Family Fun

While Uncle Nick was in town for Payton's first birthday we had some Halloween fun. The night before he was due to leave we all went out to dinner and back to our house for dessert. Little did everyone know that I was gonna make them carve a pumpkin ; ). It was a fun evening full of laughter and carving. Thanks Kerruish's!

everybody has a pumpkin to carve...... Gram and I are carving Payton who is already snuggled in bed for the night.

oh Uncle Nick! it was so fun having you home!

I carved Payton her #34 (Walter Payton's #) and Gram carved her her Jack-o-lantern!

the boys pumpkins ALL lit up!

Happy Halloween EVERYBODY!

Look Whoo's One?!

ok ok ok. I know I kinda went over board and made Payton's birthday almost a wedding. : ) It included a two tired cake, dessert table, and craft table! But it was so much fun and we just had to go all out for the sweetest little peanut I have ever had a pleasure to know, and luckily that would be my my amazing one year old.  I cannot wrap my brain around the fact that a entire year has passed. People tell you it goes by fast but you have know idea until the shoe is on the other foot. Payton had so many friends and family to celebrate her on her big day and we felt so much love. Due to the fact that it has been a trying year, with my health concerns, it was nice to celebrate with all the people we love. Payton had her FIRST piece of cake at her birthday and I have to say that at first she was confused but then she was all about it. She got a lot of gifts that she opened on her new comfy chair Aunt NanA , Uncle Jason, and Bel got for her. Payton was SO excited to see people walk in to her party she would just scream for joy when she saw new faces! It was the sweetest thing. I think she go the idea that the day was about her and really loved it up.who wouldn't : )?!

This cake was amazing!

yes she is wearing the happiest first birthday outfit u have ever seen! and she loved sitting in her chair.

we also had favors for everyone to take home. Carmel apples,yum!

this is the owl Gram K handmade for Payton. so cute

waiting for her guests to arrive!

family family everywhere!Uncle Eric, Cuz Jacob, & Uncle Nick even came into town especially for Payton's big day

we ended the day with Payton snoozing in her crib with a a stomach full of birthday goodies while daddy and I let her birthday balloons go to land somewhere special.

Payton is our beautiful baby girl and yet I know I cannot call her a baby anymore because definition says she is now a toddler. She will always be my baby though ; ). Just a few days after her big party we went to her 1 yr check-up. That consisted of some more vaccines and her numbers. She is 25 pounds and 30 inches long! Payton is on a sippy cup all day long and only gets a bottle before bed. Boy she is becoming a big girl. I remember fondly just last year at this time never imagining my beautiful baby girl being able to ever sit up on her own and now she is a toddler. Wild! I do love this age and can't wait for trick-or-treating!

Off to the Pumpkin Patch

I just LOVE this time of the year and from what I can tell Payton does too. We have been too the pumpkin farm twice so far and she had a great time! We are now giving Payton her milk in sippy cups for breakfast and dinner just for her to get a feel for it. She is really good with her cup and she seem to like it.Payton is basically off of baby food is on to big girl food. I cannot believe how fast it all changes. She is starting to say momma, although I am not sure if she realizes what it means. I will take whatever i can get :). Payton LOVES being outside. When we are not outside I have found her a couple times by the window just standing and staring outside. It is so sweet. Hard to believe that next weekend we are celebrating her first birthday. She really has the best personality and is my bestie forever. God has blessed us

11 Months

Payton is 11 months! OMG, we are less then a month away from the BIG birthday. She is my bestie and has changed Zack and mine lives forever. She is for sure down to one nap during the day now which is fun because we have more time to play. She goes down at noon and can sleep from anywhere to 2-3 hours. I know I say this all the time but she is such a happy baby. When I wake her up in the morning I LOVE getting her hug and big smile.Milk it is...... not the full bottle but pretty much. We have not switched to full bottles of milk yet because  I think we are all just trying to get rid of our formula first. Payton is having no problem withe the whole milk though. I am super excited about planning her birthday! We just can't imagine life without her. She is the most precious thing to us in the world........................
                                                      PAYTON
                       One praised by others; meek, unassuming
                      sure of herself, a women who is destined to be
                      a leader, Her heart aches for those in need
                          if someone is hungry, she shares with them
                      Has dainty good looks and sparkling eyes
                   A  women who is quiet and intelligent, she is thrifty,
                               determined and a deep thinker
                                 * Her namesake meaning. *
I believe this to be true from some of the chareteristics so far. Our peanut is amazing. Here are some pictures of some fun we have had

Payton and Blake meeting up at the South Egin Harvest Hussle

trying to get pics of all these sweet babies looking! thats a laugh!

first pony ride! she giggeled and likes petting the pony's mane. Daddy better get her a pony,lol

She is a cowgirl at heart : )

sweet peanut so excited about the pumpkins!

*Mommy Update #3*

As I write this I have been radiated! Sounds strange but true! Where I left you guys last time was that I was supposed to get a fine needle biopsy. I called and scheduled the appointment and my husband insisted to come with me. I had tons of support and prayer strength from family and friends. I knew it was because of this that I felt peaceful and calm, especially because I deal with anxiety on a normal basis. Zack and I were brought back to the room where I would have the procedure. I got all robed up, held my strong husbands hand , closed my eyes and began to pray in my head that no matter what for God to give me strength and peace. This prayer has been my go to prayer many times a day for the past few months. It has been a roller coaster for my family and I lately started to feel sorry for myself and beaten. If you have ever known me in your life those two characteristics are the ones i try to stay farthest away from. The procedure started with another ultrasound to pin point the exact spots of the tumors before putting the needles in. The room was dark, cold, and quiet. My warmth I felt came from my amazing husband trying to make jokes to the tech to  keep the mood light. I know that God gave me this wonderful man as my husband because in all aspects he seems to know just what to do to keep smiling. The room got quiet again and then the tech said " Ok, well we don't have anything to biopsy today!". There was silence again. Zack and I gave each other a look of giddiness confusion. Zack was the one to break silence again and say "What?". In the next few minutes another tech ultarsounded me as well as the doctor who was going to do the biopsy. They found nothing! They didn't have the previous ultrasound pictures (they were at another hospital) so they couldn't give a guaranteed answer on why the previous report showed tumors. There suggestion was that could have been, bad pics, due to the Grave's disease diagnosis the thyroid is inflamed lumpy and bumpy, or shadows. What they could guarantee us was that there was nothing there now and if it were nodules that could come and go ,due to hormones, then it was definitely not cancer. Some people could say it was mistakes due from the other hospital, bad readings or strange coincidences. What I feel in my heart is that I was touched my God and we witnessed a small miracle. The next step for us was how do we treat my Grave's disease , a form of hyperthyroid. What we all came to a consensus on was that I would take  a iodine pill filled with radiation and it would go straight to the thyroid and kill it off. I went in to the hospital to take the pill yesterday and I have to be somewhat quarantined for two days. Today is my second day and I am missing my little peanut Payton. She is at YaYa and Pa Pa's house for the weekend while I hang out in my bedroom. Thank you to my parents and Diane for ALL your help through this trial. Your support has meant the world to us. I am very grateful that these health problems have happened while Payton is so young so that she doesn't remember her mom as sick or feel as if not enough time together. Thank you to all for your prayers, love and support. We could have not gotten through this without you.