2014 in Review

     We are continuing our yearly tradition of having a little get together/playdate on New Years Eve tonight, but before we bring in 2015, I wanted to take a second to recap 2014. It seems like time is moving so quickly. It seems as if we were just ended 2013, now 2014 has come to a close. 

      These girls have grown so close this year. I think that has been my favorite part of 2014: watching the bond between these sisters grow. This time last year, Rylee loves Payton, but Payton was tiny and couldn't do much, so they weren't very close. Now they are playmates and buddies. Where one is, you can always find the other nearby. I love how much they love each other. They have their little disagreements, which I'm sure will get worse as they get older, but I hope they always love each other just like they do now.

     We have had some new experiences this year. Payton's first trip to the park, beach, pool... a lot of first for her this year. She's also shown us her personality in full force. She is very active and happy, and she knows exactly what she wants. She is a special little lady. Rylee Love has changed so much. She has come out of her shell 100%. I can't beleive she was shy this time last year. NO ONE would accuse her of being shy these days. She still has her anxieties and every once in a while she may still have a tantrum, but overall she has matured so much this year. I can't believe it's the same child!

      We have spent a lot of time with those we love this year. Family is so important to us. I didn't grow up with any extended family nearby, so I love that the girls get to have such close relationships with their cousins and (great) aunts and (great) uncles and (great) grandparents. It makes me very happy.

        These girls sure have changed a lot this year. I don't even want to think how big they will be this time next year. I really wish I could find the trick to make time slow down.

    & I sure hope this isn't a sign of what 2015 has in store for us..... ;)

15 Month Check-Up

      Payton Joy turned 15 months old on Christmas Day. This morning she had a follow up for her bronchitis last week, and since her lungs sounded clear and she was fever free, the doctor agreed it would be best to go ahead and do her 15 month check-up and shots while we were there instead of coming back and risking even more exposure to the sickness in the doctor's office during flu season. She weighed in at 22 lbs 12 oz (50th percentile) which was down for her. She weighed 24 lbs 4 oz (75th percentile) in early December. With her being sick so much and becoming increasingly active, the weight loss was not surprising. She was 31 inches long (50th percentile). After talking about her development, Dr Melton said she was right on track with her gross and fine motor skills and her receptive and oral language skills were advanced. Looks like I'm going to have 2 "chatty Cathys" in my house! The bets new of all is her head did not grow at all between her 12 month and 15 month visit. Even with the lack of a gain, her head size was still off the chart in terms of size. Dr Melton said at this point size the growth has slowed that he doesn't see anything to be concerned with and that if she agains shows minimal growth at 18 months that she will be completely in the clear. I was terrified of being referred to a neurologist and finding out what might be causing her rapid head growth, and having this constant fear at the back of my mind since the problem first arose at her 9 month visit has worn on me more than I realized. I definitely feel like a weight has been lifted. In Dr Melton's words, "she just has a big head." 

      After her check up, I took her and Rylee Love to Chikfila. The girls love it there, and unless we are sick and contagious, we go there after every doctor visit. The girls chow down and then we play, play, play! Everywhere we go people comment on how pretty Payton is. I think it's the constant smile on her face that brings them in. It makes me smile. She is a pretty, pretty girl just like her big sister. Rylee Love always says "Payt-y and I are the cutest!" I have to agree,

       Payton Joy is officially walking! She didn't just take off one day like Rylee did. She started taking a few steps here and there in November, then in early December she got where she could walk a few steps in a row, and gradually it has gotten to the point where now she is nearly exclusively walking. She still falls sometimes, especially if she tries to run, but she is pretty much a pro at this point. For some reason (I think she was trying to make a point that she was growing up and break my heart), as she began walking, she also began self-weaning. She went from consistently nursing twice a day to once a day and even skipping some days, then last week when she got bronchitis, she just quit nursing altogether. I miss the snuggles I got when she would nurse and miss our bonding time, but I am glad she weaned herself and we never had a big deal about it. But I have noticed since she quit nursing she has been 100x's more addicted to her paci. She has to have one in her mouth and 1 in each hand (3 pacis total) to fall asleep.  And she has even gotten to where she likes to have one in her mouth while she is playing. I have a feeling weaning her from the paci will not be nearly as easy.

     Payton wears size 18-24 Months clothes, size 4 or 5 shoes, and size 4 diapers. She has 12 teeth and she knows how to use them! She loves to eat. She sleeps from about 7 pm -6 am when we have school and on weekends she plays catch up and sleeps until around 8. Now that we're on break, she's been getting up around 7. She usually takes 1 nap per day for around 2-3 hours, but if we have been very busy or she's not feeling well, she may take 2. She talks A LOT. I am blown away by her speech at only 15 months. She speaks in sentences. (I want ____. What's that? It's the ____.) She has even said "I love you." a few times.S he labels absolutely everything. Some of the words she says most frequently are mama, daddy (she says it like da-DEE), pa-pa (pacifier), wa-wa (water or milk), mimmie (minnie), sissy or Ry-la, med-med (medicine), ball, cheese (when she sees a camera or a phone), and two of my favorites are whoa!  and uh-oh.

