To my beautiful daughter

Taylor, you are such a precious gift. I am so happy to be your mom and get to see your beautiful smiling face every morning. There are so many little things you do that melt my heart. You are filled with joy and you brighten a cloudy day. I can't imagine life without you and I know that as you get bigger and older I will only love you more and more.

I've heard the pastor of our church talk about children/parenting several times. He often says that in the end our kids are really ultimately God's children and they are just "on loan" to us here on earth to love them, raise them, teach them, and give them a home. Looking at it that way, man, did God give me a good loan! :)

Taylor's Personality

I thought it would be fun to write down some things others tell me about Taylor and look back at this years down the road to see if it foreshadows her developing personality.
Some things I hear about her frequently from neighbors and friends that watch her:
"She's just a ham!"
"She makes all the other kids laugh"
"She is so funny"
"She loves to dance...hears a beat, and starts bopping immediately"
"She loves to smile and laugh"
"She is such a happy kid"

Things I have noticed:
She is nurturing; She likes to hug, kiss, hold, and feed her baby dolls (and Riley too!). She also sometimes tries to comfort the crying kids at church (which is about the sweetest thing I've ever seen)
She LOVES to jump, flop, and throw herself around on beds, mats, bouncers. She also LOVES being flipped around and thrown in the air (hmm.. should we try gymnastics???)
She likes to dance!
She is not the kid in the nursery throwing a fit when mom leaves... she gets excited to be in a new place, and doesn't want to leave!

Taylor's 1st Vacation

If I don't count trips back to Ohio, this is Taylor's first vacation. We were both in a little beach withdrawal and decided it was time to get some fresh ocean breezes and cooler California weather. Unfortunately, Taylor had a cold... and then I had an even worse cold. But trust me, it didn't ruin any of the beauty and relaxation of just getting away to the beach! We had such a nice time walking around the beautiful resort, exploring Venice Beach and Santa Monica, and very briefly driving through Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Hollywood was our last planned excursion, and sickie pup just wasn't up to it. (And in case you're wondering, "sickie pup" is what my mother called me when I was ill as a kid and I guess it's getting passed down to the next generation.)

Big girl bath

Well, we finally outgrew the baby tub! Taylor graduated to the regular tub and some new tub toys. I actually don't have any great bath stories to share. She doesn't get into bath time as much as other kids. She's not the kid who cries when the bath is over. It's more of her sitting in the tub and playing for about 5 minutes then standing up and giving me the "ok, I'm clean, get me outta here" look. Her favorite bath activity is sucking on a wash cloth. This usually wins out over any and all bath toys.

Lazy Baby

I just thought these pictures were so cute! Taylor was having a relaxing morning sitting on the chair with her blankie and her milk. She was just hanging out watching Mickey Mouse, her favorite show, on the tv. Sometimes she likes to crawl up on the chair with me, but usually ends up crowding me out so she can sit all by herself like the big girl that she is! She also can shimmy up onto the couch all by herself and get herself down off of it. She really likes the challenge of trying to climb. I really hope she doesn't have her aunt Kelly's climbing genes. I've heard many stories about Aunt Kelly climbing out of her crib, climbing up onto tables, and even swinging on chandeliers!

Happy 4th of July!

Is there a cuter little girl than this!? I don't think so! Grandma Goodson sure sends some cute stuff to Taylor! Taylor enjoyed a picnic with the neighbors to celebrate the 4th! She particularly enjoyed chowing down some barbecue flavored chips... a favorite of hers these days. She just LOVES those chips. She was the life of the party with her bopping around and playing. We didn't make it to any fireworks this year. She was worn out by 8 pm!

Dinnertime!

Taylor went through a phase last month where she just wasn't eating as much as usual. She was very picky and was even turning down macaroni.. her favorite! Maybe it was in part that she is getting some molars in. She's got two on the bottom and one coming in on the top. She's just starting to get an appetite back this week. She's also really trying to use a fork! Looking at these pictures she is not just using a fork, but also her hands, and even a foot! She's so silly!

Little Helper

Taylor, you are such a good helper!! Little miss Taylor is so curious about everything mommy does! She wants to sit where I'm sitting, do what I'm doing, and eat what I'm eating! So, why not get her to work on some dishes!? She sure has fun helping and feeling like a big girl! We just have to work on keeping the water and dishes in the sink!

Isn't She Lovely...

... isn't she wonderful. I just had this song pop into my head when I saw this picture. Taylor has so many beautiful little dresses (compliments of grandmas and great grandmas) that she gets to wear to church. It is so much fun to dress up a little girl! I think yellow is your color, Tay!

just a few goodies

Taylor does so many cute little things. It is so much fun to see her learn. She learned about a month ago to shake her head "no" which makes communicating a bit (keyword "bit") easier. Recently she is trying to nod her head "yes" when she wants something. But she hasn't mastered just moving from the neck up. Her nod is a whole body movement. It's just so cute. She's so close to walking, which I realize I have said much more than once before. This week she is more interested in letting me hold her hand so she can walk around outside instead of just wanting to crawl everywhere. We are starting to add some vocabulary as well. "Mama" is pretty consistent these days. We are learning "juice" and "duck." It is so cool to see her understand words too. She understands "milk" and "time to eat." She still loves to dance. I can't wait till she can walk, I think the dancing will get even more precious. Here's a video of Taylor playing on the couch. She's getting longer and leaner.

