D-Day

  I am beyond excited! May 27th is the day we will meet our sweet little Hudson Taylor! The c-section is scheduled and I feel like it's just around the corner. I have so much left to do to get ready for his arrival. If it would stop snowing and being ridiculously cold, Cory could finally take my maternity photos!
  I'm in the home-stretch and I'm finally able to get excited about what's happening to our family. We've had so much chaos and stress the last few months, it's seemed impossible to focus on the most important things. Now I'm ready to enjoy warmer weather and look forward to the awesomeness that is becoming a mother of two, and seeing Mia become a big sister! (She's ridiculously excited by the way... she talks about Hudson every day -reassures herself that he's still growing and can't come out right this minute). Wonderfully exciting time... we have a date to look forward to! I love him so much already!

  Hudson looks perfect! So exciting to see him on the ultrasound again. His little heart was so clear this time. After a chaotic appointment consisting of 2 ultrasounds of the baby and being sent elsewhere for an emergency ultrasound of my legs to check for blood clots (admittedly terrified), I'm happy to say that everything looks perfectly fine and healthy, and I couldn't be more thankful for that. We have a lot of things on our plate right now, but I'm trying to see the positive in everything and just look forward to the nice weather coming and the ability to get out and about. Just trying to be thankful for all that I have, and not stress out too much! I don't know what more there is to be thankful for than a healthy little family!

   I'm convinced this pregnancy is telling me, "No more babies". Forgive me, but I've never been one of those "Pregnancy is the most magical experience in life" type of gals. I realize that creation is a miracle, and I am constantly in awe of that, but that doesn't necessarily mean I enjoy it. Ha.
 
  Lately I've become obsessed with researching for baby gear. I've decided to make one large purchase per month so that we arent faced with a heaping amount of baby stuff to be bought at the last minute. It's easier on the checking account that way, too. My purchase this month: a diaper bag. I know I don't need one yet, but when you drool over Petunia Pickle Bottom's website every day, June is just much too far away. With Mia, I had very cheap diaper bags...which was perfectly fine - they did the job and looked relatively cute. I decided that my selfish splurge this go 'round would be a diaper bag, since it's something I carry every day, and it may be my last time with a newborn so I wanted to go out in style. It's silly that a bag could make you feel prettier, but let's face it - I'll take anything to make me feel prettier soon after having a child! So...diaper bag purchase: accomplished. Trust me, these bags are so cute I have a feeling I'll be carrying one long after I even need a diaper bag.

  Off I go to the doctor today, to hopefully get a good picture of little Hudson's heart. Praying that everything looks healthy, and that he holds still enough to even get the picture!

Wow, I took an extremely long break from blogging!

Not going to lie...I've been keeping to myself a lot lately. Not too sure why - could be the pregnancy hormones, or the weather getting me down...but I've been little miss antisocial for the past month.

This is what I've been trying to focus on:

Yep, that's our little boy, still growing in my belly.

It's still surreal that I'm even pregnant, let alone having a boy.

We had no preference whatsoever on the sex of the baby, just wanted everything to look positive and healthy since having the miscarriage earlier this year.

We are so thankful that everything looks perfect!

I have to get another ultrasound at my next appt to get a clearer picture of the heart, which they couldn't get last time because the little stinker was moving around so much.

But, I'm excited to see him again :)

I'm in a serious "change the house" rut.

 I LOVE our house.

I have gone from seeing our house as a "starter home" to it potentially being

 the home we live in for many, many years.

But...everyone needs a little change every now and then. Cory calls it "early nesting".

For those of your who know me...I'm a painter. Re-painting rooms is just what I do.

Maybe it's because we aren't painting the nursery (since painting it last year knowing it would be a nursery soon enough)...I feel the need to paint something else. Probably the living room/family room/dining/kitchen.

As long as I can convince Cory to do so.

So...maybe it will have to wait :)

Did I mention the weather has me bummed?

 I have a vision of a summer evening, Cory manning the grill, Mia on the swingset, me holding baby Hudson..

Ahh.. life is going to change, but it's going to be amazing!

Thankful!

  I have quite a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. I am so very thankful for my husband and everything he does for us so that we can be together so often! I take for granted the amount of time we are able to spend together as a family. I am extremely thankful to have such a sweet little girl, whose "issues" go no further than an occasional, typical, 2-year-old attitude. She is my world. I could just sit and watch her every minute of every day. Last, but not least, I am thankful to have a healthy little baby growing inside me. We got the test results back from Cory's cystic fibrosis test... he is NOT a carrier! What a relief. To add to the joy, I got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time on Wednesday. Again, thankful, thankful, thankful.

