The Nash's

My little talkers!

2011-10-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

Shelby has gotten SOOOO verbal in the past month!

The newest phrase of Shelby's is

My favorite color is Lellow. (Yellow)

It is, by the way, the single most CUTEST thing EVER!

Taylor has also become more verbal....in a totally different way... she could LITERALLY talk to a fence post. She is always talking.

She just talks, and talks, and talks, and talks.

I LOVE IT!

That is of course, unless I am on the phone, or trying to do anything that requires my full attention. Which, when I am involved in any of those activities, I must be wearing a HUGE sign that says....

Taylor, please talk to me now

and repeat yourself 100 bazillion times,

even after I have answered you!

Sweet as pie, they are...

Push reading at school = Six flags trip int he summer

2011-06-25T05:42:00.000-07:00

At school there is a read for success program. The students must read a certain number of books within a given amount of time, adn they get a free ticket to sixflags!

Teachers who have students participate also receive a ticket!

We took our trip to SixFlags with Kari, her two kids, Kole and kamryn, and my mom or Nana.

A group shot of the kids!

First ride...the swings!

Poor Shelby really wasn't able to do a lot, but she still had fun. When we left the swings we found her and Nana at the looney tunes show. Shelby was having fun dancing ont he stage to the music.

Nana Rode the trucks with the kids.

We're Flying!

Nana and Taylor

A little nap after our EXPENSIVE lunch! We knew that the food would be overpriced, but I don't know, I was really suprised at how overpriced it was. We bought 2 chicken baskets with fries and drinks and spent almost $50!!! INSANE! Now wonder we always packed a luch when we were little.

We needed a break later in the day soooo, of to the carousel we went!

Watermelon!

2011-06-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Daniel's dads birthday this year we had a lot of fun just hanging out and eating some watermelon!

Getting ready to go, I just snapped a few pictures of the girls being silly in my bedroom after getting their toenails painted. They love to lay and put their feet up on the foot of my bed to allow their nails to dry.

The girls LOVED the watermelon...the pictures will speak louder thatn any words I could type!

And some games outsde...

Happy Birthday Lucas!

2011-06-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

June 12, 2011

Daniel's cousin Jordan's little one is such a cutie. We went to Jordan's Aunt Mitzi's house to celebrate Lucas's Birthday. We always have a great time celebrating with them.

Ted an Mitzi have an AMAZING pool that we enjoyed after the food and gifts!

Happy Birthday JJ

2011-06-10T22:26:00.000-07:00

My girls have been very lucky that their sitter and the sitter for their cousin JJ live within walking distance of each other. They are able to play together often.

I am glad the girls are able to spend time with their cousin, since we aren't able to get together with family as often as we'd like.

Here are some pictures from JJ's Birthday!

Couldn't you just eat her up?

How do yo knw when the cupcakes are good?...

The girls other cousin Lucas with his mom and dad. Isn't he such a cutie?!

JJ's Grandmother, his two aunts, Tara and Kristen, and his dad Franklin.

May 2011 - Ballet Recital

2011-05-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

My mom said to me yesterday..."You really need to update your blog."

I agree...

Taylor participated in ballet last year and performed in her recital in May. It was AMAZING. I can't believe how well ALL the kids did. To be 3 years old and get on a stage in front of that many people, it was great.

Waiting for the show.

Certificate time.

Here's a video...it's about 2 min.

The GA Aquarium

2011-05-07T17:36:00.000-07:00

I had the priveledge of taking my safety patrols from school to the GA Aquarium for their end of year field trip. My mom, Daniel's mom and thegirls met us down there. They had a blast!

Dying Eggs

2011-04-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

Easter

2011-04-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

Grandaddy's Birthday

2011-04-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

Spring Break

2011-04-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

To me Spring Break is just as it is for every other teacher out there....a TEASE!

It makes me wish for summer, this year I felt this more than others. I really haven't been able to do much over the past 3 summers. After Taylor was born in January '08, she was small and still taking 2 naps a day. Although that age is very fun in its own right, there really isn't alot of variety in your day.

In '09 I was pregnant with Shelby and not as comfortable doing as much as I wanted to do with Taylor.

Last Summer, Shelby was the one taking 2 naps a day...

But, THIS Summer the two are going to be SOOO FUN! They are both at an incredibly fun stage, they are only taking 1 nap which gives us the ENTIRE morning to do great things....(they can also go without a nap, but we don't do that very often)

I got a taste of Summer on my Spring Break.

We enjoyed times with friends coming over and visiting...the kids LOVED meeting new little "friends". I enjoyed catching up.

One thing I really want to try hard to do is to spend time with each of my kids seperately AND together. I reserved a day for Shelby and one for Taylor over the break.

SHELBY'S DAY:

The Yellow River Game Ranch!

HIGHLIGHTS:

She got bit by a deer while feeding it...OUCH (it did bring blood and her poor finger was swollen for a few days)
She love walking on the rocks that edged the trail.
Her favorite thing was the mountain lion. She literally stood at the cage for 15 minutes "meowing" at the "cat"
She also, had a blast feeding the goats. They had little babies running around, not in the pen. She really liked these, they were just her size!

TAYLOR'S DAY:
Pedicures and "Yogi Bear"
HIGHLIGHTS:

Talyor LOVED getting her toes painted. She picked green (lime green) her favorite color at the moment.
The nail salon was super nice and painted little white daisies on her big toes without us asking. Taylor was thrilled!
We went to see "Yogi Bear" at the Dollar movie (technically $1.99, and they get you at the concession stand!)
The cherry ICEE was better than the movie.
She couldn't stop talking about the popcorn for the rest of the afternoon. (she is a child after my own heart!)
She remembered very little of the movie...but loved that Yogi tookt he picnic tables at the end and there was a dog on one of them. If you ask her about the movie, that's pretty much all you'll get.
At dinner like 4 nights later she was talking to Daniel and said " Daddy, at Yogi Bear there was a rabbit and it chased this bird, and it rode a scooter, like Lydia has. (Lydia is the daughter of Tracy, our sitter)" For the life of me I had NO IDEA what she was talking about. There wasn't a rabbit in the movie and I didn't remember a bird and I was certain no one rode a scooter. Then it dawned on me...She was remembering the cartoon that played before the movie. -- it was the Road Runner and Wiley Coyote!!! It was a cute cartoon and the coyote DID ride on an electric scooter (liek the mall police have). It's funny what they remember.

I hate that I don't have pics downloaded yet, but I will soon!

Shelby's Day - Yellow River Game Ranch (April 6)

2011-04-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

Taylor's day with Mommy (April 8)

2011-04-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

New Vocabulary

2011-03-08T18:42:00.000-08:00

Just had to share that Shelby has had a massive vocabulary EXPLOSION!

She has started saying all kinds of things and many of the words are so clear! She now tries to repeat almost everything that you say... I am so excited to be on the way to "real" communication with her. It is such a blessing to be able to understand her needs, wants, and hurts.

Along with all the vocabulary has also come stubborness...and it has come with a vengeance! Her favorite new thing to say is "uh, uh" as in "no" while shaking her head vigorously left to right. OMG...so frustrating! and cute at the same time =)

She says uh-uh to most anything but usually it is the response to a command like...."Shelby, let's clean up the books", "Let's go get a bath", "Come and get your shoes on", and "Can I have a hug?" ...sad =(

She is just learning soooo much, it is amazing.

She loves her Your Baby Can Read books, and actually recognizes about 15 words. I think it's great and she really enjoys them.

I am so in love with her and am thankful that God has allowed me to take care of her and her sister.

The Circus!

2011-02-26T18:29:00.000-08:00

I realy wanted to take the girls to the circus this year, and was totally bummed when both of the girls got sick last week. Then miraculously they were well =)

I made a last minute purchase and we had tickets to the 3:00 show!

4th row and it was AMAZING!

Time

2011-02-21T17:34:00.000-08:00

“Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't

own it, but you can use it. You can't keep

it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it

you can never get it back.”

