April 9th Museum and Zoo

On monday the 9th while my parents were still in town we went to the Natural History Museum.  Some of my extended Bird family went to it as well so that was fun to see them.  Payten loved seeing all the animals and different things there! She had so much fun! 

After the Museum we went to lunch at Red Robbins and get our energy back and then went to Hoogle Zoo! It was a big day of adventures but we loved it and Payten really loved seeing all the animals!

We tried out her cousin Brighton's backpack leash! She wanted to run all over the place so that was the best thing! 

Deven said that used to be his favorite drinking fountain when he would go to the zoo as a little boy!

It was a bit of a challenge but we managed to change Payten's diaper while Deven held her!

We had a great day as a family went to such fun places! Payten slept good through the night after such a fun day at the museum and the zoo!

Taxes Done March 29th

This year was my first year doing my taxes!!! With Deven's business we had to pay someone to do them. We lucked out last year and my mom was able to help us figure them out so we didn't have to pay anyone.  But this year I did them!!! Thankfully Payten took about a 3 hour nap so I was able to do them.  And thankfully my mom was nice enough to be on the phone with me in case I had a question.  I did them all once and then realized that I could do them a different way so that I didn't have to pay to submit them.  So I did it all again!

I felt very accomplished with the fact that I didn't have anyone else at my house helping me do them! It sounds a little weird but I thought they were actually fun trying to figure them all out! One big help was that I use MINT.com!!! Mint is just a great program I recommend everyone to use!  It helps me keep track of my money so I know exactly where all of my money is going and then I can categorize all my expenses so that when Tax time comes I can group all my expense in the right category and easily figure out how much I spent on each thing!

By using Mint I am so much more aware of our money and trying to save as much as possible.  I love setting a budget so I know how much money I can spend on certain things! Since Deven is the one making the money it is my job to make it stretch as far as possible! And combined with using Mint and couponing I have been able to stretch our money out and save money!!!

Easter

We celebrated Easter with the Johnson's the thursday before Easter.  We had dinner and then found easter eggs! Payten got a lot of help finding the eggs with her Daddy.  I kinda think Deven was more excited about finding the eggs than she was.  

All the girls with their great grand parents!!!

Easter we had to wake Payten up for church (at 8:45) and she was not ready to wake up.  So we hurried and got her dressed and then ran off to church.  When we got home she was beyond ready for her nap, so needless to say, she was not a happy camper and did not want her picture taken!

She cheered up a little when we showed her what the Easter bunny brought her.  She loved it!

She was a good help helping Deven put up her princess castle!

She loved it!!!

We then celebrate easter with the Bird family and ate a delicious dinner and found more easter eggs! We are so blessed to have such great family that we get to see so much of! 

Nutty Puddy March 31st

One saturday we went out to Nutty Puddy with the Johnson family.  Spent the day hanging out and playing.  We took our four-wheeler but Payten has become scared of it.  So it took a little bit to get her on there. So we just took her for a slow little ride! We roasted hot dogs out there and had a lot of fun! 

15 months- March 22nd

Height- 31" 69%

Weight- 22 lbs 37%

This girl already has the doctors office figured out...SHE HATES IT! Our poor doctor can't even come in the room with out Payten screaming and crying. So just imagine at how impossible it is for him to check her. It is not easy! However, she is a very healthy baby and growing like a weed!

I have not been very good at keeping track of when she learns new things but things she has learned since turning a year:

-Things she says: Hi, thank you, all done, daddy, mommy, grandpa, grandma, bo bo (Deven's dog), ah oh, up, hot dog & Be be (Brighton).

-Blows kisses (even makes the muah sound)

-loves to give little kids kisses

-Drinks out of a cup (has to make the ahh sound when done, even if she is pretending)

-Patty Cake

-Tries to walk up the stairs (refuses to learn how to go down them)

-Fold arms and closes her eyes

-Hits herself on the head when she sees people, especially her daddy (she thinks it is so funny).

-Climbs on everything

-Does bump it, hits her knuckles to your knuckles.

-Loves to dance with her arms

-Winks, with both eyes :)

-Animal sounds: bunny (she says hop hop), fish (makes fish face and opens and closes her mouth), horse, dog, and cow.

-Has to sit on my counter when I am getting ready.

-Peak a boo

-Knocks on the windows and doors

-Loves her baths (a half hour is a normal time in the bath unless we are in a hurry)

She is still a stinker and does not eat very well. She picks at her food a little, but does not eat a solid meal very well. She still takes bottles throughout the day. The result of her not eating very well is her walking up randomly throughout the night :(. We dont make her cry it out very long because we know that she is hungry since she doesn't eat very well throughout the day. We let her cry for about 5 minutes though to make sure it wasn't just a little random cry. Also lately we have noticed that she is starting to get more nightmares. She then just needs a little love and then usually will lay back down to sleep.

She goes to bed around 10 and then doesn't get out of bed until around 8-9:30. She still takes two naps during the day. First nap is about 2.5 hours and then her second is around 1.5 hrs. We tried a couple times with only one nap, but she just really still needs two. She goes down for her first nap at noon and then her second one around 5:30-6:30 depending on when she wakes up from her first.

When she does eat she is very messy. She has to get her baths after she eats!

By the time she is ready to get out of the bath her hair is usually all dried and she looks like a beached whale. Even once I drain the water she still stays in :)

Everyday she keeps getting funnier! We just love her so much and can't believe how much joy she brings to our lives.