Beach baby!!

We just got home yesterday from a wonderful vacation in sunny Florida. We went to Orlando, Fl to visit one of our best friends Luke, Amy and Noah. We started our trip on July 7th, this was Payton's first plane ride and she was a great traveler. She slept half way and talk and sat on our laps the second half.

Amy and Noah were there to pick us up in the crazy thunderstorm. Wednesday we went to the outlet mall to do some shopping. Amy and I haven't gotten to do that together since they moved. We had a great time and Payton of course made out the best. Mitch and I got a couple of things. Thursday we got up and packed up the car and headed for the beach. We traveled about 2 hours to Siesta Key. We rented the cutest little house a 1/2 a block from the beach. We were a little worried when we got there is was raining and continue to rain the remainder of the evening. We lucked out though the next day was partly cloudy and we spent all day at the beach. Payton had a great time, she loved the sand and had a ball bull dosing all of the sandcastles that Mitch built. She loved the water too, played in layed on her belly and let the waves crash into her. They were small waves since we were on the Gulf side. She even took a nap under the umbrella next to Noah. Nap time

The beach baby and mom
Daddy's girl
Payton with her Auntie Amystud Noah
Both of the kids did great. Amy and Noah had to stay inside a little bit more but that is only expected with a 7 week old baby.

beach photo opp

Besides being close to the beach we were also close to a strip mall around the corner with awesome restaurants. Amy and I had the best crab legs ever one night. Even Noah got close enough to taste them.

After dinner back at Amy and Luke's place, the mommies and their angels

Possibly husband and wife someday. An older woman!!

The last day we went to a park close to the house and it had tons of swings, slides, and a water spray area. Payton ended up being the only one for about 30 min, just enough time to have all the fun she needed. She loved it, even though she got it in the face a couple of times.

We had a wonderful trip and had so much fun with the Helm's. We are looking forward to our next trip whenever that might be.

Happy 4th

This year the 4th didn't really go as planned. Originally Payton was going to get to be in her first parade. Our Neighborhood does a 4th of July parade. We unfortunately were driving home from the ER. Since it was a Saturday and a holiday there were no doctors offices open and we had to take Payton to the ER after being up every 45 min. all night long screaming in pain. She had been extremely cranky the day before and not the happy go lucky Payton she usually is. We thought she was just getting in her "eye" teeth. After surviving the sleepless night we took her first thing in the morning because I decided it must be her ears. She did have an ear infection and she had an infection in her mouth and down her throat, which explained the lack of appetite, which we originally again thought was just teething. Poor baby had a very ruff day. It is amazing how much your heart aches when your little one is in pain and you can't make it better or even sometime figure out exactly what it is.
We spent a little bit of time at mom's house to celebrate Mema's birthday and grill out with everyone. Payton did OK after getting all of her meds into her. We only lasted a couple of hours and then took her back home and tried to just get her to rest. I worked that night and Mitch was left at home to man the house and look after the sicky. Maybe next year the 4th might be a little more exciting celebrating our Independence day.

3 rolled into 1

There were 3 great events that all happened on June 21st. The best was Mitch and I Anniversary. We have now officially been married for 6 years. Can you believe it? I can't, that seems like such a long time, 6 years. WOW! Each year just keeps getting better and better. We celebrated the night before at Carli and Scott's wedding, which was so much fun. Payton enjoyed her self running all over the place and dancing the night away.

The Lyman family

Enjoying dinner!
Our official celebration was a surprise to me. Mitch had planned an evening out for us. He arranged for Payton to be taken care of and he set up the rest of the evening at the Culinary Institute. We went to a cooking class and learned how to make a fabulous Italian dinner. Which was to die for. What made it even more exciting was we had to cook the 4 course dinner. I would recommend it to anyone, we had a great time. In the blink of an eye it will be 7 years.
Sitting on Daddy's lap The second event was Father's Day. Mitch got to celebrate his second father's day being a great Dad to the cutest little girl who LOVES her Daddy. She picked out his card and a small present for him. We had the family over for brunch that morning and all ate together. The girls loves all the messy food. We also got to celebrate Roxanne's 3rd birthday and she opened up her gifts.

