Trying to Fill Daddy's Shoes

Taylor has been playing with our shoes since I can remember. He loves to go get your shoes for you, place them in front of you, and watch you slide your feet into them. He also loves putting shoes away, including his own (hope this trait sticks around through the years). Lately, he has been playing around with learning to "walk" in mommy's and daddy's big shoes. Before he would just be able to get one foot inside the "big" shoe. Then he was able to get both feet into the "big" shoes. Now, not only can he put both feet in our shoes, he can actually walk in them which is socute and the funniest thing we've seen lately so I'm going to share it via video! ENJOY:

Summer Fun!

Someone once said that the best thing about being a teacher is June, July, and August. Well they're right! This was the first summer that Andrew and I could actually take Taylor places that he would enjoy and have fun experiencing (no longer a baby boy, but a growing active toddler). And boy we must have been busy because the summer has flown by! Besides being hotter than you know where...we've tried to stay cool and somewhat consider Taylor a "water baby". Before summer began Taylor was still a bit nervous when bath water ran over his face. Not anymore!! He actually doesn't mind it so much anymore, and if you let him he would play with the outside hose and some cups ALL afternoon long.

Here's a photo montage of our summer.

June: Old MacDonald Petting Zoo outside of Houston. The big yellow tunnel was just so much more fun than all those silly animals. Thanks grandma Gegee, aunt Vikki, and cousins Megan and Garrett for coming with us!

Golfing with Daddy!

Austin's Children's Museum with our playdate friends.

Playing in the fountains at the pool.

July: Parade ready! Happy 4th

San Antonio Zoo & Mommy's Birthday with our playdate friends.

Driving the boat...nothing more to say!

Houston Aquarium with cousins Megan & Garrett-a must see if you're in the Houston area!

MyTime Gym Class-nothing else was as fun as the slide. We need to get one of those for the backyard.

Playing with the hose...an after lunch or after dinner must.

The Evolution of Pooh

The classic Pooh Bear has been a staple at our house since Taylor was born. A friend of mine gave me a baby shower gift that included a small stuffed animal of Pooh. Since the day he was brought home from the hospital that little Pooh Bear was in his crib. Not because I even thought that he cared about it at that time, but because it was so soft and cute (plus it was one of the only stuffed animals that we had that wasn't made with small choking hazards...ribbons, buttons).

Around six months that little Pooh Bear became Taylor's Lovey. We took that thing everywhere!!! In the car, Mrs. Heather's house, Houston, Galveston, on the boat, EVERYWHERE!

Everyone in our family knows just how much Pooh means to Taylor. A must at naptime and an immediate soothing mechanism if anything goes wrong. Pooh has been so important to Taylor that I actually bought another one just in case something happened to the original (our backup Pooh-so far we haven't had to use it yet).

So far the original Pooh has seen a lot:

His nose (strings) bitten off-teething

Left on Heather's driveway in the pouring rain

Washer

Dryer

Run over by the stroller

Ears worn off from Taylor rubbing them

Hair clumped together from pure LOVE

Can you spot the changes?

Another Pooh item in our house is the Pooh book, "Yellow and Yummy". Ever since six weeks of age that has been Taylor's bedtime book. We definitely wore that book out! He always seemed so engaged in it until about 12 months when he decided that he could choose the books at bedtime. So for about 6 months "Yellow and Yummy" has taken a back seat to "What's Up Duck", "Jamberry", "No No, Yes Yes", and a series of Elephant, Tiger, and Ladybug books.

Until this week...the Yellow and Yummy book has returned as one of Taylor's favorites!!! We read it at least 5 times a day. And it's so cute because he plops himself down in my lap now and wants to sit and listen to a book (a teacher's delight).

The amazing thing is it's a book about colors and Taylor can now repeat the name of the colors once I've read them, and he will point things out in the story if I ask where they are. For instance, "where is the green frog", or "where are the orange pumpkins". He loves to say the word "honey"! I think I'm writing about this in a blog because this was his very "first" book and now he understands it (tears, tears). WOW, how he has grown! It used to be the teacher in me pointing everything out in the story...but now he does it on his own-way cool and a proud mommy moment:-)

Before the haircut-look at those curls:-)