The Taylor Family

Catching Up- Once Again

2012-01-25T13:20:00.000-08:00

I’ve recently been gently scolded by a few family members that for not updating the blog. I apologize. So here we go:

This one is a picture I found after I updated the blog last time of Austin "helping" Granddaddy repair a leaky faucet. I just love how he's right there in the middle of things- so into it!

Okay, on to our update. We had a great Christmas at home with just the 4 of us:

Then we went to Texas to celebrate with our families.

Because of some generous babysitting services from Grans & Granddaddy, Wes and I were able to watch the Baylor Bears win a bowl game (after also winning the Heisman, for those of you who are counting).

We celebrated New Year’s with explosives. Is there any other way?

After all this time in the car with 2 toddlers, we decided we hadn’t had enough, so we went to Dallas for a baby shower for our niece & got to spend the night with my aunt, uncle & cousin.

And now we’re home for the long haul, trying to prepare as much as we can for life with 3 kids!

4 Years Old!

2011-12-14T19:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Addison! Our girl is 4 years old. We had a great weekend celebrating her little life. We were so thankful for the houseful of helping hands we had as we turned our house into the North Pole for a “Santa’s Workshop” party. An especially big thanks to BopBop for spending HOURS tying strings on snowflakes!

Addison discovered Grans's necklace before the party, and did not want to take it off.

The kids came downstairs and wasted no time digging in to the cookie decorating setup!

Although both of our children were terrified of Santa, he did make an appearance.

This cute little guy walked in the door, grabbed Addison’s hand and jumped right into the festivities. He also kept giving her kisses! We’re going to have to keep an eye on him!

The kids also enjoyed some great snuggles and lovin' from all 4 of their grandparents and enjoyed having everyone around for a few days.

And although we have no pictures of it, we, of course, celebrated the exciting Heisman win of RG3! The kids were clapping and cheering, even though they didn't really know why. Then Austin breaks out with a "Yay, Sic 'em Bears!" Maybe he did know after all.

It's hard to believe it's already been 4 years since this little bundle joined our lives. For some reason this year I did a lot more reflecting and remembering our experience, thinking about what we were going through this time 4 years ago. I have to say, 4 years ago I may have been pleasantly surprised at what life looks like now. However, I'm really glad I'm on this end of things!

HOLIDAYS!

2011-12-04T20:54:00.000-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving in Texas. We enjoyed cooking, constructing, playing outside and riding the golf cart & 4-wheeler. The kids had a blast hanging out with their cousins, too.

This weekend we decorated our house for Christmas. We’ve looked so forward to starting traditions with our kids and carrying on the traditions that we remember fondly from our own childhoods. This is the first year the kids actually participated a little in the decorating, and it was a lot of fun. I know they still don’t get it all, but you’ve gotta start somewhere, right?

Believe it or not, I actually caught the kids like this this morning completely unscripted. I love that this picture marks where we are in life- 2 kids here, but 5 stockings behind them (and a random cup in the middle of the floor??).

Catching Up

2011-11-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

Not that many posts ago, I mentioned that I was going to try to do better about posting more often. That obviously did not happen. Sometimes it just doesn’t feel like there’s much happening in our lives that anyone would want to read about. So since the last post, we’ve just been chillin’…

(notice the watch is on her right hand- little lefty!)

Wes completed the Tough Mudder, a 12-mile obstacle course through the mud,

(running thru wires with live current in them)

and posing for pictures.

(this is his "smiling" face)

The kids were Dr. Seuss’s Thing 1 & Thing 2 for Halloween. They were not very cooperative with photos, and then we forgot to try again once we got home, so here’s the best we got.

For those of you who don’t know, we found out we’re having a girl! We had a level 2 ultrasound, and everything with her heart looks perfect & they found no markers for Down Syndrome (my first trimester screening was elevated), so that was all very good news to receive! We are currently at a standstill on her name. We both have names we like, just not the same ones.

Addison & Austin continue to play so well together. It’s really fun to listen to them playing & talking together. Today I heard Austin say, “Come on, Addison. Let’s play cakes” (a game they made up). So cute!

In the last few weeks Addison has made some huge progress in her speech! It was, of course, right after we had been talking with her speech therapist and teachers about how we didn’t feel like she was talking much and what could we be doing to encourage this more. And then she just comes out with phrases, concepts and even sentences that I had no idea she could form! It’s been a lot of fun! Here she is today at lunch. She insisted on puppy sitting in her chair and she’d “feed” him and then take her bite, the whole time conversing with puppy, “More mac & cheese? Okay. Here you go. Yummy!” Anytime she wanted something she’d say “Puppy wants milk” or “Puppy more apple.” And if I’d ask “You want more apple?” she’d say, “No, puppy more apple.”

Austin is currently obsessed with baseball. We’re not really sure where this has come from. We watched the World Series, but he was asleep for most of it. These are some of the phrases we commonly here him saying around the house:

“I love baseball, Mommy.”

“I GOT IT” (with a coozie over his hand, held up in the air)

“C’mon Rangers.”

“I play baseball” (usually right before he throws something he shouldn’t be)

As you may imagine, Wes is pretty excited.

I’ll really try again to do better with blogging. Hopefully with the holidays coming I’ll have more to share. Thanks for staying tuned.

Mini Laps, Warrior Dash & Birthday!

2011-09-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

This was a busy weekend for the Taylor family! We had lots of family in town to celebrate with us. Saturday included Addison’s MiniLaps, Wes’s Warrior Dash, a birthday party for Austin, and watching the Baylor Bears play some football! The kids loved having all our family in town. I wish we could have them around more often!

Addison did great with her lap. She waved at all the spectators as she walked around, but I think was a little too overwhelmed to smile!

We flew from there to Warrior Dash to watch Wes jump over fire.

Then we headed home to celebrate Austin’s 2^nd birthday! He enjoyed his cake and singing, but has loved playing with the train set he got! It’s been a huge hit.

"I did it!"

Sic 'Em Bears!

My dad also took some pictures of the kids for us. They love their rain boots, so I wanted to capture this phase for them.

