On the move!

Today marks Taylor's first successful attempt at crawling! She's been rocking back and forth on her hands and knees for weeks and she finally put it all together and got her hands and knees coordinated into a forward motion! She doesn't go far, only about a foot in length at a time, but it's a good start! We are so proud of her! And I can tell that she is very proud of herself, too!

Merry Christmas, baby!

Taylor's first Christmas was so much fun! Much more than I actually anticipated! She was just into everything! She touched all the wrapping paper, held every new toy, and put everything in her mouth! She was also very excited about Riley's toys and mommy and daddy's toys. We send a big thank you to Taylor's aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas (including the "greats") for such a special day! After opening all of her presents (... she made out like a bandit!) we went to Jill & Scott's for Christmas dinner and more Christmas celebrating. Taylor also really enjoyed the Christmas lights and all the tree ornaments. We put some lights up above the kitchen cabinets and she got very excited about them every time we walked into the kitchen and she caught a glimpse. Oh, and another cute little story: We went to Christmas eve service at church with some friends including their kids who are around 6-7ish years old. Afterwards, the kids were just itching to hold little Taylor in their laps. When it was Aeneas's turn to hold Taylor, he carefully gathered her up in his arms and commented "It's just like holding little baby Jesus!" I thought it was the cutest thing to say!

Just the way you are

Our long anticipated photo shoot with a co-worker and friend finally took place after months of anticipation. Rachael does such incredible work, and I am so happy to know her and to have her photograph Taylor. I admire her talent so much and I wish I could have her capture every precious moment of Taylor's life so beautifully! We had a lot of fun and can't wait to have her photograph Taylor when she's a little older. Enjoy this video showcase of our beautiful little girl. This is a popular song right now and every time I hear it I think of Taylor because there is not a thing I would change about her... she is perfect the way God made her!

It all started with "Baby Tay"

Taylor, being the big girl that she is, gets to join us for dinner at the table... although sometimes she thinks dinner IS the table. She's teething, there's no stopping her, we just go with it. I thought it'd be fun to write down some nicknames we have for Taylor... there are so many and they change all the time so I know I'll forget them as time goes on.
Let's see, it started with "Baby Tay" then there was...
Baby-sweet (from Grandma)
'T Double G' (if she ends up a rap artist and needs a cool name.. we can't take credit for this, a friend thought it up)
Babydoll
Sweet-Baboo (my dad used to call me this on occasion... I've caught him using it with Tay....awww)
Muff (I think this was short for muffin)
Sweetie-muff
Puff
Tater (from 2 1/2 yr old cousin, Kate)
Tater-puff
Cuddle-puff
Cuddle-monster
Chunky-monkey (Not in a mean way... She was a monkey for halloween)
Squeeker
Squeekerton
Squiggle
Squiggle-puff
Stinker (I think every baby gets this nickname at some point)
Tater-fish
Stinker-fish
Stinkerton

wow, I must sound crazy.

Will Santa find me at Aunt Kelly's????

Taylor was mesmerized with her first Christmas tree sighting, which happened to be at Aunt Kelly's house! All those sparkling lights were just awesome! I don't think Taylor wanted to leave that Christmas tree... and I think Santa still would've found her if she didn't. We got our Christmas tree up at home last weekend, and while not as impressive as Aunt Kelly's, it twinkles enough to hold her gaze. I'm glad she's not crawling yet because there are some pretty ornaments that surely would come down if Taylor could get to them.

Hi Ho! Hi Ho! it's off to work we go!

The time has finally come for mommy to return to the workforce. After taking some planned time off with Taylor, studying for my board exam, taking my board exam, job-hunting, then waiting and waiting for my license (whew!), mommy is back to work. It's a pretty good situation for all of us. Tuesday is "Daddy Day..." it's a whole day of one-on-one for the TG's. Then, Wednesday and 1/2 of Thursday Taylor goes to home-daycare. She is so good and has sooo much fun. I still get plenty of time in the mornings before work and the evenings after work to spend with her. Of course, I'm still adjusting to the idea of being away from my sweet girl all day, but we are blessed to be in a position where I can work part-time so I can dedicate most of my time to my most important job: Mommy. Jenni is so sweet to update me with pictures of Taylor during her time at daycare, these are a few. (And no, that's not crawling yet, just rocking back and forth on hands and knees)

Gotta love Grandparents

... because they sure love me! Taylor is so fortunate to have so many people who love her. She just loves to cuddle up to her Grandma and play with all the new toys at Grandma's house! Taylor also continues to love puppy dogs. She met Grandma&pa's new dog, Gracie, on our last trip and of course, met Vader. Although not pictured here, both dogs were great around Taylor... and she behaved around them. It won't be long before she's crawling, though, so puppies, guard your tails! She's got a thing for wagging tails.

