GET YOUR FACES ON...
Pack rat be gone! Mom knew it was time to take some pics and rid ourselves of the many art projects that had piled up on the kitchen cabinet. She saves and saves, blogs, and journals all my accomplishments, but this time it had gone too far. If it did not fit in the art and writing journal then it was time to take a pic. I wasn't worried...this was just my style. I let all my sillies out, tried on all my hats, masks and puppets and chewed a big wad of bubblegum too. No matter the face I make, mom thinks I am the most beautiful "big boy baby" around!

REAGANISMS TAKE 2!...
Let us start with the sweet baby boy words and move into the crazy, 3 year old boy phrases. Care to guess which list is longer?...

Loving...
"Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow...you're only a day away!"
"Bye mom. I love you. Have a great day!"
"I wanna hold you."
"I want to hold your hair."
"That's so AWESOME!"
"Oh...I KNOW...that is a great idea!"
"Hold me. I'm a little baby."
"Stick out your hand and say hello! HELLO!"
"I want mommy...or...I want my daddy!"
"You sick? You feel better soon." (He pats you on the head or rubs your back...so sweet!)

And, Not So Loving...
"You're making me nuts."
"Little baby head."
"Um, um...you said a bad word. Mommy, Daddy said 'butt'. "
"You're making me crazy."
"This putter is not taking my password."
"That's impossible!"
"Is today a stay at home day or a school day?"
"Where are we going now?"
"Leeeeeet's make DINNER!"
"I don't want to."
"I'm not going to bed. There's sun."
"I'm not going to sleep. I'm not tired. I'm gonna stay up all night with my daddy."
"Ugggghhhhhh, Buster licked me!"
"That's not fair..."
"That is junk and crap" (Thank you daddy!)
"That is rubish" (Thank you Thomas the Train.)
"You're not my friend anymore."
"I don't like that."
"I don't love you...okay I love you."

The list is still growing...

GRAMPY GRAMPS...
It was not the best of circumstances to bring Grandpa to Houston, but we were sure glad to see him. 5 months is just too long to go without a snuggle. I showed Grandpa and Donna all my pets and then played some basketball with Grandpa. He tried to show me all the fancy shots he could make, but I guess doubted his abilities. I made sure the goal was in its lowest position and real close to Grampy Gramps. Best of all, I pulled out all the stops on good behavior and really showed him what I had...intermittent fits and screams. 3 is a fabulous age! Mom is just trying to survive the morning prep for school and soak up the love on the weekends. I think we are just all really tired. We rush from school to therapy 2 days a week and mix in doctor check ups and moms model teacher classes in between. When mom picks me up from school in the afternoon I always have to ask "where are we going now?" Summer just can't get here fast enough! We have big plans to soak up the fun, but all of that will begin after a period of rest...rest is good...just don't tell me that is what I need to do. "I DON'T NEED A NAP. I'M NOT TIRED!" Mom is begging for someone to tell her to go rest...any takers?
Yummy food in our tummies!

AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING...
This is what I call "my work." My desk is in daddy's office and I love to pull out all the pens and magazines and have at it. I create all kinds of special projects. Scissors, glue, tape and stickers don't last too long in house. But today I had a different task. I have been working on writing my name for some time now and I have discoverd that I have way to many curvy letters in my name...what were my parents thinking? Can I please get some straight lines? Typing my name comes much easier than writing it, but look at me now...I can write most of my letters independently. Kindergarten here I come! My mama is so proud of me!
Look at this grip...and it only gets better from here :) I know how to hold my pen "properly." Keep a look out for pincers.

THE MANY FACES OF...
Reagan...sweet, gentle, kind, loving, nurturing, patient and mine. Silly, creative, and oh so smart. We know we do not deserve him, but we thank God everyday for the faces, the laughs and the future with Reagan.

