Photo update

A few summer pictures...

Space party!

Fall 2012

Wow.... More than 6 months have gone by...

So the last time I wrote I was amazed about having a 3 year old... And now we are getting closer to 4. Also Holden had a birthday that seemed to come and go... I had been trying to update from my phone and somehow got locked out with the app I was using. So I will try my best to update the past 6 months and keep up at least a monthly post, for my own memory.

In the fall we had a double birthday party for both boys... Two parties get expensive and since they don't care I thought why not just have one party to celebrate them together. They loved it! Of course we celebrated each of their actual birthdays on the their birthday with close friends and family.

Owen started actual preschool in January, he loves it and is thriving. He is in the top of his class academically  and even with his behavior, but we have decided that he will move the the older threes next year just to build in the extra year since he has the August birthday. So he was the youngest this year in his class but will be the oldest next year. I don't even think he will notice which is why I insisted that we build in this extra year now, instead of all his friends going to kindergarten and him not. Being a kindergarten teacher I have a very strong opinion on this subject and feel it will be best for him all around.
Holden will go the same road and get to be in the younger threes this coming fall and the will move to the older threes the next year when he's actually three. We had to get special approval for him to start this fall since he will still be two for the first 3 months but he really needs the structure of school and academics. The pediatrician said at his two year appointment we are going to have our hands full keeping him challenged, and I already see it.

I should look back and see if I wrote about Holden's evaluation??? Being that he is so tiny he went through a whole series of test. We met with development specialist at the children's hospital and also had an in home evaluation.  Over all we met with two speech pathologists, a developmental specialist, and nutritionist. Holden scored off all the charts for development, speech and academics. That was good. But his size still worried them. We met monthly with a nutritionist- keep food diaries, and added fats to almost everything he would eat. It was stressful, which I feel like made him back away from eating... After 3 months meeting with the nutritionist our pediatrician and the developmental specialist/ case worker suggested we graduate from services. They said he was so far advanced that his size and lack of eating wasn't affecting him and we needed to jut let him be a kid.... I believe he is now eating better than ever...and still very small/skinny... I think that's just how he is. I would say I was very impressed with everyone we came across through this journey. And it was great to see at what level he can perform. I believe being a little brother has really helped him soar... He picks up on everything I work with Owen on.

In February we decided to list our house so we could move before the kids were school aged and our house sold to the first showing. We will be in an apt temporarily until we find the right house.
Owen is very sad about moving from our house... But excited for the apartment. He loves small spaces and being as close as possible to mom and dad.

We have a disney trip planned, Miami trip planned and Tennessee trip planned for summer... I can't wait!!!!
I will have to come back and post pictures for a photo catch-up.

3 years old!

I can't believe I have a three year old.

No party pictures yet because we are having one big fall birthday celebration for both boys since we weren't going to be home on their actual birthdays. Owen has asked for a rocket party all year so I am in full planning mode planning a space themed party for both boys. It will be fun, and a lot less stress and money only having one party ;).

A few birthday cupcakes to celebrate!

Owen Dean Taylor: 3 years old.... It feels like just yesterday I was taking that very pregnancy test that was going to change my life. It has made me a completely different person, I am happier than ever- and love every single day as I watch you grow and learn.
You are such a loving little boy, you want everyone to be happier and do your best to make sure we all have smiles on our face.
At three you are...
99% potty trained
Talking up a storm. Full conversations.
Still loving trains.
Finally sleeping in your toddler bed. (We tried this a while back and you begged for your crib.)
You know your address now and can spell your name( you just say O-W-E-N)
You know your full name.
You love to go shopping with me.
You don't like to clean up and we often have a struggle to get you to do so.
You are starting to like to watch tv some. ( which means you will sit still for a few moments)
You love to be outdoors.
Swimming was a favorite activity this summer.
You have started getting picky about your clothes. Especially your pjs.
You are a great big brother teaching Holden all kinds of things... You have taught him colors & shapes. You keep trying the abc song with him... He'll sing it about half way with you.
You love to make up your own verses to wheels on the bus.
You like to ride your bike and wear your helmet. You got some roller skates for your birthday and the first time you "skated" was hilarious!
I could go on and on about all you have achieved by the age three... You totally amaze me.
We have your 3 yr well check up next week.
Love you bunches buddy.
Xoxo

Catch-up

Finding time to sit down and write..... I think about it often but just never make myself do it. After the kids are down napping, I either 1. Take a nap myself, or 2. Do house wifey duties. And let's be honest, a lot more of number one than number 2. But..... One day my boys won't nap any more, so I must nap while I can.... Right?

Why do I feel like that was yesterday? It really does amaze me how fast time is flying.I have been having baby fever a bit..... But two is plenty. I know this, and know its best for us.... But my uterus doesn't listen.
Many friends have been having babies this spring and I know that has things stirred up.

We are headed out of town for two weeks to see family, then we will be home for about 10 days before we head off the the bay, & then DC. Should be tons of fun!