Getting them to all 3 sit still was a chore!!
It also was the first day of summer. It defiantly has been hot enough to believe that. We love summer as long as we are around the pool a couple times a week.

Swimming lessons

Today was the last day of swimming lessons. For the past 2 weeks Payton and I took and mother baby swim class. It has been so much fun. She thinks the water is great and always loved bath time. She also has watched her dogs a little to often because she tries to drink the pool water just like they do. Every time we attempted to blow bubbles she just tried to lap up some water. She kicks very well and loves to splash, so no one better be to close. She even got to go underwater and she comes up laughing. Girls have to be ware because she does like to grab at tops and pull them off. It was a lot of fun getting to watch her learn as we went through class each day. She is at least part Blanton with the love of water. That's my girl!!!

Spring Time has come and gone

The birds are singing and flowers blooming and Payton is always playing outside. Yes Payton's favorite thing to do is anything outside. She would stay out from sun up to sun down if I didn't make her come inside and take naps. She has helped me plant flowers. She liked playing in the mulch better than actually planting flowers. She actually pulled out a couple after I planted them. My cute little helper. She went straight to the bath after this.

We have gone on walk in her wagon!













Payton has become very independent and thinks
that she can do everything all on her own without any help. Watching her attempt this sometimes is entertaining. She is starting to have bruises on a daily basis from her hard at work play but loving every minute of it. Hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather as much as we are.

Holy Cow

This last weekend didn't really go as planned. Don't you just hate it when that happens. Friday Mitch took off work to work on our landscaping project this weekend. We were going to have all day Friday and Saturday and that should have been plenty of time. Well first it was raining Friday morning when we woke up. We had to wait until the weather cleared up, which it did just took longer than we planned. My grandparents were coming over to help entertain Payton so that I could lend a hand at least. I wasn't feeling well most of the day but just tried to tough it out. We were going out for my Birthday that night and we went to dinner. I didn't eat everything because my stomach still wasn't quite right. We cam home and I then was in bed by 8:30. Then it all began, couldn't sleep Rollin all over back and forth because my stomach hurt so bad. Early in the morning got up and was sick every 30-45min. I won't get into the specifics, I am sure that you can imagine. It was terrible, finally by 10:30 that morning Mitch insisted on taking me to the ER. So we went after I got some nausea medicine and morphine I finally felt better.
Once I finally came home I slept some more and stayed on some drugs. After a good nights sleep I woke up Sunday morning a little more alive. I got to enjoy Mother's Day, I got breakfast made for me toast, since that was all I was eating after being sick. After making it through the day I went to work Sunday night, which brings me to now. I am still at work and cranky. I am ready to go home, even though I don't get to sleep then either. I am haning out with Payton then I can take a nap when she her nap.

Getting attitude

Did you know that at 14 months attitudes sets in? If you didn't I am here to tell you that it's true. Payton has learned to throw a fit, throw food, try to drive head first down stairs, stand on furniture. Don't all of these things sound like so much fun. She is just testing to see exactly how far she can go and how far she can push her boundaries. She is lucky that she is so darn cute, not that she gets away with those things just helps to not get to upset while it's happening.
She is learning to use her words more instead of always grunting and pointing for what she wants. She now can ask for a "bite" when she wants something to eat that you have or say "snack" kind of. She has also learned the head banging dance method. She bounces up and down like most babies do when they dance but she also head bangs along with it. Which of course makes her loose her balance and fall over. She has also mastered walking completely, there isn't really any crawling done at our house anymore. She also recently got a play kitchen, she brings you pots, pans, cake, utensils. She enjoys having her own kitchen to destroy instead of always destroying mine.
I know it has been a little while since I have posted anything. I am trying to keep up, you know time flies sometimes especially with little ones. Taking pictures has become difficult also because if she sees the camera she charges at you because she wants to hold it. That makes for really ugly pictures of her big head up close and personal. She is really a great baby and loves her mommy and daddy. Seeing her light up when Mitch walks in the door from work is so great. I know that he loves it and makes his day 20 times better when he sees her.