Big News!

This girl is going to be a BIG SISTER!

(the glasses were her idea, not mine)
So in mid-August we will welcome a.....

Basement

We finished our basement right before Taylor's birthday. I was planning on taking before and after pictures, but I didn't do so well with the before pictures. The earliest stage I got was drywall. We loved how it turned out and it is great to have the extra space to play and hang out in!

The "play side" of the basement

Taylor's art area

More play area

The kitchenette area on the "adult side"

And Troy's favorite....the TV!

Birthday Weekend

Taylor had a GREAT birthday weekend! On Friday, she made cookies with Grandma for her party on Saturday. She loved to roll the dough and do the sprinkles!

She still talks about the mess Grandma made....I'm sure she had nothing to do with it!
On Saturday we had family and friends over for a party! Taylor had a great time and woke up Sunday morning asking for "more party". Thank you to everyone who came!! Here she is sitting at her new table and chairs from Oma and Opa!

Opening presents!

Time for cupcakes and ice cream!

Yummy!

On Sunday, Troy and I took Taylor to McDonald's for a birthday lunch. She thought it was great (we didn't). They had a big play area which she loved! Daddy also put together Taylor's new playhouse from Grandma and Grandpa Larkins. She hung out in the box while Daddy did the work (I think she looks homeless here).

All done!

On Monday, Oma and Opa brought Taylor to my school to eat lunch with me. The kindergarten kids sang "Happy Birthday" to her, which she loved! Then Monday night she got to open presents from us and have pizza and ice cream cake! Testing out her new scooter!

Singing more "Happy Birthday"....probably her favorite thing about her birthday!

Trying to blow out candles!

Even though she had her own slice of cake, Grandpa let her have the rest!

Delicious!

Next thing we knew, Grandpa was IN the playhouse with Taylor!

Happy 2nd Birthday!!!!

Taylor is 2 today!!! She is such a "little girl" now and not a baby anymore. She is very much in the "I do it" phase and we hear that often from her. She talks all the time now and most of it can be understood. She knows all her colors, can count to 10 (starting at 2), and spells the "Tay" part of her name. She loves to draw, color, and do stickers. She also likes to take care of her babies and "cook". We are blessed to have a happy, healthy, funny, and smart little girl!

A brand new baby....heading home from the hospital!
A 1st birthday picture.

Our little 2 year old!!!

Our Little Valentine

Here is our little valentine all dressed up and ready to go out to breakfast!

We had a great breakfast! This is Taylor's face after trying a lemon.
Checking out her present back at home (a swimsuit and flip-flops).

"I'm ready for swim lessons!!!"

Counting

Here is Taylor's version of counting! She never starts at one and I'm not sure what happened to 4!

So happy!!!

Snow Day!!!

School was cancelled today so Taylor and I got to stay home and play!!! First, she picked out this lovely outfit to wear (the bow doesn't match either, but you can't see that).

Then she had one of her new favorites, Rice Krispies, for breakfast.
Next we got our hair dried (and changed clothes) so we could go to storytime at the library.

It was actually never wet, but she thought this was great!

After a nap, we played outside in the new snow!

Catching snowflakes on her tongue!

She loved watching Troy "mow" the snow!