Funny Kids & Birthday Hats

2011-09-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

I am loving my kids ages & stages right now. It seems like they do things every day that crack me up. I am writing this post mostly because they have done things in the last few days that I want to remember, & this is the best place I could think to put them.

1. We are starting to see Addison’s mischievous streak. Last week was picture day at school and she WOULD NOT smile. Her teachers said they were doing everything they could to get her to break a smile, & she’d almost start to smile & then stop herself.

2. Addison has been refusing her lunch that I send with her to school. I thought she was maybe getting bored with the same old stuff, so I actually looked online for creative ideas and have put some effort into her lunches. Still refusing it. However, she will eat other kids’ foods. So today her teachers realized that she won’t eat it if she thinks it came from home. But if they sneak it onto a different plate or tray- she eats it! Little stinker!

3. Austin played dress up at school the other day. His teachers said they put a tie and sunglasses on him, & he wouldn’t take them off the whole morning.

4. Addison has been sleeping in a big bed for about 6 weeks now with very little protest. We’ve only had one night that she got out of bed- until last night. After I put her down I heard her dresser drawers closing, so I went back in, & she had turned on her light and was climbing into her chair to read a book. The second time I went back in, I unscrewed the light bulb from her lamp. So she gets out of bed, cries for a minute when the light won’t come on, then climbs back into bed and goes to sleep. I guess she’s just testing the limits.

5. Yesterday at Target Austin gave a constant narration of what we saw: “White box. Yellow. Baby stroller. Shoes. Blue. Brush teeth [toothbrushes].” Then out of the blue, he puts his finger on his chin and starts saying, “Mmm-hmmm. I seeeee [with accurate inflection].”

6. Austin’s newest phrase: “Aw, shoot!”

As I type these out I realize some of them don’t sound as funny as they were when they happened. Oh well, I enjoy them.

Last week was Austin’s birthday. We were going to have a little family celebration at home that night. Instead, we ended up running to ERgent care to take care of an ear infection. Bummer. However, at preschool they made him a little crown to wear, & he loved it! He’s been wearing it around the house saying “birthday hat.”

I wanted to get some pictures of Austin in his crown, & we had some extra time today, so we went to the park to take pictures. I think the only reason he was okay with it was that he got to chase squirrels. I tried to explain to him that the chase is a lot more fun than the catch. I’m glad we didn’t find out for sure!

6 Days Left!!

2011-09-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Just six days left to sponsor Addison's MiniLaps! We are $4, 620 away from reaching our goal, & I have faith we will get there!! Every dollar donated until then will be matched dollar for dollar by a corporate sponsor. If you know anyone wanting to give to an amazing non-profit, please tell them about The Little Light House! Check us out at Addison's Mini Laps Page.

2011-09-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I’ve been really bad lately about updating the blog. I’m going to really try to do better. So, for those of you who don’t know, we have #3 coming! We are due March 3, & though we’re a little nervous about being outnumbered, we’re excited to have another one running around here before too long. Here’s the little one. Don’t know what kind it is yet, but will find out in another month or so.

These are just some random funny pictures of the kids lately that I thought were worth sharing.

The kids love their rain boots! They frequently wear them around the house, often in their jammies. We did actually get to wear them in the rain once a few weeks ago.

(This is what happens when daddy gives refills.)

I guess I forgot to post the pics from Addison’s first day of school in August. I can’t believe how big she is!

Last year's first day of school

This may be one that’s more for the grandparents, but we discovered this weekend that Austin sings! Whole songs. So far in his repertoire we've found Twinkle, Twinkle, Happy Birthday, and numerous Mickey Mouse & Laurie Berkner songs. I’m sure it’s one of those things that’s cuter to us than other people- but we are really enjoying this discovery for now.

Austin's First Day

2011-09-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

This kid cracks me up. Check out this little ham. Austin started pre-school today. He has the same teachers as last year, which is really good, because he LOVES his Miss Becky! He starts talking about her as we pull up to the church, & when he doesn't want to leave Addison's school I can just say, "Let's go see Miss Becky," and he's out the door. He had a great day & can't wait to go back.

Mini Laps!

2011-08-07T20:11:00.001-07:00

It's MiniLaps time again! The last year has seen some amazing improvements in Addison’s development. She has gone from very little verbal communication to using words to express her thoughts and get what she needs; from barely walking to running, jumping and keeping up with her brother. She has learned her alphabet, colors, counts from 1-13 and recognizes not only her first and last name, but all the names of her friends in class as well.

Even more importantly, her self-confidence has grown immensely. She is a trendsetter in her class and even has one friend from whom she has to be separated during class because they get in trouble for talking together.

We have the Little Light House to thank for these incredible accomplishments. This amazing school provides individualized education plans for each child, including Physical, Occupational, Speech and Vision Therapies. They use a Bible-based curriculum to teach students not only basics such as the alphabet and numbers, but also skills they will need to transition into schools. They even have parent meetings to guide parents in dealing with difficult behaviors or challenges at home (not that we’ve needed that!) And, it gets better. It is completely tuition-free! The school chooses to receive no government funding or United Way support so that they can continue to be a Christian school. It is supported entirely through private donations and corporate donors. As you can imagine, this kind of education can cost quite a bit. TLLH will spend roughly $17,000 this year to educate Addison alone. MiniLaps is our chance to help TLLH raise some of that money. Each child will make one lap around the TLLH track to celebrate the accomplishments they’ve made over the last year. Our job is to get sponsors for Addison’s lap to support this invaluable school.

A lot or a little, your money is going to a good cause for a very special girl. TLLH is a 501(C)(3) organization, so all contributions are tax deductible. Simply click on Addison's sassy picture on the right and you will be redirected to her MiniLaps page. Thank you for supporting our little girl and her friends at this incredible school.

If you’d like to know more about the impact The Little Light House has, you can watch a video that features Addison. Go to www.littlelighthouse.org and click the link to “Haven of Hope.”

Crazy Kids

2011-08-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

So, I guess I’ve got some catching up to do. The kids have been CRAZY lately! I’m realizing I’m going to have a double dose of the “terrible twos” at the same time. Just a few of the things the kids have been up to lately:

I let them play upstairs by themselves for a little while, thinking everything was childproofed. Didn’t realize they could get into the bathroom. They stuffed everything they could from the drawers and cabinets into the toilet. I can’t believe they didn’t flush it, but am oh so thankful they didn’t. We’ve already been down that road once & had to take the toilet off the floor to retrieve the ball Austin stuffed under the locked toilet seat.

