For Beckett--8 is GREAT!

Beckett is 8 months... and due for an update. So far, (I hope I don't jinx myself) we have nothing bad to report about this little guy. He is just a light, and we love him to pieces! I think a perfect adjective for him is IRRESISTIBLE! 

Our little Santa Baby made Christmas so much fun. He was the perfect age for "Baby's 1st Christmas", and loved all his new toys... and the wrapping paper. 

What a fun month it was, with the holidays, and Beckett learning lots of fun tricks....

• waving
• babbling more and more
• smiling when he sees the camera
• clapping
• lots of tongue tricks
• getting yourself ALL OVER... we often have to find you... under the desk, in the corner, kitchen, etc.
• loving attention from your brothers... and they love you too... as long as you don't get too close to their things. :)

2000 + NINE

Our NEW YEARS EVE was spent at the church with the youth. I swear when I was 12-18 I cared more about the activities planned for me, and less about the socializing in the hall. Maybe not? :) At 10 we headed home. At 11 we watched the  ball drop in NYC and made some loud noises. I have to admit it is not one of my favorite holidays with young, tired, crabby kids {maybe that will change as they get older?}. Cooper was DEVASTATED that our "toast" was a drink and not bread. Gunner enjoyed the high-sugar-carbonated-beverage, and despite being exhausted, his "toasts" were sweet enough to buy him a few more minutes of cuddle time. 

NEW YEARS DAY we went downtown Kansas City to UNION STATION with the Bells. We had fun at the amazing SCIENCE CENTER. The boys loved the science golf, tree house, dinosaur bone digging, instruments, games, animals, slides, bubble machines and more! We also got to go in the PLANETARIUM and watch a "Peter and the Wolf" laser light show. They had a huge, really neat, MODEL TRAIN DISPLAY in the grand lobby of Union Station. The boys especially loved seeing the Polar Express train, and the lego replica of the Kansas City skyline. Great entertainment while we waited to eat at the famous Harvey's Diner {tasty, but had tasteless service}. 

I am finally getting caught up on my blog, and ready {or not so ready} to face the NEW YEAR. It has been so invigorating... and intimidating... and inspiring.... to read about each of your goals and resolutions for the coming year.

I face this year:

• DETERMINED to continue losing my baby weight from #3, since I will undoubtedly (or should I say hopefully?), be pregnant again before the end of the year. I can't deny myself the feeling that Heavenly Father blessed me with such and amazing baby {Beckett}, because he wants me to have another one. [btw, I'm amazed that so many of you avoided mentioning weight-loss goals... I swear it is not all in vanity... but also for healthy reasons. :)]
• GRATEFUL for the many friends we have met here in Missouri. I hope to get to know each of them better this year, and can accomplish this the best through lots of SERVICE. Or, as my husband would call it, "getting over myself". It really makes you feel contentment when you spend more time looking outside yourself. 
• INSPIRED by my little brother, ELDER spike GATTEN. I hope I can share my beliefs more freely, and help those young men, in white shirts, with name-tags, a little more.
• HUMBLED by the pain and suffering of my close friends and family. May I increase my strength (through growing my spirit), so that I am better able to lift some of their burdens. {hope many of you are ready to caravan to the temple}

{ H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y G U N N E R }

On December 29 (yes, 4 short days after Christmas, and NOT my pick of a delivery month), our "budda-bud" turned "FREE" {3}. I, like I'm sure a lot of you moms out there, wonder where the time has gone... How could our sweet little baby have changed so quickly?

Summing up Gunner at {3}:

• Willingly take the back-seat while playing with Cooper. You elect to be player 2, Robin to Batman, Shadow to Sonic, Luigie to Mario... maybe you've realized it's not worth the fight?
• Still do an amazing job playing on your own. You love pretending for hours, organizing, and setting things up.
• You cry just long enough to get the spot on your teacher's lap in Sunbeams.
• Everything is about being your "best-friend". You openly announce who is your best friend at any given moment, and use it as a threat too. "You're not my best friend anymore Mom!"
• You still like to pretend to be a puppy dog.
• You don't like to be "hot" or "fweezing". 
• We still get to hear your daily fit... which you thankfully take in your room... and which ends as if we turned a switch.
• You won't slow down long enough to eat a meal, but want bites of anything anyone else is eating.
• You are in the fun "watch me" stage, and do all you can to be "super cool". 
• You LOVE your brother Cooper... through blood, sweat and tears.
• You pick your nose until it bleeds... especially in bed... and have had enough bloody noses that every time  you have snot, you run to us yelling, "blood is coming out of my nose!"
• Still don't like to be sticky.
• You potty-trained in October.
• Won't pee or play without the light on, but want to sleep in the pitch black with the door closed.

