Early May 2010

So, in an effort to try to get caught up with blogging, I'm trying to combine a lot of pictures in one post. These pictures are all from early May. We spent a good bit of time at the pool, which Sophie absolutely LOVES! She has really blossomed into her own little person. She was 20 months on May 13th!!! Time really does fly! She can say her entire alphabet, count to 15, knows colors, shapes and started speaking in sentences fairly well. Sometimes Mommy and Daddy are the only ones who can understand everything but she does pretty well. She also started going to the Drop-In Nursery at our church one morning a week to get her used to being around other kids and she loves it!!! We call it "school" and she is always excited to go. Her "teachers" say that she does really well with the other children, in fact, on her first day they said that she did the best they could remember any child doing on the first day (sorry but have to brag a little!). Sam is also growing up extremely fast. He has gotten a little better with his sleeping but we are still working on it. He started trying to sit up a little on his own and is rolling all over the place. He didn't turn 5 months until the end of the month (29th) but looks like he is already about 9 months old...he is a BIG boy! He is super sweet and loves to cuddle and be held! Sophie and Sam are starting to interact a lot more lately and Sophie will bring him toys and come over and talk to him. She is a great big sister and he loves to watch her play!

Dave reading to Sophie and Sam before heading to the pool

Prancing around at the pool


Playing with YiaYia at the pool

My happy boy...

GG and Sam at GG's 96th Birthday Lunch...she is amazing!

Sophie and Dave playing

Daddy and Sam cooling off at the pool

Mimi and Sam

Easter 2010

This past Easter was wonderful! We dyed easter eggs with YiaYia, Dave, Al (Owl) and Dani the weekend before Easter. Since Sophie was only 7 months old last year and we were in Hawaii (poor us) we really didn't dye eggs last year so this was a first for her and of course Sam. She seemed to enjoy herself but was very focused on what she was doing. After dying Easter eggs we went to the pool for awhile with everyone which is one of Sophie's favorite things to do. On Easter morning we woke up to treats from the Easter Bunny and then got ready and went to church. We met Mimi, Big Daddy, YiaYia and Dave at Church. Then we went to the Horseshoe to take some pictures and enjoy the scenery. Sophie already loves going to the Horseshoe, but of course, she has garnet blood running through her veins! Then we went to Yesterday's for an Easter lunch and had a great time. We went home for a quick nap and then on to the Uncle David and Aunt Becky's for another meal and fun! Sophie really had a great time and loved hunting for easter eggs. Sam just took it all in stride. Unfortuantely, Jon had to work that afternoon so he left us after lunch at Yesterday's. All in all we had a great day with family and a wonderful Easter. Such a wonderful day reminded us of how blessed we are!!!

Sophie intently focusing on dying the eggs...

Sophie's Easter Basket...the Easter Bunny was good to her.

Sam's Easter Basket...since he was only 3 months old, the Easter Bunny didn't bring quite as much as for Sophie but it he loved his presents!

Hunting eggs in the horseshoe...she had a blast!

Sam hanging out on a blanket under a tree in the horseshoe with several of the eggs that Sophie found...life doesn't get much better!

Papa and Sam

Sophie watching a real bunny hop around the yard on Easter...

"Look what I found!"

So serious

Sam...what a cool dude!

Jon and Dave at lunch at Yesterday's

Mommy and Sophie (please excuse the beer sign in the back, particularly on Easter)

These are pics that we had taken just before Easter...sorry they are so tiny, hopefully they will show up well enough to see.

My sweet boy!!!

February/ March 2010

The past few months seemed to have flown by!!! This post is pictures from February and March. I am really going to try to get caught up with posting soon! We did lots of fun things during the winter and started getting out more and more with Sam. Sophie has adjusted really well and is a wonderful big sister. She gives Sam lots of hugs and kisses and doesn't like to hear him cry. She started saying the alphabet at 17 months and counts to 10 and knows most of the basic colors. She is talking really well, although sometimes Mommy has to translate for people. Sam is also growing up way too fast! He weighed over 14lbs at his 2 month check-up and is also in the 95th percentile for height! He is a big boy! We are so blessed to have 2 happy and healthy babies!!!

This is from the middle of Feb. when it snowed almost 8 inches in Columbia!!! We had a blast playing in it, although Sam didn't really seem all that impressed.

Sophie riding her horse with the hat that was her Daddy's when he was a little boy.

Checking on her baby brother...

Petting area at the zoo...

She loves riding the carousel

Hanging out in the Bumbo seat

Sam and his buddy Landon

Playing at Monkey Joes

One of the first warm days we had...we started spending a lot of time outside

Sophie and Dave playing on the slide

Such a big boy...

Playing with Big Daddy on the slide in the backyard

Sam enjoying the Easter decorations at home

We had Easter egg hunts starting about 2 weeks before Easter and we are

STILL playing with eggs...

Sam's Arrival!!!

I am again really behind on posting anything to the blog! There really doesn't seem to be enough time in the day...especially these days. Samuel David Taylor joined our family on December 29th. We are so blessed that he is healthy and perfect!!! He is a little bit of a handful but his little smiles make it all worthwhile! Sophie is enjoying being a big sister and has handled everything surprisingly well! We are loving getting used to being a family of 4!!!

Just before heading to the hospital the morning Sam was born...

One of his first pictures...he already had an enormous set of lungs and hasn't looked back since...

Sophie meeting Sam for the first time

Checking out her little brother...

Mommy and Daddy with their new baby boy...

First family shot...

Coming home from the hospital

Family photo finally at home all together

one week old

Two weeks old




























First bath...he hated it but has since learned to love it!

Our first family trip to the zoo. Sam was 2 1/2 weeks old

Sam and his friend Marianne. She is about 2 weeks younger than Sam.

3 weeks