The big girl bike

We wanted to get a bike for Tay right when we got home and it just didn't happen. Her cousins have been over lots with their bikes and she was still scooting around on a baby toy trying to keep up. She hasn't mastered it yet, but she keeps getting back on and is willing to practice. I am sure she will have it down in no time.

It is a total girl bike with Disney Princesses on it. It came complete with tassels, a pouch for other girly things and a water bottle. She really likes her big girl bike!

I am feeling sentimental

I know every mom loves and adores all their children, but I have noticed that since Taylee has gone through something so dramatic and I spent so much one on one time with her, that we now have such a strong bond and I feel so linked to her, it is hard to describe. Now Aaron and my sisters can tell you that just because I feel that way, doesn't mean I don't get frustrated or anything, but I just had to dedicate a post to my Taylee and tell her how amazing and wonderful I think she is.

Some of the things I love about Tay:

*her stubburness -this sounds like a weird thing to love, but I like to see that she a mind of her own

*her hugs -she can squeeze so tight for such a little girl and gives them to me so freely

*her sense of order - now I am not the most organized person out there, but Taylee knows how things should go or where they should go and is adiment about keeping things that way.

*her memory -the things she remembers surprise me all the time.

*her ability to learn quickly - Taylee picks things up fast. I hope I can help her keep this skill as it will be so beneficial for her all her life.

*her negotiating skills -I think she got these from Ryker or her dad, and at the time I don't find them so great, but she is good at talking her way in or out or around things.

*her imagination -I love that she can come up with games or play pretend or act out scenarios with her toys, it is such an important part of play.

*her need for me - I admit, I sometimes get a little claustriphobic, but mostly I love that she wants me when she is sad or hurt or just wants to play close to me or sit right by me, its great.

*her sweetness - we all know she has some sass in her, but she can be so incredibly sweet. She will say, "thanks mom for letting me have some brownie" and the way she says it is so sincere. Or she will just look at me and say, "I love you mom" or tonight she was praying and she said, "please bless mom will get a baby in her belly" and my heart just melted.

*her ability to be so strong - I am just so amazed at how well she handled having cancer. She breezed through it so well it almost felt like no big deal, but I want her to know that it was a major big deal and I am so proud of her for being so brave and making it not so hard for her mom to watch her go through. I am pretty sure she can handle anything now.

*her laugh - all her family knows that Taylee's true laugh is this deep belly almost scary kind of laugh, but nothing sounds better

*her need to be independant - it is a classic two-year-old thing to do, but how else would they learn how to do so much on their own. It can be frustrating, but I love seeing her accomplish new things.

*her personality -I wish I could say she is all girl or a complete girly girl, but that wouldn't be completely true. She loves her dollies and her "lips" she recently has gotten attached to a ballet outfit and loves Strawberry Shortcake, but I must say she isn't the most graceful girl, she doesn't like to wear dresses all that much, she tells me she doesn't want long hair, and I can just see her needed to be athletic and moving. I wouldn't call her a tomboy by any stretch, but she has too much personality to be the sweet timid girly girl that you normally think of.

*her similarities to her dad -we don't think she looks like either of us, but I definatly think her personality favors Aaron and he has so many qualities that she is lucky to have.

*her petite little body - I love that she is still little enough to carry around with little effort. I can still fit her in my arms like a baby and she just snuggles up so nicely. I wish she could just stop growing for a while, but she doesn't like when I tell her that cause she is "getting bigger and bigger"

*how peaceful she is when she sleeps. I still cant resist snapping pictures of my little girl sleeping.

As bummed as I get waiting and waiting to get pregnant, I know Heavenly Father knows what is best for our family and not everyone gets to spend a full three years alone with their first child. I am so glad for the time we have had together and am sure she will be one great big sister when the time comes. She sure is special to her mommy and I thank Heavenly Father every day for letting me keep her.

4th of July

The day started like every other 4th, Aaron and I getting up early to go stake out a good spot for the parade. Now most people would probably not be too impressed with what the Rexburg 4th of July parade has to offer, but we love it and so do the kids.

Conner, Taylee and Ryker waiting for the parade to start. Not that you could tell, but Tay had so been looking forward to the "parade by her house". Then when we got there she refused to show any excitement at all and we couldn't even get a smile out of her. I know she had fun though.

Ellie, Weiland and Quinton

Bonnie and Laura .... so glad they came!

"The coolest float in the parade" according to Aaron.

Lacey, Brynlee and Brad

Tiff and Todd

us

Lacey with my two super cute neices

...and little miss Ellie who thought most of the parade was too loud

Later that day we had the whole gang over for a BBQ and the kids played in the water. I don't know why I forgot to take pictures, bummer.

