Monday, July 21, 2014

2!!!

2 years {a week and 2 days} ago looked like this...

...and in those moments and all the ones that have followed, you have brought more joy, love, and laughter to our lives than we thought possible. We are so thankful that we were chosen to be your parents. We love you to pieces Teagan Leigh.

And now, for your last monthly update...

It is crazy how much you can learn in a month's time. Watching you grow and learn is so much fun...and if we're being honest, sometimes extremely exhausting. Because growing and learning not only means that we're learning all the fun things but also how to deal with emotions when things are not going like you want them to or how to listen and obey when you really would rather not.

At 2, you love to:
...name the colors of everything that you see, especially if it is pink!
...count! You can count to twelve-ish most of the time pretty successfully if you're actually trying. But girl, you just love to count. You love to count your blueberries, the stairs, when you're jumping off the side of the pool, when you're playing hide & seek. And NEWS FLASH: you will now say the number 1, you just sometimes need a reminder that we start with 1 and not 2.  And sometimes we hear some crazy counting...our favorite: "2, 3, 5, 8, yellow, 10!"
...play hide & seek! This has quickly become a favorite of yours. And you'll actually hide by yourself {and stay for a while!} and tell us to close our eyes and count. And if we aren't counting for you, you'll just go and hide and count for yourself while you are hiding. On your way to hiding, you'll excitedly whisper "hide, hide, hide!".
...swim! You've been taking swim lessons, and you love the water! In fact, I think we might have hit the scary point of you loving the water so much. You love to go under and do not necessarily consider the safeness of some of your choices. You can't swim on your own yet, but you are learning some really good skills.
...sing! I love to hear your singing! ...and you've started to project your voice a little more too, which means the people in Target get to hear it too!
...draw! Oh my goodness, you love drawing! You especially love drawing with your sidewalk chalk or on your new chalkboard easel that we got you. You love to draw circles and you're trying hard to learn how to write a T. If we ask you how to draw a T, you can tell us "down and across!"-actually getting that perfected though will take a little more work.
...identify the letter T wherever and whenever you see one! And you think that every single one of those T's stands for Teagan. ;)
...tell us which direction to go. Can we say backseat driver?!? We'll hear from the back, "No! Ifff waaaay!" {which translates: no, this way!!} You are actually very successful on telling me how to get to Mrs. Stacey's. I guess we've made that drive enough times that you know exactly where we are supposed to turn. The other day though, I was turning into the neighborhood when you were fussing at me saying, "Noooooo, ifffff waaaaayyyy! (pointing straight)" ...and then "Poooool!!" And well, we would have gotten to the pool if we went the way you wanted to go.
...identify princesses! And I don't just mean the different Disney princesses-you just love to identify yourself as a princess {which you are. always. no matter how fancy or casual you are dressed} or any lady in a long dress...I even get called a princess while you play with my hair. Oh sweet girl, you know how to make a girl feel good. :)

You also know how to:
...name shapes {circle, triangle, square, star, and heart}. You get so excited anytime you see a heart!
...speak using more than one word at a time. This has been something we've been working on. You were an early talker but you've kind of kept to the mostly one word at a time thing. You're getting so much better at trying to talk in complete sentences. Some new phrases this month: help me, pick up {for us to pick you up}, and a favorite: Yay!! I did it!. 

And here is a look at some of the fun through pictures this month...
Father's Day
A summer day at Mrs. Stacey's with EllaKate. They both told each other that they looked like a princess. One was Elsa and the other Anna. 
Oh my goodness, a little blurry, but this picture just makes me melt for some reason. You insisted on wearing this fancy dress to go play at Mrs. Stacey's. 
Your first time at an indoor playground-thank you Mrs. Stacey! And EllaKate got to be there which made it even more fun...and she brought pink cookies! Triple score! 
Having fun with "ZeeZee"
Family trip to the beach...for more fun pics of this trip check out this post
Calling Caroline or Nana on your phone.  
...you then said "text". Oh boy! 
Mommy and Daddy were holding hands and someone got a little jealous. 
Swim lessons with Mrs. Emily
We sent this picture to your dad while he was at work and he was home for lunch shortly after. I think it was too much for him to stand. 
You have a brand new big girl room! You switched rooms and got a newly decorated room that you LOVE. You and cousin Caroline trying out the new bed.  

