Aaron's Fam

It was great to see some of Aaron's fam too. Nichole was on vacation here from New Jersey the same time we came. It was so fun to finally see her and her darling girls. The girls and I were able to have a few get togethers with some of Aaron's fam and we had a blast!

Hallie loves to visit Grandma Gayla and Grandpa Bill. She was so excited to go and surprise them and spend some time with them. They spoil her rotten. Every time we left their house she would say in the car, "Grandma and Grandpa gave me too much stuff!" It was great to see them. I'm sure they wish Aaron was here too, but they are always so sweet to welcome me.

This picture cracks me up. Hallie looks like she's trying to choke herself and die with the look on her face. She actually loves Carter and thinks he's hillarious. Last time we came he would always talk like Swiper from Dora and say, "Oh Man!". And that's how Hallie always remembers Carter. Anytime she hears it on Dora she says, "Carter says that!" He is so stinkin cute.


Now she's gettin a little happier!

Gianna was so cute with Peyton. Peyton was a little grouch and didn't want to be touched this whole day. Gianna just couldn't resist. I love it. I love how she just wants to touch her SO bad.

And she could resist no more! he he.

Aja and Gianna are adorable. They were so cute with my girls. It was so much fun to see them and get to know them more.

Some more Splashin

We went up to the new Splash Park up in Highland. Aside from getting super lost, it was fun. The kids loved it. Peyton had me on my toes the whole time though. She is fearless and thinks she can climb on anything. (I'm not sure who that girl is pickin her bum, but Hallie didn't seem to care.)

Girls Night!

Natalie is always so great to plan everything when we come. We had a Girls Night with family from both sides and it was a blast. We did lots of American Idol karaoke, ate TONS of yummy food and talked forever. I am proud to say that I am the American Idol champion! Yes, Nat, I can sing and DANCE too and still win you:) (although my tune my not be quite as good). We stayed up so late talking and didn't have everyone leave until I think like 2 in the morning. I loved it.

Some of us ladies. I'm not sure where everyone else was.

cute cousins Erica and Jenny

I love my Aunt Kristy and mom. They were rockin it. We told them that they got more points if they did the dance moves like the singers. They were awesome! Kristy, I still like your move you did to Grandma. I can't get it down quite like you did though.


go my sassy sisters!

cousins Bobbi Ann and Debbie

cousins Megan and Melissa. They were so cute.

There's Only One Lagoon

We quite enjoyed ourselves at the beloved Lagoon. I won't lie. When I first arrived, I had flashbacks of when I'd go there with friends and scout out the boys and stuff (Lindsey Pack would appreciate the memory of the gold chained matching boys :)) So many memories! I wanted to see if I still had it in me to ride the Colossus:Fire Dragon and the Rocket and all the other great rollercoasters. And...I still got it baby! It was SOOOO fun!

Next year Peyton and Kate will be joining in on all the fun!

This was Hallie's favorite thing.

Poor Peyton, got to chill in her stroller for quite a bit of the day. She was a good sport.

Not a great pic, but she's totally lovin it at the beginning. Then....

this is her face about halfway through it. Guess she changed her mind.

Can't resist my people watching. I'm trying to convince Aaron to grow this hairdo. It's actually one he could pull off! ha ha. Isn't this sick? And he even went to the effort of bleaching it! GROSS!

Hallie says the cars and the Ferris wheel were her favorite. And makes sure to tell me everytime we talk about Lagoon that she hated the rollercoaster (Puff the Magic Dragon).

A Little More Randomness

A few more things we enjoyed:
Feeding the ducks
Late night chocolate fondue with mom and sistas
Hearing/Seeing pics of my Dad's trip to Denmark
Having Chels come home too from Chicago
Spending time with my brothers
Getting together with my high school friends. I love that we still get together! They are all so great. (Thanks Linds for the picture. And I loved your post. You're cute!)
Lunch with Lindsey

Loves her binkies upside down. Silly girl.

This is the first time back home since Grandpa passed away. I'm not gonna lie, it was hard. It was so different coming back and not having my cute Grandps coming up the stairs to greet me or hang out with everyday while my parents were at work. And having Hallie constantly telling me she was going to go downstairs and see Bampa Dick and get some licorice didn't help either. I usually don't like going to cemetery's. They kinda creep me out and Dustin and I both have vowed that we want to be cremated :)). But this was the first time going up there that I felt so much peace. It was really nice. Hallie wanted to make a picture to give to him and she took it to the grave. She was a little confused and when we got there she debated back and forth whether she'd give her picture to the bunnies or Grandpa and Grandma's grave. It was cute.