TAP OUT TYLER!...
Traffic barred, it was a quick trip there and back, jam packed with lots of fun, laughs and love. I loved on Ella morning, noon and night. Then, on Saturday night came the big reveal...Ella had pink eye and a respiratory infection again...oh no! Sweet baby girl with her big blue eyes is always catching pink eye. She wasn't feeling her best, but she enjoyed all the extra attention and snuggles with my daddy. He is a sucker for little girls :) Aunt Meme always loves on me too. She bought me a Spiderman place setting to keep at her house. I think she was trying to convince me to stay forever. I told her I had to go home with my mommy but I would be back soon...tomorrow in fact. Uncle Gene and Dad were up late watching the UFC fight...they predicted the winner and danced a jig around the living room. I guess all future trips will now be planned around the fights. Mom says I am still too young, but I sported dad's new shirt anyway. We always wish we had more time together and fewer miles apart, but we are family...no matter the distance we are here for each other...forever.

LMS END OF YEAR CELEBRATION...
What a busy week! Mom was go, go, go all week and that meant that I was too. Thursday night was my big night. Mom had heard the dress rehearsal in every room of our house for over a week and now it was my night to shine. I was singing and dancing with my class at the LMS End of Year Celebration. It was a big deal--hosted at the Berry Center! I felt like big stuff and really enjoyed running crazy with my friends after the show. Mom of course was teary. Looking at the kinder kids walking across the stage and saying goodbye to teachers and friends made her realize just how close I am to this same moment. Mom is so proud of all my accomplishments, but she still likes to think of me as her big boy baby. 3.5 years old, sounding out words and reading 3 letter words...doesn't sound much like a baby does it? Mom and I are taking the summer to enjoy some time together--no school just mom and me and everything there is to see and do and enjoy. Nothing could sound better.

SWIM, SWAM, SWUM...
We celebrated Mawmaws a day early this year. Mother's day brunch was at Uncle Jeff's house and we had all the fixins. It was a time to relax around the pool. It took a while, but I did eventually jump on in. I loved playing at the beach entry with the bubblers...little water fountains if you will. Amanda took me on the float, we called them "boat rides," and Uncle Jeff made sure the waterfall was frequently attacked. Who says you can't have fun with fever? It had been a long week of yucky asthma junk. Mothers day brunch was on my fun list so even though I was totally worn out, passed out asleep in the back seat on the way home I had fun. We payed for it come Sunday. Mother's day was just a day of resting at home. I needed a day on the couch and mom did too.

CAMPING WITH YOGI AND THE FAM...
Celebrating getting away, time with mom, the fam, Makayla's birthday and the great outdoors!

READY FOR A SPIN?...
Who knew that 2 little hamsters could be such fun? Popcorn and Kettle Corn, our Science Resource Center adopted hamsters, have had many, many adventures in the Taylor house. They run the house in their ball, take spins in the truck, bathe in the sink and escape as they wish only to be found under a lunch box or inside my closet. Mom and dad just about came unglued when they found they were missing. It was a flashlight shining, listening ears on hamster hunt. Thank goodness these girls are nocturnal...they were easier to find that way. ..scritch, scratch...Whew, mom and dad were belly laughing and couldn't wait to share the adventure story with me in the morning. They still don't know how the escape was managed, how Sassy our cat didn't find them first, or even how they fell safely to the tile floor from the cabinet where their habitat is...these girls bring lots of excitement to the Taylor house. We love our girls!

RAINY DAYS...
It was pouring, but I didn't mind. I had so much fun running and playing in the rain. I even carried mom's plants out to the driveway for a drink. For a kid who does not enjoy things sprinkling on him...I loved the rain!

SPIDERMAN!...
Uncle Jeff and Amanda loaded my Easter bucket (literally a sand bucket) with all the goodies I would need to enjoy their new pool. I had Spiderman googles, a Spiderman towel, a beachball, Spiderman swimsuit and this! WOW! I had to try it out in the tub...my hands transformed into web like fingers and my mask was the coolest of all. Needless to say I was thrilled with all the treats and have been spending much, much longer in the tub. Thanks Uncle Jeff and Amanda see you at the pool soon!

