Tag: Abby

Ellie’s First Unofficial Hair Cut

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It was Monday morning and everything about it was normal for Monday. I woke up however, with a splitting headache and after one attempt to get the girls dressed I took some Advil and laid across my bed, hoping it would kick in soon. The girls were in their playroom singing, dancing and talking. As usual they were enjoying their playtime together. As I started to relax a bit and the headache subsided I noticed that it had become very quiet in the house. Too quiet. So I called on Abby to see what she was up to.

She quickly responded and I could hear her little footsteps as she started to walk into our room.  Before I could see anything I hear her sweet little voice say to me, “Look mommy I cut Ellie’s hair!” The minute she uttered these words I bolted straight up to make sure I heard her corretly. Before I can say anything I look at Abby and in one hand she has my scissors (which I had a huge brain fart and forgot to put back up the night before and this memory was just coming to me now) and in the other she had a large clump of hair. Then, as I am about to utter a shriek of terror Ellie comes bounding in looking like this…

 Oh yes, at this point the shriek erupted from my mouth and the sobbing began.  Abby had cut off most of Ellie’s hair and pretty much all of her untouched baby girls. Abby had also taken the scissors to her hair but luckily it wasn’t too noticeable. She basically gave herself some long bangs. I called Shaun in a hysterical mess but eventually calmed down.

Before I knew it I was laughing about the situation. Abby gave Ellie her first haircut and soon it will grow back. Until then, Ellie will have a short pixie cut and hopefully I can get her in to Christina soon to at least even out what we can. Oh, I could kill myself for leaving out the scissors that are normally in a box way up high in my closet but I cant dwell on it. I am just thankful no one was hurt. Hopefully Ellie’s hair will grow fast and we will have those cute pigtails back soon!

Abby’s First Trip to the Movies

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Today we took Abby to see her very first movie in a movie theater! We had waited long enough and we knew it was time to test it out. Since showing her a trailer quite some time ago, Abby hasn’t stopped talking about the movie Brave. So when the movie hit theaters several weekends ago, Shaun and I decided we would take her.

So today we dropped Ellie off at Grandpa and Nana’s house and headed to the theater. Abby was so excited. When we got there we headed to the concessions and let Abby pick out some special snacks for the movie. She chose popcorn and a box of Red Vines to share with mommy. When we got into the theater, Abby chose our seats and we got settled in. Abby looked like a pro and was ready for the movie to start. We only had one potty break and that was a quick one. It came at the right time too! There were a few parts of the movie that were a bit dark and intense and Abby decided she had to go potty right at the scariest moment. Potential crisis averted! Abby loved Brave and even more then the movie, she loved the theater experience. She hasn’t stopped talking about it.We cant wait to take her back again soon!

ABout to head over to concessions to pick out a few snacks. Abby is thinking about what she wants!

All settled into her seat, snacks in hand and cozy under her blanky!

Disneyland with The Taylor Crew

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Take two excited Grandparents, One Auntie, a Fantastic Friend, a Cheerful Mommy and two very Happy Kiddos and what do you get? A TRIP TO DISNEYLAND! Yup, when the Taylor crew is in town its pretty much inevitable that we will end up at Disneyland. How can you resist? SO this year we found ourselves at Disneyland with the same Motley Crew as last year but we also tweaked a few things.

This time around we stayed the night at a hotel in Anaheim the night before. Best idea ever. This allowed us to sleep in a bit the morning of instead of waking up at 4am so that we could get to Disneyland and not deal with a three hour drive in morning traffic. It was completely worth it. We were up by 6:30 am and arrived at Disneyland only thirty minutes after the park opened. This allowed us to go to Cars Land (which had just opened a week and a half earlier) over in California Adventure. We had hoped to get on some of the rides but even by 9am, everything had a line no less then ninety minutes. Its ok, we still enjoyed a lovely breakfast at Flo’s Cafe and then enjoyed a few more rides before heading over to Disneyland for the rest of the day.

On the tram and ready for a day at Disneyland!
The whole gang, minus Grandpa Jerry who is behind the camera as usual. 🙂

Grandma Denise and Ellie waiting for the gang to finish up on the ladybug spinners.

Abby was just a little excited to see Pluto… just a little.

