Wow – Raegan is 2 Years Old!

Time has certainly flown by and our lil Miss Raegan is now 2 years old! We’re enjoying watching her grow and learn every day and she’s definitely keeping us on our toes and entertaining us along the way.

This month was full of lots of activities and fun for the lil one! We had Halloween, family photos, the big birthday bash, her first Raider game and Thanksgiving! Whew…I’m exhausted just thinking about it all again! Halloween was super fun this year and our little bumble bee Raegan was much more excited and understood what to do. We met up with all of her little friends and went to way more houses than I thought we would – almost 3 blocks worth! She practiced her “Trick or Treat” saying all week and was a pro come Halloween night! We definitely had a blast.

We also did our annual family photos this month and of course little Miss Raegan decided she would not be a good mood or smile for the photographer. Luckily we were able to get a few good shots and we’ll share those once we get them!

And for the big to do this month was Raegan’s 2^nd birthday party! Of course any daughter of mine has to celebrate her birthday for a whole week or more! With her birthday on Thanksgiving we had the party the weekend before plus she had a party at her school as well…and then of course another celebration on Thanksgiving day! She’s still talking about it being her birthday and expects the party to go on and on – no clue where she gets that from! J

To top off the birthday experience, we celebrated mama’s birthday by going to the Raider game! Everyone probably thought I was crazy taking a 2 year old to a Raider game, but our lil Miss Raegan was a champ! She had a blast tailgating, playing corn hole, eating and then watching her football team unfortunately lose. But through it all she was an angel and we were very lucky to have an uneventful/tantrum free experience! It definitely made my birthday!

And to complete the month’s activities we traveled to Los Osos for Thanksgiving and Raegan had the time of her life playing with her cousins. It’s so fun to see them all together having so much fun! She played so much and so hard she needed an extra day to recover back home before going to daycare! J

We’re very excited to watch Raegan grow up even more and can’t wait to see what this next year brings. Enjoy this month’s photos and videos – there are A LOT this time around since so much happened this month!

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Sassy at 23 months!

Someone is gearing up for her terrible twos just in time! Not to say our little Miss Raegan is terrible, but she's definitely knows what it is she wants and will make you aware when she doesn't get it. Not sure where this is all coming from - neither Hayden nor I are like this in any way :)

This month has been a blast with Raegan! She is blossoming into a little lady right before our eyes and getting more and more independent each day. It's fun to see her "doing things herself" and trying new things. And with all of this comes a small dose of attitude and bossiness, but she's learning so it's a process. Overall though she's still a sweet little lady and keeps us entertained every day.

As with every month we have small little adventures that keep us on our toes. This month's adventure was a big trip for me and Hayden to Vermont for a wedding. And we decided to leave little Miss Raegan at home...for 5 days! I will admit that I went kicking and screaming the entire way to Vermont, but of course we all survived. Raegan received a present (or 50!) from Grammy and Nono every day we were gone, keeping her plenty entertained! And across the country, Hayden and I were busy catching up with all of our friends to have too much time to worry. So, it all went well and we all survived! 

With Halloween just around the corner, we of course had to take Miss Raegan to a harvest festival! Our little one didn't care all that much about the Halloween activities - just the dancing! We decided to hang out at a restaurant by the festivities and little Miss Raegan insisted that someone take her dancing the entire time! So, we all took shifts and she was able to get her dance on. It's quite scary how similar this little person is to both me and Hayden already! 

Also on this month's agenda was the dreaded potty training! I wanted to wait until after our trip to try so that my parents wouldn't be charged with that responsibility. So, when we got home I started the plans, I bought the supplies, planted the idea and then chickened out! That's right, it turns out I'm the one who isn't ready! :) Haha. Raegan has shown some interest, but ever since I started preparing, she's pulled away and is no longer interested. And at daycare they have said she has shown no interest at well - even with her big girl friends potty trained. So, of course, I took all of this as confirmation not to start...yet! Hopefully next month's blog will contain entertaining stories of that new adventure. 

Just four weeks away from our little lady's 2nd birthday. We can't believe it! Enjoy this month's photos and videos and Raegan's last month as a 1 year old! 

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22 Months of More Fun!

