Birthday celebration part 1...

Since the BIG girl is ONE we are having 3, yes 3, parties to honor her!!! The first one we celebrated on her actual birthday, which was Tuesday! It was Justin, Taegan, and I that got to do that party and it was very special. We were so excited to be able to share that day with her and remember back to one year ago today and everything that was happening. Lots of memories flooded me that day and I did much better than I thought I would. I was wondering if I would get upset, because the day she was born was nothing like I had envisioned. Not being able to see her for 24 hours and knowing that she was sick was not what was in my vision. So I was a little worried that I might be weepy that day. I was NOT:) I had a field trip with my class and then Jeanette brought Taegan to school for the afternoon to have a party at school with me and hang out. That was WAY fun. My kids had a ball with her and she ate up the attention.

When we got home we let her play while I made dinner and Justin mowed the lawn since it was going to be the only day it didn't rain! She was a busy bee playing. I made mostacciolli for dinner with corn and rolls. She ate it all up and was ready for presents. We gave her our presents and then did the cake!!! WOW-she was a mess, but it was so much fun. I can't believe how funny she was and how much she loved being a mess. It was perfect.

Her next party is tonight with the grandparents-we thought they should have their own night because at the BIG party on Friday there won't be much time for much of anything:) So, they are coming over tonight for presents and brownies!!!

Enjoy the princess!

The yummy dinner.

Time to dig in...

Sitting nicely opening her presents

Hanging out with what she got

The cute pink and brown cake!!!!

Not real sure about it yet,

what is this all over my hands?

Do you want some, Daddy?

The hands...

Taking a break to itch her nose, GROSS!

ALL DONE!!!!

Happy 1st Birthday Taegan!!!!!!!!

Taegan,

What a big girl you are today. I can't believe that a year has passed since you joined our little family. You were so anticipated and we were so anxious a year ago this morning-we had no idea you would greet us today and throw us for a loop right at the beginning. Thinking about how scary that first night was with you brings tears to my eyes. Daddy was having to be with you in the NICU while Mommy was trying to recover in her room and worry sick about you. They finally got you settled and stable at 2 in the morning and Daddy came back to tell me you were doing a little better. I then had to wait another 24 hours before I could see you because I had a fever when you were born. Yikes, what a day and a half that was waiting to finally meet you! I will never forget holding you for the first time and loving on you. You were perfect and we just wanted to run away with you. You stole our hearts right away and we have not looked back. Thank you for being such an amazing little girl and for making our dreams and wishes come true. You have changed Mommy and Daddy forever and we are eager to share our time together with you. We look forward to many more years to come!!!

We love you,

Mommy and Daddy

Things you are doing now at 1:

*crawling like a mad lady everywhere

*taking a few steps at a time, but not taking off yet

*saying:mama, dada, ball, ba-ba(milk), bye-bye

*signing more

*only using a sippy cup

*eating three meals a day with milk and two snacks

*no nighttime bottle

*taking two naps a day

*sleeping 11-12 hours at night

*laughing all the time and loving life

*you sleep with baby doll and a pacifier

You are the light of our lives!!!!

Sick...again?

Well, the soon-to-be birthday girl is not feeling very well at all. She has been coughing and congested all weekend and I was assuming it was a cold(which I am sure it still is). She seemed to have some labored breathing last night before bed, but I gave her some tylenol and off to sleep she went. She did not stir all night, but coughed quite a bit!!! This morning I opened her bedroom door to hear her breathing all the way across the room. She was raising her entire chest and had to take out her pacifier to get a good breath!!! I changed her clothes and she had a hard time laying down to breathe and it was very deep. Her little tummy was caving in....and her chest. I gave her some milk and she would not drink because she couldn't breath with it. So I called the doctor, and off we go today at 1:20. She also was opening her mouth very wide and holding it there(like when you want to pop your ears)! Praying it is nothing but a little cold! I just called the sitter and she said she seems to be a bit better, but still congested and stuffy!

Yikes, might not be a very fun birthday tomorrow:(

St. Louis Trip...