For this trip I decided to roll with the punches and let whatever happens, happen. For the most part, I stuck with that decision. I let Abby and Ellie decide what they wanted to do and Jillian and Drisana were great sports about that. The only snag of the day came with riding the Matterhorn. Abby has been on it once and loved it. Since then the ride format has changed. You can no longer sit in each others laps, instead you sit in your own seat. This meant the height requirement had changed and Abby just missed it by about half an inch. Grandpa Jerry had to leave the line with her and I felt so guilty going on without her. When we got off of the ride, I could tell Abby had been crying. It broke my heart. Its tough being at that point in life where you are still little but you also want to conquer the world on your own all at the same time. She cheered up pretty quickly and we were on to the next ride, but I have to admit there was a twinge in my heart that took a bit to go away.

Ready for her first ride on the Jungle Cruise.

All set to see Winnie the Pooh!

Happy Ellie waiting to ride on Pirates of the Caribbean. As she kept saying the rest of the day… “That was so fun!”

I did eventually get over it and I made sure it didn’t ruin my day with family, friends and my beautiful girls. Instead the girls enjoyed rides like Winnie the Pooh (two times to be exact), Pirates of the Caribbean, lunch and duck feeding at the Hungry Bear and their first time on the Jungle Cruise. The Jungle Cruise was a big hit and I am sure we will be riding on it again soon! Abby also had the chance to use her brand new autograph book and was able to get the autographs of quite a few characters, one of which being Minnie!

As a treat for the girls and the June birthdays, we had dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen. Abby had a blast and loved taking pictures with all of the characters. Well, all but Aladdin. Abby wanted nothing to do with him. Ellie was a bit leery at first but when Minnie came around, she was star struck. She was so excited and in awe that Minnie Mouse was right there in front of her. It was pretty cute if you ask me. Abby also met Cinderella which was another hit, so much so that Abby kept holding her hand.

Pictures with Minnie Mouse at Goofy’s Kitchen. Not sure you can feel the excitement here.

Ellie meeting Minnie Mouse. So start struck.

After dinner we headed back to Disneyland for another spin on Winnie the Pooh and then Drisana, Auntie Jillian, Grandpa Jerry and myself took on Splash Mountain. Yeah, Splash Mountain In June at 9:30 at night meant very soaked. Luckily it has been a hot dry day so my pants and shirt dried off quickly, but my shoe was another story. The rest of the evening was pretty lazy. The girls fell asleep so we watched the fireworks and then hit a few of our favorites. Auntie Jillian, Drisana and I rode Big Thunder and then it was Grandma Denise and Grandpa Jerry’s turn. From there we shopped while Auntie Jillian and Drisana went on a few more rides of their own. When all was said and done we stuck it out at Disneyland and nearly closing time.

At Auntie Jillian’s insistence we rode Splash Mountain. While you can tell we were hit with water, this picture does not  show just how wet we were. Soaked, completely soaked.

It was a long drive home that night, but so worth it. We made lots of memories and enjoyed our time together. Drisana is now an honorary member of the Taylor family after surviving a Disneyland trip with us for the second summer in a row. I know I fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow that night but it was all for good reasons. Yet another fun day in the memory books. Until next time!

Abby’s First Dance Recital!

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As I sit here writing this, I cannot help but smile. I think I am beaming from ear to ear. Tonight was Abby’s very first dance recital and I don’t think Shaun and I could be more proud of our little girl! She did an amazing job and even though I had my doubts this morning at stage rehearsal about whether or not she would dance at all, she did!
Grandma Denise, Granpa Jerry, Auntie Jillian, Grandpa Pat, Grandma Zoe, myself and Shaun were all there to cheer her on. When I dropped her off backstage with her class and the babysitters she started to get upset that I was leaving but soon calmed down and then ran off to play, saying goodbye as an after thought. Looking back I think she got upset at first because one of the younger little dancers in her class was crying. I took my seat with the family and waited anxiously to see just what would happen. We caught a glimpse of Abby in the show opener and then had to wait until her dances came along. Lucky for us, Jason and Lisa (our cousins) had their daughters dancing that night. We had the chance to see Kayla and Lily dance and boy have they grown. Both girls are very talented and I see dance in their future.
Abby’s ballet dance, “Ballerina Kisses” was first and she was so cute. Before they came on stage, Abby and her friend Victoria could be seen peaking out from the curtains. I honestly think they were looking for all of us, assuming all of our families would be in the same spot watching just like we do at the studio. When it was time to dance, Abby did a fantastic job and danced every step. It cane be hard to tell with Abby, but I could see that she was having a great time, which made me smile the most.