Well little Miss Raegan is another month older and has graced us with yet another month of fun, fun, fun! Every day when I come home, she makes it harder and harder to want to put her to bed and leave her the next day. Her energy is amazing and the things she is learning every day are so wonderful to watch blossom. 

This month was very nice and relaxing for all of us and we didn't have as much activity as last month, so there are definitely less pictures to share. But as always, Miss Raegan did bless us with some keepers, so enjoy the pictures as much as we do. 

Raegan continues to enjoy her daycare and comes home everyday with stories to share and unbelievable amount of energy to burn. I would think she'd be worn out, but NOPE! But it's so great to see all of the crafts she makes and to hear how she loves circle time. This month we bought her a new tricycle that she loved for about a day or two. It's a a great one since she'll be able to grow into it, but we hope she'll like using it more than she does now!

We also took a family adventure to Folsom Lake to rent a kayak and enjoy the lake with out the ski boat. It was gorgeous and now Hayden is obsessed and ready to go every day! We were a bit nervous about taking Raegan on the kayak, so for the first time we kept her on shore. Next go we'll get her out on the boat and see what she thinks...and if she likes it, we'll get her out on a stand up paddle board! 

As Raegan grows up each day, she's surprising us with her acrobatics! We are to blame for some of her antics, but for some reason we feel it should be encouraged and will teach her not to be afraid! I'm sure we'll regret all of the practice we give her jumping off furniture and doing flips, etc. But for now, we're enjoying the excitement and how much she loves it. In fact, she surprised us with her ability to do a somersault and got the whole family doing them in the living room!! Grammy, Nono, Mommy, Daddy all had to take a few turns! 

The absolute favorite part of this month for me - and my proudest mama moment yet - was little Miss Raegan taking over the dance floor at a local street fair. The video we took is a bit dark, but if you can see anything, you'll see how she was having the time of her life! And this little one danced for almost an hour doing her thing. It seems she enjoys dancing as much as me! 

As always, we are enjoying every single second with Raegan and having the time of our lives. She amazes us every day and keeps us smiling. Enjoy this month's photos and videos!

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Every Day is Something New - 21 months!

Little Miss Raegan continues to wow us each and every day and here's another month that flew by! I can't believe 2 is just around the corner!

This month was full of even more fun and adventure for Raegan! We endured all of the hot hot summer days by plunging into Grammy and Nono's pool every weekend! I'm sure once we moved out earlier this year, they didn't expect to have us over as much as we are. But there is no other way to get relief from the heat!

Well, one way to get relief from the heat is to skip town!! And we did...a few times. We took a trip to see the Kelly family and were able to get everyone together - grandparents, brothers, cousins, and friends! It was a blast and watching Raegan play with her cousins was priceless. From running through the house non-stop, to dance parties on the patio and taking care of her baby cousin Connor, Reagan had the time of her life! It was so great to see everyone and to get the kids together.

We also took a camping trip to a new lake and Raegan finally enjoyed it! The past few times we've taken her she's either gotten sick or was sick while we were there...more so not fun for mama! This go around she had a blast and was able to enjoy the boat more. I finally didn't schedule everything around her nap time, so I was able to have fun too and little Miss Raegan just napped on the boat! Who would have thought!

Daycare has proven to be great for Raegan and she is learning so fast! Every day she comes home with a new word, song or talent we never knew she had. It's amazing to see her blossom and change. Now, that's the bonus part of daycare...the not so great bonus is picking our daughter up and being told she's the bully of the daycare. Yep, our sweet Raegan is hitting children daily. And not always just the kids her age, but the BABIES!! Luckily the daycare is understanding that it's a phase and she will get through it and learn, but man it's not fun to hear! Apparently she has aggression she must release...who knows!

Once again another month has flown by and our little Miss Raegan keeps on growing and growing. We're having a blast watching her come into her own and can't wait for what she does each day!

Enjoy this month's photos and videos!

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Blossoming at 20 Months!

Once again I am shocked at how fast time is flying by. Our little Miss Raegan is now 20 months and is blossoming into a little lady so quickly! I think daycare has really made an impact on her - of course both good and bad - but overall she seems to be making changes fast!