Christmas(es) 2014

    Friday we traveled to Georgia, to Aunt Andrea and Uncle Phil's home to spend the weekend. Saturday began Christmas Round 1 with the Boswells in Georgia. We had a delicious lunch and got way too full, and then the kids opened presents and got way too spoiled! The kids played and played while the adults played Bezzerwizzer and Alex, Mel, and my team won!

      Sunday we traveled to Canton (about an hour from where Aunt Andrea and Uncle Phil live), to have Christmas Round 2 with Mel and Josh. Rylee and Payton had a blast playing in Austin's room, and then we opened presents. The girls were so excited. PAyton loves Minnie Mouse and Rylee Love adores Frozen, so the gifts were perfect. After presents, we headed to a local Mexican restaurant for lunch and then we headed back to Aunt Andrea and Uncle Phil's.

     We had noticed Rylee Love wasn't feeling very well. She didn't have anything extreme, but she just wasn't 100%, so we took her to the local Urgent Care since we would be spending most of the day Monday driving home, we wanted to make sure it wasn't anything serious before we headed back. It turns out she had Flu type A. I was worried since hse had come in contact with so many people in the last few days that someone else would get it, but luckily that din;t happen. We got her some tamiflu to help her kick it by Christmas, and she was fever free and better by Monday afternoon. On the ride home Monday, Payton was coughing A LOT and her fever returned, so I called to make her a follow up appointment with Dr. Melton about her upper respiratory infection. We went in Tuesday and his exact words were "her lungs sound terrible," so after 3 chest xrays and a flu test and a blood test, it was determined that she had developed a severe case of bacterial bronchitis because the amoxicillin she was on for her upper respiratory infection didn't kick it. She was given a baby zPac and albuteral to help clear her lungs and we go back Monday to make sure she is all better.

     Christmas Eve, we had Christmas Round 3 with my sisters and these sweet cousins. We ate brunch and then exchanged gifts. It was a lot of fun. These kids just have a blast playing together, but add presents into the mix and it's double the fun! Payton still wasn't feeling 100%, but since she wasn't contagious, we let her join in the fun and that seemed to be the best medicine for her.

     We we got home, Payton took a nap, so Rylee Love and I had fun decorating our giant gingerbread man that Aunt Andrea gave us. Of course, she didn't want to eat any being the picky child that she is, but she had a blast decorating him.

    When Payton got up, we had dinner, then we began Christmas Round 4 and exchanged gifts among our little family. To keep myself form going overboard, I did want, need, wear, read for the girls this year. Rylee Love got Frozen dolls (want), rain boots (need), a Frozen t-shirt (wear), and some sight word reader (read). Payton Joy got a giant Minnie Mouse (want), new tennis shoes (need), a Minnie Mouse t-shirt (wear), and a Minnie Mouse book (read). I got Ryan a gun safe, and some new pajamas. A few months back he got his carry permit and that was part of his Christmas gift as well. I got a tripod, an embroidery/sewing machine, and accessories to go with it.

       After the girls went to bed on Christmas Eve, we set up their "big" gifts in the living room for them to wake up and find on Christmas morning. Rylee Love got a keyboard to practice her new piano skills on and Payton Joy got a Minnie Mouse ball pit. Both girls were ecstatic. After they enjoyed their new gifts for a while, we passed out stockings. Everyone got a few little goodies.

        Then we began Christmas Round 5, Christmas morning breakfast at Granny and Paw Paw's. It was so much fun. We ate til we couldn't eat anymore, then Rylee Love and Jenna passed out everyone's presents. After presents, we enjoyed each other's company while the girls played and played and played. Around noon, we headed home so Payton Joy could nap. When I got into the car, I realized I had left my phone in there. I checked to see if I'd missed anything, and I screamed when I saw the text my sister had sent me. MARY AND CHUCK ARE ENGAGED!!!! I called her and got all the details and squealed some more. I could not be more excited for them.

      After Payton woke up from her nap, we headed to Nonna and Granddaddy's for Christmas Round 6. Rylee Love passed out on the way there. She didn't want to nap at home, but apparently she needed one. Being spoiled is hard work after all!

