Layla's Yellow Shirt Pictures

It is that time of year, yellow shirt picture time. She was really excited to do it this year. She's been asking since we did Jack's orange shirt pictures- "when is it MY turn?!". 

Here is a yellow shirt flashback-

And here's our big girl at 5 years old. Ugh...I just can't believe how big and grown up she looks!

We had so much fun with these this year. She asked me "why do we do this in the same shirt?" :) I explained that it has been fun watching her grow into the shirt and when she's much older she will actually FIT in the shirt. Her eyes got so big and she was in amazement that the shirt might actually fit her someday. Oh sweet girl, you need to stop growing!!

Layla's Yellow Shirt Pictures

The bigger she gets, the happier I am we started doing these yellow shirt pictures. It is so amazing to see her grow in the same shirt, and she's getting really into it too! Her shirt hangs up in her closet and she asks about it all the time. She was SUPER excited to do her yellow shirt pictures today. :) Here she was at 18 months, 2 years and 3 years...

She had a hard time sitting still for the pictures today. Then Daddy promised her 4 Hershey Kisses and all was good-

What a silly girl. It is so hard to believe she's 4. That seems like such a big number for such a small girl. Layla is SO SO SO smart. I know everyone thinks their own child is a genius but she really is. She's also super silly and still loves to make us laugh with her goofy faces and "jokes" (mostly about underwear and poop ugh).

Last year I made a list a few years ago of all of her little quirks. Last year I just updated the list but this year I'll just highlight some of her favorite things and some changes to her ongoing list of quirks. :)

- Layla's favorite food continues to be anything covered in chocolate. She would eat her weight in chocolate if we'd let her. Sometimes she'll tell me her stomach hurts because she needs more candy. Ha!

- She still loves to have dance parties. Her new favorite singer is Katy Perry. She likes "Roar" and "ET".

- L still sleeps with 10,000 stuffed animals. Her bedtime routine consists of lots of books, a story acted out by her dollhouse people and she must have a flashlight. The only thing she absolutely can not sleep without is taggie.

- Her new talents include whistling! It is pretty amazing...she's getting REALLY good and can actually carry a tune. She whistles better than I do. She still makes up LOTS of songs and even rhymes now.

- She still has a bit of a temper but her attitude is what is getting her in trouble lately. She loves to tell us "NO!!" and/or "NEVER!!!". It is hard not to laugh because she gets very serious. She is very emotional and still very sensitive so we are working on not yelling and talking it out.

- L has always had a strange southern accent when she says certain words ("more") and now she has a New York accent when she says things like "parking lot". No clue where she got it but I LOVE it!

- She is the most helpful kid you will EVER meet. Even her teachers tell me how great she is to have in the classroom and help. She helps me do laundry, dishes, dusting...and her absolute favorite thing to do is scrub the toilets. What a weirdo! But anytime I need help I know I can ask her. God love her.

- She's had 2 haircuts this year and we are getting ready for another. Her hair seems to get curlier and curlier! When straight it is way past the middle of her back. I would love to see what it would look like dry and straight but she won't let me do it...she likes her curls. :)

- Her favorite books are "find" books (think I Spy) and her favorite movie is Tangled. Her favorite colors are "green and blue"...she will not pick just one. This makes things very complicated.

- She is beginning to show interest in playing with her little brother (finally). She gets very upset if/when he gets hurt and very curious when he gets in trouble. Nosey Rosie. Right now she likes to chase him around the house and "carry" (drag) him.

This kid. She's so awesome. Words just can't even describe how lucky we are to have her. She keeps us laughing all day long and has really grown into such a sweet/helpful little lady. We love you Layla!

Layla's yellow shirt picture

I did what I promised myself I wouldn't do last year...I blinked.

I blinked and a whole year has gone by again. Layla got taller, her hair got longer...and curlier. She's talking like a real human being and learning new things everyday. She teases, she fibs and she loves to tell stories (the best stories I've ever heard). She's still dramatic, throws temper tantrums and acts "like a baby" but those are usually followed up by her going to her room and slamming her door, something I wasn't prepared for until the teenage years.

Last year I made a list of all the things we love about Layla. I thought about doing the same thing this year...but then started looking at last year's list and thought it would be fun to just "update" a few of those. Everything in black is from last year and green is this year:

- If given the option she would live off of chocolate, ice cream and crackers. Yep...this is still the case. Not sure this will EVER change.