The biggest change is the not so looming terrible twos!! They are pretty much here and don't show any signs of passing as fast as they arrived.  That's right, our sweet angel Raegan has turned the corner and found her devilish streak! Not to say that she's not a sweet angel anymore, just that it's not as common these days. She's definitely challenging us and we're close to starting some major time outs...let's just hope she can understand what that is here and soon! 

Other than the tantrums, she's becoming more and more brave and climbing everything! We probably shouldn't let her scale the furniture, but I figure it's exploration and a challenge, so I don't mind too much. I'll just have to make sure she doesn't think all couches and furniture are jungle gyms! HA!

I think one of the best things about this month is Raegan is starting to smile when asked! I swear every time the camera would come out she would clam up and put on her serious "what the heck" face. It was too funny. But now she flashes her big smile on demand and it's the cutest, squishiest thing ever! I just want to eat her up. 

This month started off pretty bad with Raegan's first real illness from the daycare world. She was down for a full week, which was challenging for all of us...especially me since I came down with her flu to! But, we all survived and she was back to normal in no time. This month as with most has been full of fun and adventure for the little miss. We went to a 4th of July parade with her little friends, a family fishing derby and camping trip, and spent lots of time at Grammie and Nonno's house swimming, swimming and swimming some more! Raegan is a little fish and can't get enough of the pool, which is awesome considering it's 100+ degrees here every day!

And this month's most exciting activity was the Wiggles concert!! I never would have thought I would ever in a million years attend something like this, but I couldn't resist. Raegan is obsessed with the Wiggles and gets so happy when she watches the show that I just had to see what she would do at a live Wiggles concert! Unfortunately, the concert was on a weekday at 6:30pm, so it wasn't the most ideal timing, but she still rocked away and had a blast. She was a bit overwhelmed by everything that was going on, but she sang and danced along and had so much fun! Our photos and videos aren't the best, but she definitely had a good time and enjoyed the concert.

Every month our little Miss Raegan surprises us with how quickly she learns things and how fast she's growing up. Daycare is actually going great and she's learning so much. Just the other day she counted to six! It was crazy to hear and to think that she can count. Now before you all go on thinking she's a genius, I believe that was a total fluke and she can really only count to three or four now, but still!! :) LOL!

Enjoy watching little Miss Raegan grow in this month's photos and videos!

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A Whole New World at 19 Months

Well our lives have officially changed this month. Mom has gone off to work and little Miss Raegan has entered the daycare world. Even with the thought of this new life looming over us for some time before becoming a reality, nothing could have prepared us for any of it. But, seeing as though it is about 3 1/2 weeks in as I write this, things are improving. If I would have written this 2 weeks ago, my tears, frustrations and overall sadness would have tainted the post. Thankfully, we've survived and we will continue to survive!

Overall, Raegan seems to be enjoying her days with her new friends. Unfortunately she cannot communicate what she does all day, but she seems to be happy and doesn't cry too much when we drop her off...anymore! I am truly amazed at how quickly her language and behavior has changed though. Now, I cannot give credit or blame to the daycare just yet because it could simply be her progressing along the normal stages of life, but man she is growing up so fast!! She now repeats just about every word she hears, which is a blessing and a curse of course. On the downside, she is getting a bit more aggressive and possessive. The word "no" is being used way more, hitting and biting are more prevalent and she has become more attached to certain toys. It's all new and interesting and we're making our way through all the nuances of this new life!

The one great benefit of this new life is Hayden gets to spend a lot more one-on-one time with Raegan since he picks her up from daycare every day. It's so sweet to come home and see them playing and having fun together. Their bond is growing even stronger! Albeit, I can't handle how messy the house is when I get home, but I'm doing my best to let that go!! :)

My absolute favorite time of this month's adventures has been Raegan's new-found love for dancing. Yes, you read that right - Miss Raegan LOVES to dance. Where oh where could she have gotten that from?! :) It is now a nightly occurrence after her bath...we can barely keep her in the bath long enough to get clean before she is yelling "dance dance dance!!" And of course this dancing must commence in front of the full length mirror, naked with punk music blaring! So wonderful to see our little one following so sweetly in our footsteps!  I was going to post videos, but mostly they are of her dancing naked and it just didn't seem appropriate to post all over the internet! :) Private viewings may be requested!


So, 19 months into this parenting gig and I think we're getting the hang of things! At the very least we're all having the time of our lives and taking pleasure in every day's gifts our little Miss Raegan gives us.