Too much for myself alone

  Last week, I feel as though my nerves hit a breaking point. Often, I feel like I carry way too much weight on my shoulders. I find myself to be an extremely stressed-out person. I wish I could be as laid-back and easygoing as those few unnamed people close to me, but that's just not me.
  Last Friday, I got a call from a nurse at Good Sam, informing me that I tested positive as a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis. I knew very little about this or the test - so of course the nurse (not so friendly, mind you) proceeded to tell me that if my child is born with the disease, he/she may die young or never live a normal life. Way to scare the pants off of me! I don't know if any of you moms reading this have ever had the test results explained to you (They were never explained to me until this day), but basically if you're a carrier, your husband has to get tested. If your husband is not a carrier, there is no chance that your child will be born with cystic fibrosis. If he is a carrier, your child has a 25% chance of being born with the disease.
  After getting off the phone and calling my husband to inform him that he needed to go straight to the hospital to get tested, I was finally able to process everything. Why hadn't I been tested with Mia? What if Cory's positive, and Mia was just fortunately born without the disease? I know that asking myself these questions over and over aren't going to do anything but kill me slowly over the next 5 days that we wait for test results to come back.
  At the end of a long day crying, worrying, and being angry, I did something that I don't do enough. I prayed. I didn't pray that the test results would come back negative - I prayed for the strength to handle what was to come next. And miraculously, a weight was immediately lifted from me. I have one beautiful, healthy, smart, amazing child...who's to say I won't have another? I cannot let "possibilities" rob me of the joy I have for the new life I'm carrying. No matter what happens, I know I am surrounded by love and will make it through any circumstance.
   If any of you moms reading this have ever found out you are a carrier, I'd love to hear about it!

Attention!

I have a very exciting announcement to make:

We are expecting another baby! 

It's been tough keeping it a secret for the last few weeks, but I am now happy to share the news.

   To be perfectly honest, the last few weeks have been difficult - between the sickness and the cloud of miscarriage hanging over our heads, we've been down during a what should be a very, very happy time. However, with prayer and the support of loved ones, our fear and anxiety is quickly turning into joy and excitement. We feel so blessed!

Hello!

I'm still here.. I am!
Why did I have to go and delete facebook? Now I'm dying to have it back.
There are some big things going on in the Taylor household.
So big that I thought facebook would have to take a backseat.
Now, I'm bored and lonely. And facebook beckons.
We'll see how much longer I last without it!

Nobody's Gonna Steal My Sunshine

:)

That's all.

Status Quo

Is that how you even spell "quo"?

I haven't written in here for quite some time. Probably because I feel that there isn't anything to write about!

I've been spending the last few weeks trying not to stress out.

I've been making sure to clean the house every morning (instead of only on Sundays)

...and I don't know about you, but a clean house makes for a stress-free Kayla. 

Cleaning house has literally been all I've had going on.

I've pretty much realized that things don't always go according to plan - not everything can be on MY time. Don't get me wrong... I'll give it my all, but I realize that doing so doesn't always make things happen when you'd like. I think I've learned to be okay with that.

I've gotten caught up in the "now-now-now", and I'm pretty sure I've driven my husband nuts over it. This is where the cleaning-the-house-every-day comes into play... It makes me appreciate what we do have even more, instead of worrying about what we don't.

This post was bo-ring. But honestly, this is what is going on right now. Minimal stress, minimal plans, just enjoying the beautiful weather and the time I get to spend with my fam.

Plans

Mia loves her daddy. A whole bunch.

And her daddy sure loves her!

It's no secret that I married a very sensitive man.

And it kinda sorta warms my heart that he and Mia are so close.

(Although I'd like a little momma's boy, too..please)

I'm having a thankful day/week.

It's unfortunate that sometimes life throws you curveballs 

and you feel unable to be so positive.

A good friend told me recently, "You think too much."

Truer words could not be spoken!

It's always good to have a plan, but you can never plan enough.

I've always been an over-planner, and life still surprises me.

I think it's time for me to stop "thinking" so much, 

and start appreciating everything around me!

Like this sweet little photo up top.

Things will happen when they're meant to happen!  

Are you there, Fall? It's me, Kayla.

Okay, I know it's been about 95 degrees outside this last week...
So I thought if maybe I took the initiative and brought in some fall decor...

fall weather would soon come. 

Lo and behold, it is 75 and breezy today! 

I love fall. I love it so much. 

Football, leaves, the smells of pumpkin and cider...

I could go on for days! 

I am looking forward to cozy-homeness 

(I realize this is not a word...I appreciate the red squiggly underlining, though)

this fall and winter! 

Lions, Tigers, and Bears!

This is my little angel. Sitting on a statue of a manatee. Having a blast.

  

  This year for Mother's Day, my gift was a zoo membership. (The zoo is one of my all-time favorite places). We've tried to take advantage of the membership as much as possible by going to the zoo when we can, but when we're usually free to go to the zoo, it's super hot outside and also very crowded - making it nearly impossible for a sweaty little toddler to see any exhibit without being on her daddy's shoulders.  

