Tanner

Tanner has been begging to make sugar cookies for awhile.  I've been wanting to cook with my kids more but they always want to do it when I have other things planned and even if I'm already cooking, let's face it--it's faster and less messy to do it myself!  I finally decided I needed a designated "cook with your child" day.  I rotate through the kids and give them each a turn to pick something they want to make.  I can plan ahead this way, get the ingredients we need, and mentally prepare myself for the mess! :)  When it was Tanner's turn, he finally got to make sugar cookies.  We did make a big mess but we both had fun!

He shared the cookies the next day with his preschool friends.  All the kids got to frost and decorate a cookie themselves. 

 Brinlee, Tanner, and Truman

By the way, we did a pre-school co-op with 3 other families this year and it was perfect.  It was only one day a week and only 4 children.  It was low-stress, low-pressure, and Tanner loved it.  Kayla loved when it was our turn to teach because she could help and be a little teacher herself.  I loved having the kids here too but I especially loved having Tanner gone one morning a week so I could do school with the older kids in peace! :)  It's amazing how much we could accomplish without him interrupting us.  I loved it so much that I've decided to actually send him to preschool next year.  I will miss him and I will miss the cute little kids that were in our group, but I think I will enjoy teaching my older kids for a few hours a week in peace.


While I'm talking about Tanner, I want to share a few things.  He turned 4 in February and I somehow missed writing about him. You never know how your kids will turn out when they get older, but I want Tanner to know that for the first 4 years of his life, he has been our little dream child.   There is a gap of 5 1/2 years between Hunter and Tanner.  We were hoping (and trying) to have children sooner but it just took a long time for it to happen.  As his birth approached, I got really scared about what it would be like to have a baby in the house again.  Things were getting pretty easy with 2 older children who could dress, feed, and entertain themselves.  We could go about anywhere and do anything.  I thought it would be a huge adjustment to go from 2 kids to 3 but it didn't feel that way at all.  It was just delightful. 

We have enjoyed every stage of Tanner's development.  Tanner has been easy in so many ways due to his mellow and easy-to-please disposition.  We didn't have to walk the halls with him at church because he would actually stay quiet during Sacrament meeting (definitely a change from our other children).  We were able to drop him off at Nursery at 18-months without any problem as opposed to Jason attending Nursery for 2 years straight with another child.  He hasn't thrown many tantrums in his life and when he does get upset, he isn't too hard to calm down.  He was even easy to potty-train!  He is an observer and loves to watch first, then jump in later.  He loves to build and tinker.  He loves to play with trains and cars and build with blocks.  He loves to give snuggles and my day isn't complete until I've had "morning loves," "afternoon loves," and "night loves".  He always delights me with the new things he is learning and doing.  Tanner is the kind of child that makes me want to have a dozen more children.  He isn't perfect but he is just right!  I love my little Tanner man!