I was in the mood to update my blog, I know...crazy, right? I realized that Taylor's birthday ticker still said "congratulations, Taylor is 3!" and went to update her ticker. Do you know that my ~~baby~~ big-girl is on her way to being 4?!

Time is something that I most certainly take for granted. After the girls are in bed, I tend to think...where'd the evening go? I know I am blessed to have a job and have wonderful sitters for the girls, but I want to be at home. I want to be with my girls all day, every day. It seems like I always miss something.

But, really? 4? She will start Pre-K in a little over a year. I think I'll freak out. I know I'll cry. I always wondered why parents did that, now that I am a mom and I am facing this in the forseeable future...I totally get it, 100%.

I guess the blessing comes in that when she is in school, I'll be teaching there and ~~I'll be able to see her~~ she'll be able to see me whenever she wants. =)

Shelbs

2011-02-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

Shelby is the absolute sweetest 15 month old I know. (not that I am biased at all!)

So what is she up to?

She has begun talking A LOT over the past week. She asks (by pointing) what everything is. She actually point to things and says "this?" Kind of like she wants to know what this is.
Some words she can say well...Mommy, Daddy, baby (although it sounds like Baaabee), ball, up, down/done(they sound similar), apple, shoe, thank you (more like tay uuu), nananana (banana, and yes its lots of na's), bath...there are probably more words, but I can't remember. She does a lot of repreating what we say...she's trying!
She learned how to open doors in the house. Not the front door, but all the others she can now open.
Because of her door opening skills, she has now enjoyed at least 4 wonderful playdates with the toilet...fun for her at the time, not fun for Mommy when I have to change her and clean her up.
She loves to be outside. One reason we're glad she CAN'T open the front door. (the back stays locked). I have caught her going into the garage, but she only made it a few steps out, and boy was she mad when she got placed back inside.
She is long and lean. 25% for her weight and 70% for her height. In comparison for us, she is the same height as Taylor was at 17 months. So she's a bit taller.
Shelby love to read...she has been reading the Your Baby Can Read books. I vow to work with BOTH of the girls this summer..it can't hurt. Shelby recognizes over 15 words.Is it memory? maybe, but you gotta start somewhere. We are definitely not pushing either of them to read, but the exposure to the written language is so good for them. (yes, I am a teacher, poor kids)
She is a master of animal sounds. I LOVE her duck...it really sounds like a duck...CRAZY! She has mastered the elephant, sheep, cow, monkey, horse, pig, tiger, cat, and dog.
She is an awful teether
she is very stubborn...if she doesn't want to whatever, she really doesn't want to...
We have really had a hard time with her skin this winter. She has Eczema on her arms and legs. We lather her with cortizone cream nightly, with lotion and a humidifier. Some days it looks great and others, not so much.
She is an eater. Sometimes he eats more in one meal than Taylor does all day. I have noticed that she has tappered off some.
She really eats ANYTHING (probably includign things she shouldn't eat). But, there is not much she turns her nose at.
She is acting like she wants to climb out of her crib. She is NOT allowed to learn to do that...I'll let you know how that turns out =) No, really, I cannot imagine her in a toddler bed. She'd be up ALL night.
Whereas Taylor LOVED TV and would stare anytime we had it on. Shelby has absolutely no need for the TV.
Shelby can now climb onto our kitchen table. Learning she could do that was a bit shocking. Daniel walked in and there she was in the middle of the breakfast table, pulling all of the wipes out of the wipe box! Silly girl!
She is super loving. Our neighbor has a little boy and they happened to come over Sunday evening while we were outdoors with the girls for a bit of fresh air. I think the two of them are like 2 moths apart...anyway, she gave him so many kisses and hugs, it was ADORABLE. Her first boyfriend...lets just hope she can learn some modesty before the teenage years!

So that's Shelby minus the details I just cannot remember right now! Every day is a new adventure...I cannot wait to see what she does tomorrow =)

Addicted?

2011-01-09T20:18:00.000-08:00

Shelby just might be...

The hole was created by Shelby's top front teeth...she had coffee all in her mouth!

The coffee is now in the top cabinet

Taylor's FAVORITE gift...

2011-01-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

Props to Kelly Ford for the AMAZING digital camera she got for Taylor's 3rd birthday. Taylor will not put it down.

The following are some of her first shots!

Tomorrow I'm going to be 3!

2011-01-01T20:41:00.000-08:00

If I had a dollar for how many times I've heard that today...well, I wouldn't be rich, but I'd have a few extra bucks in my pocket.

I have to being this story with New Years Eve...

Shelby and Taylor spent the night with my mom and dad on New Years Eve. Taylor had been a little hoarse, kind of coughing, but nothing bad. She woke up on New Years Day and was VERY sick. I called to check on the girls about 10 (we slept in..YAY). I heard Taylor crying in the background and coughing an awful cough.

So we spent the first morning of 2011 in the Athens Urgent Care. (on a side note, they were sooooo nice and I really liked the doctor that we saw)

Even though she was super sick, totally lethargic...head resting on my shoulder, TV and snuggles...she still made it a point to remind us often that her birthday is tomorrow. She is so excited about turning 3, not so excited about cancelling her party. We were planning on a party with friends, but we have to forgo that and have an intimate family celebration. We do not want any other little ones to get whatever it is she's got. (Official diagnosis: Acute Bronchitis, and we are waiting on lab work)

So about Taylor:

She is the smartest 3 year old I know.
She's sweet and loving to EVERYONE, even her sister.
She can throw a mean fit when she wants to.
Eating is an issue and I sometimes wonder if she is eating enough to even keep a bird alive. She likes lunch, but rarely eats much for breakfast or dinner.
She has a healthy passion for McDonald's =)
LOVES chocolate milk (she gets this from her Daddy)
She knows her entire alphabet. She can recognize all capital letters and most to all of her lower case.
Knows most of her colors
She totally knows ALOT of information and we are often surprised by what she does know and wonder "where did she learn that?"
She has discussions about where animals live. (Dolphins live in the water, right mommy?)
She has an amazing imagination. (we currently live with lots of monsters)
She can host a mean tea party =)
She cleans her plate into the trash and puts her plate, cup and fork in the sink when she's done eating.
She can now write the letter 'T' and she is so proud of it because that is "her" letter.
She takes ballet and LOVES it
Can get dressed and undressed without help
Wants to do most everything without help
You can have a real conversation with her.
She is trying to figure out peoples emotions. She'll often ask us if we are happy. I think that she has always thought to be happy you are smiling. So she's learning that facial expressions do not necessarily show the emotion that the person is feeling. Like, you can be happy and not grinning from ear to ear.
She has a caring and sympathetic nature.
She gets her big girl bed (full size) tomorrow. I am not sure who is more excited me or her =)
She is TOTALLY potty trained, even at night. No pull ups at all.
She is in love with all of her girly panties, especially her Hello Kitty ones. (She actually wants to show them to people. I have had to explain MANY times that we cannot show everyone our undies!)
She has a stuffed elephant, "Ellie", that is her FAVORITE buddy. Ellie mostly stays at home, but occasionally gets to go out.
She reminds us to say grace before meals
her favorite TV programs include: Strawberry Shortcake, Team Umizoomi, Word World, The Fresh Beat Band.
DVR has spoiled her. When we watch something in "real time" she wants to fast forward through the commercials. She doesn't understand that we literally can't do that, and she has been known to cry about it.
She is turning 3!
I just love her to pieces.

Christmas Eve 2010

2010-12-31T20:00:00.000-08:00

We always spend Christmas eve with Daniels dad at his home. We always have a great time and the kids get terribly spoiled. This year was no exception...Cindy made both of the girls rocking chairs with their names. They LOVE them, they are in each of their bedrooms. The kids received so many wonderful gifts, a lot of "learning" toys (which I love, it's a teacher thing I guess), and we made many wonderful memories.