They also found the permanent marker I use to mark their diapers. Once again, didn’t realize they could reach the drawer. They colored diapers, hands and a baby doll’s head- no clothes, no furniture, no carpet. I can’t believe I got so lucky!

We went to Waco last week & hung out with Grans while Wes went camping & fishing with my dad & brother. It was a crazy week. Being away from home is always hard with little ones, but I think the kids were actually a little over-stimulated by all the stuff we planned to do. We braved the heat and went to the zoo, a children’s museum...

painted outside...

rode a train...
& did lots of swimming.

And to top it all off, when we got home, Addison started sleeping in a big bed! She did great the last 2 nights, but chose to exercise her new freedom tonight. I felt like we were doing the newborn thing all over again. “Do we let her cry or do we go in and put her back in her bed?”

Staying Afloat

2011-07-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

So, as you may have noticed, we've been M.I.A. from the blogging world recently. I guess we're just trying to stay afloat. More coming soon.

Opitus & Ni-nickers

2011-06-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

The kids have really been a lot of fun lately. They are continuing to talk more & have more opinions- which, so far, has been a good thing. Austin is obsessed with trucks, tractors, trains, planes and anything else that will move. He has learned all the different trucks in his truck book and walks around saying, “Backhoe. Garbage Truck. Car Carrier. Tanker.” My two favorite words they say right now are Addison’s “opitus” (octopus) and Austin’s “ni-nickers” (cement mixer).

Austin had some rain boots handed down to him, and Addison loved them so much, we had to get her her own. They are so funny playing in them.

If you look closely, you’ll notice Addison’s face is blue in this picture. She had a cupcake at school, and after they cleaned her face, it was still blue. Thankfully the rest came off in the bath.

And here’s Austin “helping” Daddy with a project. He was so funny wanting to look at all the tools and nuts and bolts. He kept inching closer & closer, pointing at everything. I think it took everything in him to not play with them.

Florida Trip

2011-06-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

We went to the beach a few weeks ago with Wes's family and had a great time! Our trip last year was a little painful, so we weren't sure what to expect this year. It was still a lot of work with two little ones, but much more enjoyable! Addison loved the beach from the beginning. Austin took a day or so to warm up to it, and then was constantly asking to go "Beach? Ocean? Waves? Kel-cop-ker [helicopter]?"

Austin also learned to jump in the pool (what were we thinking?) and now jumps from any raised surface he can find around the house saying, "Three...Jump!"

Just a little sassy.

Matt & Ethan were so proud of themselves for pushing BopBop in with his clothes on!

That ice cream is so cold! But you'd better believe he kept going back for more!

You Can Just Call Me Pioneer Woman...

2011-05-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

although, I probably wouldn’t answer. In fact, I was more like Mrs. Doubtfire in the kitchen the other day. I attempted to make Pioneer Woman’s DELICIOUS cinnamon rolls for the first time (long-time eater, first time baker). They looked amazing in the pan before I put them in the oven, and I was feeling pretty good about myself- making cinnamon rolls from scratch with 2 little kids running around. So I stick them in the oven and start cleaning up the kitchen. It wasn’t until my kitchen began to fill with smoke that I realized I’d done something terribly wrong. On her blog (but not on the recipe) it says this recipe should make 7 pans of cinnamon rolls. I put them in 2 ½ pans. I opened the oven to find the cinnamon rolls spilling over the edges of the pans and onto the bottom of the oven.

Nonetheless, the kids had fun helping. I did not intend for this to be a sensory experiment for them, but it seems that’s what it became.

I gave the kids some raw cinnamon roll dough off the ends to play with. I thought they might enjoy squishing it between their fingers.

Poor little guy- just couldn’t wait. Looks like he got my will power when it comes to sweets!

Catching Up

2011-05-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

So, I’m a little behind on blog posts. And I’m not really feeling wordy tonight, so here are some pictures from the last few weeks.

Easter pics

Addison & Lanae

Garden Party 2011

Austin mesmerized by the dump truck

Mother's Day snuggles

So, not to brag, but I'm pretty proud of myself and just had to post this. I made a quilt for Addison, & it actually turned out pretty cute! (I had someone else do the actual quilting, but I sewed all the rest of it- which is huge for me.) I would still probably say I'd rather sew skin than fabric, but it was not nearly as painful as I thought it would be. I actually kind of enjoyed it!

"Ow-siyde"

2011-04-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

We have had a long stretch of feeling like we’re just trying to keep our heads above water. Between Wes traveling & me working evenings, we haven’t seen each other much lately. So this weekend we’ve really enjoyed just spending time as a family. We’ve gotten 2 days of playing with the kids, working in the yard & just catching our breaths. The kids got an early birthday gift this year and have LOVED playing on it. Several times a day I hear a tiny little petition “ow-siyde, ow-siyde.” So we go out in the rain, the wind or the sunshine and climb and slide and swing. I think this play set is going to really make our summer!

(I love these dirty little faces!)

I also have to give kudos to Wes. He took Addison to an all-out princess party today so that I could go to a baby shower for a friend. What a good husband and daddy! Addison used to be scared of this tutu, but obviously not anymore!

Destructo

2011-03-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

Austin has many nicknames around our house- Sticky Fingers, Concussion, Little Monkey, Wild Man- but I think the most fitting is Destructo. One of Wes’s favorite quotes from my dad is “There is nothing more destructive than the male child.” We are finding that statement to be nothing short of absolute truth. This weekend Austin climbed up on the counter and knocked our Nikon camera onto the floor, breaking the lens in the process. Lovely. Shortly before that, however, I was able to capture these pictures of him hard at work.

What, you don't kiss your legos?

Counting: "twoooo, fife."

I knew I recognized that look on his face, so I looked back and found this one from about 30 years earlier:

Guess there will be no denying who is father is.

