Christmas Eve 2009

Christmas Eve was great. Took Kake to see the new Chipmunk movie, cooked and baked a little. Dinner at Mopsey's house, and then home to read from the Bible, and The Night Before Christmas. It is fun to carry on traditions from when we were children, and make new ones of our own. We made some classic rookie mistakes on our first real Christmas playing Mr. and Mrs. Claus. We started assembling Kate's toys at 11pm and did not finish until almost 3 am! And then realized we forgot to buy batteries for a few things! We are learning! When 8 am rolled around, we sure were tired! I now understand why my parents were so hard to get out of bed on Christmas morn! But, it was all worth the look on that cute little face the next morning.

Missy girl

Oh my baby girl. She runs everywhere now. She talks TONS. And has so much personality, it is hilarious!
I was changing her diaper before her nap today, and says says, "Cany, cany" (candy) and signs candy. I said, "No baby, you just had a sucker!" And then she looks at me and smiles, and says, "more cookie!?" Such a daddies girl.
When she sees a fake Santa, she says "HO...HO....HO!" with two little pauses between the "HO". So funny. But when she sees a real Santa, she hides he head in my neck and says, "No!"
When in a shopping cart, she begs for a "suckER" and after the sucker is gone, she tries so hard to escape the little seat, grunting and straining, and saying "STUCK!"
I love having this little butterball following me around all day!

Just don't do it...

Today we had a little accident at Joann's. Let's just say, we will be following the suggestion to always put your child in the seat designed for them (and not in the back of the cart). I don't know how she escaped without a serious injury...
It was totally my fault, I feel so guilty, and lesson learned.

Does your baby...

go on dates with you?
have a fun Uncle Ryan?

have dance parties while holding a toothbrush?
eat limes?
break dance to "It's Going to be a Good Night" in Tinkerbell PJs?
(and change the settings on your camera?)
transfer all the "heaBy" contents from under your sick to the fridge every night while you make dinner?

take pictures of trash cans?
and make silly faces?

think this is the best seat in the house?
give you this look while holding two dish towels?
help daddy with projects around the house?
wake up with this amazing hair?
insist on watching Tinkerbell on your bed?
call swings, "wee wee"s?
have to dip everything in ketchup, hot sauce, or Ranch?
cuz mine does.

Disneyland

Kate's first visit to Disneyland was nothing short of magical! Her first ride was "It's a Small World" and she had the look of utter amazement on her face, and she clapped her chubby hands the whole time. She was nervous to meet Tinkerbell, she ran with both of her hands over her head all throughout Toon Town, loved the Rockets, and feel asleep on the way home. A perfect first visit.

Look out Disneyland, the Taylors are season pass holders now!
I forgot how fun these were!
Running to go see Tinkerbell!
Kate checking out Tink's boyfriend, Terrance!
She liked the doll better!
Love this.
This is how she ran all over Toon Town! Arms up in the air, like you just don't care!






The end!

Don't worry, I don't plan on posting every visit to Disneyland.

Chuck E. Cheese? Yes Please.

We really need a babysitter!
Somehow this little one keeps getting us to take her out on the weekends!
Pizza, games, and a little treat before bed. She better love us!

Happy Tuesday

Taco Tuesday, that is.

Really Matt?

Matt's company has a suite at the Honda Center. It was fun at first but...Matt thinks free dates are awesome. We go there a lot.

I got a text from him on a Friday afternoon saying, "Pepe Aguilar concert tonight, date night!"
I thought he must have meant Christina Aguilera, and thought it would be a welcome break from the hockey games. Nope, meet Pepe:


Not only did he insist we go, but he just had to have Kate come as well.
I must admit, I was openly boycotting this. That is why I hung out on the couch while the band set up.
But, Mr. Pepe came on, and the party started. It was SO FUN! Kate was completely obsessed with Pepe and his very Mexican music. It was great!
She wanted to stand and watch and dance and clap the whole time.
I kid you not, she is opening her mouth and pretend belting out, while Pepe is belting out for real. I peed my pants!
Me and my daughter at our first concert together. awesome.

Kate=Pepe's biggest fan!
(Kate was horse the next morning for a few days!)

The thing about Kate is...

she is chubby, all girl, says "pretty", and refers to her dad by his first name now.

She is a big girl now, 18 months. I can honestly admit that I have a toddler now. I tried to hold back, but I can't deny it now.She "runs" everywhere, shaking her booty and swinging her arms.

She loves playing with my make-up. She knows that the mascara goes on her eyes, the blush on her cheeks, and chapstick on her lips. It is a crack up to watch. She is very serious when applying her make up. And she always looks in the mirror after and says, "pretty", with an emphasis on the "t". After I dressed her in her Sunday best, she from her room yelling "Dada" (or was it "Matt"?!), into our bedroom, and straight to the full length closet mirror, did a twirl (!!!when did she learn to twirl?!) and looked at her dad, smiled, and said "pretty". It was a moment I am going to keep tucked away. It was the sweetest.

She really is a sweet girl. While I was editing some photos, Kate sat next to me watching her beloved Tinkerbell. She stood up on the couch, leaned down so her face was right in front of mine, took out her binky, and said, "A kiss", and then kissed me right on the lips. My life was complete! And somehow I lucked out, and got 2 more kisses like that over the next hour.

She is very particular. She only likes her Saltwater sandals, or her pink Converse. She freaks out if I try to anything on those chubby feet. She loves to dip her food now. If she runs out of hot sauce or Ketchup, she stops eating until I resupply her.

And my latest favorite, she calls her Dada, Matt. I think it just the funniest, however, I don't think Matt thinks it is too funny!

She is sneaky, and sassy. While rolling out some dough last night, she brought over her stool, her dark,sparkly eyes are just barely level with the counter top, and she watched and watched me...I looked away for one second, only to find a hand print in my dough and some of it missing. Kate was happily munch down on it.

She loves "This Little Piggy" and offers her toes willingly when I start in.

She is starting to count. She pretty much says anything we tell her to. She often says "Oh Shoot!" and in totally appreciate instances.

She is still my best little friend, and I love being her Mama!

Dear Ani in the future,

Don't ever forget this moment. Kate has been fussing for an hour in her room now. You have done in there 2 times already and tried to sing to her, and even read her a few stories. She didn't want any part of it. You resolved to letting her cry it out. However, Matt snuck in there, and Kate is quiet now. You can just barely hear him singing in his cute voice, "Families Can Be Together Forever". You really are a lucky girl to have a husband so loving, sweet and kind.
-Ani on a Sunday night in Novemeber 2009
P.s.Your heart is about to burst.

Little busy lady

Kate's imagination skills are starting young. I love that. She is so good at finding things to play with, and tries to be funny all day long. She loves to take care of her baby doll, and puts her "night night" in her crib, tries to put her on the changing table to have her diaper changed, and tries to find food to give to her. I love watching my busy bee!

In this picture, she had just put baby "night, night" and then went and sat in her reading corner to take a little break it appeared.
While making dinner, she ran into the kitchen looking like this. Oh, I love my little girl.

Just love this family of mine.