Dana's Graduation

So that Friday, we reunited with Todd's sister Dana, her husband Scot, his brother David, his wife Michelle and their two kids Matthew and Brian, and his Mom Joyce, Step dad Tim, his dad Ernie and Step mom Pat. It was a reunion indeed. Everyone all in one place is very rare. I was so nice seeing everyone. The last time we were all together was almost three years ago for mine and Todd's wedding. That night we had a dinner all together at Dana and Scot's house. We had hot dogs and tater tots. Something that everyone could enjoy. We had a great time getting reacquainted with each other and telling everyone what was new in our lives. It was really great that everyone was able to meet Taelyn and get to know her. It was the 1st time all of the cousins were together. I was forewarned that I would only be seeing Tealyn to eat and other than that she would be with Oma, Opa, Grampy, Grammy, Auntie Dana, Uncle Scot, Uncle David or Auntie Missy. That stood pretty much true. Everyone was in love. It is hard not to be, she is such a beautifully pleasant baby. Who wouldn't fall in love with her?

Taelyn with Opa

Taelyn with Oma

Taelyn with Auntie Dana (Gosh they look alike!)
Crawling over Auntie Dana

Oma putting Taelyn down for a nap

My flower girl with Uncle David

Auntie Missy getting some Taelyn LoveTaelyn trying to run away from her cousin Matthew

Just a cute shot of my Bebe

Dana Graduation brought everyone together again and we took that opportunity to take a million pictures in every style and combination. We wanted to take advantage if it. We planned an easy wardrobe that everyone could follow and this is what we got:

Drive to Arizona and New Mexico

On August 12, 2010, we set off on a road trip to New Mexico to see Dana, Todd's sister graduate with her Bachelor's Degree. We left at 5am right after Taelyn woke up and ate. We wanted her to sleep the majority of the way, so we planned as soon as she was ready to be put back down that we would head out. It worked! She slept nearly the entire way. We stopped at 9am to get gas and to feed her again. She went right back to sleep. We drove for 2 more hours and made it to Grampy and Grammy's house in Williams, Arizona.

Taelyn sleeping on the drive

She totally kept herself entertained when she was awake

At the lake with Grampy

Family shot at the lake in Williams

We stayed the night there and continued on to Albuquerque, New Mexico the next day. Same plan, wake up early and get there as soon as we could. Taelyn was Amazing!!! She was such a joy during the drive. She slept and when she woke up, she entertained herself. What a good girl we have. It was also really nice to spend that time with Todd. I am really amazed and thankful that I have a husband who I still never run out of things to talk about. We enjoyed the drive together. I was just overwhelmed with happiness. I have pretty much everything I have ever wanted. It was a beautiful drive and didn't seem quite as long as it was the last few times we drove out to Arizona. I love my husband so much and our lives have been enriched even more since we had Taelyn. Happy and loved is how I felt on the drive out to Arizona and New Mexico.

Crawling Taelyn

My little baby is trying really hard to crawl. She is sitting up on her knees and rocking back and forth. She pushes her feet, falls on her face, then moves forward with her head. She just doesn't have the concept of how to move all at once. She tries, gets frustrated and then cries. It is the most amazing thing to see her determination! I'm sure by next week, she will be fully mobile because Todd is "practicing" with her and showing her how to crawl. I think she will learn to crawl at Auntie Dana and Uncle Scot's house in New Mexico. We shall see!

Concentrating really hard!
Falling over Frustration sets in

Thoughts of Daddy

While driving today, I got a flash thought of my dad. It was weird. I think of my dad quite often, but it seems like in the past few months I think of him more and more. It has been a little more than 8 years since his passing. There are many things that I don't remember, and there are things that come to mind that I haven't thought of in forever. My dad was a great photographer. While watching some documentary. I thought about sitting in my dad's office/dark room for hours watching him develop his pictures. I wonder what kind of photographer he would be now. What kind of pictures he would take of his granddaughter. It comforts me to think that he is watching over us and taking care of my baby boy Trent. I wish that our relationship could have been better towards the end of his days, but things didn't seem to work out like that. We argued over the silliest things and being young and stubborn, that kept me from him. The one good thing that came from my daddy's death is that I don't ever take people for granted, and I ALWAYS let people know how I feel about them. I don't let stupid arguments last. I will never make that mistake again! Rest in Peace Daddy, I love you!