Our Life

2011-03-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

Life with 2 little ones is crazy at times. I try to enjoy the crazy moments instead of letting them overwhelm me. I’m not always successful, but I try. Oftentimes after the kids go to bed I will find something they’ve done during the day that makes me laugh- toys tucked in strange places or their cups in the pretend fridge instead of the real one. I look forward to a day when they can tell me what’s wrong instead of whining or they can use the bathroom instead of my changing their diapers, but I’m sure I’ll miss the laughter as they knock every single magnet off the fridge and the pitter-patter of wobbly feet as they run through the house and that little voice desperately whimpering, “Aah-Aah? Aah-Aah? B? B? B?” as he searches for his monkey & blanket.

I have to post this next picture because it cracks me up. He is not falling. This is Austin's attempt at getting out of his Cozy Coupe head-first. I think his hands were occupied holding his Cheerios...

Aquarium & Friends

2011-03-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

We had the pleasure this past week of having Grammy in town, and I’m now realizing, didn’t take a single picture with her! I hate it when I do that! We decided on Saturday to take the kids to the aquarium to break up the day a little. They really enjoyed seeing the fish and running through the shark tunnel, but their favorite attraction was the cage display that was set up near the shark exhibit. We kept having to pull them out so that other people could take pictures of their kids in the cage. But it accomplished the goal at hand- keeping them entertained and happy.

I’ve put these next two on facebook, so most of you have probably seen them, but for those of you who haven’t, I thought I should definitely share this photo & video:

Funny Girl

2011-02-15T19:53:00.000-08:00

Addison has been keeping us laughing lately. Maybe it’s because she’s talking a little more, and definitely maturing some, but she’s been a funny little girl lately.

1. First and foremost, many of you know she has stopped napping (not so funny). I still put her up in her crib for “rest time,” but she typically throws all of her books and toys out of her crib in the first 2 minutes and is left to entertain herself. Her new favorite form of entertainment is to strip down naked- diaper and all (let’s hope this isn’t an indication of any future career interests). It was funny the first few times, but when I went to get her yesterday and smelled her hobby before I entered the room, I knew it was time for some serious action. Today was our first day of duct taping her diaper on, and so far it is a successful remedy.

2. I came home from work the other day and thought Wes had started to wash some dishes for me because the sink was overflowing with bowls. As I pulled them out of the sink, I also found a toy microphone, a ball, some wooden spoons and a couple of (unused) diapers. She’s enjoying being able to reach over the countertops!

3. Addison has started singing along with the music in the car and the intro to Mickey Mouse. It’s usually just the last word or even last syllable of a line, so it sounds something like this:

TV: “M-I-C-K-E-“

Addison: “WYYYYY”

TV: “M-O-U-S-“

Addison: “SEEEE”

4. She is quite the parrot lately, and I’ve begun to realize that I say the same things everyday. Whenever I cough or sneeze she says, “Okay, mommy?” This morning on the way to school Austin sneezed and she said, “Bless you,” and then once we got to school, I got her out of the car, and she said some semblance of, “Go get Bubba.” (out of his car seat).

5. Getting Addison from her classroom to the car used to be a bit of a struggle, but now she helps me push the stroller to the car, and it’s a breeze. The funny thing, though, is that there’s a little clear plastic window in the back of the stroller, and she puts her face to it and looks out as she steers.

Snow Days

2011-02-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

Snow days are not what they used to be. It used to mean sleeping in late, lounging around the house, doing whatever I wanted- an exciting, albeit short, break from whatever responsibilities I did have. Now- yeah, not so much. Let’s just say I’m running out of ideas to keep our two little hostages entertained and running out of days on which to reschedule our three doctor’s appointments we had this week. And it looks like the fun will continue yet another day!

A few shots from our last few days of being house-bound:

We’ve read books (and tried on daddy’s socks)

We've played with homemade playdough

We've eaten homemade playdough (not recommended)
We built a snowman (sort of- it is 9 degrees outside!)
We decapitated a snowman- oh the joy!
And though we don't have pictures, throwing toys over the rail from upstairs has been a very entertaining newfound pastime.

This one actually happened over the weekend, but here’s a good view of Austin’s temporarily permanent injury. We’re still not sure how he chipped his tooth, but it looks like he’ll be answering to “Snaggletooth” for the next 6 years or so! I have a feeling it has only just begun!

Cabin Fever

2011-01-28T09:10:00.000-08:00

I get in trouble when I don’t update the blog for a while, but the truth is, there’s not that much to update. We’ve had a touch of cabin fever in our house lately. We’ve had to bundle up a few times and go play outside, even if just for a few minutes. It just seems to reset everybody. I am really looking forward to the warmer weather and not having to deal with coats and static and standing in the cold putting Addison’s shoes back on when we’ve reached our destination. I’m already getting excited about swimsuits and bare legs & feet and playing outside in the water. It’s going to be a long few months!

Long Overdue

2011-01-04T19:28:00.001-08:00

We are finally back from our array of travels and getting back into the swing of things. First we flew to Boston to spend Christmas with Grammy & BopBop. We got 18” of snow while we were there, but thankfully our travel plans were not affected. The kids enjoyed the snow for about 10 minutes, which is about 20 minutes less than it took to get them all bundled up. I was just thankful they’re still in diapers so we didn’t have to deal with the inevitable need to pee once we zipped them up.

Then we headed down to Waco to spend some time with the Jumper family.

(Austin & his cousin, Reese, flashing her fake smile)

We had a great Christmas together, and then celebrated New Year’s in true Jumper fashion shooting fireworks off the deck.

The kids have enjoyed playing with their new toys,

but they’ve also really enjoyed playing with each other’s toys.

I guess that's one of the benefits of having siblings!

"Tweee"

2010-12-12T20:07:00.000-08:00

That’s what Addison says when asked how old she is. Tomorrow is her third birthday! We had a fun party today to celebrate her three little years, and I think she had a great time. We got to climb and jump and play with balls, bubbles and noodles, eat cake and open gifts. What more could a three-year-old girl ask for?

Austin also enjoyed himself, despite his face-plant fall out of his chair while eating cake. You’ll notice he already had a nice new bruise on the other side of his face, as well. As Grammy said, he’s starting to look like a prizefighter. We’re taking over-unders on when our trip to ERgent Care will be for his first set of stitches.