Last Friday we left town and headed for St. Louis. This was going to be the last weekend for about a month where we had nothing to do and so we took advantage of it and planned our first family trip! This was also Justin's birthday present from us as well. We left right at prime nap time on Friday and she slept for about 3 hours until we stopped for dinner in Columbia. Once we got back in the car Taegan was ready to talk, dance, and clap. She loved watching her DVD player Grandma and Grandpa got her for the car ride and danced along to the music from that!!!
We got into St. Louis and settled into the hotel around 7:30 which was perfect bed time! Taegan spent some time crawling around the hotel room and playing and then it was milk and off to bed....or that was the plan anyway!
As you can see from the picture she turned into a total giggle box and was so wild. She was hiding from us and laughing so hard and taking the remote from Justin and crawling to the other end of the bed and laughing. So after about an hour of that we tried the bed again....
She still was not ready for that either!!! She ended up falling asleep with us in bed at 10:15!!! I moved her to her bed at 11:30 and she slept just fine there. We woke up around 8 to get ready for our day at the zoo on Saturday.
First, she got to eat breakfast standing up at the coffee table in the living room before we left. She thought this was pretty cool!!!!
The first stop was the children's zoo inside the St. Louis Zoo(which is HUGE and free!!!!). She had no fear about petting the goats with dad! She was really liking that actually.
Next stop was the penguin exhibit which she laughed and talked at a ton. She was amazed at the noises they made and could not stop pointing at them.
The sea lions were the next place-she talked up a storm to them. We also got to see a peacock(I think that is what they are called right?!) How pretty and noisy and huge they are!

It started raining on us so we wrapped up the zoo tour quickly, grabbed a bite to eat and headed back to the hotel. Taegan fell asleep on the way back without eating lunch so we let her sleep and fed her when she got up-which was 45 minutes later. We were hoping for a long nap, but no luck. So we fed her and then headed out for more exploring and to get a few games and DVDs to do that night. Our favorite was Jenga!!!!

The next morning it was still raining so we decided to head to Union Station for some fudge, shopping and then head out of town. We did not know there was a marathon going on and well we got to sit in a parking lot full of cars wanting to leave and us wanting to get in for an hour!!!! We were stuck. We did get fudge and ended up eating lunch there so the traffic line would be gone. Then we were on our way home. Here is our view of the Arch as we left town while it was raining.
On the way home we had to do a detour because of a huge wreck that shut down the highway. We went 1 hour out of our way and ended up getting home at 8:30 at night!!!! We had so much fun and laughed so much....what a great first family vacation. Here is our sleeping princess as we arrived home. She did great in the car.

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

Today is a special day in our house. Justin(aka Daddy) is turning 26 today!!! I can still give away his age right now because he looks like he is 20 and will for a very long time. We spent last weekend together as a family of 3 playing in St. Louis. This was his birthday gift from Taegan and I and we had a ball. I will post more about that tomorrow, but today it is all about JUSTIN!!!

Babe,

I can't believe how fast this year has gone. This time last year I was pretty miserable and counting the days down until we got to meet Taegan. I am sure that your birthday last year did not get as much attention as it deserved! I know you were just hoping and praying that she didn't decide to come on your birthday because you knew that you would forever be sharing "your" day with your little princess! You got lucky and she gave you a whole week in between your birthdays...wasn't that nice of her?!?!

You have been an amazing father to Taegan and a super support system to me as we journey through this new adventure of being parents. We have shed tears of joy and sadness together along this short journey with her, but we have also shed tears of joy and sadness along our journey as husband and wife. I can't thank you enough for being the rock that I need to hold me up somedays. Your easy going attitude is what really helps me make it sometimes. Other times I could pull your hair out because you just let things roll off of you-but that post if for another day!!:)

Thank you for always showing me such compassion and concern with what is going on in our lives. I have never been so happy and eager to share the next day with someone. You have an amazing heart and it grows bigger by the day. You take such great care of Taegan and I, we are lucky to call you ours. Enjoy your special day...I love you!

Daddy-

Thanks for being the best dad around and loving me so much. My eyes light up when you walk in the room and I get to smile so big at you. I love all the kisses you give me(even if I push you away the first few times). I look forward to those times when you fly me around the house and make silly noises that make me laugh so hard. You always know the right things to do when I am mad or sad, and it makes me happy again! I am so lucky that you are my daddy and that I get spoiled by you. What a lucky girl I am. Happy Birthday Daddy!!! I love you bunches and bunches!

Lots to say...but no time!

We had such a SUPER weekend as a family of three. I can't wait to share all the details and pictures about it. I unfortunately feel like a truck hit me and am very under the weather. I am doing my best to get through the morning here at school so I can go home and rest this afternoon because Justin has class all night and I will be alone with Taegan so I need to rest before that happens! Hoping I will be back on here later tonight or tomorrow!!!!

