Happy 1st Birthday!!

One year ago we met our little Tate for the first time. Since then, our life has been a blast. From swaddling to tummy time to rolling to crawling, nothing has been better than watching Tate grow up. Here he is having fun with his two new toys, courtesy of the best grandparents -- Grandma Barb, Grandpa Norm, Gigi, and Papa.

Are you ready for some football?

Two weeks ago we traveled to the Midwest to go to Mandy and Elliot's wedding. Tate had a great time at the wedding and enjoyed hanging out with Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Jenny & Uncle Zach. He also had fun going to the village picnic, catching up with his buddy Burke, and meeting new friends at Miranda's 1st birthday party. And, of course, with the NFL season kicking off, Tate modeled his Packer wardrobe and watched his first game -- a win over the Eagles.

Sunshine!

Tate soaked up the sun (well, as much as possible in an SPF 50 hat, rashguard, and slathered in sunblock) last week when we went up to the lake. Tate had a fantastic time with cousins Lucie and Ryan, especially in the toddler pool with all its mayhem! And the bathtub too! We had a great vacation, which included the fantastic news that Uncle AJ secured his first 9-5 gig as a college graduate. An aerospace engineering position at an airline; wahoo Uncle AJ!

Daredevil

Tate may have two risk averse parents, but somehow that hasn't stifled his thirst for adventure. His three favorite activities are playing with doors, pulling on chairs, and darting into a kitchen or bathroom when the opportunity presents itself. Needless to say, these hobbies of his keep his parents constantly on edge. About a month ago Tate booked his first trip to the ER when he pulled a kitchen chair down on himself. As you can see in these photos, though, that experience hasn't discouraged him from playing with doors, looking for trouble, and getting into mischief with his friend Finley.

Daycare 101

It is back to school time already for me and Tate and the summer isn't even over yet. I returned to work three weeks ago after a wonderful nine month maternity leave. At the same time, Tate started daycare. Luckily for me, daycare is close to my office, so we drive to work together and I visit at lunch. I think the transition has been harder for me than him. I hate to leave him each morning and lunchtime, and the afternoon is always interminable as I can't wait to pick him up at the end of the day. Tate, however, seems to be adjusting really well. He has made friends with the other five babies in the infant room and loves playing with new toys. And he is picking up a lot of new tricks - he suddenly started clapping his hands and crawling with his butt in the air (before he would do the commando crawl) last week!

Brew City Bash

Over the 4th of July holiday, Tate made his first voyage to my hometown. The official occasion was a baby naming ceremony in honor of Tate's late great-grandfathers, Hy, Avo, and Ruby. The event went great and Grandma Barb, Grandpa Norm, and Great Grandma Mary rolled out all the stops to make sure Tate had a great visit, including lots of walks, playtime, and a trip to the botanical gardens. Tate also squeezed in some fun with his buddy Burke and even gave Grandma Barb a piano lesson. What a week!

Playtime with my cousins!

We recently returned from a trip with Aunt Meg, Uncle Chris, Lucie and Ryan, and Gigi and Papa for Uncle AJ's graduation. Yay Uncle AJ for finishing school! It felt like a real summer vacation with lots of sunshine and trips to the beach and park. Tate always enjoys playing with his cousins Lucie and Ryan. They fetch him all the toys he could ever want and entertain him with giggles and smiles. In addition, Tate receives hand-me-down toys, books, and clothes from them. His recent favorites are their disney pop-up toy and Lucie's pajamas. Now that it is summer, I haven't been able to find any warm and fuzzy pajamas in Tate's size. Luckily, Lucie came to the rescue with her yellow and pink ensembles. We thought Tate looked especially cute in the yellow flower print. A man in touch with his feminine side!