Nanni and Gigi's houses in SD

After the zoo I played in the pool with daddy and then got to go see Gigi and Cliff for dinner at their house. Of course, I loved playing with Molly the dog and I loved showing off my potty training abilities at their house. I was such a good girl, just laughing and playing on the couch with the pillows and Molly while everyone ate. It was very nice to see you Gigi and I hope to see you real soon!

Swimming with daddy


In the spa


Finding my body parts with Tia


My toes


My hands!


Happy to read books with Molly and Tia!

San Diego Zoo

This weekend we took a trip down to San Diego for mommy's last weekend before school starts. We spent the day on Saturday with old friends, Mike and Shannon and their son Thomas at the San Diego Zoo. Thomas and Taylor are only a few months a part and this was the first time we actually met each other's kids! It was a fun, hot, and tiring day for all. Below are fun pictures.

"I Love you Honey"

(Written by Mommy)
Taylor is really getting the hang of conversational skills such as answering questions that we ask of her and also saying statements back to us after we say them to her. Most of the time she will use our name in her statements such as "I love you mommy" or "Night-night daddy" although recently she has been repeating us word-for-word, and I think it is because she likes saying the words we use for her (e.g., honey, beautiful, love). So, she is now telling us "I love you honey," "I love you beautiful," "Hey love," and many more. We start laughing and so she just keeps saying it over and over again! Oh how I love my beautiful girl. I never knew someone could have this much love to give...and it keeps getting better.

I love you so much Taylor!

I love you soooo much (Nanni)!

Today Taylor and I were cudding in "mommy's bed" before she went down for a nap (a weekend fun thing that we do) and I gave Taylor a big hug because she was being just so gosh darn cute and I told her "I love you soooo much!" Taylor lifted up her head, looked out the bedroom door, and said "Nanni?!" Ahhhh. That is what Nanni says to Taylor whenever they talk on the phone or on the computer and Taylor then says "so much!" back to Nanni. It was so cute that Taylor has associated that phrase with Nanni.

Miss you Nanni!

Saturday BBQ with friends

We had people over at our house today for my (mommy's) almost last weekend before school starts. Long-time friends came as well as friends from my mommy-and-me class. It was our first "kid" party at our house and although I was worried about having enough space and enough things for the kids to do, everyone had so much fun! We had the pool up, a shade structure with carpet underneath it with toys for the kids to play with, donkey balls for the adults, and food all around. We had the doors open and the cats locked in our bedroom so everyone could run in and out as they pleased. Only one tragedy with Daisy flipping a golf ball around the donkey ball goal post into her noggin', but other than that it was a beautiful day with friends and fun! Thanks everyone for bringing yummy treats and for making our Saturday such a fun day. Below are some pictures from our fun day.

Cadin


Kelin


The Trax family (minus Rawley)


Baby Asea clapping for everyone


Taylor and Cadin checkin' each other out


Cadin's daddy got him dressed for pictures


Kelin and his daddy


Daisy and her mommy


Bubbles in the garage!








Friends


Taylor having fun with her friend, "Baby Asea"

Potty at daycare update

Taylor's daycare notes that are sent home everyday had a personal note written by her favorite "floater teacher" (so not someone she always has, but her favorite from when she was a baby) saying that Taylor went potty 13 TIMES and she was dry when this specific floater teacher left. It even said "Yay!" which made me so happy because they were actually expressing excitement and enthusiasm for getting my baby girl potty trained. Guess what I'm taking to Taylor's head teacher on Monday?? Yes, the note from the floater teach to show what can actually be done. Will keep you posted!

Potty at Daycare

So, we have had some challenges with Taylor generalizing her potty skills to the daycare environment. We first toilet trained her at home at about 15 months and then decided to start the training at daycare. Taylor showed some resistance to the toilet at daycare, crying when she was taken to the toilet and saying "no potty" whenever anyone attempted to take her. The teachers stopped keeping her in undies and said that they put a pull up on whenever I left because if she had an accident they would have to clear out the room and clean everything up (should've been the first clue). After our trip to Kauai Taylor was okay with sitting on the potty but she was not initiating (and her teachers said that she may be asking but they do not hear her...second clue). We kept sending her in undies for a while until everyday wet undies were coming back home and I would arrive to absolutely full pull ups (showing that she hadn't been changed in hours). Taylor had then learned that being wet in a pull-up was okay so why would a 17 month old ask to use the restroom when that behavior was never reinforced and it was okay to be wet in a pull-up?! Taylor went on vacation for a week at her grandparents and I thought it may be a good break for Taylor. She came back to daycare and again was more willing to go to the toilet and was going pee-pee when she was taken. After a few days of showing up at the end of the day to absolutely soaked pull-ups, I glanced at the potty log by the toilet (Taylor always uses the toilet when I show up). It was noted that Taylor was taken to the toilet ONCE that day and another girl who is almost transitioned to the other class was taken to the toilet every time they changed diapers (5 or 6 times). I was fuming and decided to wait to talk to the directors because I was so emotional and mad. I cried the whole way home and was in a bad mood all night. I truly have the protective mother feeling now and was so mad for my daughter's sake. That was Monday. Today, Wednesday, I sat down to speak with the Directors when I picked up Taylor. Everything I was telling them was new to them and they completely agreed that things should have been done differently. They were very apologetic and agreed that Taylor should not be put in a pull-up at all. Per the directors, she will be in undies all the time and yes, she will have accidents. I agreed and said at least she'll learn that she can't keep wet undies or pull-ups on. One director said, "it's what we do!" in frustrating that her staff was not doing what they are supposed to be doing and here I was having to explain how I thought things should have gone. It was a very friendly and understanding conversation and I think everything will go smoothly this time around...I hope!

