Camping At Natural Bridge

TaterTown temporarily relocated to a campsite on the James River in Natural Bridge, Virginia for the long Memorial Day weekend. We went with five other families and enjoyed absolutely perfect weather. Hot and sunny days, cool and moist nights. It was everything camping should be...full of hard work, great fun, and lots of freedom for the kids to be kids. They were unplugged from their devices and ran wild.

We couldn't enjoy the river as much as I would have liked. Last weeks rain had it running high and fast. But I trudged out into it nevertheless. Next time, Connor and I are going to do a tubing run. To replace it, we spent time both days crawling on our knees up a creek bed hunting crawfish and salamanders. My friend Sharon has now been dubbed the "Crawdad Whisperer" for her tutelage and skill. I am pretty sure our sons will never appreciate their mothers.  They think its totally normal for moms to crawl on slimy rocks with buckets and tiny nets in ice cold mountain creeks.  I'm fine with that.

At one point, we took a ride to see Cave Mountain Lake. I'd seen the sign and it was four miles away. Four miles. Sure. Four miles and a whole 'nother planet. I've never seen the Garmin go blank like this.

Palmer spent most if the weekend pretty dressed up, as you can see. Totally redneck toddler, I know. He had a great time and did so much better than last year camping at Williamsburg. The heat did bother him a bit, so he took his naps in the car with the AC on just to maintain his sanity.

On Sunday we took a drive to the Safari Park with is a huge drive through wild animal preserve.  Its really kind of out of place and amazing and you feed the animals from your car.  Both of the boys loved it, and Connor got to drive the car (steer) for about 30 minutes, which totally rocked his world. Palmer liked the animals very much, be he liked the animal feed more.  It pretty much comprised his breakfast. 

It was a fun weekend with lots of great stories.

Good Morning, Campers

The boys, all over me, on a flat air mattress. 

It's Fake...Just Like My Accent

Connor spent several hours fishing this weekend with boy from North Carolina, after which he was stunningly compelled to "talk like James". He's got some kind of southern accent going on. Now we just need to work on the manners.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Pom Pom!

Pom Pom is what you call yourself.  Palmer is too much of a mouthful, so you point at your belly and say "Pom Pom" when I ask you what your name is.  Just like everything else about you, it is absolutely adorable.  And I'm not saying that just because I am your mom.  We can't go out of the house without strangers gasping for breath to tell me how cute and charming you are.  Just yesterday, you had two 17 year old girls in absolute pieces on the floor at the Smoothie King after they watched you march in as if you owned the place and make your way to the life-sized cardboard cut out of some hot chick on a scale and stroke her leg.  You, my son, are, as they say, a "piece of work".  A piece of very fine work. 

You are not a baby anymore.   You are a toddler boy and with that comes everything that should.  Curiosity, fearlessness, an openness to everything around you...and messes.  Lots of messes.  You are a one-man wrecking crew.  If it can be spilled, smeared, crushed or dumped, you do it.   I have no idea why you are so big and still chubby.  You push food around and grind it into paste in front of you much more than you consume it.

You love your Dada so much.  After Dada leaves for work in the morning, you wake up and just WHINE for him, "Da-------------------da. Da-----------------da."  Your face lights up when you see him more than anything or anyone else. 

And certainly you love Connor...your Brubby.  You want to do everything he does, and for the most part, he's patient and let's you hang around him like a satellite in orbit.

Lately, we've been spending so much of our family time at Connor's baseball games.   You think you are part of the team.  You want to be in the dugout with the big boys and you want all of the equipment on.  Keeping you out of the way and uninjured is a full-time job. 

You make our lives more spectacular and fun than we could have possibly imagined.   All three of us are so in love with you. Happy Birthday, Palmer! 

New Shark Crocs and Flaming Doritos

Palmer is living large these days.

Happy Birthday To My #1

This week was Connor's ninth birthday.  Are you kidding me?  NINE.  As in, one less than a decade.  Its shocking.  Just shocking.

That big boy right there, hamming it up with his mama at Fort McHenry last month is mine.  I made him.  Okay, okay.  I made him with some single-celled help from his father (smile/wink), but my body and my heart actually manufactured him.  I actually gave of myself in the most incredible of ways to create the small man that's standing right there.  I am so glad that I did.

The day before Connor was born.

Connor is, what conventional wisdom calls, "a handful".  But really, if you want something great in life, don't you really want a whole handful of it?  Not just what you can grab with a tweezer or a pinch...but a whole, overflowing, messy, delicious, more-than-you-think-you-can-handle handful of it?  That's what we got with Connor Robert Tate.   Every day I marvel at the overflowing of everything that he brings to his life and to ours.

This year has brought so many changes to Connor and to our family.  We're passing outside of his brother's babyhood and into a different world.  Connor has taken this ride of a new baby in older-age with us as a partner.  He's a great, big older brother.  A great one.  He's patient and caring.  He entertains his brother and keeps him safe. Life with a baby is not easy but Connor has made it easier than it would have been.  I am amazed at his capacity to move on from the tough stuff and focus on the things that make life good.  I hope he's always like that---its the secret to happiness.

Just like his dad, he loves sports and he's good at them.  If only there were more time in the day for more of them.  His love for football, basketball, and baseball was really cemented this year.   I suspect that he'll also be like his dad in that he'll love them all so much it will be hard to focus on any single one of them. 

Connor is doing really well in school.  His report cards this year have been amazing.  He loves history and math.  He's not big on reading, but he eats up information in any other delivery channel he can get it.  

A few weeks ago, someone (a mom with a daughter in Connor's class) I don't know terribly well told me that she saw Connor at school and that he asked her if she'd be chaperoning their spring field trip to a farm.  When she told him she wouldn't be able to because she had to work, she said his face fell and he told her how much fun he had with her on the last trip.   She said it was so nice and that it made her feel so appreciated and wanted.  That's my boy...his heart on his sleeve.  I hope that he keeps it there always...no matter the price...because that's where it belongs if you want people to know you and your heart.  

I love you, Connor.  You truly changed my life in the most amazing way and made me into a better person.  It is truly and always my privilege to be your mom. 

"I'll love you forever.  I'll like you for always.  As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."

Baby Birds

Some smart mama bird built her nest in the right family's St. Patrick's Day wreath.  She got to stay for a long time.  And we got to see four baby birds grow up and leave the nest.  Plus, there was the added benefit of all the bird poop.  That was really awesome!   Fly away safely babies.  Glad we could give you your first home.