Too Early? Nah.

My good friends Angie and Ashley are creative beyond creative.

Don't tell them, but I seriously copy everything they do. Ashley gets a new wrap-style baby sling? Me too. Angie goes all-cloth on diapers? Me too. Ashley makes Polenta Lagsana? Me too. (read: I'm hip.)

In addition to being fabulous women, they are fabulous photographers. I fell in love with their work when I was parusing the internet, awaiting a shiny ring on my left finger. Yes...I booked my wedding photographers before I was technically engaged. I know, I know... I know. I couldn't help myself. They were that good.

They also took pictures of Olivia when she was 12 days old. I am so grateful for those pictures, because I don't remember them being taken! I was so tired and hormonal that it all went by in a haze, and now I look back at the black & white shots of mother and daughter and I sigh because at least I have those memories on film. (Yes, Angie and Ashley still shoot with film. I love them.)

So they are doing cute Christmas cards this year, and unbeknownst to me, they used our family as an example on their blog. So I figured I would show the pictures to you, because I think I'm going to order my Christmas cards this year.

Here you go:


So sweet! Makes me ready for Christmas!

I Get It Now

If you don't have kids, ignore this post. It will not pertain to you, and you will think it's stupid. Seriously, just stop reading.

Ok - for those of you still with me here - I have to say, we hit another milestone tonight. It was simple and beautiful and smelly.

Olivia was in the livingroom. We were playing with toys. She squats down and smiles and looks at me and says "Poo Poo."

I didn't even know she knew the word.

Then, it dawns on me. Perhaps she not only knows the word, but knows what it means.

Diaper check.

Affirmative.

I laugh and smile and clap and jump up and down and say "Olivia! Yes! That's Poo Poo!" Olivia cracked up. "Poo Poo!" she says, clapping.

(Please tell me you are not still reading if you do not have kids and therefore are disgusted by my rambling.)

I don't know why this seemed like such a big deal... I guess it was the fact that she did it unprompted. A lot of times we "coach" her to say things... like "What does a cow say?" or "Can you say please?"

Leave it to my 21-month-old to come up with Poo Poo all on her own.

The Big Girls

The older, more mature ladies in the neighborhood are kind enough to let a "baby" tag along on their afternoon walk!

Fluus

Olivia calls Flowers "Fluuuus."

She says "Mama, I blew on the Fluuu's and all the twirlies fly away!"

Sink Bath

(an email from my mom reads:)

"Hey, Mama! When da Granny Nanny not pay 'nough attention to me den I makes a big mess in my diaper so she has to give me sink-bubble-play-time!"

This cracked me up because I've been giving Olivia all the fresh fruit and vegetable juice lately, so that makes her "diaper situation" a bit unpredictable (read into that all you want) and sometimes we have a minor explosion. So a bath is in order.

:-) Watch out for that vegetable juice!

Sarah

Olivia, how come you're never hungry for dinner?

Currently Reading

Tomlin In Studio

(L - R: Tom Pettijohn, Chris Tomlin, Sarah Taylor, Matt Case)

We were thrilled to welcome Chris Tomlin in studio this week. And he brought his guitar to play for us! You can see video on our website: www.spirit1053.com

Also, Tomlin's new album "Hello Love" debuted last week at #9 on Billboard. That's not just Christian albums - but all the albums in the country - so right now he's ahead of Lil Wayne and catching up to Young Jeezy. :-) Did I spell that right? Whatever. I don't know about you, but I think he can take over the Jonas Brothers spot. :-)

Juicing Continued

I'm thrilled that so many of you are considering Juicing! I know I sound like a Used Car Salesman trying to get all of us to eat our vegetables, but it's only because my life has been changed and I'm not joking. Believe me, I would not have stuck with it this long if I didn't notice huge benefits. And when I say benefits, I mean things like increased energy, emotional wellness and noticeable weight loss. And by "emotional wellness" I mean: I'm not a crab to be around!

SO - if you haven't already entered my drawing for the book "Juicing, Fasting and Detoxing For Life" you can still enter because I haven't received the books from the publisher yet. So there is still time: sarah@spirit1053.com is all you need - just shoot me an email.

Some of you have asked about the juicer: The Juice Man Pro is what I use. You can order it off Amazon.com, I believe. I totally love it and put it in the dishwasher. My friend Channah handwashes hers, but please, who has time? Good for you Channah. I'm not as classy. :-)

My favorite recipe consists of cucumber, beet, carrot, kale, celery and a green apple. You can experiment with the amount of each vegetable that suits you. It might take some getting used to at first, but give it a week. One solid week should do the trick before you start to crave this juice and eat less junk.

Let me know how you're doing!

Sarah
PS I think I'm buying my parents a juicer for Christmas. Haha, Suckers.

Getting to know you

Confession: The only reason I go to the mailbox is to see if a new Netflix arrived or if it's time for a new issue of one of my favorite magazines (Real Simple, Lucky, Parenting, and *ahem* US Weekly). Anyway... I found this in the latest "Real Simple Family" - a short bio of a woman, just like you or me, called: Meet a Real Simple Mom.

I'll fill it out if you will... (maybe just copy/paste in the comments section?)

name: Sarah Taylor
age: 27
location: Seattle
family members: Joel, 28; Olivia, 1; Gracie, the cat.
the most fun thing about being a mom: watching Olivia learn something new
the hardest thing about being a mom: constant worry
the television mom I'm most like: kelly ripa, I'd like to think. Shes fun and perky, and can't stop talking about her kids on-air just like me. And her husbands hot; so's mine.
the one thing I wish I had known about parenting before I became a parent: never for a moment will you stop thinking about your child.
before I turn off the lights at bedtime, I say to my children: "It's nigh-nigh time, mommy loves you. Lay your head down, night-night. Here's your key (blankie) and lay your head down."
the kids snack I am most likely to be caught eating: golden grahams
I hope my kids inherit: our faith in Jesus
the invention I wish I could create to make my life easier: invisible baby gates. that way, the house looks nice and tidy, but she stays safe.
if I had an "I'd rather be..." bumper sticker on my car, it would say: sleeping