Later in the show Abby did her tap dance, “Six Little Ducks”… what a riot! For many years at Bobbie’s, the youngest dancers at the studio were ducks for recital. It was like a rite of passage. I was so happy to see that Abby had the chance to be a duck too and she did a perfect job. She really knew what she was doing and had a lot of fun doing it. I think all of us were laughing and smiling at our cute little duck on stage.

Ballerina Kisses

Showing off her basket of kisses

Quacking like a duck

“Six Little Ducks that I once knew, fat ones, skinny ones, cute ones too!”

Keep on Quackin’!

Taking a final bow during the finale! Its a great shot because Kayla is standing just behind Abby!

So cute

A very proud daddy with a super cute ducky!
Abby with her teacher Miss Elizabeth.

Abby and Bobbie. Bobbie is the owner of the studio and someone very special to me, my family and now my children.

When the show was over Abby was spoiled with lots of hugs, kisses and more flowers then I have seen in a long time. She was so excited and very proud of how she danced. I learned from Bobbie, Judith and some of the backstage babysitters that each time Abby came off of stage she wanted to know when she could go back on. I think someone likes the spotlight! She would have also been happy just sitting in the wings watching the dances. And here I was worried that they would be able to get her out on stage!

No matter what, the evening was perfect and we are so proud of Abby. From what I can tell, she cant wait until next year to do it all again!

Abby’s First Haircut…

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Today was the day we cut Abby’s hair for the very first time. Yep, shes three and a half years old and we are just getting her first haircut! I wasn’t sure how I would feel, knowing that I have put this moment off for a long time. I know she needs the cut to keep her hair healthy, but I didn’t want to see those baby curls go! Oh the things we hold on to as long as we can as parents.
When we arrived, Abby seemed a little apprehensive of what we were about to do. But, she relaxed when she got to sit in her very own rocket ship chair and pick out a movie to watch. She chose Finding Nemo. Being a pro at this sort of thing, the lady who cut Abby’s hair got right to it. She wet down her hair and before I knew it… SNIP! The first cut had happened! I felt myself getting emotional but I knew tears would upset Abby, who was worried it would hurt, so I kept it all in. Her little curly locks were now in an envelope for me to keep and all over the floor. The stylist snipped and shaped and Abby sat perfectly still. She kept her head tilted when asked and didnt argue one bit. Quickly it was over and Abby’s hair was about 9 inches shorter then when we first walked in. With a lollipop in hand she was as happy as a clam and already telling people she got her hair cut. Ellie got a little trim too, but that was mostly because the stylist wanted her to feel included.
One last shot of her long baby curls before Abby gets her first haircut.

Ready but a little unsure about this whole “cutting the hair thing”.

Getting ready and watching Finding Nemo

About to cut those curls off!

The cut is done! Now its time to style it, but only a little.

All done!

Ellie gets a little trim too! (Not a real cut, just a few trimmed spots)

Where it all happened!

After we finished up it was on to the playground. We promised Abby that if she listened and let the lady cut her hair we would take her.  She was so good, so when all was said and done we headed to the playground as promised. As we sat there watching the girls play, I looked at Abby and it was like the new haircut had already changed her and she grew up the minute those baby curls came off. She made a new little friend on the playground and she played with her until it was time to leave. She looked so grown up. It was at that moment my heart ached a little and I wanted desperately to glue those little curls back on to her head. This is the part about being a parent that really sucks, watching your children grow up right before your eyes. I will try and enjoy every moment of it but I also know my heart will ache a few more times.

Mother’s Day 2012

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Today we celebrated Mother’s Day. It was a pretty quiet day to be honest and I will admit I liked it. I got a lot of cleaning done, we had dinner with Grandma Zoe and she had some time with Abby and Ellie, and then we relaxed in the evening. I didnt even think to pick up the camera and take pictures of the flowers Shaun gave me, which were beautiful! The moments we did catch were of Abby helping me frost the cake I made. She was so excited to do it too. The minute the cake came out of the oven she was asking me when. I had to tell her that the cake needed time to cool and then we could put the frosting on. From that point I think she asked me every 10 minutes or so. “Mommy is the cake cool yet?” So cute. Glad I caught those moments with our camera though. It’s Abby and Ellie and these moments, after all, that make me a mom. Happy Mothers Day!

