23 Month Update

Well folks, only one more month to go before the monthly updates come to an end. I told myself that I continue them until Taylor turned two which means I'm this close to the finish line - and just in time to start doing weekly pregnancy updates for baby number 2! But isn't that the way life goes?

Life with our tot continues to be an emotional roller coaster ride, some days she's in the best mood and up for anything and others are filled with one tantrum after another. It's absolutely amazing what can set her off these day. For instance, last week she had a meltdown because she tripped over her own foot then proceeded to catapult Penny down the hall. The meltdown escalated when she couldn't get her shoe off and resulted with her face down on the ground screaming her head off. Like I said, emotional freaking roller coaster.

The Terrible Two's are in full effect, so we take full advantage of the good days whenever they appear - and we make it through the not-so-good days as best we can. My patience is tested on a daily basis and these pregnancy hormones (and the constant churning of my stomach) make it really hard for me to keep my cool when she loses her shit over every. little. thing. We are a continuous work in progress but I know we'll make it through this phase and look back on it laughing, just like we have with all the others.

Enough with the negative, let's talk about the positive! The tot is talking up a storm these days, babbling on about anything and everything. She loves trying to say new words - sometimes succeeding and other times not coming even remotely close. She can identify the majority of her relatives by name, which is the sweetest thing ever, and has randomly starting referring to my mom as "Bridget." I have no idea why since we don't even know anyone named Bridget, but she says it plain as day every time she sees her. I think it's hilarious so I'm definitely not putting a stop to it anytime soon. Her favorite new song is "Happy Birthday," which we have been practicing since hers is just around the corner. She also loves "The Wheels on the Bus," "Rain, Rain, Go Away," and the ABC's. One of her new favorite activities is fake snoring and then having Jake or I wake her up, followed by Jake or I fake snoring and then her slapping us across the face while yelling "Up! Up!" She hasn't quite grasped the concept of "being gentle," something we definitely have to work on before this baby arrives.

She loves popsicles and will request one randomly all throughout the day. I'm certain she would live off them if we'd let her. She still favors pasta, berries, grilled cheese, and applesauce but is getting better at eating more vegetables since we won't let her have seconds until she eats everything on her plate. And trust me, girlfriend always wants seconds, especially when we're having pasta. The tot has mastered drinking out of a regular cup and has successfully transitioned to a cot at daycare, which means we'll be transitioning her crib to a toddler bed at home before too long.

I cannot believe how much Taylor has grown and accomplished throughout the summer. The past three months have brought one change after another, and I have been trying so hard to stop referring to Tay as a "baby" and start referring to her as a "big girl" since she has long outgrown the baby stage. The addition of a new baby to our family is only intensifying that fact these days. I can only imagine how grown she will look once there's a newborn around.

The next month will be a busy one for our family with an upcoming trip to Idaho (including Tay's first time on an airplane) followed by birthdays for the tot and I. With her second birthday on the horizon, I am reminded each day just how much our girl is changing and growing, and I want nothing more than for her to experience everything this world has to offer. Our life may be busy and chaotic, stressful and overwhelming at times, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.