Winnie the Pooh

Payton had her birthday party on Saturday afternoon. She had lots of friends and family that came to share in her excitement of turning 2. The theme was Winnie the Pooh, which is her favorite. She had a great time playing with her cousins and friends, eating the cake that I spent a couple of hours decorating and of course opening her presents. She received gifts from her family and friends at her party and even got a couple from out of state, all the way from Arizona and Colorado. I have some great friends, which are Payton's Auntie's. They love her very much. The party was a success and I am still adjusting to the fact that my daughter is actually 2 yrs old now. Thank you to everyone who gave their time and came to Payton's party, we feel very grateful to have such great friends.

Winnie the Pooh mommy made

should I blow out the candle?

It gets harder to take family pictures as they get older

Some of the kids at the party

Our Princess Is Now A Toddler

Welcome to the terrible two's, that is what some might say. Not me, well yet anyway. She has shown that she is growing up and having her own opinion about things, and wanting to do things her way not my way. Payton's birthday was Monday February 22. It is so hard to believe that two years ago I was holding my first sweet bundle of joy. One of the best days of my life. She got a hair cut for her birthday party this Saturday. She even helped pick out her birthday outfit, with a little influence from mommy. Monday night we went out to dinner at Zio's and she got to enjoy her very own birthday dessert. She enjoyed it very much.

I sat still and was very good for my hair cute with Jennifer

coloring pretty pictures, with my ornery look

I love bread, yummy!!

make a wish!

my birthday treat

This is a posed family picture with a 2 yr old

Payton also had her 2 year check up. Everything looks great she is happy and healthy.

Payton is weighing in at 32.5 lbs, she is 36.5 inches tall, and her head measures 19 3/4. She is above the 95th percentile for all three categories. Wonder where she gets it from??

- she is able to run and kick a ball

-throw a ball with an overhand motion

-talk in 7 word sentences

-Use "I" and "me"

-use the potty chair whenever she fells like it

-sing and dance

We just enjoy every minute that we have with her and can't wait for Saturday for her birthday party. Winnie the Pooh is coming to play!!

Girls, Girls, Girls

Enjoyed a girl day at Zonkers. Ali and I took all three girls to Zonkers to run around and burn off some of that cabin fever. They had such a great time together screaming, very high pitched and chasing each other around. They rode on a couple of rides multiple times but their favorite was the train. It even went through a small tunnel. It is always so much fun just to watch how much fun they are having. To bad as adults our days can't be like this everyday.

They're off, around the tracks they go

Looks like fun to me

Payton agrees, having a blast!

Happy Valentine's Day

Our Valentine's Day was celebrated a little earlier this year. Mitch took off work on Friday as a surprise to me. I got to sleep in a little later than normal and he got Payton up and hung out with her that morning. I got to go to the gym and yoga. I came home and we played for a little while and then we had lunch. Mitch gave me my Valentine from him and Payton, inside was a gift certificate and appointment down for a massage, manicure and pedicure with a hand a foot wrap scheduled at 1pm. After lunch I headed to the spa. It was wonderful and relaxing to get pampered for an afternoon. While I was getting pampered, Mitch was busy at home preparing dinner and dessert. When I got home dinner was ready, he made pork tenderloin, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus and squash. It was wonderful and for dessert we had carrot cake cheesecake. He did such a great job with dinner and it was so great to have a day when I didn't have to lift a finger. Payton got her Valentine's present, a love bug, she loved it.
We had music playing and the two of us danced around the kitchen. Payton loves to twirl. It was time to put Payton to go to bed and Mitch did all the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. Once she went to bed I had some more wine and we watch Couples Retreat. It was a good movie. We had a great Valentine's together and I feel so blessed to have such a sweet caring husband.

Payton giving Daddy her Valentine kisses

twirling with Mommy

Payton got a love bug for Valentine's Day

Our wonderful dinner prepared by such a great chef

Our to die for dessert

Baby Shower

This past weekend we hosted a couples shower for my cousin Amanda. She is having her first baby which happens to be another girl, her name is going to be Addison. We are so excited to get to met her. Everyone enjoyed playing a couple of games, eating some great food, and watching her open all of her amazing gifts. She only has 6 more weeks and she will be blessed with the greatest gift in the world, becoming a mother. I had a good time getting the diaper cake ready with the help of my mom and Alli. I also got to experiment with making her cake that we all got to eat. It took me a little longer than I would have liked to finish it but it was done in time for the shower.

Amanda's baby cake

The boys dressing babies

Amanda and her little helper opening presents

Payton wanting to hold the blanket

Amanda with her diaper cake made with love

New Routines

This year Mitch and I decided to make sure that we put forth effort to have a couple date night only once a month. We are going to alternate every other month for who is planning date night. Last Friday Mitch took me out on a date. I didn't know anything about it except when to be ready. He came home from work with a single yellow rose (one of my favorites) and picked me up for dinner. We went out to dinner at Old Chicago and then to the movies. It was opening night for Dear John, a Nicholas Sparks book made into a movie. I had read all of his books and love them so it was very thoughtful of Mitch to take me to such a girlie chic flick. We had a great time going out and just spending good quality couple time together. We even had fun cleaning the house and decorating because we were hosting a couples baby shower the next morning. We had the radio blaring and decorated the house, and just had a good time together. Payton spent the night at Nana and Papa's house so we could have music blasting throughout the house. I am looking forward to next month date night. I better come up with a good plan.

Cakes, Cakes and More Cakes

I went to my first of four cakes class that I am taking this month. I am so excited we had so much fun. I will have to make a cake and bring it iced to the next three classes and get to learn fun decorating techniques. I am taking the class with one of my neighbors. We have a made one of her daughters birthday cakes together and just though we would have a great time learning together. I have loved making cakes for the holidays and for Payton's birthday but thought maybe I could be a little more efficient and have it not take my 3 days to finish a cake if I got some better direction. I will have to make a cake before my next class plus a cake for my cousin's baby shower that I am hosting. I will be a fun filled week full of baking. Hopefully the shower cake turns out how I have in mind.