Tagg at ABC

Taggert started preschool at the end of January--Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11:45am. It's the preschool I went to as a little girl! He really likes a lot of things about it! And we think it's just right for him right now--he excels in every area we have introduced him to, but we haven't given him a lot of opportunities to interact with other kids. He has a hard time with the inconsistent and not adult-like reactions he gets from children, but I'm sure that soon he'll learn to look past that and just enjoy the magic of childhood with other kids. He had no separation problem with the drop-off whatsoever, and was so excited when Grandma Kim came with Reece and me to pick him up on his first day! We followed his first day of preschool up with a trip to the bakery :)

On his second day, each kid brought a teddy bear to spend the night at school, and when they came back the next preschool day, the bears were all caugh in the act--they had obviously come to life the night before! These pictures were taken by the teachers during class and posted on their website--when we were looking through them all, Tagg pointed out the same little girl in three pictures, saying that she's cute and that he likes her... With Jed and me as his parents, he was destined for a life of romance, and he's off to a great start! ;)

Tagg's overall assessment of preschool is that he especially likes gym time and his teacher, but that home is his favorite place to be. Wouldn't change that for the world!

Tagg

Tagg is going to be a farmer when he grows up... a farmer who grows field corn! So I got in touch with a farming family we know during last autumn's harvest season and asked if Taggert could ride in the combine while the farmer harvested his corn. They were so nice and agreed immediately! When we got there, it turned out that there was room for all three of us in there! It was one of the most fascinating things I have done in a long time! It was very peaceful in there--you could see so far because it's So Huge!

We learned that the eight things that stick out in front of the combine are called snouts, and they somehow husk the cob and strip it of all its kernels, which it deposits in the back of the combine (see bottom-right picture). Reece slept for most of the ride, and Tagg even got to steer it for a little while! He did a really good job--the farmer asked if he had ever done anything like that before :) At the top-right, you can see the field they worked so hard to harvest.

Random snippets--Tagg likes to build "houses" with pillows and blankets. Also, he made that yummy treat for me one day. A cold, uncooked hot dog wrapped in American Cheese. Here's the conversation that ensued:

Tagg: "Eat it." Mommy: "Have you tried it?" T:"Nope." M:"Why not?" T:"I don't know, I think it might taste nasty." Mommy eats a bite... M:"It was kind of nasty. I don't want to finish it." T:"But if you don't eat the stuff I made for you, I'll have ta throw it in the trash, and I know that would make you sad if you don't eat the stuff I made fo ryou cuz it tastes nasty, so that's why you have to eat the whole thing of it. Eat. It." I don't even remember whether or not I ate it. The important things are that he was cooking for me! And that he says funny stuff! :)

That Baby Rancor at the bottom-right has had a long run as Tagg's favorite toy. Amazingly, it hasn't been misplaced (for very long at any one time ;) even though it's so tiny. And, Tagg really likes movies... and racking out on the couch to watch them.

I love these pictures. Loni, a girl from church who stayed with my parents for a while, raked us a pile of leaves one day and Tagg had a heyday! There is just something about the smell and crunch of fallen leaves. SO glad we got to do that this year! I remember my sister and I used to make houses out of leaves... like blueprints of houses, really, with small lines one after the other to make the stairs and all different kinds of rooms... It might have something to do with the birthday, but autumn has always been my favorite!

The Tagg's Growing Up!

Taggie sleeps in the cutest positions--he's been needing but not taking naps and wanting the light on for bedtime :) In the picture on the left, I peeked in his room, looking for him, and couldn't find him under all the blankets and towels and stuffed animals and pillows! I had to go around to the other side of the bed to find him! In the middle picture, I came upstairs and naptime to find him sleeping on the floor in front of Reece's then-closed door. Afterwards, he said his reason was because it was comfortable :) (By the way, notice the outfit... mismatched Spiderman socks because I wouldn't dare ask him to part with them, Christmas PJ pants in February, a Buzz shirt because he was Buzz that day, but with a fleece shirt underneath, on his skin because it's so soft and comfy! And at the top-right, he's sleeping in a Buzz and Woody playhouse tunnel that we put on his bed at his request :) Do they make one of those big enough for me and Jed together? It looks like fun!

Funny faces for new haircut pictures :) His favorite expression is the middle-left one.

And holy cow, he is just ADORABLE!! I am so happy that Taggert is in our family. He makes us so happy, he makes us laugh, and he is so intelligent! I never knew that parenting a three year old could be so intellectually challenging! I love him so much!

