well, hello there

T had a bad case of high fever/roseola/ear infection/pure pitafullness last week and, thanks to the rescue of my parents, I got to spend some quality one on one time with just her. It was so nice. We did girl things(well, once the fever subsided). We went shopping and to the mall and out to eat. It was so much fun. Although I had never been partial to having a boy or a girl, I sure feel lucky to have this little dainty thing in my life. She is a piece of me that I never knew was missing. We bought some fun new dresses and a first 'purse' for her. Who knows, another couple of days and we might have been sporting matching mani and pedi's...only time, only time.

It's been a really long time since I took out my camera with my own children. Sure, we have been taking snapshots with the point and shoot, which I love, however my standards are 'slightly' higher for quality and although I love the pictures, I will probably never print them. This makes me sad. So many months that I have missed of Teagen. So many moments and things. I need to do better. I will do better.

I made it a point to take out my camera for a little while when it was just her. My goal is to take a picture(with my camera) everyday. One of her and one of Eli. I was so happy with how these came out. It really showcases who she is. She is a spitfire. An inquisitive little thing. So easily pleased but yet so demanding. So many smiles and so.much.laughter.

freezing time

I really wish that I could just close my eyes and freeze time. That I could hold onto these moments for a little while longer. In between the sibling bickering and the "my teeth freakin hurt" screaming, I just want to hold onto everything that my little baby is doing. How she would like nothing more than to just sit on the couch with me, she just wants to be close.me. How she will hold up her arms and say "up" until I put her in my lap and then 30 seconds later she looks at me and says "get down". I just want it to last.forever. How she toddles around all day holding onto her favorite containers or picking up the biggest item that she can possible get into her little chubby hands and carry it around. How she knows exactly where her shoes are and diligently tries to put them on and when she can't, she will track you down with shoes in hand and plop her little heiny down and hold up her shoes until you willingly ablige to put them on. How when I tell her she needs a new diaper, she will go find one and bring it to me. I just want to close my eyes and remember. How she has so much love to give, she will always trek over to give her mommy a kiss. How sometimes whenever I go and get her in the morning after she has woken up, she decides that she is still a little tired so she snuggles in and I rock her back to sleep. How she is so fiercly independent. She loves to play by herself and is just as much engaged by a little rock on the ground as some obnoxiously loud toy. How she wants to do everything that her big brother does. He walks, she wants to walk. He drinks something, she wants to drink something. I'm just gonna close my eyes so that I can remember. How she 'smiles' for the camera. How she loves to laugh and her belly rolls can be heard throughout the house. How she runs to you with the biggest arms ever and then clutches on to your shoulders as if she has won the lottery. How in every single way, she is her own person. Not her daddy, not I nor her brother. She is just who she is. A little firecracker with a heart of gold. Yes, let it just last forever.

it's all about survival, right?

I mean sure, we all have the best of intentions, right? I mean, I had intended to have some adorable way to announce that T will be a big sister come December. And, I had all the intentions of taking them out for a photoshoot to help commemorate this wonderful moment. I had the intentions of getting cute matching 'big brother' and 'big sister' t-shirts. But, who was I kidding. This is about survival. Yes, we are more than thrilled about the arrival of baby 3 but I am less than thrilled about the on-going naseau vomitting. Less.than.thrilled. I was 'tricked' with Teagen. Sure, I was sick. Really sick. But, I wasn't "I'm going to die sick". Ha! She fooled me and this baby has other plans. Taking much more after it's brother than sister. We shall see. Right now I am in week 13. Survival. On Friday, I had a Zofran pump put into my leg that requires me to change it every 8 hours...a process that I will leave the details out. However, on the brighter side, the naseau and vommiting is so.much.better and with the constant drip of the medication, I seem to be hitting greener grass. That is without saying that my body is completely exhausted. The lack of food and nutrients in my body has done a number on me. But, I am surviving. And, surviving, I will. Much like with Eli. So, this is a time to celebrate(and for me to mope a little) that T will be a big sister. And, a great one, at that. We are so excited and, I am so excited for her.

During Eli's preschool, I would always take T a little early to pick him up. We had the playground to ourselves and she could run and play anywhere she wanted.

She loves to climb

this girl loves playing with balls

still has the most beautiful eyes

going through the tunnel

her sweet hands

walking

Obviously, these 2 don't belong but they are so cute I had to add them.

So, stay tuned because, one day, I will have a cute "i'm going to be a big sister" post!

full of personality

My little dainty thing is so full of personality these days. She has just transformed into this little attitude bearing, fun loving, sweet little baby err...toddler.