Things the boys are up too.
We got our first bikes & helmets. They are a huge hit.
We have had a slight bump in the road with potty training.... Pooping is an issue, we are working on it.
Holden loves anything that is yellow... He finds yellow things everywhere we go- and points them out saying "yellow". He also can name the shapes star and circle.
Owen love love loves puzzles & playing memory- or "making matches" as he calls it. He like to play by himself. He likes to sing the abc's, you are my sunshine(Holden is starting to sing this too) & patty cake, ring around the Rosie, monkeys jumping on the bed, itsy bitty spider, and wheels on the bus.. Owen can also spell his name now. He is so excited to learn new things I'm thinking I need to get in the attic and pull out some of my teaching stuff.

We are planning on moving the boys into what is now our guest room. It will be nice because they will have room to play in there too. So mama can have part of her house back. ;) the best part.... I will have so much fun designing their "big boy/toddler room".

We meet with a feeding team next month to discuss Holdens low weight. The dr wants to rule out any sensitivity to textures. We and our dr believe that he is just going to be tall and skinny- he is in the 90% for height but at the very bottom in weight. He is obviously growing, but he is just skinny. He is very active, and never stops. So he burns off everything he eats. His favorite foods are also fruits and vegetables which make it hard to gain weight. He will have a full evaluation just to make sure we aren't missing anything.

Well it's 1:30, so I must try to go to sleep. I'll post pictures soon. I'm on the iPad and don't have anything current.

Update

Life with two high energy kids keeps me busy, and with all that's going on I neglect to update. These updates are for me mostly, so I can look back at these precious times that seem to be flying by. I need to be better about updating.
Holden is 17 months. Almost 1.5 yrs old. I still feel like I was just pregnant. He is a very active, very wild and very happy little boy. He talks up a storm, loves to sing, and even more loves to dance. Some of his favorite songs are : of your happy and you know it, wheels on the bus, .& ring around the rosey.
Owen is 2.5 yrs old and acts like such a big boy. He decided he was ready for underwear and we haven't looked back, no accidents- I believe he was just ready. We haven't given him prizes, but not every single time he goes- more of a reward for just doing a great job. We've left him in the tot room at the gym, and been to birthdays parties both of which I thought he might get distracted. But he did great! I am one proud mama. We also moved him to a toddler bed and he's so excited! Hopefully that continues to go well too.
So, all is well. Everyone's doing great and growing up before my eyes. Too fast!!!

Owen

Owen... I have been meaning to post on all of his updates but just couldn't find the time to sit down and post.
Since turning two in August Owen amazes me everyday. He loves to learn and read which I think is why he amazes me. He really pays attention to what is going on around him and then uses that to make discussions later on, connecting things e similar and asking questions about things that seem to not make since to him.
I started working with Owen when he was 18 months or so on learning his colors, shapes, and recognizing letters and numbers.
He can name all the colors except red??? Red is ALWAYS green which I know could be a color blind confusion. But I won't worry about that. He can name and recognize in every day objects, the shapes: square, circle, rectangle, triangle, oval, heart, diamond, and octagon. I think playing a shape app on the iPad really helped him learn all these shapes. We worked on them and read shaped books, drew shapes, and have several shape puzzles- but the reinforcement of the shape app definitely helped.
Owen knows the letters on his name and a handful of other letters... We are still working on this and numbers, which he can count to 6, and recognize those numbers too. On some occasions he does count correctly to 10 but not always.
Owen loves to play with his friends. He ask as soon as he gets up to play with.... And will name one of his several buddies. He is very social and loves going on adventures. We have been occupying our time swimming, playing the children's museum, playing at the see saw center, having playdates, meeting dad for lunch, enjoying lilyput play homes, going to gymnastics and music class.
Owen at this very moment/age 29 months is very easy going. He is so happy! He is full of energy, hilarious, silly, talkative, loving, and will still hug, kiss, and cuddle with me. I am absolutely loving this age!!!!
A few things we will starting working on in the spring.... POTTY TRAINING, and possibly moving to a big boy bed. Right now Owen loves his crib and sleeps great! So I'm in no hurry.
Owen is growing up so fast. I'm loving the polite loving child he is becoming. I look forward to watching him and loving him become a kid- my toddler is fading fast.

It's been awhile.......

Things were so busy for a while and have just started to calm down.
Do I will update from October- Jan.

At the end of October we took our first family of four plane trip. We took off for dallas. I was stressed but it ended up being great. We got delayed on the plane our flight to Dallas.... Sitting for two hours wasn't tons of fun but we did ok. Everyone slept well while traveling and we had tons of fun.

As soon as we got home from Dallas we had Halloween and Holden's first birthday party. I have decided that since his birthday is Te week of thanksgiving we will celebrate it early with our friends at home and then again with family during our travels.

We traveled to NC for two weeks over thanksgiving holiday. We had a blast! We had lots of play dates and park playing :).

On our trip writ ride a school bus and a train. Owen was in heaven.
We also saw Santa.

We came back home and then had family here for the holidays. It was perfect. We now have more trains than one knows what to do with but we have two very happy boys.