Payton: 10 Months

Another month has flown by! Our little lady will be ONE at the end of next month, that's so crazy to me!! She's getting so big. Here are a few things that happened in Payton's life this last month:

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*She had an ear infection and a mild asthmatic episode in early February.

*She started shaking her head "no" on Feb 7th.

*Her left lateral tooth on top came through on Feb 11th.

*She's pulling up to stand now, as of Feb 11th.

*Her right lateral on top came through on Feb 15th.

*She can now crawl up into things like her small rocking chair.

*She went on her first road trip to Indianapolis on Feb 20th.

*She's getting into everything!

*She tries to disappear into the floor, makes herself as flat as possible, when she knows she's doing something she's not supposed too!!

*She loves to copy - fake laughing or coughing - to see how you'll react.

*She's still sleeping like a champ, usually 12-14 hours each night.

*She's still taking at least 2 naps each day, and sometimes even a short 3rd one.

*She doesn't like her breathing treatments.

*She's started taking tubbies with Alexa and she absolutely LOVES being in the water...but she's a little TOO brave!

*She started playing shy and only wants her mommy.

These two are just the joy in my life! Some days are definitely harder than others, but I don't know what I'd do without them! We're leaving them this week with friends so Kevin and I can go to Arizona and buy a house....and I'm having a really hard time with it! I've never left Payton before and Alexa I've only left with Kevin or my mom. I'm sure they'll be just fine but I'm still nervous and anxious! Here's hoping I'll have a good report next week! And wish us luck on the house-hunting!! :-)

T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!

Payton LOVES to get into the wipes. If the package is left open and within her reach, she makes a beeline for it! And if you turn your back for even just a minute or two, she's got practically the whole package of wipes taken out. She's a quick one!! We've definitely got to keep our eyes on her. I think this is just a glimpse of what she's going to get into in the years to come! :-)

We wouldn't have it any other way though!

We sure love this little lady and her spunky personality!

{Talent Show}

Alexa went to her first Primary Activity at our church last night. They are held quarterly for the 3-11 year olds and this one was a Talent Show. Alexa had gone back and forth deciding between doing a number on her "drums" (aka my kitchen canisters for flour, sugar, etc.) or singing a song. Well, after going to Storytime at our library this past Wednesday and learning a new song about teeth, she decided she wanted to sing that song as her talent. Kinda fitting don't ya think since her daddy is ALMOST done with dental school??!! :-)

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And here's our little singer! I'm so sad I missed it but sooooo glad Kevin was able to get it on video! (I was at home with Payton so she could go to bed on time!)

What do you think???

Should Kevin look into a career as a dentist????? :-)

Indianapolis Children's Museum

Today we ventured to Indianapolis to meet up with my dear friend, Stacey, from Canada. Stacey is visiting her sister in Chicago and since she was technically "in the neighborhood" :-), we knew we had to try and get together!! We were both pregnant the last time we saw each other and have since had those babies so it was a lot of fun to meet up and visit, even if it was for only a few hours. We had a great time and the kiddos got to do a lot of fun things...it was a wonderful afternoon!

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Alexa and daddy playing with the dinosaurs!

Alexa playing in the train tunnels.

There was this cool glass sculpture in the middle of the ramps that ran the entire 4 or 5 floors of the Museum! The artist only has one eye...pretty impressive!!

Alexa and her daddy with the bones of a wholly mammoth just like the ones her Great-Great-Grandpa Curtis found on his ranch, along with many other dinosaur bones that were found. The findings on Grandpa Curtis' ranch were displayed in the Smithsonian at one time!!

Payton just being her cute self! And Alexa having a teddy bear picnic with Lucas and Chloe, two of Stacey's kids. (I can't believe I didn't get anymore pictures of the kiddos together).

Me & Stacey...with the head of Tyler, her youngest.

There was a carousel...so OF COURSE Alexa had to go on it. She LOVES carousels!!

They had so many fun and interactive exhibits. Alexa had a lot of fun in this section, playing in water, playing in a kitchen they had talking about nutrition, playing in the dirt, climbing on things...so much to do!!!

The only picture Kevin and I got together!!

Too bad Payton looked down right as I took the picture.