Like Riley, like Taylor

Ok, first of all, I did NOT put my child in a dog crate :) This was so funny! Taylor's curiosity lead her right into Riley's crate! She must have been wondering what is so great about the crate and why Riley goes in here so often. In truth, it's sort of Riley's refuge from Taylor. When Taylor pulls her ears, takes her toys, or crawls on her bed Riley handles it well by quietly getting up and retreating to her crate for some peace. Poor Riley, the few things that she can call her own are slowly slipping away from her.

First Hair Cut

After months of hoping and hoping her bangs would naturally sweep to the side if they just got long enough, I cracked and chopped them off! So I guess this is technically Taylor's first hair cut. She didn't seem to mind. I'd like to think she is enjoying seeing a little better!

Lemonade from Lemons

Another long flight back to Ohio with Taylor. She surprises me every time. I thought for sure she would throw a fit this time because she is now mobile and the thought of her sitting still for 4 hours seemed impossible. I'm glad to say I have been so blessed with our travels. On the flight out she was happily entertained by several passengers, the seat belt buckle, the seat itself, and all of her snacks. The flight back to Phoenix had serious potential to be a nightmare. We sat on the plane at the gate for an hour before leaving while they worked out some malfunctions. Then we missed our connecting flight and had to wait again for a few hours in Denver. After all the delays I was out of diapers, out of formula, and very frustrated by the time we got our plans straightened out in Denver. Luckily, Taylor again, was a champ. To her, this was just all part of the day. She didn't even fuss because of the extra hour we waited sitting on the plane! At Denver we found a waiting area that was tucked away from the hustle and bustle and Taylor got to crawl out a lot of energy.... and make a huge mess. She had her first McDonald's happy meal on this trip, too!

Taylor's first race

This morning our family ran the Pat Tillman Run! I emphasize 'ran' because I really wasn't sure I could make it 4.2 miles without stopping. But, I'm proud to say, we all made it at about a 10min/mile pace. Taylor was an angel! She didn't cry or fuss at all. She enjoyed watching all the people from her stroller... and there were lots of racers! About 30,000!!!

Lunch with Grandma

Taylor is a very good eater. She is down to just a couple of bottles a day and has given up most jarred baby food for real food. Her favorites are mac & cheese, puffs, bananas, chicken, and pasta dishes. To be honest, there's not a whole lot she turns down! She had a taste of frozen yogurt for the first time this week. (That's what happens when Grandma is in town! She also had a little peanut butter cookie!) It was funny to watch her eat it because I could tell she liked the taste, but the coldness of it was really throwing her off. She looked a little confused about how something so good could be so cold on her little teeth. Grandma took this little video while Taylor was eating lunch. She had so much fun and was laughing and squealing in delight!

Taylor Swings!

Taylor is enjoying a week with her buddy Grandma Goodson, who came to visit on her spring break. Today we went to the playground and Taylor got to try out a big girl swing!! She was so cute. We put her in the swing and she just sat there contently and looked around. She didn't make a peep. It's hard to believe she is almost 11 months old!!!

Helping around the house

Dear Mommy,

Okay, mom, you always say you never get anything done around the house because I demand all your attention. Well, I'm just pointing out that I help out a lot around here. Just look! I supervise Riley as she eats her food. I make sure the toilet paper comes off the roll easily. I also make sure to take inventory of your bathroom drawers while you get ready in the morning. See?? I do all kinds of things to help you!

Love, Taylor

Hanging at the mall

I try to get Taylor out of the house every day for a little "adventure". This can be anything from going to the gym, the mall, or the grocery store. Trust me, it's an adventure in her eyes. We've gone to the mall a few times and I let her play in the kid zone. I never, ever thought I would let my baby play in one of those because we always refer to it as the "germ pool." Luckily she didn't get sick! She has so much fun crawling around and watching the big kids run and play.

Now, that was a good walk!

Spring in Phoenix is just the best! Blue skies, warm weather, fragrant fruit trees and flowers... it's a great time to get out and walk or jog. We got a jogging stroller so I could train for a run. Taylor is a pretty good sport as long as the sun is not in her eyes. She plays with her little stroller toys for a few minutes, but soon the lull of the stroller puts her right to sleep. She can't fight it. It's hypnotic. Car rides are generally the same. I remember back to the first 3 months of her life when she screamed the entire car ride. Now, it's peaceful and soothing.

Peas, Please!

