The Taylor Family: June 2006

Who's Abigail?

She's a bundle of sweetness, brightness & fun
The beauty of springtime,
the warmth of the sun
She's Innocence covered with mud,
sand, & soot
She's Motherhood dragging
a doll by the foot...

She's a composite picture of
giggles & tears
Of tantrums, excitement,
amusement & fears
A bundle of mischief
and often a tease
A creature of moods
not easy to please...

Who'll capture your heart
with her pixie-like grin
Or chatter and beg till your
patience wears thin
But obedient, naughty,
mischievous or coy
She's Mom's little Darling & Dad's Pride & Joy.

Tumble!!

Brye had lots of fun today in her first tumble class. We did all sorts of activities. We started with the balance beam which she was really good at and did great jumps off and always landed on her feet. She could get up on the beam all by herself and I was really impressed. Then we did little tumbles and rolls and acted like animals too. Brye had fun jumping up and down because the matte was really springy. Later we did an obstical course and got to do crawling through tumbles and even back walk-overs. She did great with all the tasks. The only thing she didn't like was the block pit, where you jump in the pit and have to crawl across all the big foam blocks to the other side. I know that in time she will like that best of all though.

Swimming away

Brye, Abbi and I met up with Laura and her two girls, Reagan and Kendall today. We went swimming at my Dad's house since the weather was so beautiful. There was a 50% chance of rain but it didn't come until much later in the day and we were just swimming in the morning. The girls had a great time as always. Brye and Reagan played a lot on the steps and then did a little swimming in the shallow end with Laura and I's help of course. Abbi floated around in her little inflatable tube and liked to hold the ball and at times seemed as if she were about to fall asleep. Brye and Reagan liked to play with the Wacky Noodles and practice their kicking while holding on to them. I packed my camera all up to take with me but forgot it when I grabbed the girls lunches and the rest of the stuff we needed for the day. Laura had her camera though so she sent me a couple pics so I could post one.

Doctor's office

Brye and Abbi both had their annual checkups today. The doctor told us that Brye and Abbi were both really smart and ahead of most their age and everything was perfect with them. Abbi weighs 19 lbs and 14 oz and Brye weighs 27 lbs. Abbi is 29.5 inches long and Brye is right at 33 inches. Abbi will be at her level in no time. Brye didn't really like the doctor and wasn't very cooperative but we got through it all alright. In the end Brye got one shot and Abbi got three. Ouch! Brye is good for another year but Abbi has to return in 3 months.

A Piercing Experience

Since Grandma hadn't been feeling well lately I decided to take her out to lunch. We had a great meal with the girls at Panera and after that we went over to the Oviedo Mall just to window shop. While we were there we meet up with our friend Cindy, who manages the Piercing Pagoda in that mall. I have wanted to get Abbi's Ears done for a while and since Cindy was there it was the perfect time. After grabbing my camera from the car, we picked out some earrings and started the show. Abbi was pretty content with the whole experience up until she actually got the piercings. She didn't enjoy the pain that came

with the beauty but she got over it fairly quickly. Abbi tried to start it up the water works again but she wasn't very successful because we kept trying to make her smile. In the end everyone was happy and Cindy did a great job of getting them even. Thanks Cindy for the great piercing job! After we got her ears pierced we walked around a bit but we didn't buy anything, there was nothing we needed. It was nice to just get out of the house for a while even though the rain was coming down.

Give us a call

Today Peter and I had lettering put on our van to advertise our photography business.

We want to add some pictures later on but right now this will have to do. With all the driving we do each day we should get a couple calls from it I hope. It took us a while to decide what we wanted it to say but we are happy with the end result.

Just my size

Brye and Abbi both LOVE bananas. They usually have one for breakfast everyday. Abbi has started getting picky about the food she eats but

the one thing she always takes is a banana. She won't eat it mushed up anymore she wants it just like her big sister takes it, straight out of the peel.

Last night's dinner

I don't know that she managed to get any in her mouth but she did manage to get it in her hair and everywhere else for that matter. I did say she was a mess maker didn't I?