Baby's 1st Thanksgiving

Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go! Taylor spent her first thanksgiving in good company... aunts, uncles, even great grandparents! She had real sweet 'taties and turkey, too! (Her first meat!) She enjoyed Grandma and Grandpa's house... especially the new jumperoo she spent quite a bit of time in. She entertained everyone with lots of bouncing, laughing, and sleep-bouncing. She was even a big girl and took good baths with grandma in her mini-tub. It's so nice to be with family for the holidays!

Bathtime

Taylor is enjoying baths these days. She works so hard on grabbing her bath toys! And she gets excited when we take her clothes off and she gets to be a nakey-butt. We like it too, she's so much fun these days. Her 6 month check up this week was superb! 18 lbs, 10 oz and another 2 inches! She's in the 90th percentile now for height and weight. Her doctor is pretty confident her crawling days are not far off, nor are 4 more teeth. We also got the go-ahead to start cheerios and puffs! Today we tried sweet potato puffs. She likes them, but she's got her work cut out for her on coordinating grabbing a puff, getting it to her mouth, and keeping it in her mouth, all before Riley swoops in and gobbles them up. Right now it's a lot of getting a few puffs stuck to her slobbery hand, licking them off, and flicking them back out of her mouth again. It'll be fun to see her master this new task!

First bad hair day

This one's just for giggles. Taylor woke up with crazy hair today, and she rocked it! There were tufts going to the left, tufts going the right, some matted down, some sticking up... it was adorable. Taylor, every girl has a bad hair day once in a while. Don't let it get you down, it's only hair. You're a beautiful girl inside and out. I hope as you grow up I can teach you to value the beautiful girl you are on the inside. "...Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious."

A daddy/daughter moment

Taylor loves her daddy.... really, really loves her daddy. I mean, she has fun hanging out with mommy every day, but when daddy is home, her focus goes straight to him. She will lock her eyes on daddy and just stare and stare with a big toothy smile plastered across her face. Playing with daddy is such a special time for Taylor. Her favorite is to grab daddy's nose, cheeks, and eyeballs.

Thomas shared a story with me about a month ago that was so precious: Taylor woke up for a bottle one night as she often does. He got the bottle ready and rocked her gently while she ate. When she was done, he put her up to his chest and started to pat her on the back for a burp. She was not fully awake, and in her sleepiness she reached up with both arms and wrapped them around his neck and nuzzled her head into his shoulder, eyes closed. It was a sweet baby hug. Right then he understood what all fathers of daughters had been telling him: "That little girl will steal your heart and have you wrapped around her little finger." Just wait till she can crawl to him and say "daddy"... he's doesn't stand a chance!

At the zoo

Taylor had her first trip to the zoo! She was accompanied by her buddies Jack, Drew, and Jayden (and their mommies of course!) Although she spent the majority of the time asleep in her stroller, she did get to see monkeys, giraffes, and goats at the petting zoo. We can't wait to go back when she's a little older! Oh, and wearing a leopard print onesie to the zoo... no accident!

So, this is fall weather

Taylor got to visit her entire family during our Ohio trip in early October. All the Goodsons made it from around the country, and Taylor got to spend some time wither her cousins! What a special time. Because it's still blazing hot for us, I had to buy Taylor some warm clothes for this trip. Ohio is BEAUTIFUL in the fall!

Happy Halloween!

Taylor's first Halloween... and ours too since we've lived in Arizona. This was the first year neither of us had to work on the 31st. Note to Ohioans, in Arizona trick or treating is always on the 31st no matter what day of the week it falls on, and there's no set times. Growing up Thomas and I remember these two stipulations on trick-or-treating, so naturally people out here thought we were crazy asking what day and what time is trick-or-treating.

