Talking

Taylor is talking so much now. She is always saying something new and cute. I can't believe she is 20 months old! Before we know it, it will be her 2nd birthday. She discovered "Dora" the other day. So now she always wants to watch Elmo or Dora on TV. She is just growing up so fast! She now says "where is baby at" or whatever she is referring to at that time and then will pick it up and say "right here mommy." She also like pumpkins right now--being fall and everything. She pronounces it "pumpkick" though, so cute right!? She is saying new words every day and her mommy is just a little sad about how big she is getting ;)

Baby Kindler #2

Well we are expecting baby #2. I am about 10 weeks pregnant now and we are due in May. The actual date is May 15th but the Dr said it will be at least a week before that. We had a sonogram today and everything looks fine they said. The heart rate was 176. We are excited to give Taylor and sister or brother and it will be fun/interesting to see what she thinks of the baby when it gets here.

I recently joined a group at our church called MOPS. It stands for mothers of preschoolers. It is a group that meets every other week for a few hours and we have guest speakers or do crafts, talk about our kids and husbands in positive ways, pray, and just learn how to be better wives and mothers. It has been a great experience for me and I look forward to it each time. Today we had a speaker from Parents as Teachers come. Our MOPS leaders and the speaker focused on how to be better moms and how and what to teach our kids, etc.

It is so bittersweet for me at this time with Taylor. I love to watch her learn and grow and see her develop into a little person, but at the same time my first little baby is gone. I will never forget the way I felt when I held her for the first time, or when she first said mommy, or when she gave me a kiss for the first time. Now she is doing different exciting stuff which touch me just as much, but somehow it is different. She still needs her mommy but it is in a different way. She has her own opinions now and ideas--which are different every day.

Today at MOPS they focused on how as moms we need to keep our childs "love tank" filled. So when we are busy in our day and household chores, etc and our kids are always at our feet or needing our attention to take the time and focus on them. They are at our feet because they need our attention in a special way. I have experienced this with Taylor and I do try to stop and see what I can do to help her, but maybe not always the way I should. They also said to be their biggest fan and cheerleader no matter what. If they are involved in a sport or something and are the worst player on the team to always keep cheering them on so they have the confidence to keep trying and will always know how much you as a mom support them. They said several different things today but a few that stuck out in my mind is to just take the time to make them feel special and loved no matter what you might have going on at the time.

Our MOPS group this semester focuses on the different "hats" we wear as moms such as nurse, teacher, chef, maid, taxi driver, policeman, etc. It is so true how many things you can do as a mom. I can complain about some things sometimes that go along with these "hats" but really I enjoy them, I enjoy being a mother and love every day I have with Taylor. They said a quote that I think is so true too. "These days are long but the years are short." How important is that to remember. I just wanted to share with all the other moms that might read this because I was touched today at the things they told us and it made me think just how much I do love being a mommy, no matter what "hat" I have that day. :)

"You talkin to me"

Taylor learned how to say a new phrase along with a complete facial expression. Its pretty funny the things she comes up with. Just thought we would share.

My Friends

When I was a little girl I remember having to have at least one baby doll with me at all times. Well Taylor is turning out to be the same way. Grandma Morton made her a bed for her babies, which baby Elmo spends alot of time in. She can carry it around with her. She carries him and other babies if they are special that day and will feed them, etc. She even takes them with her when we play hide and seek (as seen in the second picture). Then at night when she goes to bed she has to have every single Elmo and baby doll she owns in her bed with her. She hands them to me or Zach one by one to carry to her bed since she can't carry them all. Then when we get into her room she puts them in her bed one at a time. There is barely enough room for her! Then in the morning when she wakes up she has to carry them all out one by one to the livng room for the day. It is so funny that she is wanting them with her and doing what she is doing already.

ME AND DADDY

What is it about daddy's? In our houseTaylor will hear the garage door open when Zach comes home and immedietly runs to the stairs and waits with a big smile for him. Then when he comes inside she yells "daddy!!!" in the happiest voice. It is so cute. I guess maybe they are more fun then mommy's. They can tickle and throw the kids more than the mommy's. I love to watch them together. It makes me fall in love with my husband all over again to see him be such a good daddy. There truely is a special bond between a daughter and her daddy. I look forward to the years to come to see them together and what he will teach her.