Going for a ride

Peter had to work all day today so the girls and I went shopping. Nothing too exciting just to Target and the grocery store. We had a good time though, and it was nice to get out of the house. Here are the girls in our car getting ready to take off. Abbi has a Doctors appointment on Tuesday and after that she should be able to sit in a big car seat like Brye has. I might put the two seats together so they can play. Right now they are always passing things back and forth to each other but they can't always reach. I will have to wait until we get the second seat to see how much room they need but since the seats are captians chairs there should be plenty of room.

Fun in the Sand

We went over to visit my cousin Laura today and meet her new baby Kendall. Reagan is a big sister now and seems to really be enjoying it. Brye and Reagan had a great time playing together. They played in Reagan's kitchen and then in the livingroom and then in the sandbox outside.

They succeeded in getting the sand everywhere imaginable and when it was time to clean them off we ended up having to give them a bath. I don't know if they had more fun in the sand or in the bath afterwards. Neither one wanted to get out but Brye and Abbi and I had to be on our way. Brye always has fun with Reagan so we will have to meet up with them again soon. Kendall is such a sweetie and so tiny, I don't remember my girls ever being that small but I know they were at some point. Guess that means I need another one.

Mommy's Little Mess Maker

I think that says it all.

Peter's Father's Day

Yesterday we went over to see Peter's Dad and family for Father's Day. Peter's brother, Tim made us dinner at his place and we had fun just hanging out. The dinner was great and it was good to see everyone again. Brye always has fun with Grandpa and she also had fun playing with Tim because he was playing with her most the night.

Peter's other brother Chris is moving away soon so it was nice to get to see him before he left.

Happy Father's Day!!

My Dad is away on vacation so I don't get to see him today but I will see him when he gets back. This is a picture taken right after I was born 24 years ago of my Dad holding me for the first time in the hospital room. Thanks for everything Dad hope you have a great time today! Happy Father's Dad, I love you!

Happy Father's Day Papa!

Today we headed over to Grandma and Papa's house. It was Papa's day off and he wanted to see his grandchildren for Father's Day. We had a great day all day long. The girls played in a blow-up pool in the backyard and Jim made great steaks on the BBQ. Brye made Papa cupcakes yesterday so he could have them today. Abbi showed off her walking skills and both the girls took naps so they wouldn't be so cranky, they usually don't take naps at Grandma's house so this was very nice. Tomorrow we are going to Peter's Dad's house for dinner to celebrate with him. My Dad is on vacation so I won't see him until he gets back.

Baby Steps

Yesterday at about 8:30 p.m. Abigail took her very first steps. We were in the livingroom and I was coxing

her with a toy she got for her birthday, I could tell she really wanted to try to walk and was thinking about it awfully hard. I held the toy in front of me a little over her head just a couple feet away and she took one then two and got to four steps before I picked her up and hugged her tight. I am so proud of my baby, she is growing up so fast! Of course I gave her the toy and I couldn't help the tears as I told her how proud I was of her. Just a few minutes later she decided to try it again without any coxing from me and that is when I took this shot. I am going to have to get a few of her walking by the camera so I can do my photoshop work and put them all in one photo like I did for Brye when she learned to walk.

Cool Dip

Today was hot so we headed over to my Dad and Judy's house for a dip in their pool. The water was great and very refreshing. Brye was being naughty and said she didn't want to swim so Abbi and I had fun by ourselves splashing in the water. Abbi has a little float seat she likes to sit in and drift around but she also had fun playing on the steps where she could reach. She took a couple accidental slips but I was always there to catch her before she could get too worried. Going swimming is always great for me because the girls sleep so well afterwards. :) Today was a perfect day for the pool, and with the temperature rising I am sure there will be plenty more.

Gotta clean

We got a call from Grandma and she said she had an account to do in town so she was going to stop by before she went to work.

That sounds great but we can't let Grandma see Brye's room like this. After talking to Grandma on the phone, Brye ran off to clean up all her toys so that Grandma could come over. It wasn't too bad so it didn't take too long but Brye sure was proud when it was all done and pretty. Now Grandma can come over and mom is happy too, what a deal!

