Taylor turns TWO!

(Meant to be posted last night :o))

"Did you hear?"

"Oh my goodness!"

"Someone is TWO!!"

Happy, happy 2nd Birthday, little lady!

Last night when Ryan and I were headed to bed, we were talking about the fact that two years earlier we were only hours away from meeting Taylor for the first time. There are certain parts of that day that have become more fuzzy, and other things are still so vivid in my memory that it feels like it was just yesterday. I don't remember what the last push was like, but I remember the moment she was put in my arms for the first time. I don't really recall how tired we were (she was born at 3:01am after being induced 20 hours earlier), but I remember the feeling of overwhelming love - as well as other emotions - that I was suddenly struck with in the hours and days after her birth. It is hard to recall how tiny Taylor was - I look at pictures and can hardly believe how much she has grown into more of a little kid since then. It is strange to think about what it was like before she was mobile and could crawl or walk.

It is amazing to think that we are about to start that journey over again. :o)

As Taylor has grown up, she has become more than we could ever hope for. She is inquisitive, strong-willed, sensitive (big heart with even bigger emotions), not a huge risk-taker (but willing to try new things with the right encouragement and support), a wonderful snuggle buddy, and knows how to melt her momma and daddy's heart.

Part of me feels that I have grown more than Taylor since she came into our lives. Being a parent is an amazing responsibility. Difficult. Rewarding. Challenging. Awesome. Can hardly imagine what having two children will feel or be like. And I am sure, as I found with Taylor, that nothing will truly give us a sense of what it is like until we experience it ourselves.

The past two years has been an adventure, to say the least. Taylor, at 2 years old, here are a few things I want to remember about you at this stage...

** Sleeping in a regular bed now - going to bed between 7:00-7:30pm and then up somewhere around 6:45-8am (depending on if it is the weekend or a weekday). You only nap once a day - for about 2 hours (usually less) - going down around 12:30 and up anywhere between 2:00-3:00.

** Wearing size 5 diapers, 3t-4t tops and 24 month bottoms - it will be interesting to find out your weight and height at your well-child check-up in a couple weeks

** Bottom teeth eye teeth are finally coming in, but still waiting on the top ones

** Counting is your new favorite thing - but you ALWAYS skip 7 when counting to 10. It is the only number that is two-syllables... could be the reason?

** You love finding the mouse on each page in "Goodnight Moon", reading about the animals in the "Big Red Barn", and pointing out and labeling pictures in lots of other books.

** You love having LOTS of stuffed animals and blankets on your bed. Your favorites are your white blanket (silky on one side, and fuzzy on the other), "Tony" (a combination blanket and tiger stuffed animal), and "oo-oo, ah-ah" - (your little monkey).

** When dada wakes you up in the morning, sometimes you are happy and sweet, and other times we can tell that you really would like a little longer to snuggle in bed :o)

** When you hear something new or of interest - such as an airplane flying overhead or a siren going by - you stop and say "oh!" and point to your ear

** You have settled into your daycare routine so well over the past month (we had some weeks where you had a harder time with the drop-offs) - helping get your things put away when we arrive, sitting down for breakfast like a big kid at the table, and giving me kisses goodbye without a single tear :o)

** Some of your favorites - whales, Dora, bath time, books, walks, running in the basement, cheese and fruit (if these were the only two food groups, you would be a happy camper!), laying with both me and dada on the bed for before bed snuggles, drinking water from mommy's cup (with a bendy straw of course), kicking and splashing in the bathtub or pool (yay for swim lessons!)

** And lastly - you are starting to move away from needing your pacifier! You went to bed 4 nights in a row this week without it - and this was not planned! :o) Yay!

Enjoying your free birthday cookie at Barnes and Noble :o)

And because I didn't get this posted until a day later - a few pictures from after her afternoon nap today - playtime with new toys, and of course - balloons!