Easter 2011

Each Year since Tate was born we've taken a family picture on Easter. This year there was an extra face in the photo. Henry fit nicely into our family tradition. I must say I like this picture much better than last year's picture (I was 6 or 7 months pregnant). I'm not sure who's more crazy about who. Tate and Henry get along so much better than I ever dreamed they would.
God is good!

Summer fun

So I have all but abandoned the blog since Henry was born. I knew I'd have my hands full, but the level of "busy" surpassed what I had anticipated. So here is a feeble attempt to post a few pictures of summer fun Hardin style.

A little brotherly love

I was actually taking pictures of Henry this afternoon when Tate wandered into Henry's room and wanted in on the photo shoot. I managed to get a couple of pictures of both of the boys. I can't explain why, but I've found over the past 3 months that the ones with both boys seem to be my favorites.



Then there was this one picture of Tate I just had to share... Tate was playing with his basketball in a laundry basket, which he decided was a submarine. Where does he come up with this stuff?

Family photos

It occurred to me recently that I haven't pulled out the "big" camera and taken any pictures of Henry since he was born. So, I decided to remedy that.
I got the four of us dressed up (well sort of) and away we went to a local park.
Once there Chuck and I took pictures of our sweet little family.
I warmed up with Tate in the "elbow" tree.




Then we headed for the shade of a tree near the lake. First up were the boys...





Next we added dad...




Then Chuck and I traded places...






Then we pulled out the tripod and got a family photo...



By then Tate was done being still. Plus he had spotted the castle playground nearby. So he and Chuck took off to have some well deserved fun. With the guys gone I put the tripod away and turned my attention, or should I say my camera, to Henry.




I didn't really get any good ones because the little guy was asleep. Argh! Oh well. Maybe next time!!!

Big Brother

Tate's a big brother!
After going to daycare for the better part of the day Tate got to leave school a couple of hours early to meet his new baby brother. From what I've been told Tate was smitten with Henry from the first time he laid eyes on the little guy.
From the hallway outside the hospital nursery he watched as Henry was given a bath.
"He's crying like baby," Tate observed.
"That's because he is a baby," one of his grandparents quipped.
A little later in the hospital room with Chuck, Henry and I, he was adamant about holding his "liddle bruda."
Chuck had him sit in a chair and then handed our little bundle of joy to the proud toddler. Tate was very careful and cautious with him (with some coaching from mom and dad). He seemed intrigued by the little guy.
Ever the active child, Tate soon had his fill of being still. After handing the baby off Tate slipped into the role of photographer. Armed with his Little Tikes "made tough for toddlers" camera he started snapping pictures of Henry and me, Henry and Chuck, just Henry, the floor, the door, the hospital furniture, etc.
It was a big day for Tate, filled with excitement over a new baby brother, visiting with all of his grandparents and being in a strange place. Most importantly it was the first day of Tate's life as a big brother!

Memorial Day at the lake

Chuck, Tate and I headed to Mountain Home for Memorial Day weekend. The weekend served as our last hoorah before baby Henry arrives. While Chuck and I didn't do anything too wild and crazy Tate seemed to have a big time splashing in the water, clowning around on the boat and floating in the tube.






Of course it wasn't all fun in the sun... there was some napping too. My little guy smooth passed out on two occasions -- once with his sippy cup still in hand...



and again while I was pulling a family friend on the wakeboard. He actually crashed in an upright position. Because the sun was shining brightly we covered him up with a towel. Every so often you would hear a rather loud snore come from underneath the Scooby towel.

What Tate's Been Up To Lately

So it's been awhile since I posted to the blog. Feeling a little twinge of guilt that maybe I'm letting Tate down in some strange way, I decided this afternoon to pull a few pictures off the camera for a new post. So here we go. We'll start out with a lazy Sunday afternoon at the house...
A boy and his dog, or his daddy's dog, always make for a cute photo.


A couple of weeks ago Tate pulled out a coloring book and some crayons for some quality coloring, with Cheyenne. Chey obviously hadn't intended to serve as Tate's table, but I guess she thought "he's not acting spastic and he's not hurling anything in my direction. I suppose I can handle this." Plus I think Chuck might have been petting her. She'll put up with A LOT if she's getting loved on by her daddy!
I have to admit the interactive coloring lasted much longer than I thought it would. But apparently coloring takes a lot out of a little fellow. Before too long Tate crashed out right there by his coloring budding. What a sweet old girl! (She's 10!)

Let's not get the wrong idea about the little man. It's not all coloring books and naps at the Hardin house. There is plenty of guy stuff going on too. Tate has a hand-me-down 4-wheeler he enjoys cruising around on in the yard and the driveway.

What can you say about a boy and his wheels?

Switching gears... my handsom little devil was kind enough to pause from the fun and games to pose for a pictures by these beautiful roses last weekend! Amazingly no flowers were harmed in the shooting of this picture!!!