NICKNAMES: Bud, Budda-bud, Gunner Funner Face, Buzz

FAVORITE TOYS: "guys" (mini super-heros), Indiana Jones whip & sword, tech deck dudes, cars, kids meal toys, light sabers, blocks, legos, imaginext batcave, electronic guitar

FAVORITE FOODS: cocoa puffs, chocolate milk, chicken nuggets, french fries, macaroni and cheese, chicken noodle soup, eggs, salad w/ ranch, string cheese

FAVORITE VIDEO GAMES: Wii Sports, Guitar Hero, Mario Party 8, Mario Kart, Leapster Sonic, DS golf

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: Scooby Doo, Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, Little Einsteins

FAVORITE MOVIES: Ice Age, Cars, Letter Factory, Tom & Jerry, Spidermans, Kung Fu Panda

LOVES: any book we will read to him, playing football in the basement with Dad and Cooper, riding your scooter, riding in the wagon, playing the Wii (especially Wii Sports and Guitar Hero), golfing, bowling, wrestling with Dad and Cooper, saying prayers, taking a few toys to bed each night, coloring, playdough, "writing", treasure hunts, pretending.

On your actual birthday, Dad had the day off. We tried to go to the indoor playground, but it was closed, so we went to Wendy's. We had cupcakes (which you sprinkled), and opened most of your family presents. You LOVED the batman add-ons to your bat cave. Cooper got you your LONG-AWAITED Tech Deck Dude Vanformer. Beckett got you an Indiana Jones Potato Head that you'd been asking for, for your birthday, all year long! Thanks to all those who sent presents and called Gunner. He really felt special that day! 

That weekend, we had a "friends and families" party cosmic bowling (bowling with black, strobe and disco lights) at the alley on-base. It was SO MUCH FUN! Here was the invitation:
The cake that mom made. About half way through, I wondered why I get myself into this... but he LOVED it! Seeing it revealed the surprise that we were going bowling for his party.

The party was a hit. It was crazy at times with 4 lanes, and 24 bowlers, but Gunner had so much fun (which is what really matters!). He got a real bowling pin, and everyone who was there signed it. He carried it around and treasured it all night. He is also pictured here fulfilling the Gatten tradition of taking a bite out of the un-cut cake. I love how Cooper is right in on everything. It was hard for him to have everything be about Gunner!

Here are all the friends who came. We had SO much fun, and they were all so nice to bring Gunner presents. He got money, walkie talkies, Whac-A-Mole, Spiderman bath toys, and Indiana Jones sword, books, and a nerf gun. We gave him a jump-track for his Tech Deck Dudes, and some more Dudes. For those who don't know, they are little skateboarders who magnet to their boards. Not pictured below are the Woodruffs too.

For party favors we did glow bracelets, which turned into light sabers for the boys. They LOVED them. And, neon bouncy balls.

Gunner, we LOVE you so much. You definitely add some adventure to our family, and we don't know what we would do without you! 

Happy Birthday Mom & Nana!

Paying tribute to the most amazing Mom and Nana on her birthday. We love you so much... and feel your love for us. We love visiting your house in Dalton, but especially love when you come and visit us, and we get one-on-one time with you! Some of our recent favorites:

• Love that you will "let loose" with your kids! Had so much fun with you in Vegas for "Girls Week"!

• Loved having you in St. Louis for the birth of our 3rd baby boy, Beckett. You have always been so loving and helpful during your baby visits each time, but I loved have you there to comfort me, and share in this experience with me. I HATE this picture of me, but love it of you, and how it shows your love and concern for me!

• Cooper LOVES his Nana! He loves that you will play baseball with him. He loves Nana Sandwiches! :)

• Gunner loved the time we had to play before Beckett came. He loved the zoo, and bowling at America's Incredible Pizza Co. You are so sweet to make sure each of your grandchildren feel special and loved.

• How neat that Beckett will always know you were there to welcome him in to this world! Love that he was named after your Dad, Leo, and hope he can learn all the amazing qualities you learned from him as well!

Happy Birthday! Wish we were there to help celebrate with you, and can't wait to see you again!