1. she gets the biggest cheesy smile everytime I take out the camera. She thinks it's so funny and loves to have her picture taken

2. she loves tickles. she especially loves it when you fingers 'attack' her with a ton of tickles

3. she loves to snuggle. lately she will just crawl up and lay down in my lap.

4. if she is in a somewhat fussy mood(usually from lack of afternoon nap or those pesky molars) and a 'friend' tries to come over to her, she will instantly get a big pouty lip and start crying. We were having a picnic lunch with a friend the other day. T was eating contently on the blanket by herself and I told my friend she could lay her baby on the blanket so her arms could take a break. the second T caught wind of her...big pouty lip and crying. it happened 3 other times within 2 days.

5. if she doesn't like something, she will look at it and the casually toss it off to the side as if to say "umm...not good enough for me"

6. she really loves her brother. she especially loves to go up to him and pat him when he is in a bad mood. too bad eli doesn't appreciate the sweet gesture.

7. she loves the dogs..."dogggiiiiieeee"

8. she loves to climb...all.the.time.

She is just the sweetest little thing around!

lost track

Well, apparently I have seriously lost track of time. So, over the next week, I am going to try to regain my momentum. Well, little Ms. T is now 14 months old and since I haven't done this for her...

14 things I love about my dainty thing at 14 months old:

1. When she wakes up in the morning and I go in her room, sometimes, she will wrap her arms around me and give me the biggest hug ever then, she holds on and pats me. So very sweet.

2. She gives kisses. Only when she feels like it but when she does, it will truly melt your heart.

3. She is obsessed with the dogs. Especially Chica. If only Chica felt the same way about her.

4. She likes to hold little things. Like tiny legos or pieces of chalk. Really, no need to call CPS, I am working on this now.

5. She can drink from a big, open cup, unassisted but then, she likes to toss the, still full, cup aside when she is finished.

6. She loves food. She really enjoys her food. She smacks her lips when it's something that she enjoys and will casually toss it to the side for the dogs to eat when it's not to her liking. On the same note, this girl loves spicy/flavorful food.

7. Bubba(for Eli) is officially her favorite word. I fall in a close second with Adam in third.

8. She points. You know exactly what she wants when she wants it.

9. She has her daddy wrapped around her finger.

10. She loves balls and doesn't really have a 'favorite' toy. She will contently sit down and play with just about anything.

11. I lied, she loves to get on the trampoline and crawl around.

12. She is up to about 8 unassisted steps but still thinks she can crawl faster. This is becoming an issue because it's hot and that means shorts and shorts and crawling means scrapped knees.

13. She LOVES shoes. Her shoes. But, really, she likes to bring everybody their shoes. But, she will find her shoes(wherever they are) and bring them over to you. Then, she proceeds to lift up her foot so you can put it on her.

14. She loves to use a fork and a spoon when she eats. And, she is actually really good at it.

In other exciting news, we are going to start sitting on the potty this week. Due to illness, I haven't done it yet. But, this is the week. Nothing big, just getting her used to it. I had Eli potty trained at 23 months and I am hoping for the same, if not earlier, for T! :)

before i forget

Sorry about the lack of posts lately...we got a new point and shoot so you would think that I would be posting more...but I haven't even uploaded any of the pictures yet!

But, I don't want to forget that 6 days ago, my little dainty thing took her first 6 steps. First 4 and then 2. She has been been taking a few here and there since then but not much. She would love to walk but instead of walking, she gets excited and tries to run and then face plants it into the floor...

Teagen also got to meet her Great Grandma last weekend and I will post more about that later!

But, no pics today...too tired!

that's just fabulous

So, Teagen has trouble pooping(just stop reading now, mom...tmi). In fact, she has a whole lotta trouble sometimes. Sometimes, I have to 'help' her. It's actually really, really sad. I am about to do a couple of diet changes for her but I doubt that it will help considering that she has had this 'problem' FOREVER! Anyways, I had taken her diaper off today to see if I could 'help' her. After she went, I was cleaning everything up and just let her go diaperless for a while. Then, I turn around and I see her bending over to her poop position. Too late. I try to rush her to the potty but at this point she has already pooped a ton of poop all over the playroom rug. And, let me tell you, it wasn't all easy to clean up. Grrrr.......

During a recent T photo session(more on that later), I tried to get her to lay in the grass for a cute picture...not what I was looking for but it's still cute. I still have to edit it but I am thinking it will be framed. It's just so her.