- She likes to dance in the living room to Lady Gaga. Although Lady Gaga still holds a special place in her heart (her fav song is "bad kids" lol) she is starting to really like Queen. She can even identify the lullaby versions of Queen in the car!

- She must have 18 things in her crib to sleep with every night. No more crib but a bigger bed means more room for stuffed animals and blankets. I think this number has jumped to 53.

- She sings a song she made up about Oscar and Moose in her Dora microphone. No need for the microphone anymore, she'll sing made up songs loud and proud...anytime and anywhere! Especially in the bathroom at Home Depot

- Thinks it is hilarious to tickle herself under her arms. She thinks her "skeeter bites" are her elbows.

- The way she stands up when she's supposed to be in timeout and then slams her booty on the bench when we walk by. She doesn't even bother to pretend she's sitting down anymore. Getting more and more defiant by the day. 

- She talks with a Southern accent She still totally does this...I hope forever.

- The answer to "What do you say, Layla?" is always "More" (with the Southern accent) Now the answer is "please" or "thank you". Always.

- Every night she insists on running circles around our house and us scaring the pants off her She's starting not to like being scared anymore. But we do play LOTS of hide and seek in the dark, and dance parties.

- She loves to help put away laundry. And scrub the toilets, vacuum, and dust. Cinderella is her nickname.

- Prefers Eskimo kisses to "kisses on the lips. Prefers to blow kisses now. :( Or "just hugs"

- She sucks in all the air she can before we go out in the cold. For some reason THIS is the one that made me cry. Nope...she loves being in the cold/snow now.

- Her hair is so long when it is wet, and so short when dry. Her hair is down to the middle of her back wet and still touching her shoulders when it's dry.

- Row row row your boat and ma ma mommy is a bumble bee are her favorite songs. I can't even begin to list all the songs she knows and loves. Right now "oh Christmas tree oh Christmas tree" is her fav.

- Her biggest concern in life are the socks she threw behind her bed after nap (and I hope it stays that way forever). Her focus now is Jack. She really loves him and makes sure if he's crying, we know about it. She is such a big help and truly enjoys being a big sister.

So many changes, she's really grown up this past year. And to see just how much we took her annual yellow shirt picture:

As a recap...here were the last two:

Wow, she's changed so much. I love that we are doing this and that she was actually "into" it this year. Look how her feet are touching the floor and she actually needed her hair up to stay out of her eyes this time!

Now it's off to finish her 3rd year book and start one for next year. I can't imagine what kind of changes we'll see but one thing is for sure, her hair isn't getting straighter. And I kinda like it! ;o)

Yellow Shirt time- 2 years old

We have been so busy with potty training that I almost forgot about our yellow shirt project. See this blog and picture for a refresher:

I probably won't do another storyboard of the whole picture until we can see a bigger difference, but here is our official 2 year yellow shirt entry :)

It has only been 6 months and I can not believe how much she has changed! Take a look:

Obviously the main difference is the hair. It is getting so long and wild! Haha. She also is a bit healthier since 18 months, she is eating so much better and finally gaining a bit of weight. She had kissable cheeks then, but REALLY kissable cheeks now. Just the way we like it!

And that brown spec in her eye is still there. I think it is my favorite part of her.

And here is an absolutely ADORABLE storyboard of our photo shoot. I plan to use the three of these as art work in her new big girl room...maybe 3 big pictures above her bed? I don't know...but I could blow these babies up wall size and stare at them all day. I just love our beautiful little 2 year old girl.

How precious are THOSE?! I am so proud of her for letting me take her pictures this time...she is getting used to the bribing (this time, it was with the juice box picture above lol). I know soon enough I will have to start paying her in quarters, dollars...I'll probably have to write her a check in Jr. High just to pose. Haha.

The yellow shirt is back!

I’m sure most of you remember my yellow shirt pregnancy pictures. I got a ton of compliments on them and even though I thought “what the heck was I thinking” when we got that last preggo shot…I’m so glad we did them. My Mom and I were talking about it a few days ago and she mentioned that I should put Layla in the shirt and get a picture. Eureka! What a great idea to do each year for her birthday! Obviously we missed her first birthday so I took our first shot today at 18 months. I can’t wait to bust out the shirt again when she turns 2 and for many years to come. ;o) 

 

Check out 2 year yellow shirt session here!