New Toys & Puppy Love

Taylor had her 6-month birthday this weekend! Wow, does time fly! I can't believe she is already 6 months old! It's bittersweet, really, because while I'm so proud of her and her accomplishments everyday, well, it's just going by too fast! I find myself looking at pictures of her when she was a newborn and just a couple of months old and I think, "was she really ever that little!?" To celebrate the occasion Taylor got to go to the store and pick out a new 6 month toy! She gravitated toward a stuffed puppy dog that sings and talks. No surprise there... her favorite toy remains her real puppy dog, Riley. She loves to watch Riley walk around the house. Seeing Riley makes her giggle and coo. Sometimes they lay next to each other and she babbles at Riley. One of her favorite games is when Riley licks her feet and hands (I know, I know, it's gross, but I wash her hands afterwards!).

Monkey Business

Well, we decided our little monkey is going to dress up like a little monkey for her first Halloween. I've got to savor these early years when I get to pick out her costumes before she's old enough to do it herself, because she's probably not going to go for silly monkey costumes like this! Oh, and tooth number two came in!!! Look out steak and potatoes, Taylor's comin' for you.

Bouncing to sleep

Taylor loves to bounce SO MUCH that she is starting to bounce in her sleep! She started falling asleep in her bouncer and it's just so cute! I tried to get it on video. The quality and my shooting skills make it a little difficult to see (I was fending off a dog while trying to hold the camera as you will see!), but try to watch Tay's eyes. She starts to close her eyes and nod off, then suddenly starts up bouncing again. She is so entertaining.

Bumbo Butt

Hey moms out there, is this a shared experience? Taylor often gets her meaty little thighs stuck in the Bumbo when I try to pry her out of it after a meal. I think she looks like a turkey. It's pretty cute, although she probably begs to differ. At least, she will when she's 16 and we are showing this picture to her friends and talking about what a cute, chubby-wubby baby she used to be! Sorry, Taylor, it's coming...

My first tooth!!!!!!

During Taylor's bath last night we discovered she has cut her first tooth!!!! (Bottom, left of center... what's the technical term for that one?? Nisha???) She is growing up too fast! It's so tiny and cute, and next to impossible to photograph. So take my word for it!

The second best $50 I ever spent

Let me start by saying that about 2 1/2 months ago I was saying the Ocean Wonders Play Gym was the best $50 I ever spent! Taylor lays on the mat and is entertained by lights, sounds, and colorful toys to grab. This purchase allowed me to lay her down for up to 40 minutes to get some badly needed chores done around the house. Well a few months later, here we are with the next best toy: the Bouncer. We noticed that Tay was having a ball at the gym child care center when she was placed in a bouncer. Luckily I was able to find a great used Baby Einstein bouncer at a local second-hand store (these suckers are expensive!). Taylor is so cute bouncing up and down and squealing in delight. She's so proud of her new moves!

First Wedding

DISCLAIMER: This was one of those precious stories we will always remember, but if you gross out easily, please enjoy the cute picture and don't read on.
Here goes: It was a long awaited day and family and friends of Jenna and Colin Summers all gathered together for a special ceremony. The bride was gorgeous, fall colors were everywhere, and guests were dressed in their best. Taylor was decked out in a gorgeous fall dress (thanks, Michelle!), new shoes, tights... the works. Isn't it every mother's joy to dress up and show off her beautiful baby girl to the family for the first time?
The ceremony was beautiful... or so we heard.
The trouble all started just before the ceremony when Taylor was enjoying a bottle. I watched her grunt...felt a rumble on my lap... and I smelled that all too familiar smell. No big deal. I let her finish up and headed for the bathroom for a routine change, wipes and new diaper in hand. A routine change it was not. In fact, it may have been the biggest blow out to date. Thankfully the bathroom had more wipes... key word, HAD. I hope nobody else was counting on those being there because we used every last one. As I was cleaning Tay's explosion out of tights, dress (sorry, Michelle!), baby, changing table, side table, and myself, I must have lost track of time because Thomas came knocking on the bathroom door. "Is everything ok in there?" "NO! HELP," I cried. Thomas quickly moved into action. So, there we were, our little family, in the women's bathroom with a semi-naked baby cleaning and hand-drying clothes, getting spit-up out of shoes (still not sure how that happened), sanitizing, well, every surface we touched. About 25 minutes later we emerged just to see the bride and groom, now married, coming back down the isle to the back of the church. And this is how we spent Taylor's first wedding... one we will remember for a long time.