Brave Maya

I had an interesting morning. Todd was called into work on his day off because of some promotion the casino has going on. He was supposed to drop off my car at the dealership for a recall. So instead, I had to do it. So I called and asked if I could come early and and get a loaner because I had a dentist appointment at 9am. So I drove to Riverside at 7am expecting to get a loaner so that I could make my dentist appointment. When I got there, they said that they could send me in a shuttle, but there was no telling when they could take me and when they could pick me up, plus I had Taelyn with me and they did not have accommodations for Taelyn's car seat. Talk about mad! I called in advance, they told me I would get a loaner for the day while they fixed my car, I drove out there and then they tell me that they can't? I pitched a fit! So the final say was that I would come back tomorrow and they would take care of it. So that was a waste.

Since Todd had to work, I had to take Taelyn Whalyn to my dentist appointment. I called my mom to see if she could watch her, so she said that she would come and pick her up when she was done with what she was doing. I am so thankful that she is such a pleasant girl. She sat in her car seat and played with her little friends while I got my root canal. My mom came in and got Taelyn and was shocked that she was awake and not fussy.

Russell came in with Maya who needed to get her teeth worked on. My poor Maya after her x-rays found out that she needs 10 teeth worked on!!! She needs 2 baby root canals and a bunch of fillings. My poor girl was so brave. She had a baby root canal done and needs much much more. I was so proud of my girl. We both had root canals done and I know 1st hand how painful that is. My Maya is such a big girl. I love her so much! I love my family. Thank God for all of them. They make me happy.

Sleepless Nights

Here I am once again, wide awake while everyone else is sleeping. What is wrong with me? I am tired, I want to sleep, but it seems the more I try to sleep, the more awake I am. The more frustrated I get and the angrier I get and the more anxiety I get. It is AWFUL!!!! I just lay in bed thinking, and thinking, and thinking. My mind just goes a million miles a minute. I think good thoughts about Taelyn and how she will grow up and be the perfect child and teenager and how she will make us so proud, then I have crazy, ludicrous thoughts about how she will be trying and defiant. I don't like those thoughts at all. I look forward to her 1st dance recital, her 1st soccer game, her 1st A in school. I have such high hopes and expectations for her. I pray I don't put too much pressure on her to be perfect that she fails. I pray I don't put too much pressure on myself to be the perfect mother that I get lost in that and do just the opposite. These are just some of the crazy, random thoughts that go through my mind while I am awake at night while my family is sound asleep, dreaming. I sure do wish I could join them and not take myself so seriously.

Family...

I HEART MY FAMILY!!! All of them, in laws included. Let me start off with my mom and brothers. These are some of the most important people in my life, but man, are they crazy!!! My mom especially. She says and does the craziest things. She is losing her mind. Today my mom comes over and Todd, Me and Taelyn were gone at a doctor appointment, when we get home, she has managed to clean the kitchen and the dinning room and has started to clean the living room. Gotta love her. Just by trying to help put she has managed to insult me. Not really, I don't care (that much). My Brothers are a comedy act, some one on the outside watching us can be fully entertained. Russell has a cast on right now and is on crutches. I just recently had surgery and still walking around gingerly, Richard is the last man standing. How is that even possible??? Richard has cerebral palsy and grossly overweight, but he seems to be just fine. Total change to all of us. I talk to all of them on an everyday basis, we see each other at least 1-4 times a week and that is normal to us and that is how we like it. If I tell my mom something I know I don't even need to relay the message to Russell or Richard because it will get to them. I have an amazing step dad Eddie, who takes great care of my mom and cares for all of us equally. I guess that is all you can ask of step family. With him comes Jonathan, Christopher, Nathaniel and Rachel. Jonathan, I really don't know at all. Chris, I am getting to know better everyday as we get older. Nathaniel is who I have always been closest to, and Rachel who sadly moved to Maryland, just as we started to gain a closer relationship. We are all family and it is all LOVE <3



My in laws are pretty amazing as well. They are spread out all over the states, so it is hard to stay in touch, but we manage to do fairly well. Todd's Dad and Pat are very present in our lives even though they live in Arizona. They are here visiting nearly once a month and we communicate through the wonderful invention of SKYPE. Todd's Mom is ALL the way in Alabama, but she has come out to visit 2 times since Taelyn entered the world. Sometimes we argue and have misunderstandings, but we always seem to work it out. Todd's brother David and his family have been away our whole relationship, but we try to keep in contact through facebook, they live in Chicago. His sister is in New Mexico. I was very close to Dana before they moved, but they will be moving back to Chico, Ca in September.

Next month we are all going to meet up in New Mexico for Dana's graduation. I am really excited because we haven't been all together since our wedding in 2008 AND because we have a new addition to our family. I realize how truly blessed I am to have such amazing people in my life. I just wanted to take some time to write about the people in my live that I love so much!