Smoooch!

Dear Peyton, my sweet hearted girl. One day when you are much older I'll tell you how inappropriate it is to grab people, animals, and toys haphazardly and kiss, lick, and slobber on them. But for now I'll just sit back and smile at your complete innocence while you kiss everything you hold dear. I will also take with pleasure all the kisses that you want to give Mommy, before long that just won't be cool! I love you my sweet baby, never loose that kind heart!

In Her Own Time

My not so little girl is turning 9 months old in a few days and I can hardly believe it. It seems like for all of her life I have been waiting for the next stage to begin. Being a child development specialist, I am cursed with a constant worry of if she's developing on the right time, at the right pace. I was worried because she wasn't talking, worried because she wasn't pulling up, worried because she didn't have teeth...pretty much worried or anxious about every developmental milestone she hadn't reached. Well all that has changed in a matter of two weeks. It seems as if my baby has sprung to life in the past few weeks and I can't keep up! She started this "growth spurt" by pulling her self up in her crib (which she does constantly now, making nap time a little more difficult). She then said "Dada" (which she now screams constantly all day long, so much for 'soft spoken'), she then started teething and in a matter of two weeks has gotten both of her bottom front teeth (which causes her to be a lot more cranky than we're used to). She now cruises around the furniture, holding on and walking around anything within her reach (which blasted that whole "I know where you are at all times" stage out of the water), and finally she is now sitting up by herself (no more easy diaper changes). So, while I am extremely excited about these milestones she's reached I have been completely slapped in the face with the reality of how my baby just isn't a baby anymore. My worries are gone and I now have the peace of mind to know that Peyton is doing just fine and in her own time she'll reach every milestone, I just hope it's not too soon!

Puppy Love

A long long time ago before Peyton was a "twinkle in our eyes" as they say I begged Dustin to get me a puppy. I was dying for a lab puppy and even bought books to show my husband just how responsible I could be with my new "baby". After months of deliberation Dustin hesitantly gave in and allowed me to get the most adorable yellow lab on the Earth. So began our lives with Cooper. Have you ever seen "Marley and Me"? Well that dog from the movie must have been Cooper's long lost twin. Cooper was just about the worst puppy on Earth. He chewed up EVERYTHING, go off his leash more than he stayed on it, jumped all over everyone, pooped everywhere daily, and had more accidents than a normal puppy should. We still loved him, however he was getting bigger and bigger by the minute and when we found out we were pregnant with Peyton we knew we had to give hm away. Raising a disobedient puppy and a baby at the same time just wouldn't be practical. So my dear dear sister and brother in law took my puppy in and have raised him through the "rough times". He still gives them problems, but he's getting much better.

Well, the first time Peyton saw big Cooper it was if she new that he was her canine brother. She hooted and hollered, screamed and shouted, and waved her arms and feet so much I thought she was going to fly away. It was the most excited I have ever seen her! She let Cooper lick all over her hands and was so proud!

Her love of Cooper is evident all around her. The other day we were shopping in Target and were on the isle of dog food and she eyed a shampoo bottle with golden retriever and yellow lab dogs on it and she just had to carry it around the entire time we were shopping and kiss each of the dogs repetitively. Then, we passed a display with a huge picture of a boy with a yellow lab and she all but peed all over her self, screaming and kicking her legs until we strolled back to the display for a closer look.

I guess one day we'll have to get a puppy...but shhhhhh don't tell Daddy, he's not ready for that news just yet! :)

Head Gear

If ever there was a baby you could play dress up with it would be my child! She is so sweet and lets me have my fun and dress her in silly clothes and hats. I thought I would share with you some pictures of the head gear she's endured. Hat's off to you Peyton!

Taste Testing

I am beginning to think that my baby girl might just have a future career in taste testing! It seems that everything she sees goes straight into her mouth, which I'm aware is typical of babies this age, but I can't help myself from snapping some priceless shots! Easter Egg

Mountain Dew

Sweet Tea (Thanks Aunt Candis) Lemon Pickle

Twizzlers

Park Days

With life as busy as it is it has been quite a while since I last "blogged". :) We'll try to catch you up on all of the going ons in our lives in the past month and a half!

Peyton and I are both outdoor girls. Thus a perfect spring time day in our eyes is a visit to the park! Peyton loved our times there...she was all smiles and giggles while she was swinging or strolling around the park. Take a peek...

We even visited the park where Daddy was playing a softball tournament and he took time out to play too!