Apple Picking

Couple of weeks ago I took Payton up to Oak Glen for some apple picking. We needed a relaxing day. It's been crazy around here. Still trying to get settled and situated and I decided to go off and join CrossFit for some crazy reason. (Ok actually, I kinda like it, most days :) I still haven't sorted our road trip pics or anything :( Anyhoo. It was nice to soak up some sunshine with Miss P.

I'm still not sure when she skipped toddler and turned into my amazing little girl.

And she's done. I love our little adventures together.

Happy Halloween 2012

Last Friday we took Payton to Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland. She really understands the holiday's this year so it was a ton of fun. She couldn't decide what she wanted to be so Gram made her a pirate costume. Payton loved it.

Disneyland was a ton of fun as usual. Payton danced with Chip and Dale and rode her first real roller coaster. Big Thunder Mountain. She saw the Choo Choo train and wanted to go. I figured she clears the height requirement by a good couple inches so what the hey? She'll love it or it will be the last Choo Choo she rides for a while. Well, she LOVED it. We also hit a couple kiddy rides and Star Tours. She really enjoyed all the rides. I think she might just be my best Disneyland buddy yet. Lets not forget about Rapunzel!!! 

The entire drive to Disneyland, while parking, tram ride and into the park. 'Mommy lets go see Rapunzel, Mommy lets go see Rapunzel' it was on constant repeat. So, that was the first stop so we were good the rest of the night.

Payton talked my dad into going and dressing up like Indiana Jones :) I think he had fun. Hey, free candy and not just for the kids! 

More princesses. I really tried hard not to really encourage the princess stage but I guess it's the whole rebelling thing. But she loves her fair share of Peter Pan and the pirates too so... It's manageable. I'm just embracing it now. :) 

We were looking forward to the Halloween fireworks but the Santa Ana winds decided to join us and we missed out :(

But the parade carried on and was fun too. We had a great time and think we might have a new Halloween tradition. And it may include group costumes next year because wow, these people go way out and have amazing costumes. 

Payton's New Kicks

So one of my therapists gave me some new shoes. Not those...

These. My ankles aren't straight so I wear these sometimes to help. I don't mind them too much, just glad they're pink. 

They make fun sound when I'm on the floor, but they're slippery so mom doesn't let me wear them a lot with out regular shoes.

Thankfully my Gram got me my Chucks to wear with them. They hide the braces pretty well.

I can still play and climb like normal just a little weird.

They're pretty cool though. Till next time. Love, Payton

Summer So Far...

It's me, Payton again and I wanted to share with everyone my summer so far...

I LOVE to play 'ouside' so mommy got me a pink bouncy ball...  It's so much fun! 

We went to the zoo again the other day for a birthday party. Mom thought since they had these water fountain things (water shooting from the ground) I would want to play hence the swim suit. 

But I wanted to play with the ducks. I kept calling to them in 'quack' but they didn't want to play :(

My first popsicle! It was yummy!!

I was inspecting findings in my backyard...

Really mom? You know I hate getting dirt on my feet!

Till the next adventure.... xoxo, Payton

Vaca Recap (finally)

Hi everyone, I took over the blog from mommy tonight to tell everyone about our trip. It was a lot of fun! It was pretty eventful.  We started out by surprising our cousin for her 15th birthday. Apparently that means she's getting old because mom said she used to be her little cousin now she's not. I haven't gone to school yet but I'm starting to figure things out.

Then, I got my first haircut by Miss Pammy. I sat with my Gram while Pam cut that really long random curl on top of my head. The one that was like WAY longer than the rest. And she trimmed up the bangs.

See, so much better.  

Even Popeye came to watch. (I don't like the name Grandpa, Popeye fits him so much better)

Here is my certificate mommy designed for my scrapbook.

We went to see my Auntie Christi again and we got to go play at the lake. I didn't mind the water, if she was holding me. :) It was a fun afternoon though. Thank you Auntie Christi.

'Baby burrito' Seriously though, how do people sleep on these weird chairs? I could not do it!

Me with my Auntie, aren't we cool?

For some reason this was a very important time in my life. First time on a sand volleyball court and learning to spike. Something about the start of my career, whatever that is.

And of course, filled with LOTS of playtime. 