Alexa wants to be just like her daddy, the almost dentist!!! :-)

I'm so thankful for great friends. Stacey and I have stayed close even after all these years since we lived together! I talk to her just about every day and am really grateful for her friendship, support and love! Thanks for the treats Stace and for allowing us to horn in on your visit with your sister!

We highly recommend the Indianapolis Children's Museum! If you're in the area, definitely check it out! And if you LIVE close by, get a membership as there's way to much to see in one afternoon!!! :-)

It's a...

FORT-MAKING kind of day!!!

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So surprise, surprise...we have yet ANOTHER snow day!! We woke up to several inches again and lucky us, Kevin didn't have to go to school! So what better thing to do but build a fort of blankets in the living room??!!! Alexa LOVED it. Payton thought it was pretty fun too!

'C' is for COOKIE!!

Yesterday, we had Jonny, Katelyn and their mommy over to decorate sugar cookies for Valentine's Day! I haven't made sugar cookies in FOR-EV-ER, so I was really looking forward to it. PLUS, with us being stuck at home due to Alexa having pneumonia earlier this week...we were really in need of something fun to do!! After the initial thrill of rolling and cutting out their own cookies, Alexa and Jonny just wanted to move onto the icing and decorating!! Who can blame them!

It was a fun morning, with fun friends and yummy cookies...much needed after our week!

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HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

I really am the luckiest woman in the world...I get to call this handsome fella and these two cuties MY Valentines!! They bring so much love and joy into my life! I am a better person because of them and I sure hope they know how very much I love them!

Sitting, Crawling...and now STANDING!!

We are now having to move things farther into the center of the coffee table or up higher on cupboards...Payton is pulling to stand!! And she's LOVING it!

OH MY...

Once there was a Snowman!

Yep...yet ANOTHER snow day!!! Will winter EVER end??? It's a good thing Alexa loves the white stuff! :-) She's been a little under the weather the last few days with a sporadic fever...but she was feeling up to venturing outside this morning and I'm glad because she got to help make her very first snowman. And most likely her last! Thanks Becky and Jonny for sharing a fun morning with our little lady!

A Favorite Place

Music Lovers

What is it about a piano a little kids??? I haven't met a child who was fascinated by pounding on the keys and hearing the sounds they can create. Alexa has always loved being able to sit at the piano and play away...and Payton is no exception either! We sat her down today and she was in heaven!!

Then...

...and NOW!!

Snip, Snip...Sniff, Sniff

Sooooooo....after serious thought, I decided to give Alexa a real haircut. Oh, she's had several little trims, many in fact, since the day she was born...and a couple months ago, I even cut off close to 2 inches...but this time, I knew it needed to be more. The underneath part of her hair was several inches shorter than the rest, and curlier to boot, and the top was starting to look stringy...So I got out the scissors and cut off a good 3 - 4 inches. I know it'll grow back soon, but it was hard on this mama...especially when I combed it straight to cut it, it almost reached her cute, little bottom!! It was LONG and now it seems so short...but I suppose that's because the curls are healthier now and spring up like they should. She seems to like it and so do I...I just love it long and will look forward to it growing back!

~CUTENESS~

{Picture in Picture}

I thought this picture was pretty cool!

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Today is Alexa's friend Zach's 4th Birthday! Here they are playing on "Birthday Island". They got to navigate through with flashlights, play duck duck goose, london bridge is falling down, eat lunch in their fort and have cake. How fun! It's amazing to me that Zach is now 4 YEARS old! When we first met him, he was 4 MONTHS old. It definitely doesn't seem like that much time has gone by. But then, I was pregnant with Alexa when we met him and now she's almost 3 1/2. CRAZY! Alexa had such a fun time with her friends - from left to right - Sydney T., Zach R., Kasen T., Brielle K. and Alexa. She's sure going to miss all her great friends when we move. :-(

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In fact, the other day after church, Alexa told me "I'm going to break Katherine's heart mom". She then proceeded to tell me that Brielle is moving to "Utahn", she's moving to "bear-down 'Ona" and she's "going to break Katherine's heart". I said, yep she's sure going to miss you! Apparently they were talking about who was moving and who was staying in her Primary Class that day. It will be a tough adjustment and we'll stay in touch with our friends here, but we'll make new friends too...hopefully!!! :-)