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Cute story

So one of her new favorite shows is Blues Clues. I haven't noticed if they do this in every show or just in almost every show, but sometimes Blue will do a little dance, sing a little song, then jump into a picture. The host (Joe or Steve depending on how new/old the episode is) will then do the same dance and sing (to the same tune), "Blue Skidood, we can too!" and jump into the picture.

This past week, Taylor has started doing this. Last night was just the most I'd seen her do it. She "skidood" all the way from her bedroom door into her bed. She made little fists, wiggled and sang, "Blue skidood, we can too!" then hopped sideways.

Of course, a parent here whose kids have now outgrown Blues Clues told me to look out for the mail song. They sing and dance - "Here's the mail, it never fails. It makes me want to wag my tail." (yes, they wag their "tail") "When it comes I want to wail - MAIL!"

For now, I'll enjoy her skidoo'ing. :)

Funny Taylor story

Awhile back the pediatrician recommended we let her pick her clothes (give her the option to pick between two outfits), so I've been holding up two outfits and asking her which she'd like to where: "This one or this one?" Now, this has been going on since she was about 1 year old. Usually she picks one. Other mornings, if she takes too long or we're running late, I pick one and she lives with it.

Last night, she's standing on her dresser/changing "table" and I'm getting her ready for bed - she doesn't want her green night shirt (a shirt that was her daddy's a looong time ago). She asked for her yellow nightshirt (um, she doesn't have one). I got her other night shirt and asked her which one she wanted. She ended up taking them both from me then stood there holding each one out in turn and saying, "This one or this one?" "No." "This one or This one?" (repeat). I was crying I was laughing so hard and at one point I'm kneeling on the floor in front of her dresser/changing "table" - laughing so hard I couldn't stand up! Still, holding each one out in turn, "This one or this one?" "No." "This one or this one?"

Of course, I finally got myself under control. She wore the green shirt - fussed when I put it on her and took away the other nightshirt, but she got over it.

Taylor's glasses (sunglasses)

She's been doing this for at least a month now and I keep forgetting to post it.

First, a little background info: It has become an every day thing that she MUST have her sunglasses. The first day we had them in the car in the morning I told her they needed to stay in the car. She fussed and fussed and I got to thinking about it. Why couldn't she take them with her? They might be nice to have while on the playground, after all. I relented and said, "You're right, honey. Glasses can go with you." Now there are mornings where, when I'm unbuckling her carseat, she hugs her glasses and tells me (rather matter of factly), "Glasses come with me." Me: "Yes they do."

This morning, she's getting into her carseat and asking for her glasses. I told her they were in her diaper bag and I'd give them to her after she was buckled in ("Okay........ where my glasses?"). I buckled her in, got in myself, then handed her glasses back to her. She said, "Oh thank you! That's so sweet!"

And that's what she's been doing for at least a month now. Every now and then when we hand her something, she says, "Oh thank you! That's so sweet!"

And it is so very sweet. :)

More on the seriousness of her glasses. She woke up an hour early Thursday morning. My routine is that I'm up at 5 (sometimes 5:30), I'm showered and dressed by 6, go do my Bible study, do whatever else needs to be done, then wake Taylor up at 7. Didn't get my Bible study done that morning but some of the other stuff *had* to be done (laundry moved to dryer so clothes wouldn't sour!) I went downstairs into the garage, she watched me from the door and asked, "Where my glasses?" I told her I didn't know, she said, "Okay" and I didn't think anything else of it. Then I heard her voice upstairs above me, then heard her running down the stairs back down to the living room. She yells, "They're in the diaper bag!" and she goes and gets them. She had gone into the bathroom and asked her daddy, who was in the shower, where her glasses were.

Taylor stories

She's learning to say grace... "God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for da food..." The last half is typical 2-yr old "speak" and then a firm AMEN.

Don't recall if I've posted this before or not, but she is definitely her daddy's daughter in the mornings. Brian is not always the most cheerful person when he's waking up. He's also a little resistant to being woken up. One day last week, I was trying to get Taylor up and she'd whine, "No mama! I seepy now!" I'd tickle her some.. Brian came and joined in. She's laughing and wide open with the tickling. Then he started pulling her out of bed by her legs. The whole time she's screaming, "No daddy! I seepy now! I seepy now, Daddy!"

She sings... she loves singing. I like to think it's because I sing to her a lot and that she was exposed to it even before she was born. She's recently started putting different words to tunes she knows. Brian was laying in bed with her one morning and she was singing to the tune of "Are you sleeping": "Where is mommy? Where is mommy?" then I walked in and she sang, "There she is. There she is." using the last part of the Are You Sleeping tune.

This past weekend we went to one of our favorite restaurants and she went teetee in the potty! She's actually really good about that when we're out. It's when we're home that we have the problem. Anyway, we got back to the table, the waiter came and said hi to her and she smiled real big and said, "I teetee in the potty!"