Lunch is a battlefield

Well, not really. But sometimes Taylor comes out of it looking like she fought and lost a good battle with the spoon. Between her wiggling, sticking her fingers in her mouth, and trying to lick her bib it's a miracle the spoon finds it's way inside her mouth at all sometimes. This is more the look of a post-daddy-fed lunch, but I'll own up to this one. We've added baby oatmeal and apples to the menu as of yesterday. Yummy! Yummy!

October in Phoenix

What can you do during the month of October in Phoenix that you can't do in the midwest? Go Swimmin'!! The water in our pool is pretty cool these days, but surprisingly enjoyable for baby girls. And, good news: swimming in a bathing suit is just as fun as skinny dipping :)
Even more good news: Taylor is finally starting to tolerate a bath and even flash a few tentative smiles in the process. She grips the sides of the tub like it's her final moments on the Titanic... but we get the job done. She doesn't quite trust yet that I'm not going to let her slip out of my hands to a watery grave! It's fun to watch her because I can tell she wants to reach for the bath toys, but she just can't bring herself to do it quite yet.

Skinny Dipper

Riddle me this: How does a baby girl HATE her bath-time, yet enjoy skinny dipping in the pool!? Is it the sunshine? Or maybe the thrill of being naked where you shouldn't be? It's a mystery to me, but we were very pleasantly surprised when Taylor tolerated (dare I say... enjoyed?) her first experience in the backyard pool. Hmmm, maybe we should move bath-time outdoors from now on!



Gotta love a naked baby!

Sleeping around the house!

Note to Taylor: If you fall asleep while mommy is putting on her makeup, then you will nap in the bathroom. If you fall asleep in your car seat, then there you will remain until you wake up. I gotta say, I'm so glad Taylor is one of those babies that can fall asleep anywhere and get a good snooze! So far, she just goes with the flow of our day without getting too worked up about anything. She's in the phase where every new place and new face is fascinating and she is content to just take in her surroundings. When daddy isn't home and I need to grab a shower, she is a perfect baby sitting in her bouncy seat in the bathroom. She hasn't spent a lot of time there, so for her it's like this new secret place in the house she's never been to before! ...And the stimulation of a new place makes for a good, hard nap later on!

Baby Pterodactyl

When I was pregnant and contracted the "swine flu" we joked that I was going to birth a little piggy. While she did not turn out to be a little piggy, I am now realizing that Taylor is part pterodactyl! I should have know by the constant flapping of her arms and legs while she plays. But this last week, her new behavior confirms it! Allllll day long Taylor shrieks and squeals as shown in this video. It's so cute to see her testing out the volume and quality of her voice. We think she has a perfect pterodactyl impression.

We remember

Today we took a trip to Tempe Town Lake (or more accurately tempe town mud puddle) to commemorate the 9th anniversary of 9/11. It was beautiful to see hundreds of flags, each with a yellow ribbon and card with the name of either a NY police officer or firefighter or the name of someone lost in the trade center attack. They placed teddy bears under flags denoting children who were lost, and boots under flags to recognize military servicemen and women. Today we honor those who lost their lives, and also those who continue to fight for our freedoms and safety. Taylor would like to give a special thanks to her Uncle David and Aunt Darcy for their service in the Army, and also to her daddy for his daily service and protection here in our community. We praise God for bestowing bravery upon the people who daily go about the business of keeping us safe and secure.

Sweet Potatoes!!

Tay had her 4 months check up this week. We've got a 15 pounder!!! She's up to the 75th percentile for height and weight. Grow, baby, grow! We got the go ahead to start some more baby foods in addition to rice cereal, so today Taylor had a few slurps of sweet potatoes! This also means mommy's shirt got some sweet potatoes, Riley got a whole new reason to lick the baby, and later we anticipate a sweet potato poo... I've heard we're in for a rude awakening when babies start adding variety to their diets. Tay seemed to really enjoy this new taste sensation, and I learned it's hard to get orange spit up off of clothes!