I stole this pic from Chels. Seriously, every time Chelsey pulled her camera out, Peyton would totally cheese it. It was so funny.

Hallie and I also got the stomach flu while we were there. It was not fun puking our guts out. And sorry to my poor Mom who got it the day after we left.

It was a wonderful trip as usual. Thanks to my Mom and Dad for EVERYTHING!

"You are not my favorite!"

So today was one of those days. Or should I say weeks. Aaron has been super busy this month with the SICU (Surgery Intensive Care Unit), which means the girls don't see much of him and they see ALOT of me. I don't know what the terrible 2's were that people talk about. For us, it's for sure the 3's. What happened to my sweet Hallie? For the past 3 days this is what Hallie has said to me:

Hallie:"Mommy, know what?"

Me: "What?"

Hallie: "You are not my favorite today. Daddy is my favorite."

And then there's this conversation today:

Me: "Hallie, please come here honey so I can do your hair."

Hallie: "rrrrrr. Mommy know what?"

Me: "What sweetie?"

Hallie: "You are just really driving me crazy today!"

Me: "Do you even know what that means Hallie?"

Hallie: "ummmm.....no."

She is a stinker, but a funny one at that I guess.

I have to remember that this little Hallie is adorable even when my patience gets a little thin after pretty much communicating these days with only a 3 and 1 year old about babies, princesses, Dora, and trying to get her to understand how she is not really a mommy yet.

I guess I did something right today because tonight she decided she'd say this.

"Mommy, you are not my favorite today. Daddy is my favorite. But it's okay. I still love you."

Lucky Daddy! Maybe he should watch her for a day so I can be the new fav :). Wish I could just play with her all day and not have to discipline. On second thought, I don't want to be the one working 88 hour weeks. I'll take not being the favorite I guess.

Peyton is ONE!

July is a birthday month in our family! Today is my cute little Peyton's birthday! I can't believe she's already 1! How time surely does fly. I am so thankful to have this sweet little angel in my life. She's adorable. She is our little sassy red head and has such a fun and cute personality. She brings so much joy to our little family. Here's some fun things about Peyton:

• She is SO mobile! She's been so active ever since she was born. She rolled over, crawled, and walked all super early. She's been walking confidently at 10 months and tries to think she is just as big as Hallie. I think probably one of her favorite things to do is just to roam around the house, hoping that nobody will touch her.


• Loves dancing. Anytime she hears music, that little body of hers gets moving. It's so cute. She gets so excited. This video is from over a month ago, but I thought it was cute. (just disregard the background. It was still a work in progress ie. no grout in the tile, no baseboards, etc. etc.)

(Don't forget to pause the music on the side)

• Loves to smile. She is not a very shy girl. She loves attention!!! She thinks it's so fun to smile and wave at everyone and have people talk to her. Many times, you can catch her just staring at someone ready to crack a smile as soon as they will look at her.
• Absolutely adores her sister Hallie. They are so cute together and I can't help but smile everyday thinking about how lucky I am to have such sweet girls. She loves to play this game with me that I call, "I'm going to get Hallie and wake her up!" When Hallie is taking a nap and Peyton is awake, it seem that this is her goal. Hallie has this big thing about not having doors shut all the way. So I leave it cracked open. Well...Peyton just wants to be by her sister at all times and thinks it's such a fun game to go into her room and try and wake her up before I can catch her. It's actually pretty comical. I will see her heading to the door, I say, "Peyton", she turns her head and gives me this grin like, "I'm gonna do it," and then books it to the door as fast as she can while laughing. When she actually does make it to Hallie before I've realized where she's ventured off too, I will find her laying her head on Hallie and Hallie saying, "oh..HI PEYTON! Peyton, you woke me up.".
• Has the hugest bright blue eyes! I never thought I'd have a blue eyed babe. I love them.
• Her middle name is Marie. She's named after my sister Chelsey Marie! (Hallie's middle name is Nicole after Natalie's and Aaron's sister Nichole).
• She laughs like a duck. It is getting better, but she used to make this sound that was hillarious. And she'd do it all the time. Everyone always says, "is that Peyton? is that her laugh?" And she loves to choose the most convenient times to do it. Like when it's super quiet at church and we are on the back row. Everyone turns around to see what on earth that sound is. It's gotten quiet. They wait. It almost seems like Peyton waits for everyone's attention and then she'll let the duck call out again. Is it a duck? Nope! Just my child!
• Lately she's into giving lots of loves. We'll say, "Peyton, go get Hallie!" She'll walk over to her with a big grin, lay her head right on her and wait for us to say, "ohhhhhhh....". She loves playing this game.
• Loves clapping. Anytime she hears the words, "Yeah!", her hands get going with a big grin.
• So far...(I shouldn't ginx it), she's a great eater! Loves everything.
• Total MORNING girl! Too bad so sad for me. She is the complete polar opposite of our family on this one. Regardless of what time she goes to bed, she will always be up and ready for action SO early!
• Has ALWAYS ALWAYS hated getting dressed. From the day she was born, I have had to wrestle her to get her diaper changed and clothes on while she screams. With her reaction, you'd think she had just gotten her eyes poked out. If she had it her way, she'd go nude all the time. I seriously feel like I'm roping a calf when I have to change her diaper. It is pretty comical.
• Her favorite thing to play with are shoes, keys, my jewelry, and screwdrivers (don't worry, I don't let her, but she tries time and time again)...
• Hallie has nicknamed her, "Peyton poo poo pie". She says, "Mommy, I love Peyton SO SO SO SO much. Sometimes I call her Peyton poo poo pie."
• She is such a happy baby! Always goes with the flow and ready for anything. She can for sure hold her own though. I love her so much and am SO blessed and lucky to have my adorable Peyton!