I am not sure if I've blogged about Shelby and her climbing abilities. The girl is seriously part monkey (a cute one). Daniel and I have caught her standing in the middle of the kitchen table...twice! Once she learned to climb into the chairs, she had to keep going. If there is ever a flood the poor girl will now how to make it to higher ground =)

When Cindy brought out the chairs, Shelby climbed right up...not understanding that it was a rocking chair and would move! She feel out and the poor thing hurt her little head, so in many pictures she has a nice little "goose-egg" on the side of her head.

The "goose-egg"

Wheeew!

Making cookies for Santa

2010-12-31T17:16:00.000-08:00

Not really feeling the baking cookies for a jolly old saint!

Santa!

2010-12-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

On sunday evening we were able to, for the second year in a row, visit Daniel's Aunt's sister Mitzi's (did you get that?) home for the infamous Santa visit. The families go in together and get Santa and the Mrs. to come to Mitzi's home. It is soooo much better than the mall =)

They arrive and sing carols, read the kids a story, and then pictures and Santa's lap! Followed by gifts. "Santa" brings each child a gift to open before he leaves. The kids have a BLAST and we always leave with wonderful memories to start the holiday season.

Ha! I love that Santa isn't so sure about Shelby!

2.5 hours...really?

2010-11-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

I was reminded today why I really do not like getting holiday pictures taken.

It took 2.5 hours and while the outcome was wonderful...(really great pictures) I also became very hot and sweaty (I think they had the heat on and there were like 10 families in there at once), I was totally irritated (as I tend to be in crowds), I had a very unhappy one year old (what's new?), and a very hungry 2 year old.

At the end of the day though I have some preicous memories of my two favorite people in the whole world!

Party Time!

2010-11-16T19:16:00.000-08:00

We had an absolute blast at Shelby's 1st Birthday Party, and yes I am behind on posting about this!

The girl has some serious friends, and we had a house full of friends and family who love and care for our Shelby. We are all blessed to have such wonderful people to share our lives with. I cannot say thank you enough to my mom and mother-in-law for all that they did and continue to do for my little family.

Shelby was blessed with some great new outfits, books, and toys.

Shelby was so sweet! She was not really sure about the gift opening, but climbing on top of the gifts was a priority.

You know that feeling you get...

2010-11-16T19:02:00.000-08:00

when you leave for vacation and for hours after you leave you ask yourself if you've forgotten something?

That is honestly how I feel all the time now.

And usually the answer is yes, I forgot something...again!

Diapers maybe, or I forgot to fill the wipe container (let me tell you this becomes a hot mess, when you then have to figure out how to wet down paper towels to use), I don't know how many times I've left my phone at home, or the front door unlocked...ALL day, while we're gone.

So aggravating!

ONE!

2010-10-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

Shelby is officially a toddler!

She turned One on October 22,

where did the year go?

We went to dinner on her actual birthday and gad a birthday bash on Sunday with family and friends.

More pics to come later!

What Does an Elephant Say?

2010-10-09T10:01:00.001-07:00

Taylor at Ballet

2010-10-09T09:11:00.001-07:00

11 Months

2010-09-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

Just so I don't forget =0)
What is Shelby up to at 11 months old?

after weeks of wondering if she'd EVER take a cup...she woke up a week ago and refused the bottle!
She says UhOh like a pro...and even if on purpose, if something is "dropped" it is classified as an UhOh!
She's way too cool for baby food. She only wants solids.
She LOVES to eat ANY solid food.
What is she eating? ravioli, grilled cheese, peanut butter toast, scrambled eggs, potatoes, any and I do mean ANY vegetable, she loves biscuits, pretty much anything we're eating she tries.
Her sleeping is crazy! I think she's close to dropping her 1st nap, even though it seems early to me.
The sleep schedule I'd like for her to have is ... 9:30-10:30, 1:30 - 4:00, 8:00PM - 7 or 8 AM depending on the day. Most days she comes close, but not every day.
She loves ~~bothering,~~ playing with Taylor.
Very strong willed! If she wants it...she wants it. There is absolutely NO detering her.
She is beginning to communicate verbally. Her language of choice? SCREAMING, is that an official language? If not, it should be.
She adores her Daddy. Da-Da is what I hear most of the time. So sweet.
She tries to "run". She isn't quite steady walking yet, but she will take off at neckbreaking speeds.
She makes me laugh.
She makes me cry (why do they grow up sooooo fast?)
She makes me smile.

My Ballerina

2010-09-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

We decided on a whim to put Taylor in ballet. And when I say we, I mean I. Daniel hasn't really wanted to go the "dancer" route. I knew I wanted her involved in something...anything.

All I could find (for her age) was gymnastics and dance.

For gymnastics, it was mommy and me. I do not have a problem doing anything with her, but I really wanted her to experience an organized sport with another adult as the disciplinarian. I want her to do something without me and socialize with others her age.

So, we have ballet.

and she loved her first lesson.

I wish I could have gotten some pictures of her actually paricipating in the dancing, but the week prior, they had A LOT of trouble with some of the kids crying and such. So they had the door closed and the blinds shut. I stood with my face buried in the window sneaking peeks through a small gap in the blinds.

I know it was for the best, taylor really hesitated before going in. If she'd seen me watching, she may not have done as well as she did.

Just a moment of the day...

2010-09-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

I have tried to video the girls more and you never really know what you're gonna get.

At one point I was holding my breath hoping Taylor would let go of Shelby's neck...she tends to force Shelby to do what she wants her to do. That definitely won't last very long. =0)

What a little lady!

2010-09-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

Pretty dress, high heels, and a grocery cart!

Take my picture!

2010-09-01T21:30:00.000-07:00

As soon as I get the camera out and Taylor sees it she begins to ask over and over....Please take my picture! then she poses and IF I'm lucky I'll snap a good shot before she's up and running to the camera to see the picture I've taken.

Sister love!

Shelby Walking

2010-08-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

I also get a kick out of Taylor in the background saying she has to potty, again.

Missing the girls

2010-08-24T12:28:00.000-07:00

I really miss seeing my little girls since going back to work.

I randomly stop and think "what are they doing?"

I hate that I don't know.

I am fully blessed because my kids stay with my mom 2 days a week and with an AWESOME sitter (Tracy) the other 3 days of the week. On most days I have to drag Taylor away to go home, she loves her Lydia (Tracy's school-aged daughter).

So I am thankful, but I still hate the feeling that others are raising my kids...even if I couldn't choose 2 better people for the job.

Does it get easier as they get older, or do you, as a parent, always feel like others are doing the parenting? I mean, eventually they are at school more hours than they are awake at home.

Maybe I'll homeschool....

probably not, but it's a thought.

Shelby 10 Months Old

2010-08-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

My little "monkey" ...she LOVES to climb on anything.

Notice the soaking wet shirt! What a droolbox!

Yay!

2010-08-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

Shelby has begun her track to walking!

Last Saturday she took her first steps...I was so glad Daniel and I were able to see her first steps.

Since then she has randomly taken 1-5 steps.

She happens to be stubborn and only does it when she wants to, we can't really get her to work on it if she's not in the mood.

I cannot believe she's already walking...my baby is not so much a baby anymore, it's a little sad. Not sad enough to want another one, but sad all the same.

My M,W,F Devotions

2010-08-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

I have commited myself to working out in the morning before work on Monday's Wednesday's and Friday's. I am really only a week in, so I am not sure if I'm going to keep it up or not (great attitude, right?) I get up around 5:45 and walk/jog/run in my subdivision. I take my iphone, hook up my headphones and listen to christian music via pandora.

I have really enjoyed being able to spend the time thinking about me, my life, and my walk with the Lord.

I wanted to share a song that I heard this morning while walking. I am a Third Day fan, but must have missed this song because I had never heard it til this morning. It does however remind me of myself and I just cried while I walked this morning.

Take My Life By: Third Day

How many times have I turned away

The number is the same as the sand on the shore
But every time You've taken me back
And now I pray You do it once more.