Pray that I start feeling better soon please?!?!?

My Big Girl...

We got Taegan's 1 year pictures taken last Tuesday and I got an email when I woke up this morning that they were ready to view!!!! Oh my how big she has gotten. I can hardly believe my eyes when I look at these pictures that my little girl is that big. Where did the time go? Makes me a little sad that this time is floating away faster than I am ready for.

On a SUPER note I only have 29 more days of school-that includes the two inservice days at the end of the year(which I am sure I will be in a great mood for!). That last day will be hard to say goodbye, but I am so eager to start this next step in my life. I can't wait for all the fun things Taegan and I get to do. I am also very excited for her to be able to spend one day a week with her grandmas. What a great time it will be for everyone!

Here is how to view her pictures:
www.joleespencer.net
Click on website
Click on proofs
Enter your email
Password:Taegan0409

Let me know what you think!!!

Sorry so long...Happy Late Easter!

Where does the time go? Really? We had a great week and great weekend. Taegan had a first this week on Thursday-she stood all by herself:) What a big girl. We happened to have the video camera out playing around and I said turn it on maybe she will stand. What do you know...she did!!! And she has been becoming a pro at it. Also on Saturday she decided to climb the stairs to get upstairs(5 stairs) and she has continued to do that as well!! We had a very blessed Easter weekend with family. Saturday night we spent with my parents and had an Easter egg hunt and Sunday we spent with Justin's family and went to church. Justin, Taegan, and I did our Easter during the day on Saturday. We had an egg hunt for her inside and she loved it! I will let the pictures do the explaining...and I promise to be around more this week!

Easter basket from Amy and Katie.
A brand new book and some peeps!

Easter basket from Mom and Dad!

Finding an egg on the hunt at home.

Looking very cute and sweet to go to Grandma and Grandpas house.

Enjoying some Lime Jell-o Cake!

Standing up looking for the eggs!!!!!

Laughing at her singing Easter card.

Hanging with Uncle Garret!

Looking all cute for church.

The end result of everything she got!

Busy weekend and lots of fun...

We had a fun weekend. Friday night started with a reorganization of our patio and it has now become our new Taeganisum!!! She got a brand new sandbox from Di, a new swing from Grandma and Grandpa, and we moved her Kangroo climber out there on a mat for her to crawl around on. Needless to say she was entertained for quite a while out there while we cleaned and worked around her! Saturday morning started off with a bang when we got things delivered from Lowes and began working in the yard. We remulched everything, put down some gravel in an area, raked leaves, mowed, and began work on the rock wall for the swing set area! It was a beautiful day that we needed to help us get work done! Sunday we spent the morning with Justin's mom and dad and then celebrated Easter with my mom's side of the family! Taegan had her first Easter egg hunt and she did great. Another first for the weekend was that we turned Taegan's car seat around and she is loving it. She is always jabbering now and wants to be in the middle of all the action! What a big girl she is getting to be. We are planning her party which will be here in 3 weeks!!! Where did this first year go??? I will leave you with some pictures from the weekend!

Checking out what was in the eggs.
Putting her egg she found in the basket.

Getting ready to go on the hunt!

All dressed up and pretty!!!

Sitting in her new chair from Di!

Talking away to us!

Having a blast in the sand.

Clapping because she is happy.

Can I catch a break...

This post has nothing to do with Taegan and I am very sorry about that, but it has been one of those days. From the moment I heard my lovely little angel jabbering at 6 this morning to the notion of getting a new student in my class today it has been a day already. Why is it that some people get away with anything and other people who follow the rules get in trouble? Why is it that no matter how many notes and reminders you send home about State Testing and the time frame, do parents still schedule appointments and pull their kids? Why is it that a child in 5th grade can sit in class and complain about how their family does not have any money(can't shop at Dillons because it is too expensive) but are taking a 5 day trip in the middle of the work week and that child dances 3 nights a week? Why is it that some people make decisions for others that they have no business making because it does not pertain to them? And why is it that when you say something 3 times you still have to say it 2 more times for some?

I think I am done for today-really I should head home, crawl back in bed, and try this day over again. The rest of the day can only get better, right?! I will leave you with a picture because it is helping me smile...and Amy requested one:)

This is exactly how I feel!!!