Happy Thanksgiving!

This year's Thanksgiving wasn't how I envisoned it. I guess when you have kids, it never is. We were to drive down to Wheelock to spend the holiday with JT's side of the family. We originally thought to leave on Wednesday afternoon, but things came up and it wasn't going to work out that way. The last time we tried to leave at night and have Taylor sleep in the car, it backfired on us. Big time. She screamed - not cried, but screamed, for 45 minutes then we turned back. We opted to not go through that again and leaving around her naptime seems to work better and she sleeps pretty well in the car.

So, we left on Thanksgiving morning around 10:00ish, which is the time she usually naps. We thought there wouldn't be much traffic seeing how most people wouldn't leave the morning of. Wrong. BIG time traffic. So much that we got off I-35 and found highway 81 that runs parallel to 35 (we have had to get on 81 before because of the horrendous traffic). Luckily, Taylor slept her usual hour and 15 minutes, but we were only in Waco when she woke up - still pretty far away. JT was hungry and I had to pee, so we stopped at McDonalds where there was a TON of people in there eating! It's Thanksgiving people! Anyways, we got some chicken nuggets and went on our way. I knew Taylor would be hungry, so I fed her some. Healthy, right? I didn't want her to get too full so she could get some yummy Thanksgiving food. But, she wouldn't understand and would start crying f I stopped feeding her while she was still hungry. After about 1 1/2 nuggets she was full and we tried to keep her entertained the rest of the drive.



She was quite pleasant until the last 10 minutes where she lost it. When we arrived she was still just screaming for no apparent reason. We picked her up, she screamed, put her down and she screamed. This went on for probably another 10 minutes. I just decided to pick her up, take her over to the food line and carry on with Thanksgiving. She finally calmed down. I tried to feed her some of my food, but she was still full from the nuggets, so her first Thanksgiving dinner was McDonalds chicken nuggets that she ate in the car, and a couple pieces of a roll that she did eat at the table. Eh, oh well maybe next year.

Here are some pictures. Please note the 'fall outfit'







With her cousins Parker and Sara





Gobble gobble!

Dancing Queen

We have had the fun ball popping toy for a couple of months now (thanks Nana!). Just this last week she figured out it works by pushing the button to start it and where to put the balls to make them pop up. It is so neat to watch her learn and figure things out. For awhile, she wanted to put the balls in the hole where they pop out of, instead of down the chute and only a few days ago did she learn how to turn it on. This probably seems insignificant to everyone else, but to us it's a big deal!

The girl loves to shake her booty to any kind of music!



Happy girl

Our House

The day we took our fall pictures, I also wanted to some shots of Taylor with our house in the background. We have a lot of memories in this house and I know we won't be here forever. It's not the first house that we have bought, but the first house as a family. We brought Taylor to this house from the hospital, the first time she crawled and walked were in this house, her first birthday party will be here...and the list could go on. I wanted to capture a few shots with her the size she is, so we can look back on them later down the road and remember the good times we had here.

This one just captures it all, and Taylor's face just cracks me up!


Walking down the sidewalk



And just a few more





Lots of memories here, but looking forward to where life takes us next!

11 Months

Last week Taylor turned 11 months! I can't believe that in less than 1 month, our baby will be having her 1st birthday. Crazy. She has really hit a lot of her milestones this month:

- Waving 'hi' and 'bye bye'
- Clapping
- Opening and closing doors. A lot of the time closing herself into a room and not being able to get out! (because she can't reach the door handle)
- Says 'Hi'. She has only done it a few times, but pretty sure that is what she is saying
- Throwing a tantrum (stomping her feet and crying) when she doesn't get what she wants. This is oh-so-fun.
- Playing nicely with the cats. Sort of.
- Eating mostly table food. Her new favorites are grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken nuggets
- Making it the entire church service in the nursery. BIG accomplishment.
- Putting objects into something. Her cheerios in the cup holder on her high chair tray is a favorite of hers
- Dancing to music (she shakes her little booty back and forth)
- Giving kisses. Sweet girl.

Here are some pictures I took on her 11 month birthday. Didn't get very many good ones because she is in constant motion. Constant.





I sometimes make a little couch for her with the laundry basket and a pillow. She seems to like it. But still has to be on the move!


Happy 11 months sweet girl

Baby Joshua

My cousin, Jennifer, gave birth to her second child two days ago! Baby Joshua was born on 11-11-09, which I think it neat because Taylor was born on 12-12-08.

Jennifer and I were very close growing up, loved to dress in matching outfits, and even told people we were twins when they asked

To this day we still call each other 'Peat and Repeat". She was Peat because she is a year older and I was Repeat (yes she over a year older than me, and I am that much taller). We went on vacations together, summer camp together and visited often

We haven't seen each other in a couple of years now because we have both had babies! But now that Taylor is getting older and can tolerate the car better, I really want to go visit. I still haven't met her first son, Ethan, and he is over two years old now!!! We hope to come see you guys soon. We love and miss you!

