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Got Pictures :)

I got to work early so I could leave early and it ended up taking an hour to get to the daycare (normally about 20 minutes). Why? There was a wreck on my wonderful 2-lane back road route home (I really do love my commute, it's just bad when there's a wreck... this is the first one I've seen). I've now discovered at least one alternate route and will be looking for others!

The pictures were WONDERFUL. We ended up buying about half of them and are thinking about buying some more sheets of one of the poses. The one thing we didn't like was that a package consisted of an 8x10 and a sheet that had one 5x7 and 4 wallets. Want additional 5x7's or wallets? That'll be $18/sheet, please. That's why we're considering ordering additional of ONE pose. :) We also fussed about the 8x10 enough that the guy said we could combine two of the other sheets (5x7 & wallets sheet) and he'd consider it a package. For all you photographer type folks out there, we're not crazy about 8x10's - they're bigger than we need or want, especially when it's of just one person (no matter how cute she is!). As it is, we have five 8x10's... one each for grandparents, one for godparents and two of them are going on my wall at work (I rearranged furniture and have a bare wall *gasp!*)

Poses? My favorite is a Christmas-y one where she's holding and looking at a nutcracker ornament and there are Christmas boxes and decorations all around her. Another favorite is a fall scene where she's sitting on a tree stump. Then the typical "school" type poses... close up leaning on a pillow, sitting in a chair (how they managed to keep her feet & hands crossed was amazing), and a closeup of her sitting in a chair.

Picture Pages!

*singing* Picture pages, Picture pages, time to get your picture pages! :)
Taylor had her school pictures done a couple weeks ago and today's the day!! We get to look them over AND pick them up - woohoo!

Okay, I'm excited. I can't remember if I posted this or not, but that morning she actually asked me for a ponytail. For at least a month now, she's reluctantly let me brush her hair! And she wants a ponytail? I get the rubber bands out and she says, "I want blue and red." (inwardly: *gasp!*) I calmly asked, "You want two ponytails?" Taylor replies, "uh huh." (inwardly: major major dance around the room "Yes! Thank you thank you thank you!!") The rubber bands are kinda thin see through things that, once in her hair, you can't tell what color they are so I wasn't worried about blue and red.

We get to the daycare and I realize I've left the form at work. I leave Taylor with her class and go to where the photographers were. The daycare director is there and tells me she's got some up front (I didn't see them). She gets me one and as I'm leaving, here comes Taylor's class on the way to breakfast. Taylor sees me and, of course, wants me. Her teacher suggests that I go ahead and take her to the photographers since they're probably close to done with the one they were working on (they were). I'm glad I was there... she took forever to warm up to the photographers and I believe we would've had a repeat of her last "school pictures" (she refused). I'm also grateful for the timing because I later learned that they had cereal with milk for breakfast. Not the brightest of choices for picture day. Oh yeah, and chocolate pudding with lunch. Not sure what they were thinking there...

As it was, there were several poses and they were all very very cute. The photographers were GREAT! They straightened her shirt, made sure the lace trim on her skirt was falling correctly, tucked that short, difficult strand of hair behind her ear... all of those things we picky people look for in order to rule out a potential photo! They blew bubbles (and ate them), they talked like a duck, and pretended that Taylor bit their finger off (really sneaky way of getting a really good toothy smile, I might add).

Anyway, I get to go peruse them in about an hour and I can't wait!!!! *sigh*

Thanksgiving Trip to GA

We had a great time in GA over Thanksgiving. Taylor had a blast playing with her cousins. Her schedule was way out of whack (as in not much in the way of naps). We had more cake and sweets than we probably have had all year and enjoyed every minute of it! There were evening games of Texas Hold 'Em (no real money and we share chips liberally), Scrabble (I won one!!), and of course plenty of football on TV. We were also graced with a recital from Darrin on his new bells (xylophone) and snare drum. Oh, we also learned not to give Taylor markers and let her run around in just her pull-up (it was warm in south GA). I gave her the markers... I'm not sure if grandma took her shirt off or if Taylor did it on her own, but she still has remnants of purple marker on her belly and she did this on Thursday!

One thing that's started just in the past week or so... when we mention nap or bedtime, she'll fuss and cry, "I didn't yawn!!" I think it was even funnier when she did it immediately after yawning.

Trip home was fun - actually both trips, she had the same pull-up on (ok, 2 different pull-ups but I think you get what I mean)! She went to the bathroom each time we stopped. But the fun for the trip home - she took her shoes and socks off. I heard, "Footsies! Mama... get'em." So of course we obliged and "got 'em." :) This happened after each stop (we had to put socks/shoes back on to go inside anywhere, ya know).

The funny that happened after we were home: It was early enough that I was able to get a grocery list together and go shopping. Taylor wanted to come with me. She & Brian were playing while I got my list together. Brian asked her again if she wanted to go (yes), "Okay, let's get shoes on so you can go for a ride in the car." Taylor: "No, that's enough of that." She did end up coming with me and, for the 3rd time in a row, did amazingly well. It helps to tell her and remind her that she'll get to see the fish only if she's good. She gets the added bonus of the Christmas lights on display in the garden center as well.