And last but not least, she's repeating what's she's hearing. We're playing on the floor of her room and Brian & I pretend to be asleep. At first she does the Wiggles thing (1, 2, 3... Wake up daddy mommy!). After a little bit, she says, "I right back" and walks out of the room, closing the door. Brian & I look at each other and start screaming, "I want my Taylor! I want my Taylor!" She comes back in and tells us, "It's okay. It's okay" and even pats us on the back and gives us kisses. Then says, "I right outside if need me." This is exactly what we do at night and probably what her teacher does at school too. I love it.

Where's my toes?

After assaulting countless baths with bubbles and bubble wands, both real and pretend, Taylor had her introduction to a "real" bubble bath this evening. She played "Where's my toes?" and "Where's my hands?" and had a grand ol' time.

"I like bubble bath!"

Baby in the basket

While helping Mommy change sheets this afternoon, Taylor made herself a bed. "I seeping like a baby!"

Sleepy Taylor

Now we're getting more up-to-date. When Elizabeth went to wake Taylor up Friday morning, she found Taylor with her head under the pillow. (Do I really snore that loudly Taylor?)

What a rude awakening.

Grandma & Grandpa's backyard

We spent Memorial day weekend in Huntsville, and the army of cousins came over to play. Grandpa made a giant adjustable rope swing, on which the baby swing harness attaches perfectly. After watching her cousins have fun with it, Taylor finally got up the nerve to give it a whirl.

Ariel takes her own pictures of the festivities.

"Higher Daddy!"

Grandpa's infamous dirt pile. No kid can resist the allure of the dirt pile. Funny - Mike and I always got in trouble for playing on it. When the grandkids head for the pile however, Grandpa heads for the camera. Just ain't fair, is it? I know the dirt had a destination originally; now it's been there so long it sports its own cedar tree.

Playing outside

These pictures are from a couple weeks ago, while I was outside grilling. I'm very late in publishing them. I cannot go outside to grill without her assisting me. She even helps me remember to get a beer. "Daddy where your juice?"

Bubbles! Taylor loves "big bubbles"

Hide and seek is one of her favorite games to play while I'm outside grilling. can you spot the hidden Taylor in this picture?

"I found you!"

Time to wash hands ...

... and feet ...

... and clothes.

Washing clothes is fun!

Taylor in her rocking chair.

This is our typical grilling setup. She shows me where to put the chairs and table, and where to put her cup and my beer.

After sitting in her chair for 2 seconds, it's time to share Daddy's chair.

Time to check the mail. Taylor loves checking the mail.

No trip to the mailbox is complete without a visit to the front step.

We also have to climb the handrail.

New Favorite Shows (Post# 250!)

Disclaimer: These new favorite shows have not, as of yet, replaced any previously favorite shows.

Sometime last week, we were asking her if she wanted to watch Wiggles (no), Barney (no), or Bear in the Big Blue House (no). She said something we didn't understand at first and then I realized she was saying, "I want to watch Dora." She likes Dora the Explorer! In setting up a season pass for it, we learned that it conflicts with Wiggles. Both shows come on multiple times each day so we've remedied that... she gets some of both shows recorded each day and we've got all of them set up to only keep 2-3 episodes so we're not overwhelmed with kid shows. :)

Over the weekend, she surprised me and picked out a Veggietales video. We turned the TV on to play it on the VCR and Blue's Clues was on. We put the video in and she got mad - she wanted to watch Blue's Clues! So we now have a season pass for Blues Clues too.

Memorial Day was a mommy/daughter day (daddy had to work) and we went to Toys R Us to return something (a potty training DVD we'd never opened b/c she liked the book instead). I took her over to the book section to pick out a couple of books (didn't have a receipt so they let me swap it out). First she saw and wanted a Big Red Car book (Wiggles). She was looking at that while I was checking out coloring books and other books when she spotted Dora the Explorer and Boots dolls (Boots is the monkey and friend of Dora's). They were each wearing a backpack that was a book. She wanted Dora, I gave it to her. Then she wanted Boots. I held Boots and the Big Red Car book up and said, "You can only have one. Pick one." She picked Boots!! I was shocked. (And one little score for me was that I was able to get both those dolls and still got a penny back! LOL).

The last two nights she's wanted Dora and Boots. We'll read the backpack books then she'll play with them or hug them (Dora cwying!) or make them dance. Oh, one funny at the grocery store after we left the toy store: She had them in the buggy with her and threw Dora out. I fussed at her. At one point I said, "If I hadn't seen you do that, we'd be looking for Dora and she'd be lost." Taylor leaned over around me, pointed and said, "There she is." I gave Dora back, Taylor hugged her, looked at me and said, "Dora cwying." I said, "Of course she is. You threw her on the floor!"