Baby Joshua and Mother are doing great. Welcome to the world Joshua! (thanks Aunt Linda for sending the pictures)

A Fall Morning

Oddly enough, JT wanted me to get Taylor a 'fall outfit' (his words) to take pictures of her in our backyard that is full of leaves. I was somewhat surprised for two reasons; JT hardly pays any attention to what Taylor is wearing and I know he doesn't have a clue what is in her dresser or closet so the fact that he wanted me to put her in a special outfit was shocking. When I ask him to dress Taylor I usually cringe as to what he picks for her - it hardly ever matches. The other reason I was surprised by his request is whenever I get my camera out to take a few pictures...ok more than a few... of sweet Taylor it is immediately followed by a sigh and an eye roll. So, when he WANTED me to take pictures of her I almost did a double take. Of course I will! It gives me an excuse to snap 40 or 50 pictures - like I need an excuse!

We went to Target yesterday to see what kind of fall outfits they had. I found just one sweater that looked somewhat 'fall-y', so we got it. This morning the sun was shining and I knew it would be good lighting for such a beautiful subject (I am a little biased).

I started by trying to pose her or put her amongst the leaves.

But, she had other ideas


So, then I just let her roam around and I would snap pictures when I could and I got some cute ones!









The air was cool and crisp, we are enjoying it before it turns cold. Taylor is definitely an outside girl, loves to go out and hates to come back in.


Sweet girl.

Busted!

This morning I was trying to get several things done at once; laundry, dishes and making some baby food in bulk. I wasn't paying close attention to what Taylor was doing, I knew she was fine because she wasn't whining or crying (Hallelujah!). When I finally slowed down and looked down at her, this is what she was doing.




Stuffing her face! They are called Little Crunchies by Gerber, we call them Cheetos. Gerber claims they are a 'healthy snack', I beg to differ but they keep her quiet when she is whining at the table. She loves them. Well, she found them, (we usually keep all her snack items in one of the kitchen chairs for easy access) got the lid off, maneuvered around the paper/foil covering and was eating them by the handful. Instead of stopping it, I got the camera.



Little stinker.

Happy Halloween!

Taylor's first Halloween was full of activity and fun! We decided to carve the pumpkins we got at the pumpkin patch at Calloways - only one was rotted out.



I got the idea from my friend, Mari, to carve one pumpkin with teeth to match the ones that Taylor has (4 on top, and 2 on bottom).

We also carved a scary one, and one with all three of our initials


After her nap, we went to 'trunk or treat' at my parents church. It's an alternative to traditional trick or treating where people decorate the trunks of their cars and give out candy. It was a fun, safe environment with lots of activity!

In the car ready to go!!!

I decided to put a bow in her hair because at lunch 3 people said, 'awww, isn't he cute?'. Yep he sure is. I think it's the hair that makes people think SHE is a boy since it grows straight forward and I guess looks boyish. Just stick a bow on her pretty little head, and voila! Instant girl. Also, I am not sure if you can see the nasty bruise on the (her) right side of her forehead - she has fallen THREE times on the exact same spot over the past week. Luckily, it looks like one injury and not all over her head making it look like we beat her. The last fall was while we were carving pumpkins outside, she hit her head on the sidewalk. Ouch.

Once we got to the church Taylor was ready for some candy!



Most of the 'trunks' were games, where they gave you candy after you played. This one had a little car set up with a ramp where you rode to the candy. Pretty cute idea.




We then met up with Kara, Jon and Eleanor!

Taylor and Eleanor had the same costume (thanks Kara for telling me where to find the pumpkin costume!) so, of course, this just screams photo-op!



Trying to get them both to look at the camera is impossible. But, they sure do look cute!

Taylor has figured out how to clap - so cute.


Then, of course, they both wanted the plastic pumpkin and water bottles



After the 'trunk or treat' we went home, ate some dinner, watched a little college football, then the massive amount of trick or treaters started. We had a TON of 'kids' (some I would hardly call a kid). Our plan was to sit outside with Taylor and hand out candy. She kept falling down, this time scraping her fingers a little, so we thought just put her in the grass

Nope. She made a beeline right for the sidewalk. We then, took her stick away to which she screamed, and brought her inside. Soon after we had some trick or treaters at the door, all the while Taylor was screaming and JT swears the little boy said hesitantly 'tr..tr...trick or treat' He was scared out of his mind wondering what in the world was going on inside. Poor boy. Poor Taylor. Poor US!

It was a great Halloween with lots of laughs, smiles and only a few tears.

A few more pictures of sweet Taylor because I just can't help myself.





Happy Halloween!!!