Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving... I think these pictures sum up all that we have to be thankful for this year!

8 months

Again, I am shocked that I am here, writing about another month that has gone by. Taylor has spent the last month amazing us... as usual. Even after 8 months, Mike and I can't get enough of her. Certainly there are times that we beg her to sleep more or hope that she will briefly entertain herself so we can quickly get something done, but most of the time we are chomping and the bit to be with her. Sometimes after I get her to bed and relax on the couch for a few minutes, I am ready to be with her again. Mike and I have even been tempted to wake her up to play and cuddle some more but we realize that would be a little crazy! Ahhh... we feel so lucky!

Taylor is really getting around these days... not quite crawling but working on it. She rolls all over and squirms to get wherever she wants. She loves to stand at her table and is getting pretty good at pulling herself up on to it. Taylor has a toy drum that we have been playing with for a few months and now she thinks that all surfaces are drums and pounds pretty much anything that she can get her hands on. She bangs in delight and in frustration, the differences are the squeals that accompany the banging! She has also started handing things to us. She loves when I take her pacifier out of her mouth, pretend to put it in my mouth, and then give it back to her. After doing this a few times she takes it out of her mouth and tries to put it in my mouth, all with a huge smile!

Still practicing crawling... not quite there but working on it!

Practicing this too...

Getting ready to go swimming

Here's too a busy month of decorating, shopping, and meeting Santa!

a growing friendship

I think I have said before that Emma has been feeling a bit neglected since Taylor entered our world... poor thing. Anyway, she has now figured out that hanging out with Taylor is a sure fire way to get some attention and is basically on top of her all day long. Taylor loves it and thinks that pulling her collar, grabbing her ears, and getting kisses is super fun.

This is just after Emma lands a wet one right across Taylor's face

Determined to get the collar

Taylor thinks rolling on top of Emma is pretty fun these days too.

Soccer Game Sundays

Taylor and I have been going to Mike's soccer games on Sundays for the last several weeks. She is actually quite content sitting and watching the action about the first half and then we have to come up with things to do to pass the time. I can't wait until next year when she is running around kicking the ball with her daddy! The weather so far has been nice but I think we may be running out of days warm enough for her to be outside for an hour and half so I wanted to make sure to get some pictures this week.

Self Feeding

Well Taylor's arms are now long enough to reach her bowl even when placed at the very edge of the highchair tray. It use to be safe there but no longer. I turned my back long enough to get a glass of water and she got in to her breakfast! We let her keep playing with it for awhile to see what she would do and I think she had fun "self feeding".

Bookworm

Thanks to our friend Ashlynne recommending five books (at least!) a day from day one Taylor has become quite the bookworm! We mostly get them in before naps and bedtime because that is generally the only time she is willing to sit still in our laps. She has her favorites and I think I have the majority of them memorized. I sometime find myself walking around the house reciting "Hands Hands Fingers Thumb"... I think it might drive Mike crazy... when I do it out loud!

So many choices

Yes we are standing up!

Taylor and her Buddy

Emma isn't really excited by the same book over and over again

a day in the life of a pumpkin

Halloween was a busy day for our little pumpkin...

posing with her other pumpkin friends

hanging with her cousin Nolan

Tackling her cousin

playing with Dr. Atkiss, Dissectologist (Aunt Jen in Costume)

Finally, scaring all the trick or treaters

She IS a little fish!

We started swimming lessons on Friday. We almost missed the first one on account of the Phillies parade but at the last minute I thought it was a better choice to go swimming. Mike chose the parade... we forgive him... it could be a once in a life time event!

Anyway Taylor seemed to love the giant bathtub that she shared with her momma! It was nice that we had Pop Pop and Great Grandmom there to watch too.