Austin Trip and fun Taylor-stuff

Last weekend, Dustin and I were able to go to Austin for the Girls State Basketball Tournament. We had a fun-filled few days!! We left on Wednesday afternoon, watched 18 basketball games in 3 days, then came home on Sunday. We got to see lots of great basketball, eat WELL (without a 2-yr old reaching on my plate every 5 seconds), see the capitol, and do LOTS of walking! We mostly ate at the 2 restaurants within walking distance of the Super Drum, but did leave Friday between the last 2 sessions to go to Pappadeaux. I LOVE that place!! We walked to the capitol to pass time during a break on Saturday and had fun sitting outside and enjoying the awesome weather! But by far, the most exciting thing we saw was a 6'8" girl from Houston that could dunk it. Rather, I should say SLAM it with AUTHORITY!! I've never seen anything like it! The entire Super Drum of probably 8,000 people went CRAZY! She has signed to play for Baylor next year, so if you keep up with Big 12 Women's b-ball, you will be seeing more of her. Her name is Brittney Griner. I know there was some You Tube footage on her, and I believe ESPN even did a story on her. Oddly enough, her team lost in the finals. They just didn't have anyone but her and the opposing team had a couple of 6-footers that double teamed her. She had 44 points the first night and 19 the second night and goodness knows how many blocks and rebounds!!

Here are a few pictures I got of the 6'8" girl dunking. They're not great...just taken with a point and shoot camera, but you get the idea...

I had to take a picture of this van Dustin and I saw while walking after lunch one day...hilarious! Please notice that the window is up!

Now, onto some Taylor updates. I know this will surprise most of you (ha-ha), but my daughter has become quite the little ham! :-) She loves to pose for pictures and make funny faces. She loves her jewelry and dress up clothes and anything princess!! I think this next picture of her proves my point exactly!

It's funny, though because although she is MAJOR prissy, she also likes to play rough, get dirty and be ornery. She's such a crazy little girl!

All throughout basketball season, Taylor loved singing the National Anthem at the basketball games. We also have a CD of the Cactus Cuties (whom she loves) singing it that we have to listen to all the time. No matter what we are doing, if she decides to sing it, you have to stand up and put your hand over her heart. She's really starting to pick up on a lot of the words. Here she is one day dressed up and singing it for me.

The best part of her singing the National Anthem is how she confuses some of the words. Here is parts of the song as I hear Taylor sing it...

Jose can you see

By the dollars eve light

What so proudly we hailed

At the twilight's last gleaming

Whose bright stars and bright stars (she insists on singing it this way)

Then she skips to the end...

Ore the land of the THREE

And the home of the BRAIDS!!!

I love it! She totally cracks me up! The girl LOVES to sing and knows so many songs. She's actually starting to carry a bit of a tune and some of her songs are understandable.

Also, her Aunt Lindsay and cousin Britten are in town for a few weeks. Taylor sure loves her cousin. They get along MOST of the time and it's fun for them to play with each other. I took them to Legacy Play Village the other day. They both had to wear their sunglasses...too cute!


They could see each other in the sunglasses...too funny!

What sweet girls!!

Play-offs and Valentine's Day

The Southland Lady Eagles made the play-offs this season for the first time in like 10 or 11 years. It was so fun watching Dustin coach this year and fun watching the girls do so well. They played Grady for Bi-District last Tuesday in Big Spring. They lost by 13. We had beat Grady earlier in the season. Lot's of the girls had the flu or were getting over it. They were also pretty nervous, seeing as how none of these girls had ever played in a play-off game. I am so proud of Dustin and these girls!!! Congrats on a great season. I took a FEW pictures Tuesday. For the most part, I was TOO nervous to even hold my camera!

We had a fun Valentine's Day. I got Taylor a cute shirt that says "My Heart Belongs to Daddy". Dustin and I don't really ever give each other anything on Valentine's Day. We went to eat at my Dad's and watched a movie together after Taylor went to bed. Here are some pictures of Taylor in her cute shirt.