This is What Happens

2010-11-15T10:19:00.000-08:00

when football is on while Daddy watches the kids...

Staying Afloat

2010-11-13T20:34:00.001-08:00

So I’ve been pretty bad about taking pictures lately. Life has been a little hectic- which I guess won’t be changing anytime soon. I’ve just been living day-to-day trying to not lose my patience or my sanity amidst sick kids, teething and temporary single-parenting (We’re not having marital problems! Wes has just been traveling a lot for work. J) One of my favorite things about our life right now is the times that Addison and Austin forget I’m around and play happily together. They can crack each other up! While some of these pictures aren’t incredibly recent, I thought I’d share a few that make me smile.

(I feel this way some days!)

This is Addison with LLH volunteers at Laps for Little Ones. Wes & I both noticed what a great feeling it is to be able to hand your child to someone & not worry about them even if you can't see them.

Pumpkins & A Princess

2010-10-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

I guess I’ve got some catching up to do in the world of blogging.We went to the pumpkin patch several weeks ago, and the kids had lots of fun playing in all the little plastic houses that were there. Austin thought he was in heaven, continually pointing at the pumpkins saying, “Ball. Ball.Ball.” We had a hard time getting a good picture of them together, but a couple cute ones of each of them.

Yesterday I thought the kids would enjoy carving a pumpkin- well, playing with the insides after I cut the top open, anyway.Addison played with the innards some, but mostly she just threw it, and then Bear ate it (note his intent stare). They mostly liked “stirring” in the pumpkin and putting the top back on.

Tonight we dressed the kids up and went to the Trunk-or-Treat at our church. Austin wanted nothing to do with his Nemo costume, so at the last minute we decided to make him a “Mini-Me.” Wes said they were Super Rangers fans. Addison was a Disney princess (not sure which one, just the 60% off one). In the car on the way to church she was looking at the ruffles and sparkles on her dress and she kept saying, “Cute. Cute. Pretty.Cute.” It was pretty cute!

Green & Gold

2010-10-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

Green & gold could describe what’s been coming out of my children’s noses this week, but I prefer to think of it in the context of our alma mater, Baylor University, also known as the currently ranked #1 team in the Big XII south- for now, anyway! (I’m just glad that “we fling our green & gold afar” is a line from that good ole Baylor Line and not from the Taylor line.) We went down last weekend for Homecoming. The kids enjoyed the parade, and it was great to see some family & old friends.

Despite the 2 hour inclement weather delay that began only 3 plays into the game, and the continued scattered rain showers throughout the game, it was a great game to attend. After the game, fans rushed the field and sang the Baylor Line on the field.

p.s. just pretend this post was written a week ago. :0)

Photos

2010-10-13T07:55:00.001-07:00

Not much to blog about lately, so I'm going to let someone else do the blogging. We had photos taken recently, and we love them! Click here to check them out.

Almost Famous

2010-09-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

This was a big weekend for Addison & our family! Saturday was MiniLaps at the Little Light House, and she did great. She made her lap smiling all the way. We can’t thank you all enough for the support you’ve shown for Addison. The Little Light House raised $280,000, and Addison raised the second highest amount of all the students! We are very thankful for our little girl and all that she has taught us over the last 2 ½ years and for the staff and volunteers at TLLH.

Also on Saturday morning, Addison’s picture was featured in the NYC Buddy Walk slideshow at Times Square! Addison’s aunt had a friend who lives there take a picture for us. How cool is that? Thanks Brittan & Kelsey!

Happy Birthday, Little Guy

2010-09-15T13:15:00.001-07:00

It’s hard to believe that another year has flown by. Austin is such a great little kid. He has the greatest little smile and loves to dance (think bobble-head). A few words to describe him are persistent, climber, death-grip, busy, snaggle-tooth (see above). He’s started nodding “yes” and talking more than I think we realize. He adores his sister and has a newfound love of cars and trucks.

Although this looks like birthday cake, Austin is actually eating pumpkin bread with cool whip in these pictures- not because I’m a wonderful, health-conscious mom who won’t give my kids sugar (what fun would that be?), but because when we tried to give him a cupcake with icing, he wanted nothing to do with it (can this be my child?). Or maybe it was just because it was chocolate (he IS my child!) I’ll be honest- giving him cake is more for me than him. I just love those cute pictures with icing all over their faces. Addison, however, had no problem digging right into that chocolate cake.

Here's to another year!

Catching Up

2010-09-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

Wow, am I behind! We’ve been a little busy the last 3 weeks. Wes threw me a surprise party in Waco for my 30^th birthday. It was a blast and so great to see so many old friends who we don’t get to catch up with as often as we’d like.

We also had a little party while we were there for Austin’s 1^st birthday (which is this Weds). He thoroughly enjoyed the cake, gifts and attention.

Austin started preschool last week. He’s just going one day a week, but I think it will be a good time for all of us. He’s a little difficult at times to get pictures of that aren’t just a blur of a little boy.

Last weekend Wes’s mom kept the kids while Wes and I took the weekend off. It was so great to sleep in, eat when we wanted and not have any kind of schedule or plan. They had a great time, but I think she might be glad to have a break of her own.

UPDATE

2010-08-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

The Little Light House has moved from 37th to 32nd place! We still need lots of votes. If you haven't voted on Facebook, please, please take a second to do so. Vote Here. If you don't have a Facebook page, get one! Thank you!

We need YOUR help!

2010-08-27T05:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, folks. Kohl's is giving away $500,000 to 20 schools in honor of their 10th anniversary. The Little Light House (Addison's amazing tuition-free school for kids with special needs) is currently ranked 37th out of 60,000 schools! We need your help to get into the top 20 (less than a week ago we were #53, so it can be done!). Please, please go to Kohl's Cares for Kids and vote 5 times for The Little Light House. Then, TELL YOUR FRIENDS! Call your local news. Tell your church- everyone you can think of! Please! We need lots of votes by Sept. 3. Thank you!