   Cory had the day off Thursday, so we decided to make the drive to the zoo. Best decision ever! Being the middle of the week, there was hardly anyone there. And, it was only 75 degrees outside! For the first time ever, Mia was able to walk to each exhibit on her own, and see the animals up close! Needless to say, this resulted in one happy kid (and two pleased parents). Mia said that her favorite animals at the zoo were the "koadas", "elfants", and "fishies". I can't wait to go back!

Happiness

   Okay...last night it was finally cool enough to take Mia out in the backyard to play. Also, around 6pm the entire backyard is shaded by our big tree, creating perfect lighting for these adorable photos :)

   

    I am so entirely blessed to be a stay-at-home-mom whose husband gets home by lunchtime every day. It makes me so happy that Mia gets to spend that much time with both her mom and her dad, and I know that it's a privilege. 

  Last night, while we were outside playing in the backyard, Mia said, "I'm happy!". I could have cried. This is my purpose in life! This is what we're meant to do! I think I'll have about 10 kids. Just kidding. I love my family!

Things I don't need to know

  Such as my mother-in-law telling me that she's doing a "colon cleanse" while I'm eating lunch. Yep, unnecessary.

 My mother-in-law needs a hobby - one that keeps her SUPER busy. Like, too busy to text. I think I've received nearly 100 text messages a day for the last week from my upset, frustrated, loony-tunes mother-in-law. It's starting to drive me a bit batty.
 
  As of right now, they don't have jobs back in Columbus, so they aren't sure when they're moving back to Ohio. But, I've been told that they will be moving back eventually. I'm sure she'll keep me updated on the situation...haha.
 
  I'm not feeling well. I think I'll eat a brownie and break out the ol' heating pad. Yep, don't mind if I do.

Memories

I'm never getting rid of this audio clip.

Every time Cory hugs or kisses me, Mia runs over to us wanting hugs and kisses, too. I recorded this the other day when she gave her daddy a hug after he came home from work.

I love her. And her daddy :)

Me vs. Mia vs. The Potty

  The battle with potty training has proved to be more challenging than I'd thought. We're at a crossroads in this house. Mia refuses to keep a diaper on.  This results in either a poo-smeared toddler, or puddles of pee around the house. However, she also refuses to go on the potty. She loves wearing underwear (Hello Kitty is her favorite) but doesn't mind soiling them one bit. 

  I've googled numerous potty training plans, and I've gone over in my head the fact that everything has been on "Mia's time" since she was tiny, but this issue has me stumped. I can't read the mixed signals. Oh, to be 2 and pee your pants without a care...

TEETH

For those of you know know my daughter.. 

she was a late bloomer with teeth.

 In the past 8 months, Mia has gotten 9 teeth! 

She got her first front tooth the other day, at almost 21 months. 

Needless to say, this was a BIG day for us! 

(I don't know about you, but I think she's looking darn cute with those front teeth!)

Mia Bo Bia

   My little Mia is getting so big! It's hard to believe she'll be 2 in a few months. Lately, she's been amazing us every day with the things she does and says. A few days ago, she was sitting at the dining table eating grapes, and she dropped one. After dropping it, she said, "The grape..I drop it. I drop the grape under the table." She has never said that much of a sentence. I am very thankful for her extensive vocabulary, but it can prove to be a challenge sometimes, too. Her tantrums are definitely..over the top, haha. 

   Lately, Mia has been very difficult, and sometimes I feel like there's no end in sight! The poor kid is just now getting her two front teeth, and still has six more teeth to get after those two! Long story short, I feel that I'm needing to remind myself of the joys of having a child - a daughter - and see past the stressful moments that we've had lately. I feel like I was meant to be a mom! Mia is so very special to us, and both Cory and I are very much looking forward to taking advantage of all the one-on-one time we get with her. Not many families get to spend as much time together as we do, and I take that for granted far too often! 

Twice is nice!

  Wow! 2 posts in one day! This is unlike me. I know the things I've been posting lately aren't very.. insightful or fun. But, I guess I have a lot on my mind to write about. So, bare with me.
   Made the executive decision not to take in the kitty. I really just needed to stop feeling guilty. Cory and I had been at odds over it for days. As of last night, we were going to take him in, but I woke up this morning with a completely different outlook on the situation. It just didn't feel right, and I saw where my husband was coming from. We need to focus on kiddos right now :) And that's perfectly fine with me!
  I'm starting to think about painting Mia's new bedroom furniture, and I think I've decided on white. Ha! I'm all for color, but I'm also all about versatility! (the chairs for her new play table may get painted blue.. I'd prefer not to have a sea of white furniture) I'm so excited to get her bed set up (which also means the crib gets moved to bedroom #3) because I get to paint her wall monogram! This makes me happy... custom painting is one of my most favorite things. I'd go monogram crazy if my husband didn't stop me. I'm already envisioning a black monogram above our bed...someone stop me, quick!