Taylor started putting a few words together lately. She's not making sentences or anything, but I've been impressed! We saw a balloon at Walmart the other day and she said, "Mommy, balloon. Touch it." She also brought me her coat the other day and said "Coat, on me." It's so cool to see her language skills developing! Today, we were coming home from Lubbock and she was yelling "Booger" in the back seat. I turned around and she had her finger up her nose. I don't know what I'm going to do with her!! We've been getting to play outside a lot lately, and she LOVES being outside. I cannot wait until the summer. I'm sure we will just live outside! I bet she is a cotton top by the end of the summer, too. Her hair just keeps getting blonder and we're not outside too much right now! I can't imagine what will happen in the summer! She is such a joy and blessing to Dustin and I, and I am reminded of that daily by her sweet personality! She loves to hug and kiss and will randomly come up to us and hug and kiss us throughout the day! Here are a few more pictures of her outside...

She shares our love for Sonic drinks

First time in a BIG swing

My favorite...the view from behind

Update

Life in the country has kept me busy! :-) We still don't have Internet at the house, so it's hard to update regularly. But truth be told, it really has been busy in the Wall household! Dustin is full swing in basketball season, now. I am realizing that it was SO much easier last year, when Taylor wasn't mobile and would sleep through most of the games. This year, she thinks she owns the basketball court and tries to run out on it every 10 seconds. I have started keeping her entertained with Dum Dum's. Nothing wrong with bribing your child with sugar to be still, right?! Is three Dum Dum's in one basketball game too many?! Whew, the life of a mom with a 1 year old!!

Dustin's first season as head coach is going really well. I am LOVING all the basketball!! I love to yell at the games, watch film with him, and have the basketball girls over for supper. It's so neat being so close to the school! I have gone down and played with them a couple of times during practice. They kick my butt, but it's fun anyway! After going up and down the court a few times, I sound like a 65-year old smoker! Can you say OUT OF SHAPE?!

Dustin and I also just celebrated our 5th year anniversary. WOW! I can't believe it's been 5 years, already!! It's been such an amazing journey. I am so blessed by him!

Taylor is hilarious these days! She's getting so fast on her feet...we may have a runner in the next couple of months. She continues to talk like crazy and learns new words every day! Her new favorite thing is to sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." She's getting pretty good at it! The last couple of months, she's been really clingy and will hardly go to anyone. This makes things very difficult! But in the last week or so, she's really started to get comfortable around other people. I am ready for her to go to people, especially at basketball games! (I say that now, but in a few years, I know she won't even want to sit with me anymore). I have to keep reminding myself that each stage she goes through has it's goods and bads. And this too shall pass!

In other BIG news, Dustin's dad has been approved for brain surgery. He has lived with epilepsy for at least the last 25 years, that they know of. He's had lots of testing done recently, and he has qualified for the surgery. So, in January, he will go to Dallas and have a portion of his brain removed. PLEASE, PLEASE pray for him!! This is an awesome opportunity, but scary at the same time! This could completely change his life and we are so excited for him!

I will leave you with some pictures of the little one. It wouldn't be a post without pictures!!

in her vest from Aunt Staci over Thanksgiving holidays

I think she really looks like her cousin, Britten in this one

Hanging out in the rocking chair

We went to check out some of the Weaver's cotton crop over Thanksgiving break. Taylor wanted to eat it!

No Pirate's Here

We went to the eye doctor on Monday to check Taylor's eyes. Her pediatrician referred us because she thought Taylor might have a lazy eye. She said if she did, she would wear a patch over her good eye to correct the lazy one. I am glad to report that Taylor's eyes are great. We will not be having a little pirate! I use to notice in my baby pictures that my right eye goes in. I still notice it occassionally in my pictures now. The eye doctor said that Taylor has the same bone structure I do in the nose and eyes. He said that she also has no bridge on her nose yet and that gives the illusion sometimes that she is cross eyed.

Oddly enough, on Sunday, the day before we went to the eye doctor, she had lots of green gunk in her left eye. It was also really red and swollen. The doctor said it might be pink eye, an eye infection, or a cold in her eye. He gave us some drops. It spread from her left eye to her right on Tuesday. Let me tell you how fun it is to give a 9 month old drops in both eyes!

In other news, our little munchkin is crawling everywhere. She's been "trying" for some time now. On Sunday, she decided it was no big deal and started crawling all over the room. She also sits up in her bed and pulls up to her knees when she wants out. This makes nap time a little more difficult!

Here are some pictures from last night...Taylor's first experience with a basketball! She's already got the ball-handling drill down perfect and we're working on triple threat!