First Day of School

2010-08-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

More Waco Pics & 11 months

2010-08-19T20:44:00.001-07:00

Thought I’d post a few more pics from our Waco adventure. Addison loved the train at Kiddieland! Austin almost fell asleep. I don’t know if that means we just weren’t going fast enough for him or maybe he’s more of a Cliffhanger kind of guy. There’s always been something about a breeze in my face that makes me sleepy, too.

I love that my kids loved Schmaltz’s (a Waco favorite for those of you unfortunate enough to never have experienced it).

And everyone can use a little Grans & Granddaddy lovin’.

...and a few “11 month” pictures that made me smile. (We had a wardrobe malfunction mid-shoot. It involved spit-up.)

Does anybody still read this thing? Sometimes I think I'm talking to myself (& my mom!).

Grans Camp 2010

2010-08-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

We’ve been hanging out with Grans and Aunt Brittan this week while Daddy went fly fishing with Granddaddy and Uncle Russ, and we have had a blast! I think my kids are going to be bored when they’re stuck with just me again! Here are some highlights:

"Waste not, want not?"

Brooke's mom & I have been friends since we were our girls' ages.

Kids' first popsicles!

Austin post-nosedive over the edge of the kiddie pool.

Mini Laps!

2010-08-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

We are so excited for Mini Laps this year! This is the biggest fundraiser the Little Light House has each year. The kids get dressed up according to the theme and make their lap around the LLH track, all the while having their accomplishments and milestones touted over a loudspeaker. The laps are followed by a great little carnival with the works- food, face painting, animals, etc.

The Little Light House will spend about $17,000 this year educating Addison alone! This is our chance to help pay back at least a portion of that. If you would like to support this incredible school and ministry, please visit Addison's Mini Laps page, or click on her picture to the right.

We would also love for you to come watch Addison make her lap on September 25 at 10am at TLLH.

I Just Have to Brag

2010-07-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

So this video is really probably more for grandparents and other family members, but I am so impressed by this little girl! It was maybe two or three weeks ago that we realized she was recognizing letters, and now she knows almost all of them. (Please excuse the background racket from little brother toward the end- I’m no videographer.)

Also, I love reading the funny things that friends’ kids say on their blogs and have often wondered what goes on inside Addison’s little head (besides the running soundtrack of Little Light House songs). Well, what we suspected has been confirmed: Yesterday she was sitting on the floor playing with Bearfoot (our dog) and she leaned around to his face and said, “Eat? More? Oh’s [Cheerios]? K.” Then she got up, went into the pantry, and came back with an unopened box of Cheerios. She was certain that was what Bear wanted to eat (maybe projecting just a tad).

10-Month-Old in da House

2010-07-16T17:06:00.000-07:00

Our kids are so much fun these days. Austin is now 10 months old. He loves his sister, his brown blanket, pumpkin bread and dancing (think Stevie Wonder). He has stood for a second or two on his own and will walk pushing a toy. He and Addison are so cute together. Today I was watching them standing at the back door looking out the window, and she just leaned over and kissed his little head. What a sweet big sister! (The photo would certainly have won a contest if I could only have gotten to the camera in time!)

Addison is getting so big, too. These are just some impromtu pictures we took today. Good subjects make it easy to get good pictures.

Happy Independence Day

2010-07-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

We had a fun, relaxed 4^th of July. While it would have been fun to light some fuses, we had to settle this year for watching from afar. And even though they were beautiful, it’s just not the same without the possibility of having to run from a rogue firecracker or put out a fire in the trees.

We are thankful for the freedoms we have and even more thankful for those who have fought to protect them.

Summer Days

2010-06-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

Addison doesn’t quite get dressing up yet, but lately she loves to put on our shoes, clothes, etc. This morning she put on my shorts, both of her legs in one of the leg holes, and walked around the house proudly, holding them up with both hands. She will often put shoes on her feet or a purse on her shoulder and then turn around and say, “Bye,” as she heads for the door.

She and Austin have been enjoying playing together more and more. Lately we’ve been doing a lot of playing in the water, trying to stay cool in this lovely Oklahoma weather!

Better Late Than Never

2010-06-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

Austin turned 9 months old last week. We would have posted these pictures last week, but we’ve been busy chasing the kid around the house, trying to keep him from permanently injuring himself or others. One would think that since he has an older sister, the house would be baby-proofed. However, the baby-proofing we did for Addison doesn’t seem to hold up for him. He is pulling over his diaper disposal can, the fireplace screen, climbing on stuff and opening drawers and cabinets she never found. He’s also started picking up some signs, so hopefully he’ll be as proficient as his sister in the world of pre-verbal communication. He will certainly have a good teacher!

Today's Top Ten

2010-06-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

The ten most commonly seen/heard happenings in our house today…

10. “crckr, psss” (translation: “cracker, please”)

9. “Soft hands, Addison” (translation: please don’t smack your brother on the head)

8. Addison sitting on Austin

7. Addison emptying any cabinet without a child-lock.

6. “ooooh’s, psss” (Cheerios, please)

5. Austin climbing/standing in Addison’s foam chair

4. Addison ~~strangling~~ hugging Austin

3. Austin pulling vent covers off of the air conditioning ducts

2. Me body-blocking Addison from reaching the dirty diaper as I wipe poop off of Austin’s foot that is there as a result of our full-contact diaper change.

1. The occasional moment when everyone’s happy, playing together and all is right with the world.

One good thing about big sisters...

2010-06-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

...sometimes they drop their cookie crumbs.

Beach "Vacation"

2010-06-07T19:18:00.000-07:00

We learned this week that a vacation is not a vacation when traveling with two small children. It seems some trips are doomed from the beginning. Maybe we should have aborted the mission when our flight to Florida was cancelled for “maintenance” (i.e., not enough people onboard to make it worthwhile for the airline). However, once we got to Florida, we had a great time. It was so good to spend time with family, and the kids LOVED the ocean. They both would run/crawl straight into the ocean and would laugh when waves splashed them in the face. In fact, I think our times on the beach just might have been worth the sleepless nights and endless airplane rides.

The Graduate

2010-06-07T19:08:00.001-07:00

The weekend before the beach we made a pit-stop in Dallas to attend my cousin’s high school graduation. We had such a wonderful time with our family. The kids (little & big) enjoyed the pool, and it was really great to sit around after dinner and laugh together. Thanks to Janet & Greg for hosting such a wonderful weekend!

