Taggart Craig - Happy Half (2 months, 1 week and 2 days late!)

Taken July 26, 2015

Dear Tagg,

Happy Half, Tagg...plus two months. But hey, who's counting? Who? ME!! I am. I'm constantly torn between taking the time to document everything and actually spending time with you and Holland. But today, my little buddy, you and your sister are sleeping, and I don't have any work to do, so I'm finally getting a few things down so you and I can always remember them.

If I had to describe you in one word it would be HAPPY. Above everything else, you truly are a happy little person. If you cry, it doesn't last too long and then a smile quickly spreads across your face. You are easy going, funny, timid at times, and then shockingly brave other times (you drove your little four-wheeler out the back door and down the steps a couple weeks ago), you adore Holland and will 9 times out of 10 do exactly what she wants you to do. More and more you are learning to have an opinion (and make it known), but like your dad, you really are easy going and a kind of go-with-the-flow kind of guy. I love that about both of you!

A typical morning for you lately is waking around 6:30-7:00 a.m. and quietly walking into our room and standing by my side of the bed until I feel/hear you there. You always want me to lift you into my bed with me and snuggle, but that usually lasts all of two seconds before you are saying, "I want cereal." After eating, you'll then come snuggle with me for a bit until Holland wakes up. You often want to wake her up, but I quickly stop you from doing that. If she takes too long, you often get bored and want to head outside to play in the backyard. Then, without fail, she'll finally be up and eating her breakfast and you'll start pulling on her arm saying, "Come outside with me, Holland." After breakfast, you and Holland either go to the gym with Daddy (occasionally Mom will come as well), or you go and do something fun with Mommy and Holland - like going to Classic, the aquarium, Thanksgiving Point, play dates at the park or splash pad, or sometimes just going for a walk or playing in the yard. And on really fun days, we spend time with Grandma and Grandpa at their house or ours.

You have been a stinker the past several weeks with your naps, and with going to bed at night. It's driving me crazy! You used to be the best little sleeper and would go to bed so easily. Then, you learned how to climb out of your crib...and then how to open doors. Ugh! So, often times, we have to put you back in your bed 4-5 times before you fall asleep, or sit and rock you until you fall asleep. Hopefully you'll get back to to being a good sleeper again. Well, I guess you haven't changed your sleep per say, just your process for getting to sleep. You still take a 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hour nap each day and sleep about 10 hours each night. You go down for a nap around 1-2 p.m. (depending on how many times you climb out of your bed) and between 8-9 p.m. each night (we used to be really strict about bed time...and then Summer happened!)

Things you LOVE lately:

• Puppy
• all kinds of little play cars (hot wheels) and trucks
• Trains! Reading about, playing with, watching videos about, riding on...
• Cars (the movie), especially Lightening McQueen
• Cars pullups
• The Kindle (to watch Cars)
• Your bike - you want to ride it constantly!
• Grandpa Charlie!
• Being nakey (You always yell, "I'm nakey boy!"
• Swimming/splashing at the pool or splash pad
• Cereal, grapes, Nutella on graham crackers, rice, and milk
• Being outside
• The aquarium
• Being tickeled
• Wiping off Momma's kisses (you think it is so funny, and then you ask for "one more" and so on...)
• Pushing (not riding in) the shopping cart
• Your sister, Holland!
• Your "Carson Shoes" (little black Crocks, we have no idea why you call them that)

Things you say lately:

• I love Grandpa Charlie!
• Yep.
• Um...sure. 
• Okee dokee dokee
• Again.
• That's not very nice!
• Because (your response to most "why" questions.)
• Poop. Toot.
• Will you jump me? (meaning, will you catch me when I jump?)
• That's silly.
• Where's Holland?
• Can I hold you?
• Holy mackerel!
• I all done sleeping...I waked up!
• I want cereal.
• This is a mess. (Wonder where he's heard that? ha!)
• Can I hold your hand, Momma?
• Put me in my bed. (This used to mean: I'm super tired and would like to go to sleep now. It now means: See ya in two, suckas!)

 You have started doing a lot of "boy things" that, quite honestly, crack me up (and some that infuriate me at the same time): biting, spitting, saying "poop", knocking things over just to do it, running as though you are a race car, galloping from place to place, making sound effects, taking things away from Holland just to get a reaction, kicking... Boy, oh boy, oh boy! You are fun and a handful!

You currently weigh 26 lbs and are 2'11" tall. Your hair is light blonde, especially from the Summer sun, and your eyes are still sparkling blue. People comment on your eyes a lot! It's a Pace trait for sure. One of the first things I noticed about your Daddy is his eyes! You have the best smile, give the meanest glare and have the best laugh that has a growling undertone - your laugh alone makes me laugh!

I love you little man, and I cannot believe that you are creeping up on being THREE! It's true...time flies!

Love,

Momma

P.S. These pictures of you are ADORABLE! They were taken in April, just a month before your half birthday.