     We had a lot of fun at Nonna and Granddaddy's. Payton opened all the gifts, she wouldn't even let Rylee Love open her own gifts. So Rylee Love played with the new gifts, especially Payton's, while we unwrapped. Then we headed home and tried our best to get the house in order because we knew Friday we'd be hosting the Houghtalings Christmas at our house,

     Christmas Round 7 was the longest, loudest, and most exhausting round, but it was A LOT of fun. We squealed and awed over Mary's ring. We started some wedding planning. ;) The kids played and played and played some more. We had dinner. Then finally it was time to open gifts. The kids got in their matching jammies, and we began to pass out gifts. Everyone got what they wanted and more. It was definitely a very blessed Christmas. Then we had a slumber party. Rylee and Kaden slept in Rylee's bed. Bailey slept with mary on one air mattress. Ryan and I slept on another air mattress. My parents had the master bedroom. And Liz took a couch. We woke up and I made chocolate chip pancakes and then everyone headed home.

     As busy as Christmas is for us (7 rounds?!), I did my best to never lose sight of what really matters. I think that made this our brest Christmas yet. We've read the Christmas story to the girls a million times. I've spent every moment I could with these 3. And I have enjoyed every minute I have been able to spend with everyone we love. I hope your Christmas was as merry as ours. 

Christmas Fun

      It seems like Christmas is sneaking up on us this year. I can't believe it's that time of year again already! My pretty girls have gotten into the spirit by wearing Christmas dresses to church each Sunday since Thanksgiving.

      On Saturday, we took the kids to Christmas City in Burlison. It was Payton's first time there. She LOVED all the beautiful lights. The kids had an absolute blast and we love going there year after year.

     Sunday we had our Christmas cantata at church. The choir did a great job and some church members shared some of their memories of Christmas. It was happy and sad and beautiful all at once. It was a great day.

     Wednesday we went over to Kaden's house to make Christmas cookies! Rylee Love was so into decorating them, and Payton was definitely excited about eating them. The kids had fun playing and eating and decorating.

      Thursday was pajama day at RPS. The students got to attend a nutcracker celebration, make 3D winter wonderlands, and have our class Christmas party. It was a crazy, crazy day but a lot of fun.

     Rylee Love had a blast wearing her pajamas to school and really enjoyed her class party. Tomorrow Payton has her class party while we have a half day at school and then we are heading to Georgia to begin our Christmas(es). I'm going to let Payton wear her pajamas to her class party since she missed out on pajama day with Rylee Love and I. Plus she has been out the last 2 days with an upper respiratory infection and we have to be in the car for the rest of the day after school, so I want her to be as comfy as possible.

Field Tripping

    On Wednesday, December 3rd all of RPS kindergarten (that is 12 kindergarten classes) took a field trip to Memphis to see Peter Pan at Playhouse on the Square. It is such a cute play. The kids really enjoyed it, and they were extremely well behaved throughout. Overall, it was a very great day! But there were 12 very tired kindergarten teachers at the end of it!

     On Friday, December 5th, our class took a mini field trip to the Ripley Square to see The Festival of Trees. We got to hear a story, vote on our favorite trees, and color a picture. It was a lot of fun. The kids really enjoyed seeing all the beautifully decorated trees. Rylee Love's class got to go later that day, and she voted on the Frozen tree, of course.

      Thursday, December 11th, I took a personal day so I could chaperon Pre-K's field trip to Peter Pan. It is so different going on a field trip as parent vs as a teacher. I enjoyed getting to spend the day with Rylee Love and see her reaction to the play. I also enjoyed getting to meet her classmates and her "best school friend" Lexi. It was a lot of fun, and Rylee really enjoyed the play. We even got to sit next to Bailey and Mary during the show, so that was extra special. I am so glad I had the opportunity to go on this trip.

A Quarter of a Century

     It's that time again! Happy Birthday to me and my little birthday buddy! Little Man had his 4th birthday party last weekend. It was Mario themed, and his big surprise was a trampoline! Rylee Love was hooked instantly! His party was so much fun. Some of us adults even had to try out Kaden's new toy. He could not have had a better birthday party!

       Sunday, we had a mini birthday party for me since my parents were already in town for Kaden's party. We ate, watched football, and just spent time as a family. I got some great gifts and my mom made my favorite chocolate pudding cake. It was delicious. It was a very good day!

     Today is my 25th birthday. I've officially been on this planet for a quarter of a century. All I can say is, so far, so good. I woke up this morning to a chocolate cake, presents, and warm biscuits for breakfast. I have the sweetest hubby ever. He woke up at 4 am to get everything ready for my special day! :) At school, a few of my sweet kiddos brought me gifts or cards they had made themselves. I have the sweetest class this year.

    After school, we headed to Olympic for dinner with Ryan's family. It was good food and good times. When we got home, we finally cut into my cake, it was so good! Payton agrees! Then Rylee gave me my last birthday surprise that she had picked out herself. A giant teddy bear so I'd "always have someone to snuggle with." She is just the sweetest! I had such an amazing birthday.