(We really did go to her graduation. We just weren't allowed to take pictures. And, we were chasing two rugrats during most of it, anyway.)

Busy Boy

2010-05-23T20:04:00.000-07:00

(My good friend Meredith took this picture, and I absolutely love it! You can see all more of her work at www.meredithgutshall.com.)

I remember when I was pregnant saying to my dad, "I'm glad I'm not chasing this kid around yet because he's constantly moving." Well, that day has come. In the last two days Austin has started scooting across the floor, can get himself from lying to sitting, and pulled himself to standing. He is in constant motion. Even if he's just sitting in my lap, he's always reaching, pulling, squirming, standing or grabbing for something. Take a good look at us now, because once this kid is truly mobile, we will be nothing but a blur as we chase him down the street, across the parking lot and thru the halls.

So proud of himself!

Timber!

2010-05-14T19:19:00.000-07:00

I’m sure most of you have heard about the excitement around our house. But for those who haven’t, the huge oak tree in our front yard was snapped at the base and fell right outside our bedroom window in the storms Thursday morning. We’re happy to have our power back and are no worse for the wear.

Austin is 8 months old (tomorrow). We can’t believe how quickly it’s gone by.

He’s not crawling yet, but he rocks on his hands & knees. He scoots around on his belly, but only in reverse. This sometimes gets him into a predicament.

Other than that, we’ve just been enjoying our kids and the outdoors (when it’s not storming).

Arrrrgh!

2010-04-30T19:56:00.001-07:00

Today was our first day to patch Addison's eye, and she did great! We were anticipating an hour-long struggle of trying to keep her from pulling it off. She did try a few times, but overall she didn't let it slow her down.

Whew!

2010-04-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

We had a BIG weekend. We got to spend some good time with our families and recognize each of our kids in their own way. Addison was first. The Garden Party, a fundraiser for the Little Light House, was on Saturday. This was the second year of what I think will be a longstanding tradition of getting dressed up and flaunting our fanciest hats.

Austin got to hang with the guys while we Garden Partied. I think all the testosterone wore him out!

We also got to just enjoy being with family. Is there any way we could just move Tulsa (and the rest of our families) to Texas? That would make me one happy girl!

Our kitchen table hasn’t clocked near the hours my parents’ has, but we’re working on it.

We so appreciate our families, not only for coming to support our kids this weekend, but for loving and supporting us year-round! We would not be the parents we are without y’all.

Sunday was Austin’s day. He got his five minutes of fame at his dedication at church. He smiled on cue, and didn’t follow in his sister’s footsteps of spitting up on Deron. We were glad for that (as I'm sure he was, too)!

Two Cuties

2010-04-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd share a few more pics of our cute kiddos (I know I may be biased, but when it's true, does opinion really matter?). It seems like they get older and more fun every day.

"Hey dad! Look at me!"

Saturday morning jumping on the bed.

I know this is probably something we shouldn't be teaching our children (why is that, again?), but we were having fun. And no little monkeys bumped their heads.

"Ummmm... I didn't do it?"

Another Month Gone By

2010-04-16T07:59:00.000-07:00

Our baby boy is 7 months old and such a little boy. The most notable thing about Austin right now is that he is enamored with Addison. They love to play together (if you can really call it that yet- it's mostly her taking his toys and sometimes using his head as a playmat). Even so, he LOVES his big sister...

...Just not always as much as she loves him.

(FYI- You may notice the brevity of this post. Updating the blog with the "help" of a 2-year-old takes at least twice as long as doing it alone! )

Easter

2010-04-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

We went to Texas for Easter and had a great time. Addison and Austin loved snuggling with Grans & Grandaddy,

playing with their cousins,

dyeing Easter eggs,

and hunting them.

We attempted to take pictures in the bluebonnets, but this is as close as we got. (For all you non-Texans out there, bluebonnets are the Texas state flower. They blanket open fields, highway medians and embankments everywhere. It’s like peanut butter & jelly; ham & cheese; Easter pictures & bluebonnets.)

We also took pictures of all 5 cousins. A little side note here: Addison was a little scared of her Easter dress at first. We’ve had it hanging on her dresser for the last couple of weeks to desensitize her. She wasn’t thrilled about wearing it, but then we put her Keens on with it, and she loved it. (Can’t imagine where she got that?!) We decided she looked like a princess hiking.

First Day of School

2010-03-31T18:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Addison’s first day at the Little Light House, and she had a blast. As I dropped her off, we met several people along the way, and they all seemed to know her already. I have quickly learned to answer to “Addison’s mom.” She jumped right in and started playing with her new friends, hardly noticing when I left. When I picked her up, I was getting her stuff together, and one of the little boys in her class came over and gave her a hug! It was the cutest thing ever. We are so thankful for the Little Light House, all of the staff and volunteers and for the opportunity for Addison to grow and learn there.

Messy Faces

2010-03-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

I promise I won't post pictures every time we start a new food, but I thought it was time for some new pictures on here. Austin loved his carrots and cereal (turns out that stuff does has nutritional value). He got so excited for every bite.

And Addison enjoyed her pizza.... How can she be so cute, even with food all over her face?

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2010-03-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Half-Birthday, Austin!

2010-03-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

The boy is now 6 months old! He is pretty much sitting up on his own, with only an occasional spill. Grammy and Bop-Bop watched the kids while I worked the other day, and when I got home they said, “He crawled!” Upon further review, the move was more of a lunge than a crawl, but he did move to get a tag that was out of his reach. Other than that, he enjoys the usual 6-month-old interests: sucking on his toes & fingers, laughing at the dog and “playing” with (a.k.a. defending himself against) his sister. We have noticed lately that he is becoming more interested in his surroundings and developing more of a personality.

(think he's outgrowing his pants, maybe?)

Today he got his first haircut. He did well and thoroughly enjoyed chewing on the cape. We realized tonight that we took pictures, but don’t have any of the finished product. Suffice it to say, he looks sharp. We’ll try to post some pictures soon.

Avocado, Anyone?