I mentioned earlier that Taylor has less interest in puree foods these days. In fact, I bought a few jars of puree chicken & rice, beef & vegetables, etc. and she does this fake gag to show her disapproval. It's funny because I think it's a pretty dramatic display. She could just spit it out or something! She is all about feeding herself. Her favorite thing to eat is still sweet potato puffs... I think she would eat the whole container if left her alone with it. She also really likes peas! I have a suspicion that her affinity to peas is mostly because of the bright green color. Some other foods she enjoys are chicken, turkey dogs, carrot juice, bananas, and she's even tried tiny bits of peanut butter sandwiches. She just wouldn't be our kid if she didn't like PB&J.

My funny Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day, Taylor! You are just so cute in your tutu!! We shot some video today of all the super-cute things Taylor does. She loves to wave when she's excited about her toys. In the video she is playing happily with her toys while trying not to get licked in the face by Riley. I also caught her playing one of her favorite games. She crawls over to the kitchen and grabs a stool and scoots it back and forth. It makes an annoying sound that Taylor loves and drives the dog crazy!

So Sick

This month we experienced Taylor's first major illness. She had a cough for about 3 weeks and it just got worse and worse. She coughed to the point is was painful and she also started wheezing so much that I worried about her ability to breath at night. She started on amoxicillin and 7 days later developed a horrible allergic reaction. She was covered head to toe in irritating hives (which she learned how to scratch). She was so miserable she didn't even want to take a bottle.... and this kid never turns down a bottle! She also tested positive for RSV that morning at the doctor's office. The rash progressed throughout the day, and by that evening we had to take her to urgent care as her face and lips were swelling to the point we didn't feel comfortable letting her go any longer. After 2 loooong hours at urgent care, a shot of epi, steroids, and lots of antihistamines, she was finally looking a bit better. She also got a chest x-ray which showed some pneumonia. How do babies get chest x-rays? Good question. Basically they put Taylor on a saddle, put her arms up in the air, and then enclosed a plastic tube tightly around her body. I still remember her little panicked face looking at me as she screamed. I don't blame her, it looked like a terrifying experience for my cold, naked, wheezing, rash-covered baby. She was so sick, and it was such a scary experience for us! The rash cleared within 4 days and the cough FINALLY abated at the end of that week. Whew! It's such an awful feeling when your baby is so sick and there's just nothing you can do to make it go away! I feel fortunate that she eventually got better on her own and didn't have to be admitted.

Good Check Up

Taylor's nine-month check up was so good! She is still on track with the 90th percentile! We are up to just under 22 pounds. The doctor said she's a 14-month-size baby! Way to go, Tay! Developmentally, she is right on track for her age. She is babbling, waving, pulling up and cruising along the furniture, and eating big girl foods! Now that she is proficient in picking up small pieces of food she is much less interested in puree baby food and wants to feed herself, so she is eating more "real" food these days. At the check up Taylor was so interested in the exam table paper and also the bandaid on her finger. She thought that bandaid was just the coolest thing! So much so that she didn't mind being poked in the finger for the blood test. She did get her shots which is always so hard for both of us. She usually cries the whole way home after getting her vaccines. This time on the way home she had a special surprise for mommy. When I put her into her car seat I always give her a couple of toys on her lap to keep her busy (as she still cries when she gets buckled into the seat). Along the way home I heard her gag... which she does from time to time when she puts a toy too far into her mouth. This is what I assumed was happening and we were pulling into the neighborhood by that time. When I got home and opened the back door I discovered she had pulled a bandaid of her leg and had it in her mouth. Oh my gosh!!!!! She really could have choked!!!! Lesson learned.

Another Must-Have

So, this is another great buy, in my opinion. This toy makes it so easy for Taylor to pull herself up to a standing position and it has enough lights and sounds to keep her standing for a long time. She LOVES this toy! She cruises around, and around the table. And another plus: On the "Annoying & Obnoxious Baby Toys" scale it rates about a 4 out of 10. There's enough variety that it's not too irritating for the rest of us!

My Buddy!

Taylor had a lunch date with her pal, Drew today! They are so cute! They don't play together too much, but Drew always shares his cool toys with Taylor. They are about the same size still (although Drew is a few months older) and they both have the same color of deep blue eyes. We just love getting these two together. I'd say it's her little boy-friend, but Taylor knows lots of little boys her age... she has a little buddy at daycare and at bible study too!

Still movin' and groovin'

Well Taylor is just crawling all over the place these days. She's going from a crawling to sitting position very well now instead of just flopping on her belly and being stuck there. She's also pulling up on furniture. She's gotten herself to a standing position all by herself a few times! I don't think it will be long before she's walking! She does this funny thing also where she gets herself into a push-up position, on all fours. She tries to crawl like this too... using her feet instead of her knees... like a monkey. She also has a preference for trying to crawl all over me! Taylor is just loving life with her new found mobility. Everything makes her laugh and smile!

Moving forward

Boy does crawling catch on fast! Taylor gets better and better and goes a little further every day! She tends to gravitate toward electrical cords and outlets and Riley. It's fun to see what she wants to explore now that she has the means to get where she wants to go! In only a week she is already making it across the room and into the kitchen! She is also babbling a lot these days. Her first sounds was "dadadada," then "babababa" then "tst! tst! tst!" She also experiments with volume by screeching and squealing very loudly.