Coloring Days

Since the rain looked like it would hold off for a while, the girls and I decided to decorate our driveway. Brye loves to play with her chalk and Abbi had a good time trying to figure out how it worked. Brye would tell me to draw a shape and I would make it for her. She knows all her shapes including pentagon and trapezoid. We always have fun coloring but the chalk gets everywhere so it is always bathtime afterwards (see previous post). When the rain comes it will wash it all clean and we will get to decorate it again. It's like having a never ending supply of canvas'.

Congratulations Laura and Mike!!

Baby Kendall was born on June 9th, the day after Abbi's first birthday. She is the second daughter to Laura (Chellee's cousin) and Mike. Reagan, their older daughter, and Brye our 7 months apart and always have a great time playing together. We welcome baby Kendall to the family with open arms. We can't wait to meet her and see how tiny she is compared to our big kids. Congratulations on a beautiful baby girl!!

Rain, Rain, come to stay

Finally we are seeing some rain here in Central FL. My flowers will be so happy. It has been so dry these past few months, my grass is all yellow and crunchy. Eww. Today at Grandma's we went out to feed the critters in the rain so I snapped this shot on the way back in. Abbi liked the rain, she liked to hold the umbrella and made funny faces when the rain hit the top of it. It is hard to see the rain in this picture but it was really coming down.

A Sweetie making sweets!

We had plans to go out today but when the rain started we had to revise them. We ended up at Grandma's house where Papa had cookies waiting to be made by Brye. Brye and Grandma made two trays of cookies and after eating all that sugar Brye got cranky. This is why I say "no sugar Bryanna." She is a good cook though, I have to hand her that. You can see more photos on Grandma's House Blog.

Squeaky Clean

Brye and Abbi love to take baths. Brye likes to play with all the bubbles and helps me wash Abbi. Abbi likes to play with all the toys in there. She got some new toys for her birthday so she is having fun exploring them all.

Lucy-Goose

This is our cat Lucy. She came from Greece. My brother, Steve, was stationed there in the Navy and when he went to school he couldn't keep her so he sent her to me. At first I wasn't sure about her but now we have lots of fun. She likes to chase me around the house and when I won't play with her she runs from room to room screaming. It's very

entertain-
ing. She doesn't go outside, because there are too many sick strays out there, so her fur is always very soft and clean. She is very well behaved and has learned that if the children come near and she doesn't like it then she needs just run off and not cause a fight. Lucy is 6 years old and we really enjoy having her in our house.

How'd she get in there?

Brye had fun seeing herself on the tv. I would take a picture with my camera and play it on the screen through the AV cables and then take another one of her viewing it. She thought it was really neat how she kept getting smaller and smaller.

Abigail Is One Year Old!!

A year ago today we brought another addition to our family into the world. Abigail has enriched our lives everyday and has shown us that the human heart is capable of holding so much more love than we could ever conceive. All I have to do is just think of her or say her name and my heart melts all over again, just as it did the first time I ever saw her. Exactly one year ago I held her in my arms for the first time and just like then I still don't want to let her go. It's funny how a complete stranger can change your life in an instant. We thank God everyday for blessing us with our wonderful family.

This is the announcement/invitation I made for Abbi's party. If you would like your own copy of the photo and didn't get one let me know and I will be sure to get one for you. You can click on the photo to view it larger in a new window.

To the Beach!

Such beautiful weather calls for a day at the beach. Steve and Heather packed up The Baby Tyler and I packed up the girls and off we went. The beach wasn't crowded at all and the weather was wonderful! It was Abbi's first time at the beach and she enjoyed the sand but didn't care for the water. I took Brye out to go swimming but she clung to me the whole time and wanted to go back and build a sandcastle with Uncle Steve. We were all lathered up with sunscreen but we still got a couple burn spots, nothing too bad though. It was a great way to spend Abbi's last day as less than a year old. Tomorrow is her big day, so much for my baby. :(

Grandma's house

Once again we went to Grandma's house. The boys worked in the bathroom all day and us girls just socialized. My mom made a great dinner for everyone and it really filled us up. Brye enjoys eating at Grandma's because she has her own Hello Kitty plate and glass.