Peace out Cali, till next time. Love, Payton

One Year Surgery Check Up

It's me, Payton again. On Friday I had my one year check up for my cranioplasty surgery. It went well, it's always a long appointment and a lot of doctors looking at me. The speech therapist was happy with how many words I have and how well I can understand things. The orthodontist liked my teeth, felt like he was doing a full exam. I let him know I was not happy with that. My plastic surgeon said I am healing really well and my screws and plates should be dissolving soon. He mentioned that sometimes with forehead reconstruction the eyebrow bones can become flat but mine aren't like that and not to worry I'll grow into mine. I wasn't really worried about it till now. Thanks. I get to go see my neurosurgeon in about six months to get another CT or MRI scan done again to check my ventricles. Since I'm catching up on my milestones they're not too worried about hydrocephalus I might just have a big brain, that just means I'm smart right? That's what mommy tells me. I have to go back and see the developmental pediatrician next month so they can see why I'm not walking. He said I can play in the big play room and I'll see an occupational therapist and maybe physical therapist. They're not too worried but they check out all babies who don't walk after 16 months. I consider us smart, I get carried everywhere. Although mom is catching on and making me walk some more. I guess I knew it was going to come at some point. Anyhoo, I'm doing really well from surgery and don't have to go back to see the whole doctor entourage again for a year... woohoo... Thanks again to everyone's support through all this past year. Love, Payton

St Patty's Day '11

Happy St Patty's Day everyone. Of course my mom made me a festive little outfit, and of course we had to take pictures TODAY. I was not feeling having my photos done today, but mom never listens to me. She thinks even my fussy pics are cute... ugh! Anyways here are some decent ones AKA I put on a happy face so she would leave me be. To give mom some credit, she did try and bribe me with some M&M's. That helped a little bit :)

Before she busted out the M&M's

Here you can see most of my outfit... I LOVE my shoes... the little gem sparkle thing on the toe is fab! Mommy sewed the couple shamrocks on my shirt, you can't see the stem but it's there. She got the idea from one of her little site things. 

Isn't my hair bow fun? I guess it was supposed to be a bow tie for boys, but why do boys wear bows? Aren't they just for girls? Anyways, I loved it too. 

Okay, time for me to go now.  Love, Payton

Merry Christmas from Payton...

Hi, it's me, Payton; I wanted to tell everyone about my Christmas. It was a great day! When I first woke up I saw this:

How fun!!! Mom made chocolate chip pancakes (some were a little toasty, but I won't tell her :) and then I got to open my stocking and presents from mommy...

Lots of fun jewelry, books and puzzles...

I LOVE books!!!!!!!!

I got to video chat with my dad, nana, papa and the rest of my Indiana family and open their gifts. Then more play time and nap time...

Me playing with my new hair salon that Santa brought me. But, I heard mommy say on the phone it took her two nights to build and that I needed to thank Auntie Jessica and Uncle Ryan... Do Auntie Jessica and Uncle Ryan live next to Santa and they'll pass the message along? And why is mommy building things for Santa, isn't that what the elves are for? I've heard about mommy's building skills, well, lack there of so I'm a bit nervous playing on it... After my nap, Santa came AGAIN! (luckily mom didn't have to build anything else :)

Now I'm really confused because mom kept telling me to thank Gram and Grandpa for these gifts that Santa left. Are there two Santas and there was a miscommunication when they divided the nice list and I got put on both? I'm okay with that :) 

I love my new Minnie Mouse chair! It's just my size. I got to video chat with Gram and Grandpa too and they got to see me in my chair and open their gifts too. I'm still working on getting out of the chair gracefully... Thank you to everyone who helped make my Christmas special. I love you all!

BYE!!!!

New Foods

Hi everyone, I convinced mommy to let me blog about this one. She's always talking for me. Anyways, she made me breakfast yesterday, no not the instant baby cereal, actually used the big hot thing in the kitchen, dirtied dishes and everything. I just got scrambled eggs (plain, ugh) and pancakes (plain again!) I know she can add a little seasoning to the eggs and chocolate chips to the pancakes. Something about my tummy not liking it. Whatever.
It wasn't too bad. I inspected it quite a bit before trying it. (don't mind the bedhead. I don't know how to use a comb yet) The eggs were fun to play with, and the pancakes were ok. No syrup :(

 (this is soooo unflattering, future boyfriends close your eyes)

I made some cute faces for mom to amuse her. Oh and she tried to get me to drink my formula out of a cup! Um no, I showed her. Bottles are the cool thing duh! Oh and OF COURSE I shared with my BFF Reese.

Love, Payton