Chorus:
Please take from me my life
When I don't have the strength
to give it away to You Jesus

How many times have I turned away
The number is the same as the stars in the sky
But every time You've taken me back
And now I pray You do it tonight.

Taylor

2010-08-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

I figure it is time to give Taylor an entire post to herself. I kind of feel as if she's been a little left out. Shelby changes so much, so quickly that it just feels natural to write about all of her changes, but Taylor is changing too and it's not all about giving up paci's and stuff. So, what is Taylor up to?

She recognizes all of her letters, upper case and lower case, only sometimes she gets confused between j and g.
If I let her watch TV all day, she would.
She can count to 14, but recently 6 has gone missing.
She has seen her first movie in the theater. (Toy Story 3) She loved the movie, but loved the popcorn and cherry icee more!
She no longer has a paci. (YAY)
She sometimes eats a WHOLE lot and sometimes she eats NOTHING...really, nothing! (stresses me out!)
She loves to put stuffed animals in anything that moves...her play stroller, play grocery cart, her ride-on airplane, etc.)
She sleeps with a pink lamby (stuffed lamb, very cute) and a white lamby. Two days ago she added her stuffed pink elephant to the party!
she has to have 2 blankets on her bed. One my mom made for her, the other is a hello kitty, fleece blanket. She wakes up sweaty sometimes, but refuses to sleep without both blankets and I don't fight that battle. She goes to sleep and 99% of the time sleeps through the night.
She has the absolute BEST personality of any 2.5 year old I've ever met.
She is SUPER smart, knows it, and will use it against you...watch out!
She can pretty much dress herself, we are still working on shirts, she hasn't mastered putting on or taking off the shirt...
She loves her sister, always hugs and kisses on her.
She hates that Shelby is mobile now and tends to put her fav items on a table out of her reach.
She has a flare for singing very, very loudly. Her most recent favorite is "Let it Shine" from her christian selections =)
You really can have a conversation with her and possibly understand all of it.
She loves to tell people about stuff. Her booboos, her toys, where she's been, what she's seen, etc.
She likes to play "nap time" by pulling her blankets and pillow and animals out into the middle of the floor and just laying there. What is so cute is if you say something she'll say "shhhhh, don't wake us up, we're very tired"
I really think she has a little bit of OCD. Everything has a place and an order. Nothing can change, at least not without whining and fighting.
She always puts her shoes in her room, her dirty clothes in her basket and puts away clothes into her drawers.
She says something that surprises me almost everyday.
She can color beautiful pictures (lines, circles, and squiggles on a page...beautiful I tell you!)
She hates to brush her teeth (who loves it?)
She LOVES her daddy.
If you ask her what she wants to eat she'll probably say chicken nuggets and french fries.
She's drinking from a cup without a lid at the table (sometimes)
She can throw a mean fit and be a real pill, she's 2 after all =)
She can swim
she loves to be outside...boo for hot weather
She says her prayers every night and reminds us before we remind her.
She gives the best hugs

I know that there is soooo much more I could write and I will make it a point to give her more blog time from now on!

A full Grill!

2010-08-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

I will have to post a pic later, but my little Shelby is on her way to a full set of teeth...

Tooth #5,6,and7 (thanks to Tracy for spotting #7) are coming in.

They have broken through the gums and are peeking their white little caps at me, when Shelby lets me get close enough to look!

Vacation family pics...

2010-08-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

We went to St. George Island this year and LOVED it! Our last day there (I know, I am posting a little backwards) we took some family shots...

Second Trip to the Game Ranch

2010-08-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

Our first trip was shortly after we became pregnant with Shelby. I felt awful the day we took Taylor, a week or so later I knew why =)

The deer loves her so much it felt the need to kiss her!

9 Months old already

2010-08-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

She loves to carry her items in her mouth...leaves her hands free for holding on!

Who Says...

2010-08-02T18:46:00.000-07:00

You can't celebrate Christmas in July?

4th celebrations!

2010-07-30T17:17:00.000-07:00

My mom's birthday happens to be July 4th, so we usually spend the day celebrating with her. We love it, Taylor always enjoys Nana and Shelby will soon enough. This year, since my parents moved back to Winder from Lake Hartwell, it was the first 4th we haven't been on the lake in a long time. It was a little sad, but we had a great time anyway.

My dad grilled as always, but decided to cook a goat this year...yes, a goat!

YUCK!

I did try it and I'd eat it if I had no other choice, but lucky for me dad also grilled some chicken and ribs...YUMMY!

Mom picked up some matching 4th outfits for the girls and so they were festive for the 4th!

Enjoy the pics!

The girl has a grip on the cup and let me tell you, she is strong!

Although this looks like she's pouting, she was only playing...making some funny faces!

My better half!

Even Grammie (Daniel's mom) came to celebrate

Yeah, I know!

2010-07-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while. I really thought I'd have time to keep up with the blog this summer, but maybe it's a good thing I didn't. It means I was busy spending time with my favorite people in the world!

Will post pics later of fun on vacation!

To give in...

2010-06-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

I gave up, I caved, admitted defeat, surrendered, conceded, submitted, gave up, quit, threw in the towel, ...and so on and so forth!

No paci at nap was turning my wonderful 2 year old into ... not a wonderful 2 year old (I was going to call her some name and figured I'd regret it later so "not wonderful 2 year old" will do)
I decided I'd give her paci back which didn't change a thing. Great.

She still wouldn't nap and I'd let her win the paci battle.

So I sat her down yesterday (yeah, she does well with this most of the time) and talked to her before nap time...I explained that the paci's were really gone and I was sorry I confused her, but that she was a big girl who did not need a paci at all. I got her in the bed, kisses and hugs, and explained that I would not be coming back in until she took her nap. And guess what? She slept...for 2 hours. Coincidence? Maybe, but wow I was so excited. Next test was bedtime would she be up until 10 or later? (We have been dealing with late night Taylor for almost a week now...) I told her the same thing, that I would not be coming back and she was asleep within 15 minutes...another coincidence...I hope not!

Today at nap I repeated that I would not be coming back and got another 2 hour nap! YAY!

To sum it up...I don't think taking the paci away bothered her sleep, I think it was a phase that happened to coincide with me taking the paci's. Now we are on track...I hope...to good naps and great bedtimes again.

I'll update later on this, hopefully to express my excitement of continued no paci success!

What is a rut?

2010-06-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

Rut: boring situation: a routine procedure, situation, or way of life that has become uninteresting and tiresome

I have used the expression "I think I'm in a rut" quite a bit over the last week or so, which led me to look up the word rut.. After reading the meaning, I really need to say something very different.

My life is a routine procedure, but it definitely isn't boring and never uninteresting. My two girls are my life and they keep my days from being anything like a rut...

I think that we all go through seasons.
Ups, downs, sideways, fast, slow. Lately I feel there have been more downs than ups and way more sideways movement than I wish for. Kind of makes me motion sick =0)

Through the downs of life though, I feel that I realize that I need to be closer to God, personally. I need to chat with him much more often than I do and I really need to rely on His word. So I took a moment and looked for some verses on encouragement.

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. Psalm 46:1-3,7

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 2 Tim 1:7

I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). Psalm 55:22

He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be moved. Psalm 62:6

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7

The Lord is good, a Strength and Stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows (recognizes, has knowledge of, and understands) those who take refuge and trust in Him. Nahum 1:7

“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

Was it a BIG mistake?

2010-06-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

This is all I have been thinking since Thursday afternoon that and DO NOT GIVE THEM BACK...

So I have known for quite a while (like a year) that we had to get rid of Taylor's paci addiction...which has only been at nap and at bedtime, not sure if that makes it better or not, but it makes me feel better =0)

I had a friend who , when getting rid of her daughter's, she took her to "Build A Bear" and they put them inside a bear she picked out and everything was wonderful. (imagine fluffy clouds, sweet music, butterflies...etc.) I thought that sounded like a great idea talked it up to Taylor (she never caught on to the idea) and then ...