Enjoy this month's photos and videos...

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OMG Miss Raegan is a 1 1/2 years old?!!!

That's right, our little Miss Raegan is 18 months old! I can't freaking believe how fast time is flying, but it is so much fun seeing her grow up and become her own little self. And boy is she her own person! As with all months, Raegan has wowed us with how fast she is growing and learning. This month has been full of more words, more activity, more tantrums and more, more, more! Her personality is blooming and she is absolutely a blast to be with.

This month Raegan began enjoying a weekly event at the library called Mother Goose on the Loose where they sing songs, read stories and have lots of interaction. This is where she shines and reminds me oh so much of myself! She dances and just gets so excited and involved. It's too much! This month has also been full of more climbing and exploring for our little miss. She normally is super timid and very careful to try new things, but lately she has been charging her way up, around and over whatever is in her way. I've had to train myself to let her try things so she can be brave and have confidence. Let me tell you, it's nerve racking, but so far she has concurred her challenges and I haven't had an injury just yet!

A big step this month was taking Raegan on the family boat! Last year she was a bit too young for me to feel comfortable with and that meant that either me or Hayden had to stay behind while others enjoyed the lake festivities. I was determined to have Raegan enjoy it this year so we ALL could too!! And like with all things I stress over, Miss Raegan had no fear, went with the flow and enjoyed the experience to the fullest...and again just like her mama, she danced, danced, danced on the boat!! :) So, lucky for all of us, we can now enjoy boating trips with our little miss!

Next up in this month's adventures was a trip to Hayden's home town Los Osos/San Luis Obispo for Raegan's 1st soccer tournament!! No, she didn't play, but Hayden did! Raegan was...as usual...a trooper and stuck it out for 6 games of soccer in two days in 90 degree heat!! She had a blast cheering for Hayden and yelling "GOAL" when he scored! 

And lastly, since we now live in Sacramento and it is 400 degrees here, we tend to swim a lot in Grammie and Nonno's pool. Last year Raegan enjoyed it a little bit, but this year we know she'll be much more active...and boy has she been already!! At first she was timid, but once we made her go in she had the time of her life and never wanted to get out!! It's so fun to see her enjoy things like the boat and pool because we know we can now enjoy them more too! And to top things off, her Grammie and Nonno bought her a way too adorable chair for her to lounge by the pool in....this little one has it MADE!!

Sadly, this month ends my time at home with Miss Raegan and I'm off to the work world again. It has been beyond amazing to be able to spend such quality time with her and I will cherish every moment. This new stage in our lives will be so great for us both and we will learn and grow even more! We've picked out an amazing daycare for her and will share all the stories as the come.

Enjoy this month's photos and videos!

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Non-Stop at 17 Months!

Holy crap, time is flying by so fast that I actually overlooked the 17 month milestone!! Does that make me a bad mom? Ah well...at least I didn't forget it all together!

This month obviously flew by, but not without excitement of course! Miss Raegan enjoyed a full month of activities like dyeing Easter eggs, going on a bazillion Easter egg hunts, blowing bubbles with Grammie, interacting with her friends more and talking, talking, talking!!!!


Easter was a lot of fun this year because Raegan was able to do more...and boy did she do a lot!! We went to 3 different egg hunts and by the time Easter rolled around she was over it! She was a trooper though and let me take all the appropriate photos. We missed out on seeing the Easter bunny because the line was just too long for her to wait in, but she seemed very interested in him from afar. I'm sure next year will be better!

Dyeing Easter eggs was a lot of fun. Miss Raegan was a natural and dunked her eggs like it was something she's done before. She painted too and decorated with stickers. The best was the mess she made and all the fun she had making it!! On Easter, she came downstairs to a nice Easter basket and ran straight for her stuffed Easter bunny. It was so adorable! It was fun to see her into a holiday and be excited. On Easter Sunday, she enjoyed yet another hunt at Grammie and Nonno's house and was just too adorable in her Easter dress!


