A new level of busy

I'm coming up for AIR! Oh. My. Goodness. The level of busy that I've been at, is a whole new level for me. Let's just say, 65 homemade Halloween costumes and 5 (yes, 5!!!) contracts later, I'm wiped! Tater has missed his mommy, and I have missed him! So, the costumes were a HUGE success and I'm already gearing up for next year (in my mind) and have a couple of new ideas that will bring in some extra cash. Dave Ramsey would be proud :-) The real estate market in my world has been ninety to nothing and I've been teased at work how quickly you can go from the outhouse to the penthouse. I don't care, I'll take it! I feel incredibly blessed by all this success. Now I'm ready to go back to being boring and having nothing to do. Oh wait. The holidays are coming up, so no chance of that! I'll be around more unless my clients continue to think it's a good time to buy/sell!

15 Month Stats

Can you believe Tater is already 15 months old! He's busy. Busy getting into everything he's not supposed to! Our living room officially looks like we run a daycare and that has prompted me to declare my office as Tater's playroom. Just as soon as I'm through with my new Halloween costume business :) I decided we have three rooms, hardly used to their potential and one overflowing living room, it's just time. So, I'm now starting to find little things to put in this new playroom, so Tater will think it's FUN and maybe I can keep it as a room I won't want to shut the door on everytime we have company. It may be a playroom, but it's got to look presentable :)

So, Tater went Friday for his 15 month check-up. Following a week of bronchitis, he was not real happy to be at the doctor...again. You think he would be used to it, but I think he sensed he was getting those dreaded shots. So here's the latest stats:

Weight: 24.10lbs (50%)
Height: 31.5" (75%)
Head: ugh, I can't remember! (60%)

Anyway, still growing like a weed and happy as ever! He's enjoying climbing a lot lately, turning light switches off/on and pulling Wiley & Tucker's ears!

Campbell Farm

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Check It Out!!!! Tater is featured on Parenting.com!!!!

Buying Guide: 40+ Cool Homemade Halloween Costumes - Parenting.com

Remember last Halloween?? Did I have this blog then?? I can't remember! Well anyway, our little taters was a Sack O' Taters! David has been trying to get me to make these and sell them since I have received so many compliments. Well, one night I decided to give it a try and opened up shop on http://www.etsy.com/. If you've never visited etsy.com, well you should. The whole website is handmade items. I've bought several things there, because I like to by atypical items for my little one that you can't find at Target or Babies R'Us :-) I'm weird like that. Besides tons of childrens stuff, they have everything you can imagine and people are really creative. It's fun to browse around, espescially if you are looking for a particular item.

So, I opened my shop on August 10 and I've had a lot of views and a few people have hearted my shop, but...yesterday I got my first order!!! Then, later in the day I get an email from Etsy saying that my costume was chosen to be featured on Parenting.com as a top 40 Handmade Halloween Costume! Say what?!!! I was shocked! Then it was featured on etsy's fall page and now I've gotten another order!

So since last night, I've been learning everything I can about how this Etsy works exactly so that I can leverage my free publicity and possibly make enough money to buy little Tater some fall clothes and have money for Christmas!!! Either way, I'm totally honored they chose his costume and it is the first one you see! So if any of you know someone who would really like their little one to be a Sack O' Taters, Sack of Potatoes or a Tater Tot (as parenting.com called it) then have them visit my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/tatersmom

Who needs a housekeeper?

No need for me to hire a housekeeper when I've got Tater!

Lately he has been helping me water the plants...

Mop the floors...

And feed the dogs...yes, chocolate syrup :-)

Busy, busy, busy. He is SO much fun at this age, learning and mimicking something new every day. I'm on the lookout for a little broom, he is obsessed with the broom, but it is huge. But, it's really hard to find a mini broom, anyone know where I can find one?

Beach Baby!