This kid will probably always have shaggy hair, because even when I cut it short, it shags out in about 2 weeks! In other news, the Tagg has been enjoying Illinois static-y hair even more than I ever did! ;)

Easter 2010 Videos

Laughing with Taggert is one of my favorite things!

And he is so nice!

Videos: White House Tagg

Every little thing this boy does makes me smile :) So I always want to remember them!


Now that I think about it, this was a pretty mean trick to play on a two year old! Poor guy! I didn't even have a real cupcake to give him after he figured out that one was MEAT!

This jumping place was a BLAST!! We've since returned many times!



This is the first time he could jump :)

Tagg in the White House 3

When Daddy was mowing the lawn one day, he found this frog and brought him in to Taggert. He was affectionately dubbed "Frankie the Frog," and although he was returned to his outdoor home after just 15 minutes, he still has a place in Tagg's heart, over a year later.

Driving past a Harley shop every time we came home from Grandma Kim & Paki's tickled my curiosity, so one day Tagg and I decided to check it out! Our small man was so obedient! He enjoyed walking and looking around their museum without touching any of the bikes, and of course was elated when they showed him the one he was allowed not only to touch, but to sit on and ride!

When it came time to home-ify the White House by hanging our pictures, Tagg got out his little hammer and actually helped me! He also began drawing at the White House (he has never really taken to drawing--even still, he only does it on occasion), and started his Rancor Monster obsession. He got Daddy's old Rancor from Grandma McClure and that has continued to be one of his staple favorites.

In that picture of the window, you may or may not see an owl statue. For months, Taggert asked us to drive past it so he could see what he had dubbed "The Grandma Kim Owl." For a while, anytime he had the chance to name anything, Grandma Kim was it. Good thing you can never have too many Grandma Kims running around!

At 8 months pregnant, I popped Taggert in his bike seat and we trucked on over to the Taylor Airport, which was probably about 3 miles away, to attend their airplane festival. It was the last day, and although there were expensive attractions available such as private byplane rides, we opted for the free tour of the hangars (which were filled with displays of old tractors, planes, ambulances, fire trucks and motorcycles) by a really nice guy named Dave! He gave Tagg popcorn and set him in relic airplanes that not many have gotten the privilege of riding in, taught him how to give a thumbs-up and even let the little guy steer his golf cart around the tarmac! Tagg had a fantastic time! And, as his seatbelt had broken on the way there and it was raining and I wasn't up for the ride back, Daddy picked us up and brought us and the bike back home. All in all, it was a wonderful afternoon!

Tagg in the White House 2

We had a scraggly but cool forest behind our backyard at the White House, and it brought some fun critters into the yard--bunnies, groundhogs, toads...

Tagg comes up with great ideas every day... one of which was for me to take a picture of his back because he had never seen it before!

Jed was the Ward Mission Leader in that ward, and he did a Great job! He really was a fantastic resource for the missionaries and he ended up making a few really good friendships, too! Tagg and I celebrated Easter with an Easter Countdown: Every day we opened an egg to find a picture of a member of our family and a slip of paper telling what service we could do for them that day! It was a nice way to get ready for the day we celebrate all the lessons Jesus gave us :)

Taggie found a little dog and requested that a leash be put on him so he could take him on walks :)

And, speaking of dogs, the Brig's sweater proved to be a great... thigh warmer?

Memories of Little Taggert

Oh, my... it has been almost a Year since I've posted anything on our blog... we've been busy making memories, that's for sure! Two kids is a whole different ball game! Looking back at these pictures is pretty sweet... I'm glad I took them :)

Memories of him asking me to take a picture of his back because he had never seen it before :) ...

Renewing the magic of holidays with countdowns, remembering when me, Daddy, and Buzz were his best friends :)

Even little boys with real dogs need a pretend one to take out for a walk now and then!

(The real dog is good for sharing clothes with ;)

Tagg in the White House

We spent 10 months at "The White House" on Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, and enjoyed watching Taggert grow up. Looking back on that year's pictures, I can't believe how much bigger and even smarter he's gotten! Just a year! Wow!

The backyard was pretty great--it even had an old swingset that got a lot of good use :)

The White House saw Taggert's last year in a crib and high chair... he learned how to make a T with markers, pizza... anything he could find! And he began to see T's everywhere we went: "That's MY name!" In the paint for parking spaces, telephone poles, you name it! He grew very fond of French Toast (here, he bit it into a Batman shape), and I got to use those twistie ties I save to sanitize my toothbrush after being sick! I got to spend some time with my Grandma Aug and my sister, Alanna--Grandma took us out to luch at Gen-Ho for Mother's Day!

Every face he makes is wonderful, isn't it?!