I was off for the summer and decided no, I just want to take them away, she doesn't need a fluffy story or a bear she can hold....

now, I wish maybe that I hadn't decided that...we'll see.

Thursday we went to swim lessons at noon and headed back to the house. We came in and while Taylor sat at the table eating lunch, I put Shelby down for a nap, or so Taylor thought...HeHe...I took a detour into Taylor's room and took the paci's...no better time to take them away, I thought, (I have begun to really question my thinking lately, I am not really sure that thinking was even involved)

Nap was GREAT, really. About 5 minutes of whinning and then sweet dreams. Bedtime Thursday was a little longer on the whinning/crying, but overall not bad. I thought, this is going to be wonderful...

I was WRONG! Friday through Sunday she did not take a nap...at all. We had places to go in the afternoon so I was not able to make her stay in the bed until she went to sleep.

So on Monday I decided she'd stay until she realized she must take a nap. So my child sang, played, changed clothes (like 5 times) cried, screamed, etc. from 2:30 - 5:00. and Finally went to sleep... I went in every 20 minutes or so to check on her. Mostly she was up playing or changing clothes. Anything instead of sleeping. Monday night was fine.

Today was another nap battle. She went down around 1:40 and immediately began singing the ABC's over the monitor (cute...atleast for the first few verses). Then the singing became playing and I went in and told her to take her nap. She pretty much stayed in the bed, which was a change from yesterday. Then about 2:30 she began knocking on her door...Oh dear!

When I opened the door she had said she went to the potty. And she did, in her pants...UGGGH! Of course it was a plot to not take a nap. After cleaning her up, giving her a good talking to, and a little pop on the bootie, she was back in the bed and asleep within 5 minutes.

I am not sure how many days I can take... at least there seems to be a trend (after 2 days) of the time it takes for sleep to occur is shortening. Monday it took 2.5 hours and Today took about 1 hour. So maybe, just maybe, the trend will continue. Here's to hoping and praying!

(but secretly, I really want to give the paci's back to her and deal with it another day...like a year from now)

A Little Game We Like to Play

2010-06-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

Shelby or Taylor?

Why I became a teacher....

2010-06-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

SUMMER BREAK!!!

Well, not totally...I love to teach. It is my passion, but the summer break doesn't hurt a bit!

And this summer I get to enjoy 2 beautiful little girls!

I have enjoyed being with my girls so much, especially being able to spend time with Shelby when she's in GREAT mood. She's hardly ever in a really bad mood, but when I was working I usually picked her up around 4 from the sitters and 4PM-bedtime is not her time slot for being in a particularly good mood. She is the happiest first thing in the morning. These pictures are just a few that I was able to capture one morning after breakfast...

The bonding of sisters...

2010-06-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

Sisters, brothers, siblings...it's really something I know nothing about. So watching my girls play and love on each other is absolutely amazing to me and my love for them has increased ten-fold. When we were a family of 3, I knew I loved Taylor with everything in me, but after adding Shelby I love Taylor so much more. Sounds crazy doesn't it? But I swear my love for taylor intensified, multiplied, just grew... I see her love Shelby and my heart literally swells, if you have loved anything or anyone more than yourself you know that feeling...it is so hard to describe. I feel like my heart could just burst for all the love inside. And for Shelby, my love grows everyday, especially now that I see her look at Taylor for approval to laugh or cry (example: Daniel will play with Shelby by "surprising" her when he knocks ont he table loudly at dinner. There have been a few times when he has caught her so off guard she doesn;t know whether to laugh or to cry. She'll immediately look to Taylor to find out how she is reacting...of course Taylor is always laughing and Shelby's trembling little lip will curve into the sweetest smile as she begins to laugh.)

To sum it up...the love they have for each other makes my love for them so much stronger.

When it comes to bonding I guess I just hope that I am teaching them how to love one another and how to appreciate each other. I didn't grow up with siblings around (I do have a half brother but he never lived with me and the most we saw each other was every other weekend, maybe. He is also about 11 years younger than me.), so raising them to not be the siblings that hate each other and be the ones that love, love, love is a lesson that is completely foreign to me.

I don't know what it's like to

fight over stuff (some call that spoiled, I am not sure I really like that term, but I guess that's what it is)
have a sibling to share secrets with (maybe I don't want them to know how to do that either)
have someone stick up for me when I'm in trouble
know there is someone else who feels the same as me about my mom or dad. (for them hopefully it will always be a feeling of great love and admiration =) )

The list is really endless...so how do I teach them to share, confide in one another, stick up for the other, etc. when I've never been there myself?

Pulling Up!

2010-05-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

6 glorious months ago

2010-04-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

I was having my precious baby Shelby.

Really, she is 6 months.

I know! I couldn't believe it either =0)

So what is she up to?

1. She's pretty much scooting anywhere and everywhere her little heart desires.

2. She wants what she knows she shouldn't have. (i.e. the cords from the playstation instead of the million toys that are safe on the floor around her and within her reach)

3. She started cereal a bit late since her belly has been so upset since birth...

4. She's tried green beans, pears and applesauce so far.

5. She eats 24 oz of formula each day (about 6 oz less than recommended, but I just can't stuff anymore in her)

6. Her smile is contagious.

7. Her big sister loves and adores her.

8. She loves and adores her big sister.

9. She really keeps me on my toes. She never lets me get too comfortable with the way things are. (i.e. eating cereal great one week, the next spitting it out like she's never eaten before)

10. She proved to me that you really do have enough love to go around.

Pee Pee in the Potty....

2010-04-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

YES!

Taylor is OFFICIALLY potty trained!

Now I tell you, potty training has scared me to death, not sure why, but scared all the same... I had no idea how to start, where to start, or when to start. Taylor though made it SUPER easy for me...thank God 'cause I am not sure how many messes I could have handled before giving up.

Here's the timeline...

MONDAY

On Monday after our trip to the zoo she refused to put a diaper on. Now, I don't give in to her and I could have made her put on a diaper, but she really wanted "elmo" on (her panties). So I thought "it's sprin break so why not give it a go". Everything was goin really good, she pottied ont he pgotty once and then it happened...she peed on my STAIRS!!! Yuck!

TUESDAY

We got up and we had to go to the doctor and do lots of running around so no big girl pants on Tuesday.

WEDNESDAY

We were around the house all day and she woke up and asked for her big girl panties. So I decided to give it another go. After getting up she went straight to the potty and she pottied. After I laid Shelby down at 9 for her nap I wanted to take Taylor out to play. So, I took the little potty outside into the garage with us so I would not have to make trips inside with her. As I was spraying all the yellow stuff off of the driveway she starting yelling "I went pee pee in the potty!!!" of course I thought she was playing around, but when I went and looked sure enough she had pottied! All on her own, without me having to say anything to her. Now, you may say...that is so great...and so do I except that she didn't pull her panties down. She just sat on the potty and peed. And so that is how the day continued...she went potty by herself (usually sneaking away form my attention to do it) and left her panties on. So we changed clothes throughout the day. Not real fun. At dinner, she got really upset, because I was making her try her food (so frustrating by the way) she was so distraught she had her first "real" accident. All over her chair and the floor...YUCK times a hundred! Then finally bed, day one over.

THURSDAY

YAY! Much better day. AND she finally got the idea of pulling her pants down =0)

We had a few accidents on the way to the potty because she waited to long, but it was a great day and she even went poop in the potty!

FRIDAY

The real test...we were going to jungle jumpers a bouncy house kind of place for her to play. Now I did put her in a pull up, because I am NOT going to be that parent whose kid peed on the jumping things and they had to shut down the place =0)

But she did great and went potty while we were there. NO accidents on Friday.

SATURDAY

Great day, no accidents today (yet)!

NIGHTTIME and NAP TIME

She's in pull ups, but she has woke up dry from the nighttime and all naps since Wednesday afternoon. =)

I am so blessed, I really, really, really love that kid! She is amazing and I am so proud of her!