"C" IS FOR COOKIE MONSTER!...
What can I say? We love to make them almost as much as we like to eat them. I am the cooker. I am a chef. I read the ingredients to mom and dad, crack the eggs and stir it all together. Mom and dad help me roll them and put them in the oven, but it is me who watches the oven to ensure they don't get too brown. Mom likes chewy cookies, dad likes crunchy ones. When it is all said and done I switch roles--my official title is taste tester. C is for Cookie Monster and that is me!

I'M MR. MICHELE!...
It doesn't matter where I go I always hear comments on my hair. Most of the time people feel the need to touch it--AGHHHH! Can I just admit that I don't want a strangers hands running through my hair every time I leave the house. Mom tries to be polite, but seriously...a simple compliment would do, right?
These days I prefer to wear my hair natural...mom isn't sold on that idea yet as this hair can be quite puffy in the morning. She still wants to wet and gel it. Some days I agree and others I put up a fight. I insist she is trying to give me "crazy chick hair" or "clown hair." Yes, these are my words. Through my tears I beg for "spiky hair." Mom of course promises that she would never try to make me look silly. She is doing the best she can. Then the conversation leads to the idea of a haircut. Dad chimes in and says no way! So, on this day I decided that I would be Mr. Michele. Everyone in the house was going to get a trim and I would decide what the end result would be. First up...dad! The hair drama continues, but for now I am content with the idea of it growing longer...I want long hair like the rock and roll guy with makeup and a long tongue. Mom says "EWWWWW...that is Kiss!" I am sure there are many great looks to come...just don't touch!

EASTER EGGS AND SO MUCH MORE...

HOLD YOUR SCISSORS PROPERLY...
This is how you hold your scissors. If you cut yourself you tell your teacher. You only cut paper, not clothes, not hair, not your finger.
You have to hold your pencil properly too. Draw on the line, no scribble scrabble. I can write the letter H...it's my favorite!
I love to "do my work" in daddy's office. My art table found a new home in there. I prefer to sit at dad's desk though. I "mail CD's" and write letters...I have to put the address stickers on the envelopes too. Busy, busy...

BUILD YOUR HOUSE WELL...
My Mom sent this to me this morning...funny, it was exactly what I was trying to express in a blog post. Make the most of each day, do your best in life and most of all cherish each moment with your little ones.

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer- contractor of his plans to leave the house- building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.When the carpenter finished his work the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter.This is your house, he said, my gift to you.The carpenter was shocked! What a shame!If he had only known he was building his own, he would have done it all so differently.We do the most of the things having such thoughts in our mind. But we only realize when it comes back to us.So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house that we have built.. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently. But we cannot go back.You are the carpenter. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Life is a do-it-yourself project, someone has said. Your attitudes and the choices you make today, build the house you live in tomorrow. Build wisely!

YOU ARE SPRING...
What an amazing gift. We wake up each morning to a new day; a new opportunity to love, to experience, to share and to forgive. With all the challenges that life offers we are blessed.
Reagan came into our lives at just the right moment. He offered us a focus, a peace and a love that we needed to hold on to then and that we would need even more as the months rolled on. Reagan was this outward sign of love that we needed to see and feel to know how amazing God is and that all the power and glory should go back to HIM. When we look at Reagan's face we know God is real and an amazing artist. When we hear Reagan pray sweet and powerful words over our family how could we not trust HIM in all things?
As a child I remember open fields around our house being covered in Indian Paintbrushes, Bluebonnets and Buttercups. It was beautiful and my brother Jeff and I would run to the fields and pick as many flowers as we hold. We would rub Buttercups on our noses until we were covered in pollen and silly. We would then run back home and offer these flowers to our mom believing we had just made her day. She would smile and then gently remind us that if we pick all the flowers the seeds won't spread for the next year. We didn't understand that message then. We just wanted her to have flowers in the windowsill and believe me she did.
I've called Reagan "Buttercup" more and more lately, it has such a precious meaning for me, but he did not have a picture of what a Buttercup was until this day. On the way to Chappel Hill we saw them growing wild and free all along the road. He was so excited to have the image and to see all the pink then turned blue. It was his turn to run in the fields and he too picked a few. With a child's heart he brought them to me and said, "Mom you are a princess and kissed me."
This field of flowers was breathtaking. To see Reagan run through the bluebonnets, seek out the Buttercups, smile and laugh and play was equally so. It was a scene I hope I will always remember. These flowers are only here for a short amount of time and everything from water the previous seasons to human interaction determine how long we enjoy them. What a message. What are we giving our children? How will we help them grow to their full potential; into God's will for their lives? We want to be encouragers, pruning and fertilizing all things good. Lord help us.
At the end of the shoot Reagan just giggled and said "That was fun! I love you mom." My "Buttercup" is grateful for all the little things. This little child is destined for greatness...the greatness that God will give.
In Reagan's words, "Dear God, Welcome for our food, welcome for our family, welcome to our hearts, welcome for good attitudes, welcome for love. Amen."