2010-03-10T17:50:00.000-08:00

Austin had his first bites of “real” food today. I’ve been thinking it’s about time to start him on solids. That was confirmed today while I was working and Grammy watched Addison & Austin. She said when she gave Addison lunch Austin was about ready to leap across the table to get her food. We had some avocados in the house, so I thought that would be a good first food. (I’ve always thought rice cereal was a little too much like wallpaper paste, anyway. Can that stuff really have any nutritional value?)

He was pretty eager to get that first bite in his mouth, but once he did, he wasn’t really sure about it.

But playing with it more than made up for that.

Also, look how well he’s sitting up !

So, we knew the Little Light House was amazing, but check this out. Less than a week since Addison was accepted, and she’s already getting offers from the Wall Street Journal!

LLH, Here We Come!

2010-03-06T18:55:00.000-08:00

We got a call yesterday from the Little Light House that there is a spot for Addison to start in April! We are beyond thrilled. She has been on the waiting list since the week after she was born, so we’ve been looking forward to this day for quite some time. She will have an individualized plan and receive the therapies and instruction she needs right there at school. What an incredible place of caring teachers, staff and volunteers! We can’t thank them all enough.

On a separate note, Austin and Daddy are becoming quite good buddies these days. Just had to share these funny pics!

"Which way's the weight room?"

"Whatcha dooooin'?"

Sometimes Pictures Are Better Without Words...

2010-03-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

Family!

2010-02-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful weekend in Waco celebrating Christmas with the Jumper family. Yes, we know we’re a couple months late. We’ve found it’s kind of fun to have a belated celebration to look forward to, and to have one less holiday engagement in the middle of the December craziness. We had several new additions to the family, and lots of little ones running around. L.D. is my cousin’s son. He is just a few months younger than Addison and was so sweet with her and the other babies.

Don’t worry. Wes sat him down and had a little chat with him!

And of course, Addison had a ball with one of her favorite aunts, Aunt Brittan.

Owen, my nephew, just turned 7, and also was so sweet with Addison.

One of the nights we were there we pulled out old photos and family videos. It was so fun to reminisce and laugh at the 4-year-old versions of ourselves and each other. This is one of the photos we found of my dad. See some resemblance?

Our Big Little Boy

2010-02-16T21:23:00.000-08:00

Well, the count continues. Austin is now 5 months old. I don’t feel like there’s a lot to report right now. He no longer sleeps through the night- we did say from the beginning he was going to be the one to keep us on our toes! He’s been “talking” and laughing out loud a lot more lately. So fun!

Addison continues to be enamored with her brother. I can’t wait until he’s big enough for them to really play together. She actually ended up with pneumonia last week, but is feeling much better now. Thanks for your prayers!

Learning As I Go

2010-02-16T18:01:00.000-08:00

Last week I called a preschool to ask about taking a tour to see if it was somewhere we wanted to send Addison. I was told that she cannot attend there because she has Down Syndrome (they don't take kids with special needs). I can understand how some kids with special needs require extra attention or have medical needs that cannot be met by the typical preschool staff. But, at the same time, Addison has none of that, and I felt like she was being rejected because she's different. I will not lie- I was rude to the lady (she was not particularly friendly from the beginning). Now I feel kind of bad- kind of- and wish I could explain myself. Although she'll probably never read this, I want to say it anyway:

Dear Preschool Lady,
I'm sorry I was rude to you on the phone. Please understand that for the last 2 years I have been told that I am my child's advocate; that I have to fight for her when she cannot fight for herself. I understand that some kids with special needs would put a strain on your staff or require more attention than you are able to provide. Those characteristics, however, do not describe my daughter. Imagine for a moment that a school told you they would not accept your child because she was hispanic (or fair-skinned or too tall). "We don't speak Spanish, and we don't have translators (or sunscreen or chairs big enough)," she'd tell you. "But my child speaks English. She was born in Oklahoma. She doesn't need a translator," you'd tell her. "I'm sorry," she says, "we just don't take foreigners." Do you see how frustrating this is? I would appreciate a little more understanding in the future, and I will find a better way to advocate for my daughter. Thank you, Rachel

Sugar & Spice & Everything Snot!

2010-02-09T18:50:00.000-08:00

So, it’s been a while. The truth is, there hasn’t been much to tell. A few weeks ago on an episode of Modern Family Claire, mother of 3, complains of feeling frumpy, always covered in “peanut butter and paste.” I would gladly take peanut butter and paste over the snot, banana and spit-up that is my life right now. I think in the last twelve hours Addison has produced her weight in snot. (I will spare you pictures of that.)

On a less disgusting note, we got a call the other day that the Little Light House will have a spot for Addison in the fall! We are going this Friday for her screening where she will be evaluated for placement. A few of the therapists who see Addison have suggested that she may actually be doing so well that the LLH may not be challenging enough for her. That is obviously great to hear, but we’ve been looking forward to her going there for the last 2 years. Please pray for wisdom as we decide where will be best for Addison.

Austin continues to flash that melt-your-heart smile of his. Over the last couple days I’ve had 3 or 4 people say to me “He’s such a happy baby.” What a change from his first few months of life! I’ll leave you with this:

Four Months and Counting...

2010-01-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

Austin is four months old! He's likes to laugh, loves to play with his sister, and has just started rolling over. He likes his bath, and I think he enjoys sleeping through the night as much as we do! He does NOT like being on his tummy (though he's tolerating it a little better now), and he tends to get upset when Addison sticks her fingers down his throat. He is bald on the sides of his head, but still has sideburns and lots on top. We're thinking it may not be too long until his first haircut!

The flip-side of his first roll

Happier Now & Chatty Addi Part II

2010-01-10T18:46:00.000-08:00

These are happier days in the lives of the Taylor family. We have survived the era of colic, and Austin has started sleeping through the night. We are now enjoying our happy baby! When I picked Austin up at the church nursery this morning, the lady said, “He’s such a happy baby.” I had to double-check to make sure she had given us the right baby!

And now for the second installment in the Chatty Addi series. . . . I suppose in the next video she will be chewing gum, too. (Sorry for the shaky video- she's a little harder to keep up with now!)

PB&J

2010-01-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

When was the last time you enjoyed your PB&J this much?