So unless we have a major setback (knocking on wood, crossing my fingers) She is officially a big girl and I have realized exactly how quickly time flies, she is no longer my baby girl...

Trip to the Atlanta Zoo

2010-04-06T17:51:00.000-07:00

The Circus 2010

2010-03-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

First, I LOVE the circus! Second, I am a little late posting this =)

The circus though is wonderful, I love the atmosphere, the animals, the smells, and especially the food!!!

So I was super excited when Taylor's Grandaddy bought her tickets to the circus for her birthday this year. Daniel and I were able to spend some time with just Mommy, Daddy, and Taylor. She really did have a good time, however there was an awful lot of trapezy (sp?) type things and she just didn't really understand. They were flipping and turning and I am sure in her mind she thought "I do that all the time, what's the big deal?" =) She could have cared less that they were on a thin wire in the air as they did these things. Now, the animals she LOVED. She liked the elephants, horses, tigers and dogs. She also thoroughly enjoyed the clowns.

We did get some cotton candy and it came with a hat, which she wouldn't take off after we got home =)

A Little Embarassing...

2010-03-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

I am going to post a few pictures tht Taylor will probably hate me later for and that I too am a bit embarassed to share.

On our wonderful day of snow Taylor came in and took off her overalls. Underneath we had put on thermal PJs and a long sleeved onesie. As she traisped through the house she found some great pink jellies (sandals) and HAD to put them on along with a hat belonging to her Daddy.

So, please, join me in laughter and a bit of emarassment =)

2010-02-12T19:14:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Enjoying Tummy Time!

2010-01-26T17:59:00.000-08:00

Keeping up with technology!

2010-01-24T14:17:00.000-08:00

So our camera is able to take videos, and occasionally we have used that setting, but I have never known how to get that video onto a program where we could watch them. Then I was introduced to You Tube and the capabilities the site offers. I have been downloading some recent videos and have posted them in our video bar...check them out!!!

Our first videos are of Shelby trying to roll over, she is not quite there yet =)

TWO?....There is NO way!

2010-01-17T17:39:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe that my precious little girl is already two.

We celebrated her second birthday a few weeks back and I found myself constantly tearing up. I really cannot explain it at all, the first birthday wasn't bad, I guess because it is just an excited milestone. The second birthday just proved to be really hard for me to accept. Wow, she's 2...and growing up so fast I just don't know how to slow it down.

I found myself thinking about all of her achievements thus far: words, foods, walking, talking in sentences, learning her letters on her own, learning "Jesus Loves Me"...the list just goes on an on. Where did the time go? Anyway, here are a few pics of her big day.

The table set for breakfast...

Enjoying her pancakes, bed head and all!

On the column in our home, I posted a picture for each month of her second year starting with a pic of her first birthday last January and working my way around the column. Looking at her pics from the year really showed how much she has grown in the past year.

I just had to post these three shots...I asked her to smile at me so I could take her picture and this is what she did! She sooo takes after me, I always hated the camera and still do =)

2010-01-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

More pictures...not so much blog =)

2010-01-09T17:29:00.000-08:00

Baking cookies for Christmas! YUMMY!

This is how Shelby spent most of her Christmas...blissfully snoozing!

SANTA!!!

Trying out the new Tricycle

Shelby enjoying her new toy!

Some pictures...more to follow (when I find the time)

2010-01-06T11:24:00.001-08:00

THE coolest baby EVER!

Taylor's Christmas tree...

Taylor putting the first ornament on the tree.

It kind of funny, Taylor will NOT wear any of her hats. She will NOT let us put a hat on her head, but she loves to pick up her Daddy's hats and play with them!

Time for some catch up!

2010-01-06T11:17:00.001-08:00

I am sooo far behind on blogging and keeping everyone updated! It has been such a crazy, enjoyable, nerver racking, and blessed time since our little Shelby arrived. I just haven't been able to find the time.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am an organized, control freak with time, especially schedules that involved Taylor. Now with Shelby in the mix I have not been able to get it together.

With Taylor, she was sooooo EASY!!! She ate every 3 hours. slept great for naps and was sleeping all night by two months. I did implement babywise and swear by the program. Shelby, however is a different child entirely. I am still trying to get her on some kind, any kind, of schedule. Of course, she had and still has very awful reflux. We are on 30 mg of prevacid and have recently started adding cereal to her bottles to keep the food down. Today is the first "real" day with cereal and so far so good, hince the fact I have time to sit and blog a bit.

Taylor and Shelby meet Santa!

2009-12-09T15:01:00.000-08:00

Instead of fighting all of the mall crowds to get our screaming child with Santa picture, Daniel's family had a great plan.

Daniel's uncle knows a guy who plays Santa at the malls and he came to their home and invited all of the little kids to come.

It was amazing!

Santa and Ms. Claus came in, the kids sat on the fireplace and sang christmas songs. Each child sat on his lap and got a present from him (we provided the gifts ahead of time). Anyway, this was the best way to let Taylor experience Santa, even though she still cried! She did, however, have a great time singing songs and watching him.

Seeing Santa come in

Mr. and Mrs. Claus

Looking at Santa during the singing. (Notice she sat down at the spot furthest from Santa)

Watching other kids sitting on his lap (notice they are not crying)

Taylor (notice she IS crying)

She did go back for the present! (I am soooo close because I had to be right there to get the crying picture just before this one.)

Baby Shelby with Santa

Taylor's First Haircut!

2009-12-05T12:02:00.000-08:00

I finally loaded the pictures from Taylor's first haircut... Before our pictures with Christy we wanted to get Taylor's hair trimmed. As many of you know Taylor's hair is, well, hard to tame. It sticks up in random places, and never seems to look brushed, even right after brushing it. I decided to take her for her first cut hoping that evening it up would help, which it has for the most part, but the hair is still hard to work with.

I wish I had gotten more pictures of the haircut, but taylor would not let me go. I had to physically hold her in the chair. Even after she calmed down when I tried to remove my hands from her she freaked out. We tried everything, Fox and the Hound was on TV, they gave her a sucker, sang, etc. She was just not a happy girl. After it was over though she immediately went into showing it off. She rubbed her hair and said "oooooo, pretty."

Family Pictures - With link and password!

2009-11-28T10:17:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, we had family pictures taken. We were photographed by Christy Martin, one of the most talented photographers ever! She really is amazing at what she does. Coming out of the session I was thinking "there is no way she was able to get a good shot, especially a family one." Boy did she suprise me! Not only did she get a family shot, it is one of my favorite shots from the day.

When we had Taylor's pictures done, we got a canvas of her sleeping on a low pedistal. I really wanted a sleeping baby picture of Shelby to get a canvas of as well. Shelby had an entirely different agenda. She was awake the WHOLE time, despite me nursing her, warm blankets, etc. Of course, she fell asleep as soon as we were in the car to leave. Still, Christy was able to get some great shots and hopefully one will work for a canvas.

If you go to the following link you can see our Session Pictures.

http://www.christymartinphotography.com/

Go to the Website.

Click on view proofs at the bottom of the screen.

The password is nash.

Shelby's First Bath - October 27th

2009-11-11T19:18:00.001-08:00

Of course the first bath would not be complete without a picture of Shelby crying her little heart out!

Finally, comfy and warm!

Halloween

2009-11-11T18:56:00.001-08:00

Our little Lady Bug! The great story behind this is that Taylor had no intentions of wearing this outfit after we got it home...I assumed we had wasted the money on it and she was going to go around the neighborhood as Taylor Nash not a ladybug. However, on Saturday (Halloween) she had begged for a piece of sliced cheeses all morning and I was not giving in (that child could eat her weight in cheese). So after nap time I bribed her, that is right I told her if she put the costume on she could have some cheese and guess what? It worked!

I know the picture is dark...but she's enjoying her cheese!

Shelby was too small to be really anything except a beautiful new baby, but she did wear a cute Halloween sleeper most of the day.

Taylor's First Fish: October 11th

2009-11-06T14:21:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay on getting pictures uploaded from October. The next few posts will get me all caught up!