This month was full of new words for the little Miss Raegan. She is getting to that stage where she definitely knows what she wants, but we just can't interpret what exactly she is saying so there are a LOT of tantrums happening. I would be frustrated too!! But overall, she is getting to be so much fun and boy oh boy is she becoming a daddy's girl!! Now instead of yelling "mommy" five million times she yells "daddy" which makes me happy because it gives me a break!! :) She love, love, loves playing with her daddy when he gets home from work and they have started a new nightly routine of rocking out on the guitar to "Elmo's World" then cuddling and watching cartoons before bedtime. It melts my heart every night!!

The fun part about this stage is that she is getting more and more interactive with the friends I've had her around for almost a year now. It's great to see her recognize them, play at the park with each other rather than on their own and to hear her excitement when I tell her we're going to see them. She even yells out their names now! It's so darn cute and makes it so much fun to see her grow up with her neighborhood pals!!

Miss Raegan is definitely growing and growing into an amazing little girl. She recently upgraded to big girl PJs (no footies) and we swear it aged her! She is growing up before our eyes and it's so sad, but amazing at the same time! We can't wait to see what this next month will bring.

Enjoy this month's photos and videos!

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Ball of Energy at 16 Months!

Well as with most months, this one surely flew by, but not without some great adventures for little Miss Raegan. I swear this month she has matured so much and is becoming such a big girl all of a sudden. Her vocabulary is growing, her energy is off the charts and she is more and more fun every day...minus the wonderful tantrums that have started!! :)

This month Raegan has enjoyed her new house and many playrooms more and more. I think I am too since I can now relax a little and let her run around and play without having to make sure she isn't into anything. And as I have said, she is definitely blossoming in the personality department and talking up a storm! New this month is "swimming" in the bath tub. Not sure where she learned this, but she is now an avid tub swimmer and loves it!


Raegan also got to enjoy her first fort compliments of her dad of course! She loved crawling under the bean bags and coming out the other side. It was great entertainment and kept her busy for quite some time...which is something I try to do ALL day long! We also visited midtown Sacramento a few times this month and found that it reminds us a lot of the North Park area in San Diego, which is nice to have something similar around here.

Miss Raegan also enjoyed a visit from her Grandma and Grandpa Kelly and cousin Austen. She had so much fun playing with Austen and wore us all out! We took a trip to the Discovery Museum and Raegan took full advantage of the "hands-on" exhibits!

The big deal this month was our road trip adventure to San Diego!! Once I decided to make the trip I was completely consumed with the idea and could think of nothing else of course! I was a bit nervous about driving 10 hours with Raegan on my own, but we made the best of it! The best part of the drive is that we were able to break it up and see family along the way in Bakersfield, LA and Orange County. Raegan did fantastic on her trek through California and is a great traveler. Only downside of the whole trip was that she is no back to being addicted to her pacifier, but we'll work on that this month!

Miss Raegan certainly was a Miss Priss when it came to visiting the beach. Our first trip was with Frank in Ocean Beach and she wasn't quite sure what to do with the sand. She definitely hated having her hands sandy, which I can't blame her because I'm the same way. She finally warmed up and crashed a few sand castles and got sandy! And the best part was she left OB with a great t-shirt and some quality time with her Uncle!

Next up was a trip to Orange County to meet her new cousin Connor! Raegan practiced saying his name the whole way up, but could only get out what sounded like "Ca Ca" but hey it was something! She had a blast playing with Nolan and pointing at Connor and saying "baby". Raegan also enjoyed visiting her Great Grandparents and Aunt Kathy and rocking out on the organ!! :)

Back in San Diego, Raegan saw her other Great Grandma Betty, met a few other friends and was a trooper as we drug her around town to our favorite spots and to see more friends. She closed out the weekend with a farewell to San Diego brunch with all her cousins and a trip to the famous Bakersfield Dewar's Ice Cream Parlor for her first ice cream cone with her GG (Great Grandma Archer!).

Overall, the trip was a success, but we are all very tired and in need of some serious down time! It was great to see all the family and friends we have down south...but next trip will be in an airplane!! :)

Enjoy this month's photos and videos...

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Fabulous at 15 Months

Well it's that time again!! Little Miss Raegan continues to grow and grow and is definitely a toddler! She is full of energy and is having a blast learning new things. Her new thing is running everywhere she goes and if she does by chance walk, it's on her tip toes, which is just too cute! Her vocabulary is also growing and she chatters all day and tries to say new words all the time. She surely knows what she is saying - it's just not coming out right!