So, when Taylor's head teacher returns on Monday Taylor will be in ONLY underwear and they will be putting her on the toilet every 30 minutes (for sure this time...not just say that they are doing it). So, I am much happier and hope that it goes better this time around. Will keep you posted!

KidSpace in Pasadena

Today our mommy-and-me class went to KidSpace in Pasadena and oh what a fun place we have been introduced to! From the minute you walk in through the kaleidescope tunnel and out into an open space where water squirts out of the ground, you are welcomed all around by kid-friendly things to do, see, and learn from. We focused on 4 areas...the water play area with water tables, buckets, faucets, etc; the water wheel area where water rains down every few minutes (which Taylor screamed out of joy for and put her arms up with her belly out when it would rain down); the eating area so us mommys could have our lattes when they opened at 11:00 (yes, we had to wait that long!); and the toddler room which had all these padded areas with velcro blocks, slides, books, and other exploratory things. We probably saw...maybe 1/4th of the entire place so we will definitely be going back there! Since a few of us carpooled, as we were walking out together the girls enjoyed holding hands and just being girls. What good friends Taylor is making...love you Leah and Marley!

If I can figure out how to put the pictures from my friend's iphone on here there will be some cute pictures. Stay tuned!

Park in the afternoon with Silas

Today was a very relaxing Saturday around the house. I went in our new pool two times! Once, mommy and daddy had some of their own "juice" which they called "adult juice" and I also had my own juice so we lounged around in the pool for almost an hour! I was very happy to have the three of us drinking juice at the same time...how fun! "Mommy's juice," "Daddy's juice," and "Tay-Tay's juice" were my comments of the day.

Uncle Silas came to visit while we were in the pool so we decided to get out and head to the park across the street. Below are some cute pictures of me at the park (even though I had a short nap so I wasn't that energetic).

Park in the morning

Today mommy, daddy and I went to the park in the morning after eating some breakfast and making some coffee. Nobody else was at the park so it was really fun to run around and have it all to myself. We had a fun time, just the three of us. I really enjoyed learning about what a "tunnel" is. I ran through the tunnel that the two rocks made over the sand, and I also ran through the tunnel that the play structure made. Neither mommy nor daddy had to tell me that this was a tunnel either...I rant rhoguh it yelling "tunnel" and they were so excited for me! Below are some fun pictures of our morning.

Playing in the sand


The spinning chair!!


Motorcycle (I love to say that word too!)




Daddy on the spinning chair


Spinning gears


Going through the tunnel (another word I love to say!)

Day at home with daddy!

Today I didn't have daycare so daddy went to work really early and then came home at 9:30 so mommy could go to work for the rest of the day. Daddy and I had so much fun! We first went to the park and had lots of fun going down the slides, playing in the sand, getting really dizzy on the spinning chair, and the best of all was playing in the water while the man was fixing the sprinklers. Yay!

Daddy and I then came home and daddy set up our new inflatable pool on the balcony upstairs. I screamed out of joy the whole time he was putting it up. We finally go it up and water in it and we splashed and splashed until we got cold. We then took a break, had some lunch, went in for a second swim session, and then nap time for me. I took a really long nap (3 hours!) so daddy was able to have some "daddy time" until mommy got home. Daddy and I snuck out to the grocery store while mommy was on her way home and then it was play time with mommy.

That afternoon/evening before bed I went poo-poo on the potty two different times! Mommy was so proud of me that I got tons of poo-poo treats. I didn't put up any fight..I purely just asked to go potty and the poo-poo came out. It was so easy.

"Shopping"

While I was away at Camp DuCharme Nanni and Papa taught me what "shopping" is. Whenever Nanni went out Papa said that Nanni was shopping. So, I learned that whenever people leave the house they go shopping. :)

When mommy came home from work today she and Nanni wanted to go grocery shopping and get some shoes for me. Janie and Jack (a very cute clothing store) was having a big sale so we HAD to go check it out. I was very excited to go "shopping" with Nanni and mommy. I just kept saying "shopping...Tay-Tay, mommy, Nanni." Through the mall and through the stores I just kept yelling "shopping!" and all the ladies looked and smiled.

I love shopping!

*Below is one of my cute outfits I got while out shopping.

Week at Camp DuCharme

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