Smile!!

Today, while visiting at Grandma's house the kids all got dressed up and had their picture taken. Believe it or not Tyler was the most cooperative and smiled the whole the time, while the other two couldn't decide if they were going to be happy or sad. In the end we got one decent shot, I guess you can't ask too much of three children all under the age of 3.

Abbi's Party

Abigail turns one year old this Thursday on the 8th. Today we had a party to celebrate with all our friends and family. A lot of people showed up to see Abbi and show how much they love her. She had a great time and received lots of great gifts. We let her dig into the cake but she liked playing with it more than she wanted to eat it. Abbi had a beautiful dress on that poofed out and had a number one on under balloons. We were very pleased with the turn out and are very thankful for everyone who shared Abbi's special day with us. You can click on the pictures to see a larger view of them.

Saturday, June 3rd

Last night Peter and I went out and shot a wedding. We do photography on the side and we are trying to get some more jobs lined up. The wedding last night was in Altamonte Springs. The wedding was very nice and it seemed that everyone at the party had a great time. We really enjoy shooting weddings where all the guests participate and the families are really close. While were at the wedding Steve and Heather took care of our girls. Thanks for the help Steve and Heather!

Cool kids

Today we took the girls shopping off I-Drive but first we stopped at my sister, Janell's house to check on her cat while she was out of town. We took a picture of all the kids in their cool sunglasses hanging out by the pool. It was a hot hot day so we didn't hang out long. The girls are sure having a ton of fun with their cousin, The Baby Tyler, we are really going to miss him when we goes back home next week.

Abbi and I were twins today, we had matching shirts and khaki shorts. I was hoping Brye could match with us too but she didn't have the right clothes. Maybe Brye and I can be twins someday.

More caching

Steve and Heather, and Peter and I as well as all the children went up to the Ocala National Forest to do some geocaching. We had a great time but it was really hot and it sprinkled on and off for most of the day. We ended up finding 21, a new record for us in one day. Then it was back to our house for dinner and a movie and of course loggin in all our finds. There are a ton more up in the Forest but they will just have to wait for another day. Here in the picture we are waiting in car while Peter grabbed a cache in the rain.

Tyler is hiding next to Heather in his carseat. The kids were very good considering they were stuck in the car all day.

To Mark's House

Today two of my brothers, Steve and Brian, along with Heather and the two babies and I went up to see my other brother, Mark's house. He lives up near Gainsville. We had a nice visit and ate dinner before returning home. They have a nice house they are fixing up and have already done a great job. Abbi had a fun time visiting with her cousin Garret again and we are expecting to see them all again soon.

Friday, June 30

Who's Abigail?

Thursday, June 29

Tumble!!

Wednesday, June 28

Swimming away

Tuesday, June 27

Doctor's office

Monday, June 26

A Piercing Experience

Sunday, June 25

Give us a call

Saturday, June 24

Just my size

Friday, June 23

Last night's dinner

Going for a ride

Wednesday, June 21

Fun in the Sand

Tuesday, June 20

Mommy's Little Mess Maker

Monday, June 19

Peter's Father's Day

Sunday, June 18

Happy Father's Day!!

Saturday, June 17

Happy Father's Day Papa!

Friday, June 16

Baby Steps

Cool Dip

Thursday, June 15

Gotta clean

Wednesday, June 14

Coloring Days

Tuesday, June 13

Congratulations Laura and Mike!!

Monday, June 12

Rain, Rain, come to stay

A Sweetie making sweets!

Sunday, June 11

Squeaky Clean

Saturday, June 10

Lucy-Goose

Friday, June 9

How'd she get in there?

Thursday, June 8

Abigail Is One Year Old!!

Wednesday, June 7

To the Beach!

Tuesday, June 6

Grandma's house

Monday, June 5

Smile!!

Sunday, June 4

Abbi's Party

Saturday, June 3rd

Friday, June 2

Cool kids

Thursday, June 1

More caching

To Mark's House

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