This was the cutest thing ever!

We were at Daniel's Dad's lake and I had gone out to the store to get food for dinner and came back to find Taylor holding her first fish!

Taylor caught her first fish and would go on to catch a few more that day. Her daddy was sooooo proud, you couldn't wipe the grin off his face for days!

This was my animal lover of a daughter when we had to put the fish back in the lake. I thought it was already dead it had been out of the water for so long. She wanted to hold that yucky fish forever! She just cried her little heart out!

I was able to catch a lot of wonderful pictures of Taylor spending time with her Daddy, this was one of my favorites!

Our new addition

2009-10-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

Can your heart actually be ripped out?

2009-10-29T05:47:00.000-07:00

I thought mine was going to be!

Saturday was a rough day for little Shelby. She was not having any dirty diapers and was having shocking/vomiting episodes throughout the day. By Saturday evening she was beginning to yellow (jaundice). Daniel and I rushed to Scottish Rite to get her looked at. After getting in a room we saw numerous of nurses, all of which were trying to get an IV started since Shelby was so dehydrated. I really thought someone was squezzing my heasrt having to watch my new little baby being poked an proded for hours. after 2.5 hours and at least 13 nurses, her IV was finally started.

The first doctor we saw contributed everything to acid reflux, which didn't surprise us too much because Taylor had the same problem, just not nearly as bad. Then she had an "episode". She began to choke, this time it was much worse than any other time before. My precious baby couldn't breath, she lost coloring, and I was for sure that something was majorly wrong. Daniel and I were alone in the room except for a nurse who couldn't speak english well enough to understand anything we were saying. Daniel went into the hall shouting for help and they did come running to help us out. A respiratory therapist came in and got her breathing again. What a relief for a heartsick mother who continued to cry my heart out for the next half hour.

At shift change at 7AM we saw a new doctor who gave us the worst scare EVER. She said that she was fairly certain that my new bundle of joy was not put together properly. That maybe her esophogus didn't connect to her stomach and she would probably need massive surgery to correct it.

My heart fell out of my chest, and we began to pray. Praying as hard as we have ever prayed about anything, ever.

We were admitted and in a real room around 8AM. Shelby went through a series of tests, chest X-rays, Upper GI, etc. All the while I was not allowed to feed her (for fear of something in her GI tract being wrong), so I spent every few hours pumping to keep my milk up and coming in.

She had her upper GI around 1:00 and thankfully everything was normal. She was put together exactly the way she was supposed to be! Which left us with the diagnosis of acid reflux, only a VERY BAD case of it for a child so young.

They started her on zantac and kept us over night for monitoring. We came back home Monday around 3:30, with a semi-healthy baby and some very tired and emotionally drained parents.

The first few nights back home were a little rough, but she is now doing wonderfully on her meds, sleeping well at night, eating great, having dirty diapers, and is the most precious thing in the whole world.

What a crazy, hectic, and heartbreaking start in a brand new place for such a wonderful little girl. But we did get a reminder of how good God really is.

Shelby FINALLY Arrives

2009-10-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

Daniel and I checked in to the hospital at 6AM Thursday morning to be induced. I was nervous, scared, and excited all rolled into one. I knew my life was going to change so much and I kept wondering if I'd love her as much, what would she look like, etc. (and by the way, yes, I love her just as much!)

Apparently no nurse or doctor were in a hurry to meet our little Shelby. They started the pitocin off SLOWLY.....bumping it up maybe every 30 minutes. So from 6 until about 1, we were bored out of our minds. Sometime around noon, I asked if they were considering breaking my water to get labor started. I was so ready to be in labor, to begin having contractions and to know that a baby was really on the way.

They said that my doctor was going to come over on his lunch and break my water...YAY!!! In the meantime, Daniel went to get him some lunch and I waited patiently for the epidural, which I decided to go ahead and get before he broke my water (labor is a bit painful after that).

The idea of not waiting until I was actually in pain to get it proved to be the best decision I have ever made!

My doctor shows up at 1:00 (before the epidural AHHHHH) breaks my water, and I was on the phone with Daniel at like 1:08 beggin him to get back. I was already in full on labor! At 1:00 I was 5cm at 1:15 (when the epidural arrived) I was fully dialated and she was ready to come!

My doctor, however, had gone back to his office, not thinking that I would move so quickly and I was told to NOT push. Were they KIDDDING! So from 1:20-2:00 I waited, it was the worst sort of waiting EVER!

Doc showed up at 2ish and she was here at 2:15.

What a blessing! Not a long labor and she was finally here.

Baby Shelby's Arrival Begins, Just not the way we thought it would.

2009-10-20T12:14:00.001-07:00

So I head to the doctor yesterday, hoping, wishing, and praying that I would be dialated and the doc would send me to the hospital and we'd have our new baby girl. That is how Taylor came into this world, so I just hoped for a similar story with Shelby.

I get to the doctor and they do all the routine stuff and my blood pressure is WAY TOO HIGH! Like 170/100...Scary High. The doctor checks me, I am 4-5 cm 60% effaced. He says he's going to admit me, but run blood work before inducing me. They wanted to make sure that I did not have pre-eclampsia, which could possibly mean C-section for me.

So, other than the extremely high blood pressure (which was scary) everything seemed to be running a very similar course to Taylor's arrival. I was very excited! Daniel meets me at the hospital, they hook me up, I have good 4-5 minute apart contractions for a good hour (then they kind of subside), they take my blood, and we waited.

The results were great, my blood pressure had gone down to normal, I was thinking, okay, induce me then. They had other plans. Plans to make me miserable....they were going to "observe" me through the night and, possibly, induce me in the morning. Great...

Needless to say, Daniel and I had the worst night of sleep ever, the hospital was noisy, we were in a labor and delivery room and babies were born throughout the night next door to us (which can be quite noisy), the nurses station was so close to our door I think I know every detail of many of the nurses day/night. And just so you know, the ladies working the late late shift really like their jobs....they couldn't stop cutting up and laughing....REALLY LOUDLY! =)

6:30 comes with a litttle less than an hour of sleep. The nurse takes my blood again, results are great. My doctor happens to be at the hospital delivering another baby and stops in to tell me that he is going to send me home....
WHAT?!?! Are you kidding?
No, he was definitely NOT kidding. And I'm thinking, I am 5 cm, I am having some contractions, I am already here in a delivery room, and you are sending me home? He also informs us that if I do not go into "full blown" labor on my own he has scheduled an induction on Thursday morning at 6AM.

What difference in the world is less than 2 days going to make? I guess we'll see...
So, here I sit at home. Just waiting for Shelby's arrival to "really" begin.

Having Fun...

2009-09-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

Taylor had a blast with her Grandaddy... first stop was the aquarium at Bass Pro Shops on the way to play putt-putt. No pictures of golfing, it's dark and flourescent lights so nothing would show up. Last was dinner at Chili's and a fun shoulder ride in the parking lot! The joys of being a child...

I know it's blurry, but I love the excitment on Taylor's face!

Sesame Street!

2009-09-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

So, I really wanted to take Taylor to see Sesame Street, but thought she'd hate it unless we were really close. Well, really close was definitely NOT in our budget. I had come to terms that we would not be able to go, then my mom calls and says she has great news. She entered a contest with Gwinnett Daily Post and WON front row tickets to today's show!!! I was extremely excited, as we have tried to do something with Taylor almost every weekend before Shelby comes.

Taylor had a BLAST!!!! We were right in the action and she was visited by 5 or 6 of the characters. They hugged her, patted her head, blew her kisses, etc! It was such a fun time.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Getting Ready

2009-09-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

For the next addition to the Nash household...baby Shelby!

We just can't wait to welcome our second daughter into the world. I am due on Halloween, but am hoping she'll come sooner =) We have been preparing for her arrival for several months. Her room is almost complete, her play-yard/basssinet is set up in our room, her swing is in the living room, and Taylor still has no idea what is going on!