That night we ended up going to Idaho Falls where this hotel sets up tables out on the lawn right by the river and serves a yummy dinner and puts on a patriotic program. Then you have great seats for the really awesome firework show. We layed out a blanket and played Phase 10 until it got dark and then Taylee snuggled down right between Aaron and I to watch the show.

It's hard to keep your eyes open when the flash is so bright!

Taylee, trying to keep warm.

I love holidays mostly because it gives me a chance to spend some real quality time with my family. I am lucky to have married a man I can have so much fun with and to have a daughter that livens things up and keeps us laughing.

Sillito Family Reunion 2009

I have to warn that this is a loooonnnnng post, but it was a week-end full of fun. I am teased in my family about being the one who has to do certain things because it is tradition and as much as I do love traditions, it is being with family that is the root of my passion for wanting family things to happen. This reunion was my dad's brothers and sisters and it is a tradition for them to get together every two years which I think is great. Coming home I just feel so strongly about the ties that I have to my family and the influence they have had on my life (mainly my immediate family cause everyone else is so far away). But... as bizarre and crazy as some of my family members are, I just can't help but feel so blessed to have so much family and really enjoyed the time I got to spend with them.

The first night we had a family "Talent Show" if you can call it that! It was quite entertaining, but one cool thing was my aunt Sherri printed off a whole bunch of pictures relating to funny or embarrassing events that had happened in her siblings lives and we all had to guess which picture went with which sibling. It was funny and I learned some things I am not sure I wanted to know!

FAMILY PICTURES:

My dad's brothers and sisters Janelle, Tricia, Kris, Sherri, Kevin, Clint, Grandma, Layne, Derrol

Spouses Added

Cousins

Chris, Aubrey, Dan, Jessica, Stacey, Dallin, Jordan, Zack, Lacey, Courtney, Kyrie, Grandma, Ben, Abby, Josh

Spouses Added


Those of my fam that could make it

Aaron, Mom, Dad, Dan, me, Taylee, Conner, Lacey, Brynlee, Jacey, Ryker, Jenni, Broden

Just some of the fun toys they had to play with...

Chelsea, Zack and Dallin.... what can I say, they're Canadian?!

Grandpa Sillito, Taylee, Abby and Uncle Kevin.

They next day was full of activities put on by the "Great Canadian Barn Dance" (that was where the reunion was at) they had dance lessons, face painting, a hayride, and more. We had fun hanging out with family all day.

Broden and Taylee waiting for the hayride. I loved watching these two together. Taylee was so excited to see Broden and I didn't realize how much she probably missed him. They are so cute together cause they are the exact same size, but Taylee seemed to think she was Broden's mother. She would grab his hand every chance she could get and drag him around or tell him what to do or not to do.... poor Broden. He is so sweet though and such a good sport.

Jacey and Ryker..... waiting for the hayride

Taylee, me and my cousin Abby on the hayride, but how come hayrides now-a-days have no hay?

Broden, Jenni and Dan on the "hayride"

So my cousin and Abby and I got to be pretty good friends on this trip and she was trying to talk me into going on the canoe all day. Normally I would have agreed quickly, but there were at least three other members of our family that had tipped their canoes earlier that day and Aaron told me they weren't the greatest either so I was desperatly trying to avoid ending up in the freezing lake. Well, as you can see she talked me into it and we actually made it without falling in.

Jacey and Ryker at the dance lessons. Contrary to Ryker's face, these two had a great time dancing and they did it all night! Who knew five year olds could be so good at two-stepping!

There is nothing sweeter to me then a dad dancing with his daughter. We had so much fun at the dance. It had been so long since I had even been to a dance and my dancing skills may have been a little rusty, but Aaron and I did learn to two-step (don't ask us to demonstrate!) My cousin Abby tried to teach me the dance to "Thriller" and I have to admit that by the time the night was over I had done the "Electric Slide" the "Mocaraina" and other line dances. After the dance we got cozy and watched some fireworks. It was a great night.

Is Summer Finally Here?

These pictures were taken in June and we have had some pretty nice weather since, but I remember this day because it had been raining for like two weeks straight. Not just raining, but storming with thunder and lightening and no surprise... wind. Anyways, this one afternoon the sun came out and it was just an opportunity we couldn't pass up. I blew up this pool that Gram gave Tay last summer, but apparently it didn't make it cause by the time I had the second section blown up, the first section was already deflating. Oh, well... it did its job.

Tay "going swimming" isn't she brave!

When you don't have much meat on your bones you get cold quick, but running around the yard is just as much fun!