We had a fun day! Peyton of course didn't really grasp the idea that it was HER birthday, but Hallie sure enjoyed that it was. When she woke up she said (and several times that day), "Where is that little birthday girl?" Here's a few pics. P.S. These were her first pigtails and I am now aware that I did them funny. oh well! She's still cute!

Peyton's favorite present: WRAPPING PAPER! She was more interested in eating the wrapping paper than seeing her presents.

Hallie really wanted to give Peyton a "baby" for her birthday. She was so excited to wrap it and give it to her.

Yummy cake!

This was cupcake #2! She devoured the 1st one. Love the cross-eyed :)

I love this little stinker!

Yummy in My Tummy

Miracle!!!! I had to document. Hallie is such a picky eater!! Hmm.....wonder where she gets that :). Well...she WILL NOT eat any fruits or vegetables. Occasionally she'll eat an apple only if it has peanut butter on it and no peel. I have tried countless attempts and so many different ways to try and get her to even just take a teeny tiny little bite of something. But...no! She is stubborn.

So..today, we are at Target looking at home stuff and just randomly she says, "Mommy, please I want to buy some blueberries." Blueberries? ha ha! Yea Right. I'm like "Blueberries? That sounds so good! You really want some? No...you won't eat them (trying the whole reverse psychology thing)." She says, "YES! I really really want some blueberries. My tummy says, please, feed me some blueberries! And then I'll eat them and then I'll say, Mmmmmm YUMMY!" Okay? Is this my daughter? Seriously?

So Aaron takes her to get some blueberries. As I am left with Peyton thinking, "Yeah freakin right! She will not eat them!" A few minutes later, I find them in the store and Hallie is poppin them in her mouth like candy! I was shocked! She wanted to eat them all the way home, have them for lunch and after her nap today she woke up and said, "Please can I have some more blueberries! Hooray! This is a small start.

As I racked my brain trying to figure out why the heck she even thought about blueberries (we never even have them in our house), I soon figured it out. DORA!! She watched "Dora's Berry Hunt"! Genius Dora. I LOVE DORA!!!

P.S. If anybody has any helpful tips to get toddlers to not be so picky, I'll take them :).

They Say It's Your Birthday #3...

HAPPY 3RD B-DAY TO MY CUTE ADORABLE HALLIE!

I can't believe she's already 3!! I feel so incredibly blessed to have this sweet little girl. She brings so much joy to our little family. Here's some fun things about Hallie:

• She thinks she's a Mommy. Literally. It started out with 1 "Baby Peyton" (doll) and she now has 5 "Baby Peyton's!" She is quick to correct me or Aaron if we ever say anything like, "you are my sweet little girl,", "come here cutie pie", etc. She will say, "No! I a Mommy! Not a cutie pie!"
  On the same note, I as well feel that I am now a mother of 7. If she sees me get after Peyton for something, seconds later I will here, "Mommy, come get Baby Peyton. Look what's she's doing." And she doesn't give it up unless I get after her babies, give them time outs, feed them, put their clothes on, do their hair, give them snacks, etc, etc.

