Payton - 1 year

What a wonderful first year it has been! 

She had a great time at her party a few weeks ago, but the poor baby got sick afterwards and ran a fever all weekend. Turns out she had gotten an ear infection! I spent hours baking a million cupcakes and a small cake for her that ended up melting in the heat (still tasted yummy though!). We had so much fun with all our family & friends who made her very 1st birthday so special. :) 

We love you, baby girl. 

12 month stats:

Weight: 19 lbs. 14 oz. (25th-50th percentile)

Height: 28 and 3/4" (75th percentile)

expressions.

Tell me that is not cute!

She has a new love of making faces at us..and we totally eat it up. I'm pretty sure she knows it too.

First Easter with baby girl.

I know that it's already been almost a week since Easter but with all the sleep I have been lacking and the quality time I've been spending with my family away from the computer, I am finally finding the time to post about it.

I love Easter. I can't believe it's already come and gone. I would love waking up on Sunday mornings to a full Easter basket and hunting down those easter eggs as if it were my job. Being hopped up on marshmallow peeps, chocolate bunnies, and jelly bellies was even better. Obviously I don't do that anymore, but that is what is so great about having a kid. You get to experience those childhood memories all over again, in the eyes of your child.

I still have another year or two for one of those Easters, but I can't wait. Our Easter this year was spent with family and friends. No hunting. No candy. And yet perfectly wonderful.

We went to our friends' family gathering and of course as soon as we get there Payton starts crying hysterically and screaming in ranges only dogs can hear. There were people everywhere and everyone was coming up to greet us. Poor thing was so frightened and overwhelmed. She finally settled down in our arms and carefully watched the kids play and adults converse. We enjoyed company in the midst of some perfect spring weather and basked in the sun while we took Payton to play amongst the other kids.

Layne's best friend, "Uncle Peter"

My little loves kids and babies. She will intently watch their every move, cooing and laughing to herself...completely enamored with them.

And for the cherry on top to the evening - a nice Easter dinner with my family, and me even throwing a frisbee with Layne outside. Good 'ol family fun. Couldn't have asked for a better first Easter with my sweet baby girl. My sister, who is an aspiring photographer took our Easter family portraits so I don't have those yet.

Happy Mediums.

Look who likes to show off what a big girl she is. She wants everyone to know...and know they will.

I will look away for just one minute and find this...

Standing up underneath a chair

Crawling into the kitchen and playing with the oven

Playing peek-a-boo mommy. (She does pull ups to try and get out of her play pen.)

Needless to say, my days are very limited to what I can do now. My used to be leisurely mornings have turned into scavenger hunts and chases. My hands are full and I'm trying to grasp onto every minute I have left with my BABY. She manages to get into everything and once toys have lost their appeal, she will go on to crawl and find the next most appealing thing. Usually not toy related. I am very blessed though for an extremely happy, affectionate, loving baby. But because she is so sweet, loving, and affectionate she is very very clingy. Not that I mind so much per se', we all know I'm a sucker for some sweet baby love, but it does get impossible to get anything done. SO I've resorted back to my baby wearing days and we are both enjoying the time together as she keeps me company during my daily routines. We giggle. We sing. We dance. It's a happy medium. I don't have to run around like a chicken with its head cut off now at the end of the day. I can't speak for tomorrow though.

We are leaving for our week long family vacation to San Diego on Sunday! First stop though...Monterey! We will be hitting the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Sunday and I am beyond excited to see and take in the exquisite scenery, marine life, and what Payton will think of it all.

The only thing stopping me from jumping up and down in excitement like a little school girl is the thought of everything I have to do. I am a procrastinator to the worst degree. Always have and always will be. One of my worst faults; And although I thrive under the pressure because it forces me to do it...it is never much fun doing so. So tomorrow while most of you are having fun I hope...I will be packing, doing laundry, cleaning, doing more laundry, and cleaning some more. All while taking care of an 8 month old.

Moments in time.

Wednesday was good, not that it was any different or special than the rest but I broke out the camera and went a little crazy. Layne was sick so I took the camera to accompany Payton and I for the day instead. 

Lately I have been wanting to capture every present and fleeting moment in my daughter's life. I think it might be the reality of how fast time is really flying, or that I just find it really fun to capture these moments in time. Whatever the case, I don't want to look back and regret not having enough pictures or not being able to remember "the time when..." such and such happened.

I am hoping to do a little commemorating on my part and make Payton a First Year scrapbook. Just another thing to add to my wonderfully long to-do list of crafts that I have embedded into my brain but have yet to make into the works.

On Wednesday we just enjoyed. Nothing more, nothing less. We had each other's company, a few moments of springtime bliss outside, and a rendezvous with an assortment of play things, her favorite of which was me.

And did I forget to mention she already has her own set of keys? She really is growing too quickly.

She loves sitting beside mommy in her high chair where she can observe all the going ons.

And we just recently introduced her to the world of Puffs. I am pretty convinced now that there isn't anything she wouldn't eat. These little puffs of magic keep her occupied long enough to allow me to get things done for 5 minutes. Slipping that into my bribery tool bag. Bad mommy!

I can't help but 'ooh' and 'ahh' over every little new thing she does! 

I'd like to say I was productive and I got a lot done, but that is usually not the case when the hubs is sick. These particular days I use as an excuse to give Payton my undivided time and attention for the whole day. Those are my favorite days. No need to worry about the everyday mundane things (Don't you wish every day was like that...). But by 6 p.m. I'm beat and ready to pass out for what I wish was days. Gone are the days when I could easily stay up until 2 a.m. and sleep until 11 p.m. Now it's more like stay up until 2 a.m. (not by choice) and get up at 5 a.m. (also not by choice) and happily go about my day singing songs of love. Eh, well I wish, but I think I do a pretty good job of not biting people's heads off on my little to no sleep. That's something right? 

"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile."

Mind you, I have one of the best reasons to smile...

 

Yesterday we had to bring this sweet little face to the doctor because she has a diaper rash gone bad. I mean like really bad. Sores and peeling of the skin...if you wanted to get graphic with it. You can also add in a lump in her throat and a goopy eye that won't go away. 

Apparently she also has an ear infection, which might have some affect to the conjunctivitis in her eye. The girl is her father's daughter. It's one thing after the other. But we have antibiotics, creams, drops, and lots of lovin' for her!