Spring Break Fingerprints...
Another spring break gave us the opportunity to place our fingerprints all over Houston. The weather was beautiful and our time together was cherished by all. Mom so enjoyed seeing me just being me. She loves every opportunity she gets to watch me play and see the way my mind works and the feelings I express. I can share so much verbally. I can explain my feelings and the "why" for each one. Mom was open ears and open heart. It leaves us both wishing that it could be spring break everyday.

THE NEW MUSEUM!...
WOW! We ended spring break on a high note. Aunt Kaci spent 2 days and nights with us and we headed to the newly renovated Children's Musuem. It was dramatic play all day. I was a police officer, an EMT, a chef, a vet, a grocery store manager and shopper, an inventor and best of all a kid having a blast just being a kid! It was a wonderful experience for all of us which we think we shared with half of Houston. IT WAS CROWDED! When we left around 1 there was a line around the building for children and their parents to get in. We were so glad we made it into town early and so thankful for the beautiful weather.
This is me...Mr. Creative Play!

"CHARLIE BROWN'S" FIRST BIRTHDAY!...
What a beautiful day to celebrate Charlie's 1st birthday. Mom and I met Charlie's family, Les and Emma at the park for a Peanuts Party. We visited with friends and enjoyed the weather. I did lots of climbing--big boy stuff while mom prayed I would not fall. No worries...my spiderman shoes kept me climbing and clinging to the wall. Happy Birthday Charlie...see you soon.

OOGLES AND GOOGLES...
My friend David hosted a Superhero Birthday Party and it was OOGLES of fun! From start to finish the party was busy with music, games and lots of dramatic fun. FYI-I am having a superhero party too. It didn't take me long to decide. As we were cleaning up my 3 year old pirate party I knew what would be coming next. SUPERHEROS!

TUBES...
Ever wonder what a PE tube looks like? Well here it is. This tiny piece kept my ears clear of fluid for almost 2 years. My ENT removed both of my tubes at my last visit. They were no longer in place and just hanging out in my ear. We will find out at the end of April if I need another set. We are still praying that the fluid will clear on its own before our next visit. I don't want tubes for summer!

QUILTING FOR MOM...COOKIES FOR ME!...
When the girls (Mawmaws, Mom and Lala) are away quilting the dudes do some baking. Dad and I have been very busy in the kitchen. We make a weekly batch of cookies from scratch. It takes some convincing to only eat 1 or 2 as they come out of the oven ready to enjoy with a cold mug of milk. They are so yummy so being the sweetie I am I prep a little baggie of cookies for Mawmaws and Tim too. Mom looks forward to the sweet treat when she comes home and I am looking forward to a snuggly warm quilt when class is complete.

JELLY...HOLD THE PEANUT BUTTER PLEASE...
It was spring break; a time to try something new. Mom bought 'PB for Me' by Ian's Organics and she thought it was fantastic! My expression says it all--PB is not for me. I tried it on apples, on a sandwich and crackers too. "It is not my favorite." So bring on the picnics mom. I'll have cheese with my crackers please. PB for you, but not for me.

MY WINGS...
This are my wings. I made them by cutting strips of paper out of one of my coloring books. I love to use scissors! I found mom right away and tried out my skills as an actor..."I am a little bird. TWEET! I can fly to my nest. I'm so small. TWEET, TWEET!"
My thinking brain is always going...I love to create!