Normally don't do this BUT...

Y'all, I'm stepping out into the wild frontier here and participating in my very first Mr. Linky blog post. 

Why, you ask? Read this and I think you'll get the bug too.

Now, I absolutely agree with the post and so many times will have a fabulous day with Miss Taylor only to have it ruined because I focus on the one or two times we had "issues." Well, to rectify that little situation, I am full out bragging on that child today and, yes, you can call me THAT mom and I'll just smile...

So the first thing you need to know about Miss Thang is that she is absolutely hilarious and not in the sarcastic way that I attempt humor. She is stinkin' funny and has been since she was really little. From making up silly songs like "Poof, there he is" (inspired by one of her stuffed animals) to telling jokes like 'Have you heard the construction joke? It's not finished yet...' to funny little comments like 'Oops, I need to move away from Davey because you just never know when he's going to break wind' and 'He worked my tail off in the yard today' (in reference to Boppy), I laugh out loud many times every single day and I have Taylor to thank for it.

Not only is she funny, though, but she's incredibly kind-hearted. She hearts animals in a way you would not believe (so obviously I can't explain it in words either) and goes out of her way to be kind to them. Every night she has a conversation with Bo, Prissy and Perkie separately (so as to make each feel special) and even throws birthday parties for her stuffed animals. ALL OF THEM - we do lots of partying! She is always the first one to make friends with the new kid in class and takes a genuine interest in her friends' lives celebrating with them when they move into a new home or make a good grade. Selfless is a word I can't use to describe myself but I'm proud to say it fits Taylor.

Super smart also fits her to a 't' but she won't ever tell you that because she's also extremely humble and never overstates her abilities to make herself feel better. I know I can learn a lesson from that! Creative is another adjective made for this little one as I can't even describe to you the unique projects that grace my refrigerator or the advanced problem solving she utilizes on a daily basis. Curiosity is another of her great traits as it has helped her to learn and understand things I didn't comprehend until much later in life.

I have to admit, though, that one of my FAVORITE things about Taylor is the fact that I hear 'I love you' at least 15 times a day from her. And that's if she's in a cranky mood. Every time Dave or I walk past her playing on the computer or watching television, she makes it a point to stop and tell us how much she loves us. Unprompted and oh so genuine. I also love that she looks forward to eating dinner as a family every night and, without fail, asks us how our day was and then goes around the table wanting to know what each person had for lunch - and if it was tasty. Then she gets her homework done super fast and takes a shower early so we can all watch television in the master bedroom and cuddle.

When I found out (aka got the socks surprised off of me) that I was pregnant with this child 10 years ago, I never dreamed how much she would change my life. She is amazing and I know, without a doubt, that God has had his hand on her from the moment she was born because she displays traits and characteristics she, I'm sad to say, didn't see me display for MANY years of her precious life.

I love you, Bugga (that's her nickname but I don't think I've ever called her that on the blog before), and I'm so proud to be your mommy. You teach me something new every day and I pray you never, ever change.