This is what I found while she was taking a nap. She had told me that she was going to have a baby. And she wasn't kidding. She decided she'd be pregnant while she slept and then the baby would arrive when she woke up.

• in LOVE with Dora, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (thanks to Grandpa Danny), Clifford, Olivia , Max and Ruby (or maxarudy as she calls it. thanks to Grandma Gayla) and a few others.
• loves to pretend. Always has had such an imagination so young. Her favorite things to play lately are doctor, grocery shopping, and house.
• my favorite part of the day is laying in bed with her at night before she goes to sleep and getting the giggles.
• loves to paint, make pictures, glue... anything art.
• loves the outdoors. She is ALWAYS happy when she outside doing things.

• LOVES her little sister Peyton. They are so adorable together and she has always been so excited to have her. Every morning she can't wait to go get her and hug her and show her all the toys she can play with. They are little buds. Peyton just adores her. Just about everytime we are driving in the car we have the following conversation:
  
  Hallie: Mommy, what is Peyton doing?
  Me: (I look back. Peyton is staring bright eyed with a big grin right at Hallie just waiting for her to acknowledge her.) Oh...she's just looking at you. She really likes you. Hallie: Ohhhhhh....cute. I really really really love Peyton. Hi Peyton. Hi Peyton.Hi! yea? yea? ohhh...Peyton: giggles, giggles and more giggles.
• pretty darn shy. She loves to sit and observe and take in all her surroundings before she jumps in to do anything. (although it has gotten alot better since we've moved.)
• LOVES LOVES LOVES to check the mail in hopes that she got a letter. "Mommy, think I got a letter today?" is what I hear everytime we go to there. Also loves sending them.
• has THE BEST pouty lip face. She has this mastered.
  

• loves going to parks. LOVES SLIDES, HATES SWINGS (always has).
• really into writing her name lately.
• has the sweetest heart. She is not shy about expressing her feelings. I love that just randomly throughout the day, she will say, "Hey Mommy...I really really really love you." "Hey Daddy, guess what? I love you."
• Has an AMAZING memory. She remembers things that I don't even. And is always telling me about how nice it was of so and so to give her something.
• loves to play hide and seek. Sometimes we won't even be playing and I'll just be doing the dishes or something. Then I'll hear, "Hiding!!!". And she will not come out until I find her. This is quite convenient for her when I'm asking her to go pick up her toys or do something else.
• loves to get and give surprises. This picture pretty much explains what I can find often if I tell Hallie I have a surprise for her. Before I've even come back in the room, she runs to the couch and does this. And if she wants to give me a surprise. She says, "close your eyes, hand out!"
  
  
• has such a love for learning and is very teachable. She is unlike alot of kids her age in that she will sit there for quite awhile being very content and really listen to what you are telling her. She soaks it all in.
• my little shopping bud. Loves to tell me if things are cute or ugly. Most the time she says, "ugly". But I think she just really gets a kick out of seeing my face after she says that word.
• always wants a "new" song every night before she goes to bed. If she's heard the song before she doesn't want it. I have become quite creative in the lyrics department if anyone is looking to hire :).
• favorite colors are purple and blue.
• loves counting everything.
• likes to sing "Twinkle Twinkle", "I am a Child of God" and the "Elephant Fair" to her baby Peyton's all the time. And DOES NOT like anyone to sing with her.
• always saying Please and Thank You for everything. So appreciative of everything she gets.

We had a fun day. It started with me attempting to sing "Happy Birthday" but was quickly stopped because Hallie said it was not aloud to be sung until her party. And SHE wanted to sing it. Then Daddy made Mickey Mouse pancakes and we had a fun breakfast. (Aaron didn't have to work today and Hallie said, "You got the day off cause it's my birthday!!) We went downtown to the Children's Museum and she had a blast. Then we had a little Mermaid party for her. The West's were nice to come and help us celebrate. Hallie had been pretty sad that she couldn't go back to Iowa to have a birthday party with all her friends, but was so excited when she found out her new friends Keslie and Anika would come. She LOVES these girls. They are so darling. It was a nice day. Thanks so much for everyone's phone calls, gifts, and love. She had a wonderful day and said at the end of the day, "I can't wait for my next birthday!"

Here's some pics from the day:

I'm 3!!!

Such a lady! This is what I turned around to see in the car about 2 min. after the museum.

Making the "Mermaid Birthday Cake"

Playing with her new Dora House with friends

I am so glad we have our little Hallie in the family!!