This month, as all the others, was full of more adventures for Miss Raegan. We finally moved out of my parents house and got a nice house close by. It's definitely a step up from where we were in San Diego and validates why we moved up her. Raegan now has several play areas and a nice backyard to play in. We are all enjoying it! The move apparently was rough on Miss Raegan though and she came down with her first ever fever and rash. It was a scary moment for us since she has never really been sick before. We're lucky that it took 14 months for her first sickness, but it's still no fun no matter what. But of course she made it through and was back running around soon enough.

Miss Raegan is also getting a little more brave and starting to climb walls and anything else she can. I was worried at first because she was being so timid, but when she wants to, she will climb and scale any wall!! We also took another trip to Bakersfield this month and Raegan got to see her cousins Drew and Gracie. She had a blast playing with them and was a great traveler!

Miss Raegan is getting more and more fun every day and of course we are just enjoying every moment of it! Enjoy this month's photos and videos!

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14 Months and Full of Energy!

So this month has flown by...so fast in fact that when I met another mom the other day I said little Miss Raegan was almost 15 months!! I've apparently lost track of time and am aging her already. Luckily our little one is not yet 15 months and is a measly 14 months today. I don't think I'm cut out to keep track of the months any longer, so updates may not be official after this! :)

This month is full of more and more activity. Our little Miss is running around like a mad woman, eating everything is sight ALL DAY LONG, and chattering like a maniac. She doesn't stop and is so much fun right now. I think with the rainy weather lately she's feeling a little bored of her toys and the house, but Hayden took her out the other day and apparently she LOVES the mud! I was out of town and missed all the excitement, but heard she was a mess. I'm sure she had a blast!

Miss Raegan is becoming more and more fun and surprises us everyday with new things she has learned. She is super observant and picks things up really fast - it's so amazing to watch! She is also starting to play by herself a lot more and it's interesting to watch how she interacts with her toys and dolls. :)

I have protested the idea of cutting Raegan's hair, much to my mother's dismay, but I'm convinced she doesn't need it and her "shaggy" look is totally stylish! It doesn't seem to bother her too much and she's finally wearing bows to keep it out of her eyes. We'll see how long she lasts with this no hair cutting protest of mine, but so far so good!

Stay tuned for more updates and enjoy this month's photos and a few videos!

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Catching Up - 13 Months and then Some!

So, time sure has flown by...so fast that I forgot to update Miss Raegan's blog!! Apparently, I stopped the updates once she turned 1! Oops! A lot has happened in a month and a half and we've been pretty busy. As for Miss Raegan, this was another month full of activity and adventures. She popped out a few more teeth and is starting to really work at talking now to! She can finally say "mama" but it seems to be only when she is whining and yelling that it comes out the clearest. Weird that "dada" is used sweetly and gently. She must be confused!! HAHA! She also said "cheese" which of course is my least favorite food, but she LOVES it, so it's only fitting that she was able to say it. We're eager to hear her vocabulary grow.

Raegan also had her first official Christmas where she was able to enjoy a lot more than last year. And boy did she!! She helped pick out our Christmas tree and had fun running around the tree farm...I think the men liked her so much they gave us a super great deal on the tree!! Raegan also loved, loved, loved all of the decorations!! Not just those around the house, but the lights outside and all of the Reindeer. She loves animals and was always so excited to see them outside. I also did my very best to prep her for her first Santa visit by showing her lots of pictures of him and saying his name a lot. As you can see from her photo, she wasn't too happy to sit on Santa's lap, but after her visit, she was OBSESSED with Santa! Whenever she saw him or there was a picture of him or anything she would get so excited! We also learned that Miss Raegan is a huge fan of Christmas movies. We've never seen her sit so still than when a Christmas movie would come on...and it didn't matter which one it was! It was adorable. This year, Hayden and I traveled to Los Osos for the holidays and Raegan had so much fun seeing her family and playing with her cousins Nolan and Austen. Christmas morning was a blast being around little kids and all the excitement! We trekked back up North late Christmas night for round 2 of Christmas morning with my family and Miss Raegan had yet another great day full of family and gifts! I'd say she had a great holiday.

Little Miss Raegan had yet another fun-filled month and continues to entertain us every day! Enjoy this month's photos!

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