 

A Bit of Weekend Gardening

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After a very busy say yesterday, Shaun and I decided to play it low key. Our garden on the front porch had pretty much died, due to the heat of last summer and some pretty bad neglect after that.  SO we headed on over to Lowe’s and bought some new plants.  This year we decided to plant some strawberries, more basil, thyme, cilantro, mint, and we were able to save and replant our chives.  We also put four pots of lavender out as well.  After a nap, which allowed me to clean down the porch, the girls helped us pot our new plants. It wasn’t much but it was the perfect end to another wonderful weekend.

A Busy But Fun Saturday!

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Yesterday was a very busy Saturday. Don’t get me wrong, when I say busy it was a good type of busy. Not wanting to be stuck in the house on such a beautiful day, we decided to head up to Santa Barbara and go to the zoo! Sure we have been to the Santa Barbara Zoo a lot but it is such a great place to take the kids and it doesn’t require an entire day or weekend to do it! The girls had a great time and we had a few firsts. On this visit, both snow leopards were out in their enclosure for all to see. I dont think in all of my time at the zoo I have seen both of them at the same time.  One of them was evening making “funny noises” as Abby said. To me he sounded like my old cat Harley when he wanted something. I have a feeling it was time to eat.
We also had hoped to see the new Otter couple but they were still getting used to their new home, which meant they only were allowed to come out and visit for small amounts of time. Bob and Jillian, the zoos last couple, now call the National Zoo in Washington D.C. Their family of 13 grew quickly and the Santa Barbara Zoo no longer had the space to take care of them.  For those of you who didn’t know, the Otters are named based on pop culture at the time they come to the zoo. Bob and Jillian arrived during a time when the “Biggest Loser” was very popular especially among the zoo staff. The new couple has been named Katniss and Peeta, after the popular books and movie, The Hunger Games. Hopefully the next time we visit we can meet the new additions to the zoo!
All smiles and ready to head to the zoo!

The new Otter couple at the zoo! I have to admit, I love their new names!

Abby didnt believe me when I told her that these Capybaras are big rats.

The Snow Leopard that seemed to be very hungry.

Shaun walking with his girls up to see the elephants.

A young Flamingo that has yet to get his pink feathers.

Where I go, Blankie Goes.

Stopping to see the Giraffes. Ellie wanted to be one!

Hitching a ride with Daddy.

Cardboard + AstroTurf = A Really Fun Ride!

Ellie needed a little help from her Daddy.

A new friend and time spent at the zoo means a nice sleep on the way home.

While we were at the zoo, I received we text from Erika to see if the girls wanted to meet up at Bright Child to play with Harrison. Since we were close to wrapping up our day we accepted! Not only was it an opportunity for the girls to play with their friend, it was also another chance for us to let the girls run until they couldn’t run anymore! With a nap in the car on the way, they were ready to play when we arrived. Abby, Ellie and Harrison played basketball together, ran, jumped and took on the slides without any problems.

Taking a time out, especially after that personal foul. 🙂

Taking on the slide. Abby jumped up the minute she hit the bottom, just at the opening and flew out just so she could go again. It was quite a site to see.

Harrison prefered the feet first approach!

Ellie used those strong legs and ab muscles to stop herself. Yet another impressive site to see. We certainly have strong kids.

After a long day of animals, walking, playing and running we headed home. Luckily we were smart enough to bring PJ’s for the girls, so when they passed out on the ride home, all we had to do was move them from the car to their beds. They passed out before we even reached the freeway.  As I have said before, passed out kiddos are a sure sign of a very fun day!

A Perfect Day for the Beach

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Today was the perfect day for the beach so we headed out to Point Mugu State Beach to enjoy the sun and some cool ocean breezes. With a few new buckets, sand toys and umbrellas in tow we set up camp in a great spot and had a great day. The girls made sand castles and mud pies, chased away the seagulls and dipped their toes in the water. Abby had a blast as the waves crashed in hitting her legs and then quickly pulling out. She LOVED the feeling as the water receded and the sand moved under her feet. Ellie, on the other hand, was a bit more wary of all this water and stuck with mommy.
We didn’t do too much in particular but we still had a wonderful time. When we weren’t playing in the sand or the water we were watching seal lions and birds playing in the surf. Out of nowhere, two young California Grey Whales appeared in the first crest of waves from the beach. We watched as they spouted water from their blowholes, rolled in the waves and one even attempted to breech. It was amazing to watch. In all of my life living in Southern California and hanging out at the beach I don’t think I have ever seen two whales that close to shore. Truly amazing! It was the most perfect day at the beach and I am so blessed that we could share it all with our children!