I feel like I have SO much to post, but, I'll just start with Tater's 1st Vacation! He was a maniac! He had a blast! Everyone LOVED him. He charmed them ALL! Mommy needs a vacation, from her vacation, that is how much time was spent watching over him like a hawk! No, I'm just kidding, I did get some R&R too :-) Let's just say no where we went was even slightly baby-proofed...NOTHING! Our hotel was in concrete heaven and was built in the 50's, but we did our best and he stayed safe...shew!

Tater LOVED the beach...after about 3 days. It took that much time to "warm" up to it. After he did, he had waves crashing in his face, sand up to his knees and a BIG smile the whole time. It was so cool to experience all of this with him. I have been to this same beach/hotel since I was 7, so there are LOTS of great memories and to share all my favorite things with him there, was priceless. We joined 55+ of our family members for one week of beach bliss. David and my cousin won the annual paddleball tournament once again :) (long story, but it's a HUGE deal in our family & they don't win unless David is there...ever, so when they do, they really rub it in) They've actually gone so far as to have a dinner show we attended announce them as the winners! There is a trophy and everything, with names engraved...silly, but funny too.

Tater has grown up a lot in two weeks. Being with him every second of every day, I could see some big changes. He has started saying his first real word (other than mama & dada), actually associating it with something...Ball. David thinks its ironic, I think he's crazy. No hunny this doesn't mean he is going to be a star, although he might be ;) He's mimicking everything we do, also started saying PaPa, he's getting around on those two feet pretty well and has developed quite the personality, can we say determined & persistent? Wonder where he gets that from? :)

Well enough chatter, here's some pics of our trip. I took over 1000 pictures (I know crazy, huh?) so these are a few of my favorites.

He's not stupid...wherever this suitcase is going, I'm going with it!





Notice Tater laying on the ground :-) Center of attention.

And...the 2010 Paddleball winners :-0 See I told you there was a trophy, there are 10 years of names engraved on it.

Tater, his g-ma & his great-great aunts. These are my g-ma Ann's sisters. Spending time with them this week was as close to be with my g-ma as I could get. It was wonderful, they are very special & they adored Tater.

Not crazy about the sand or ocean, he warmed up eventually.

The Fab Five, can you tell they have been in the sun all summer?

Tater kept pushing David's face towards mine, over & over, it was cute.

And last but not least...my favorite picture. Loving the sand & all.

Going to the beach, woo hoo!!!

I've just completed like oh 10 loads of laundry (ok I'm exaggerating a little), cuz I got to pack! We haven't had a vaca since before Tater was born and I couldn't be more excited. Tater & I are going early with my mom & nephew and then David and the rest of my family will meet us in a week to head to the BEACH!! It's SO fun. 20 years or so at the same location, same hotel, same family (+ or - a few people) and lots of fun, fun, fun! Seriously, there are about 55-60 Italians and then there is us...from Missouri :) If you didn't know, my g-ma was Italian and has 6 sisters, ALL there families live in NJ, except us. Somehow my g-ma let my g-pa talk her into coming back to his "home" all those years ago. However, we have maintained a pretty tight relationship and look forward to this time of year. I am super excited for them to meet Tater, he is going to charm them for sure. I'm sad too, cuz it's the first time we have ever been without my g-ma and well it's just not fun.

I'm hoping and praying Tater does well on the airplane and the lack of structure in our schedule from day to day. I also hope he doesn't get sick and that he is the happy-go-lucky-baby I know. He is going to experience so many new things...sand for one and many other things he's going to love. I am seriously going to be on overload taking pictures & video.

I'm also trying to prepare myself to not be a freak everytime my baby falls. Yes, he's walking, but not real good and the hotel we are at is like concrete heaven. ugh. Would it be too protective if I just make him wear a helmet? :-) No where we are going is baby proofed...at all so I'll be on my toes 24/7.

I better get to packin' I don't have a lot of time and I have to work tonight! Leaving town is a sure-fire way to drum up business in the real estate department...seriously. Luckily I have a back-up person!