The Copacabana

It's been a long time coming, but I am finally get around to posting about Taylor's 'new' room and big girl bed!  I say 'new' room because we had it painted.  The before color was kind of like a dijon mustard-y color - not attractive for a toddler girls room.  

 The color now is a very, bright, cheery, more appropriate for a 2 year old yellow.  Yes, that was the actual name of the paint.  

Right after Thanksgiving, we transitioned her to her big girl bed.  We went back and forth between getting a new crib for Emma Kate and keeping Taylor in her crib, and getting Taylor a big bed and giving Emma Kate her old crib.  Ultimately we decided to get Taylor a big bed because we knew shortly before or shortly after EK's arrival we would need something bigger for Taylor to sleep in.  Rather than deal with that on top of life with 2 kids, we decided to go ahead and get Taylor used to her new bed.  I really thought it was going to be this big transition since her sleep gets disrupted when she's in a new environment, but it was the opposite.  She transitioned beautifully with no fuss.  I think there was only 2 times in that first week that she wanted to sleep in her crib (we kept it in her room until we knew she was fine in the bed).
She sleeps great in it, and doesn't get out!  She never tried to climb out of her crib, so she stays in the bed and just whines until someone comes and gets her.  Which is fine with me, I know the real battle begins when they start to get out of the bed and won't stay in it.  We will cross that bridge when we come to it.  

She sleeps with all her stuffed animals and says 'everybody's here!'.  And sometimes even arranging them just right.

It's great now too because whenever we go somewhere, she can just sleep in a normal bed and we don't have to worry about a crib or pack n play.  

This was nap time one day when we were away.

Like father, like daughter.  

Taylor's face, meet concrete.  

32 weeks down, 8 more to go.  We are slowly getting ready for Emma Kate's arrival.  Here is an updated picture in her room - consider it a sneak peak at her nursery.

Yesterday I had a check-up with a sonogram to measure her growth.  And she is definitely growing!  They estimate her to be about 5 lbs 2 oz right now, with her being about 8.5 pounds at full term.  Taylor was over 8 lbs, so I was not surprised to hear that Emma Kate is on the bigger side.  Big babies don't scare me.  

Part of the sonogram is getting to see the baby in 3d!  Here is the best picture that we got.  
Pretty cool.  The sonograms these days are so detailed, it's amazing.  

We also learned that she has a LOT of hair.  This is a picture of the back of her head with it flowing behind her.
Even the sonogram tech was shocked to see so much.  Taylor wasn't bald, but she didn't have this much hair at birth.   I guess those bows and clips we got at Christmas will come in handy.  

I am feeling overall pretty good, I just tire out so easily.  Carrying around a 27 pound child while 32 weeks pregnant is not for the weak.  It's getting hard for me to sit on the floor and play with her these days since I have this bowling ball in my belly.  But, it will all end soon enough and we will have 2 little girls!  Right now, we are enjoying the last few weeks of having just 1 child because it's all going to change!  

She is talking up a storm!  And even in sentences.  One of her favorites is, 'I want cake'.  Yeah, me too kid!  She also likes to know where people or things went by asking, 'Where Daddy go?'.  I say, 'Where did he go?'  She will reply with, 'Daddy working'.  Or she will ask where the cats are, whom she knows by name and occasionally calls one by the wrong name but typically she gets it right.  She will often ask where her BFF Madeleine is.  I tell her she is at her house.  She then asks for Abbey (Madeleine's mom), she is at her house too.  

She is quite the little helper these days, even if I don't necessarily need one.  She loves to help feed the cats, which now she does it by herself.  I just have to make sure she doesn't give them too much!  I open up the container of food (kept in a tupperware) and she scoops out the food with the scooper and puts it in each bowl and puts the bowls back to where they go.  She also likes to help in the kitchen by stirring things, she will say, 'I mix'.  And apparently at school she is the teacher's helper by helping pass out cups (this is what Taylor told me, so who knows what really goes on) and helps 'mother' the new girl in her class by bringing her toys/books when she gets upset.  This will come in quite handy come March.   

Right now, we are riding the good sleep wave.  She goes through bad sleep fazes where she just doesn't sleep very long, but we moved her bedtime back just a little and she isn't getting up before the sun anymore.  Typically she is in bed around 8:45 or 9:00 and will sleep until 7:00 or 8:00 (usually closer to 7:00) in the morning.  Her afternoon nap starts around 1:00 and will be anywhere from 2-4 hours.   She is so good about going to bed, she will walk right into her room, climb in her bed, I cover her up and she goes right to sleep and that's it!  No crying, fussing, or protest.  My, we have come a long way.  

She is still a picky eater, but she is getting a little better...not much.  Her favorite is still cheese, and lately she loves pizza even asking for it when we don't have any!  She likes smoothies, dried berries, granola bars - really anything with sugar.  Chicken nuggets will always win her over, especially Chick Fil A when she gets french fries too.  

We love our sweet Taylor!

I am not going to post it on here for all the world to see, but if you are a friend and don't know, just send me an email I will let you know.  

We love everyone and thank you for all your prayers and sweet words during this difficult time.