tour de Tatum!

This is us the last night in our old place...

One of our pods packed to maximum capacity...

(more story later, we've got to get on the road!)

My trusty 4runner Max all loaded to the gills

My view for the next 2600 miles

Getting lost trying to find a taco bell...at least its beautiful! Seattle just had to throw us for one more loop!

Taking a break!

Trying to get the state sign...barely missed it!

We got to meet up with my cousin Michael and his wife Sarah and son Jadon near Portland

More to come later!

Packing for a Move...With a Baby

I'm not gonna lie.  Its been challenging. 

Last week my best friend Charissa drove up to help us and her timing was perfect.  Tatum got her first vaccine (which I know is an explosive issue, but we're only doing a select few and one at a time, and saving most of them  for when she's 2 or older) and consequentially didn't feel too well for a few days and was only happy when held. So I held Tatum and tried to work one-handed while Charissa proved her rock star abilities and packed up most of the house.

Since then, some days I've gotten more done when she's been happy in her bouncer or swing, but then there were days like yesterday where she was crying, nursing or asleep.  She wasn't even happy just being held like she normally is when just fussy.  She didn't have a fever so it was hard to tell if she wasn't feeling well or just was a little overwhelmed with everything going on.  

So I would nurse her to sleep, gently transfer her to her Moses basket, wash two dishes, she'd wake up crying, I'd hold her, nurse her to sleep again, transfer her to her bouncer, pack half a box, she'd wake up crying...you get the idea. 

Nursing every 30 minutes gets tiring. And when do you have time to pump so that you can go longer than 30 minutes without having to nurse?

Then again she is awfully sweet when she's asleep in her basket--which will be her bed for the next two weeks so Mama and Daddy can have the bed. 

For packing with a baby under 3 months, all I can say is be prepared to be patient.  You're not going to get all you want to do done in a day. 

I just keep looking at her and thinking that its worth that it takes two weeks to pack instead of a few days...

Tatum's Sixth Week

This fabric is actually our bedspread--I packed the rest of our fabric!  Looks like I'm going to have to get creative the next two weeks while we're on the road!

This past week Charissa came up to help us pack and to visit Tatum.  I have to say, friends like this are few and far between.  Not only did she come up to wait for Tatum's birth, but she left the morning that Tatum was born (before I was in labor) to go back to Portland, and turned around and drove up when I called her to tell her I was in labor!  Now she's basically backed up 80% of our house--something that would have taken me so much longer doing one-handed or while Tatum was okay in her bouncer.  

So here's some pics from this past week of Tatum's life:

Roy found a new snuggle buddy

Yes we're dorks.

Everyone's sleepy

Auntie Charissa's so funny!

Bath time: A study of expressions

Our Tater Tot is becoming quite the character! Not only are expressions becoming more varied and entertaining, but her little noises are too! Here's some pictures from tonight's bath time:

All clean!

Tatum's Fifth Week

Five Weeks!

My little elfkin is getting so big!  I'm way too tired to write much more as I've been packing and nursing and rocking and packing and jiggling a bouncer and packing and nursing and trying to remember to eat something and packing...you get the ides...so here's a few more pics since those speak louder than words anyways...

FINALLY caught a smile on camera! She does smile a lot...I just can never catch it!

Whatchu lookin' at?

Happy baby...for the moment...

This cardboard isn't too comfortable...

Love the Black & White book! And doesn't she look darling?

She's gotta represent Daddy's new job...

Our family friend Sally got to stop by for a visit and meet our Miss Tatum, and she brought hugs and kisses from Grandma Beth and Grandpa Palmer for our Tater Tot!

Kisses all the way from Groveland

love T's chubby chins!

So grateful she's taking the bottle!!!

That's all I've got for now...I'll leave you with a couple of our first child--the Roy Boy.  Today while packing Tatum's things that will be too big until next year, he thought he could use them as a substitute bed...

silly boy...

and I think he's beginning to take over the activity mat...I picked up Tatum and he army crawled his way in...

The Cliffs of Insanity

LOOK you see? The Cliffs of Insanity! Hurry UP! Move the thing! And hoist...that other thing!

If you don't know this quote I don't think I can count you as a friend any longer.  Okay, maybe I won't go that drastic, but you really should check out The Princess Bride.

Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles... its got it all.

But I digress.

The reason for this title is I feel the next two weeks will be akin to scaling the cliffs of insanity.  Matt has gotten a job at Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City.  We'll be able to live close to family (actually we'll be at my parents for a month or so), Matt's schedule will actually be normal so we can plan on things like a weekly Bible study or Friday date nights, cost of living is much more doable on one income, and if I wanted/needed to get a part time job I would have family who could watch Tatum, Matt will be able to get his MBA and I could even get another BA in Literature (my true love, though I don't regret my Communication major). All of this in Oklahoma City.

That's in Oklahoma, folks.

And we're pulling out of Seattle on Monday, September 19th.  That gives us two weeks to pack up, and about two weeks to drive the nearly 3,000 miles out there.

Inconceivable?

Nah.

It'll just take a miracle.