I was trying to get you to come downstairs and you insisted on staying in the bathroom a little longer to primp.
You found this slightly annoying ABC video on youtube and then held the iPad up to my stomach and told your brother to "watch". 
Mommy Daughter date at Chick-fil-A where they accidentally brought us two ice creams instead of one. 
You came to a doctor's appointment with me and wanted us to listen to your baby's heartbeat as well.
Fourth of July fun...
Your first parade, and you loved it!  
Pancake breakfast with the Gourley's before the parade and a little Village Burger for lunch after. 
Hitting up a little pool time before meeting up with friends for fireworks that night. 
You love your sweet Evie. 
Super fun dads taking you two girls for a ride down the hill on the blanket before the fireworks started. 

You were a little unsure at first about the fireworks but then you loved them and gave me sweet snuggles while we watched...and you stayed up waaaaaay past your bed time!!!  
Happy birthday lil' princess. We love you to the moon and back! 

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

A Pink Princess Party

Saturday was Teagan's birthday, and we were able to celebrate with some family and friends. As her birthday was approaching, we would ask her what she wanted at her party--and the answer to every question: cake. So, I decided to do a little dessert party for her. And since her favorite color is pink, everything was either strawberry flavored or tinted with pink. Friday afternoon my sister and I were preparing some of the food when Teagan came down from her nap and started shouting "Pink! Pink! Pink!" She's also slightly obsessed with princesses, so we had all the little girls wearing tiaras too. She loved every bit of her party and got so excited to see all of her friends and family arriving! This mama used to be a pink-hater, but it made me so happy to buy and decorate everything with the color to see that excitement on her face! Here are some pictures from her actual birthday...I'll get to the official 2 year post soon!
When she woke up, we came in and threw balloons up in the air--they were also scattered all over the floor. It took her a while before she even realized there were presents. {She was sleeping in our closet because we had family in town and both rooms were taken. And please excuse the Clemson blanket in the background...I mean I love my Clemson Tigers, but this is not my idea of decorations for our closet--just a way to keep the room dark so our little love could sleep in.}
Her response when you say, "Give me that smile!"  
This girl loves chalk...and drawing circles. 
Being shy and giving sweet snuggles. 
Starting off a birthday right...I think it is safe to say that this girl shares her mama's love for Flying Biscuit.   
Lip gloss for Pappy while we wait on our food. 
 
When her dad went to pick up the balloons he spotted this and couldn't resist. And she loved it! 
Showing me all the pink food! 
"ZeeZee" and EllaKate 
Her friend Evie gave her a framed picture, and she immediately tried to swipe it (like a touch screen) to see the next picture. When another one didn't show up, she looked up confused and told me it didn't work. Ohhhh man. 
Teagan's "twin"- sweet Ev
Madame Alexander doll from her Gigi and Papa G
saying "tank tu" to everyone
Waiting on her take. 


Cousin Caroline

Teagan loves her neighbor Neil (or Meil as she calls him) 
...and sweet Ankita. We're not going to know what to do if either of us ever moves. 
The amazing Mrs. Stacey and "Zee Zee"
Little buddy Finn 
...and not that it fits in with the party pictures really, but we had to get one last baby belly pic before baby Nelsen arrives.  Teagan told us that we "matched" since we both had a baby in our bellies. 
I told myself at one point during the party to make sure that I got a picture of Teagan with all her family that came in town...and whattaya know, I forgot. I think I only have glimpses of them in the background of other pictures. Ugh, have to get better at that. So, pictured or not, we were so thankful to everyone that helped celebrate our little girl. She is one loved little princess and we are blessed to have such wonderful friends and family to share her life with. 

Happy birthday our sweet Teagan Leigh!