So hard to choose...

With the sun, clear water, and bright blue skies as the backdrop, and a rambunctious little 17 month old as the subject, it is so hard to choose just a few pictures from all that we have taken this week to put on the blog. But here are some of the images from our vacation so far....and the fun isn't even over yet. :o)

Pics from the beach

Swimming

Playing on the dock

(Notice the little dragonfly on her hat?)

Out on the boat

Taylor fell asleep during the ride :o)

Playing in the cuddy cabin

Fascinated by fountains

Road trip to Mackinaw City

Coloring with Taylor's special crayons (notice what Ryan is drawing? ;))

Lots of good food...
Eating puffs with grandma mem

Sharing grandpa Randy's yogurt (and helping him with his work :))

Broccoli in one hand, red pepper in the other :o)

Taylor has loved reading, reading, reading...with anyone who will read to her

So many good memories, with more to be made!

Playing doesn't stop 'til the sun goes down...

Last night after dinner, Taylor decided she didn't quite get enough sun and sand for the day, so we headed back down to the beach for some more fun.

A few moments captured on camera...

So excited about playing with her shovel and pail

(Side note on this picture...see the rock wall beyond the grass? That actually used to be how high the water was when I was little - it was almost to the top of the rocks at it's highest point! It is amazing how the water level cyclically rises and falls over time...)


Playing with grandma mem

Scoop and pour, scoop and pour (concentrating hard with her little tongue out)

Happy girl!!

Taking a walk down the dock with daddy

Summertime is the best. :o)

17 month update

When I saw the date on Sunday, I couldn't believe it was the 17th already, and that Taylor has another month behind her. Will there ever be a month that goes by that she doesn't amaze me with how much she is growing and learning?! I feel like her learning curve is so steep right now. Each day she seems to surprise us with something new that she can do or wants to try.

And can I just say how much fun this summer is?! This toddler age is BUSY, but it is such a wonderful phase! Sometimes I feel like Taylor needs her own social calendar...the weeks are filled with fun and friends.

At 17 months (almost a year and a half old!!!), these are the things I don't want to forget....

* Moving up to size 4 diapers - after a few nighttime leaks, we decided it was time

* We have a silly, silly girl on our hands...when getting T from her nap or in the morning, she will see us open the door, then flop down in her bed and lay down as if she is pretending to still be sleeping

* Games of chase = lots of giggles

* Tickling = lots of giggles (especially when giving her little kisses on her neck)

* Story time has become much more interactive - I'm a HUGE fan of Baby Einstein books right now...

* If I sing the alphabet song to Taylor, she will sign "more" "more" in order for me to sing it over and over again until I distract her with something else (never too early to start that kindergarten prep, right? :o))

* Taylor has fed her first giraffe :)

* Sometimes if her food is a little too warm, I will blow on it to cool it down for her, and now I will randomly find her blowing on food (hot or cold) before eating it sometimes :o)

* If I am talking on the phone, she will assume it is Ryan, and say "hi dada!" multiple times, and then we will consequently call Ryan at work on speaker phone so she can say hi to him

* Going up AND down stairs has become pretty easy for her - thanks to lots of practice at the cottage and last weekend at my parents house

* Water is one of the best things in the world to Taylor - lakes, fountains, faucets, sprinklers, hoses, baths, showers, her sippy cup...if it has to do with water, she loves it

* When Taylor drinks her milk or water, she will take a big swig and then say "aaaaah"

* Fresh picked blueberries are eaten by the handful like candy lately - thank goodness for summer fruit!

* Sleep - nights are still great, 12 hours of straight sleep almost every night, and nap time is in transition from two naps to one. Some days she still has a short morning nap, but sometimes we skip it all together, and she continues to have great afternoon naps (2-3 hours long).

* Taylor points to where her nose is, gives high fives, and sometimes will even blow a kiss :o)


Oh, and now that she is almost a year and a half, I have finally gotten around to framing/hanging Taylor's one year pictures...here is one frame - I LOVE how they turned out!!

Supersized Saturday

Yesterday was one of those long, but FUN Saturday's where, by the time you crash into bed, it only takes seconds to fall asleep. :o)

To start, we were up early (Taylor was actually the alarm as mine failed to go off :)) to head to the annual lake swim. One mile in open water - and I hadn't even been in the pool in a few weeks. It was fun though, because it was a family event - my mom, dad, and uncle swam, too!

We had a fun group of spectators with us as well...Ryan, Taylor, and my grandparents :o)

Mem and I before the race

The whole gang after the race - Scott (1st in age group), me (1st in age group), mem (3rd in age group), and dad (1st in age group) after the race

It was a fun morning! Kind of hoping that we can get my brother Jeff to swim next year, too, and maybe Taylor will join us in 10 years or so! :o)

After the swim, we quickly went home, showered, and headed straight to the zoo! We wanted to get there early before the heat set in, and it turned out to be such a nice morning to go. Three and a half FUN hours later, with one tired little lady, we were headed back home. Taylor did so well - and if it weren't for nap time, we definitely could have seen more/stayed longer!

As soon as we arrived, we headed straight for "Africa" where the zebras and giraffes are located. It is a hike to get up the hill to the "safari" area, but once you get to the top, the views are amazing with wide open spaces and animals roaming around, just like you might think you would find in Africa.

Feeding the giraffes

A little unsure at first

But she did it once all on her own!

 

 

So fun!!

 

Monkeys

Taylor cooling off in one of the water misters

Riding the carousel (she did not want to get off or for it to stop, and kept signing "more", "more"!! :o))

It was such a fun day...

And we love getting to spend time together as a family with this little cutie!
(Right before we were going to leave, when she was starting to feel a little sleepy)