Going "Bye-Bye"

2009-08-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

"Where are you going?"

"Bye-Bye"

Taylor had grabbed her purse (one of my older ones) and pulled her plane into the kitchen.

I wish we could really get on a plane and go "bye-bye"!

Visiting the GA Aquarium

2009-07-25T18:56:00.000-07:00

Taylor had a blast looking at all of the fish!

If they would have let her get in she would have!

I really wish that the aquarium were not so crowded, it would have been much more fun. We did however have a great day with Daniel's dad and Cindy. We went through the aquarium walked around the park and had a great lunch. We can't wait to ge together again!

Walking in My Daddy's Shoes

2009-07-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

After putting her suntan lotion on I always let it sit for about 5 minutes to let it dry good on her skin. She usually plays until we go out, today she decided to put on Daniel's shoes... I couldn't resist taking this picture.

A day on the Lake

2009-07-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

What is a family to do when they are bored at home and Daddy has the boat already on the truck? Go to the lake! We decided to take Taylor out to Tribble Mill and spend a few hours out on the lake. She really had a good time learning to fish =) and splash off the side of the boat with her Daddy. She did have a life vest on, but it was so uncomfortable for her we let her take it off. Going under 2 miles per hour didn't cause us to worry much.

This happens to be Daddy's favorite picture from the day.

I love how focused she was on turning the reel...

Just relaxing with Daddy.

Blue Willow - Wedding Celebration

2009-07-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

Not our wedding! That was quite a few years ago. Daniel's cousin Kristen actually went to Vegas and got married to her fiance, they were planning on a wedding and then were on vaca and decided to go for it. Her parents threw her a little reception at Blue Willow in Social Circle. We had a good time with our family and meeting the hubby's family from Holland. Taylor really enjoyed the garden and flowers around the restaurant and I was able to capture a few good photos of her.

The 4th of July

2009-07-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

Well the fourth of July for most is just a great holiday and you get to see some fireworks. For my family it is that plus my Mom's Birthday. How cool to have fireworks on your birthday, I always thought that was neat! We have been going up to my parents lakehouse for the past few years to celebrate the fourth. Daniel can buy some great fireworks, seeing as we can drive a few miles into Souith Carolina to get the good ones. This year was wonderful, Mom turned well 56, she might not like it that I told, but I think she wears it well and I am happy to have her wisdom and advice that those 56 years have brought.

Here is a picture of the cake my Dad got her... is there something wrong with the age? Yeah, Dad made a mistake and told me that hopefully mom would be flattered he thoguht she was a year younger! Needless to say, we left the cake with a "55" adorning the top.

Mom (Nanny) and Taylor

Enjoying the Fireworks!

This was the first time that she actually said "cheese" as I held up the camera...way too cute!

Taylor loved the few month old puppies.

What's in a Name?

2009-07-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

So naming Taylor was SOOOOO easy for us. We new her name before we new it was a "her".

With this second baby, we had no idea what to call her. There had been a list on the fridge for months, that means LOTS of name choices (about 20 to be exact). Well I finally got so frustrated passing the list everyday that it went into the trash one night! I just didn't want to stress about it anymore and refused to think about it for at least 30 minutes =)

We have finally decided on a name. It is at least one that Daniel and I both don't hate, which is a grand improvement over the "list" where he didn't like my choices and I didn't like his.

Her first name will be Shelby. No history behind it, no cute story, just Shelby. We are still deciding ont he middle name and hopefuly it will come to us, maybe in a dream or something. My middle name is Lynn, Daniel likes the idea of passing it on. I, however, didn't really like the name growing up so how do I pass that on? Except that I don't really like anything else and Shelby Lynn does sound good together even if it is kinda country. So we'll just have to wait on the middle name. At least now I can call her Shelby, not "baby", "it", "her", etc.

18 months today!

2009-07-02T19:00:00.001-07:00

We were not going to do anything special and then...changed our minds, thanks to Grammie! This is one of the last milestones Taylor will have with all attention on her. Grammie bought Taylor the cutest Mickey cake (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is her favorite thing to watch). I just loved seeing her dive into that cake with such sweet happiness, the worry about it going to your hips comes much later.

She just dives right in, before we can even get the chair slid up to the table!

Summer!

2009-06-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

Well our summer has been very BUSY! We are trying to get things ready for our new addition. Cleaning out the room, painting, decorating, it all seems so exhausting. We have definitely made lots of time for Taylor and I have enjoyed being with her this summer. I cannot believe in a few months she'll have a sister and I'll be a mom...again! I really hope she will be able to take to the new baby well and not have too much jealousy towards her.

Here are a few pictures of a playdate with some of Taylor's friends, Raleigh and Lauren in the subdivision. We are blessed with great families that live so close! Here they are playing in the pools and enjoying a nice lunch together.

Nap Time?

2009-05-31T19:02:00.000-07:00

Well we were supposed to be heading for a nap, but decided to jump on the horse, watch whatever was on TV and put a paci in. She must have had the paci stashed in her horse's basket since they typically do not leave the crib.

We're Having Another GIRL!!

2009-05-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today we found out we are having another little princess! It's going to be a girl! We are so excited and blessed to be adding to our family. I cannot wait until they are older and can share things (or fight over them)!

April 2009

2009-04-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

Coloring eggs with mommy!

Having a BAD hair day!

Taylor is Going to Be a Big Sister!

2009-04-03T11:59:00.000-07:00

That is right! We found out in early march that we are expecting our second baby! We are excited, nervous, and blessed! After trying for four years and finally going through fertility to have our precious Taylor Grace, this pregnancy is a gift from God.

Our addition is due to arrive on October 31st...yes, Halloween.

Now we are just waiting to find out what we're having!

Taylor's 1st Birthday!

2009-01-08T06:42:00.000-08:00

Yes, she is ONE! I cannot believe that we have already reached such a milestone. Her birthday was on Friday January 2nd, but her party wasn't until Saturday. I had to go to work on Friay and she got to spend her morning with Daddy. We had stayed up blowing up a ball pit for her (she loves any type of ball). Daddy took pictures of her playing and having a great time

On Taylor's Birthday night we decided to go for an experience at Chuckie Cheese! Yes, we were a little crazy at the time! It was very crowded, but Taylor loved the character dancing on stage. The Grandma's had more fun than any of us! They sang and danced with Taylor at the table and Taylor just ate it up!

The Cake

Christmas 2008

2008-12-29T06:51:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas was so great and fun! Taylor was so cute opening her presents, and now our house looks like a toy store =) Because she is the first grandchild on BOTH sides she is already the most spoiled child I know. It is good though she is so loved and she is such a happy baby because of it!

Clever!

2008-11-17T06:55:00.000-08:00

Why take the toys out, when I can just get in with them?

Walking....

2008-11-13T18:57:00.000-08:00

Taylor took some of her first "real", meaning steady, steps tonight! I cannot believe that she's already to the point of walking, I feel like she just got here.

She has been standing on her own progressively for about 2 weeks. she started with a few seconds to full minutes and now can stand alone like a pro.

Last night she was standing up at my feet and I began to walk backwards and she took steps to follow me. She took 4 really good steps and then her tush found the floor! I was so proud, and had a revelation....I must somehow figure out how to wire the house with constantly running video recorders! How in the world do people catch stuff on camera?!

1st Halloween!

2008-11-02T06:58:00.000-08:00

Bzzzzz....

2008-09-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our precious princess is growing up entirely too fast. She's crawling, pulling up on everything, and wants to be where the action is all of the time!

She's Swimming?

2008-07-23T07:02:00.000-07:00

Not really swimming, but floating. We started her in aquatic survival lessons. My parents have a pool and Daniel's dad has a lake, so we decided to do the lessons to help her learn to flip herself over and float until she can be rescued. The lessons are amazing and it is unbelievable what Taylor is doing only after 1 week. She can already float on her own, we are now working on going from a face down position (she hates it) to floating on her back. We are hoping this will help if she ever does fall in by accident.