My PB + J

A Letter to Payton – 7 Months

Dear Payton-
   Today you are seven months! It is crazy to think that we are in the second half of your first year. Everyone that told us time would fly was spot on. The other day when we returned from our Las Vegas getaway I was going through your dresser to weed out your smaller clothes. When I got to your onesie and shirt drawer, which is typically a mess and very rare that you wear anything from there I found that only three of the shirts actually fit you. I showed Daddy one of your 0-3 month onesies on my belly and we both got really sad. You have gotten so big, so fast. You have reached twenty pounds, which is just crazy considering I was only 19 pounds when I was a year old. Your wardrobe is diminishing as you are wearing 12+ month clothing. You love food, which is very apparent considering your size. We just started you on two meals a day and you have yet to reject anything that we have presented. I love feeding you! I find so much joy in watching you everyday and luckily we have had another month together without me leaving you everyday. I could really get used to not working but unfortunately bills need to be paid and Momma has to go back to work. Daddy and I spend our evenings watching you discover your surroundings and are finding ourselves telling you “no” very often. You are very smart and completely aware of your surroundings. I could go on and on bragging about you but I am going to stop myself. Everyday you amaze me, I love you more than life itself and thank you for your continuous loving smiles, giggles and “looks”. You are what gets me through the day.

– You said “da-da” today. Sadly, daddy didn’t hear it because you and I had walked to target. 
– You are an independent sitter, you crawl, and are starting to pull yourself up into a standing position. 
– You already know how to get your way, please help me Lord for our future. 
– Still no teethers. We can feel one starting to break through though. (please tooth gods, this mama is worn out from the misery teething causes!)
– We spent one week away from you for the first time this month. It went well and from what Grandma and Papa say you were an angel. 
– You have started finger foods and apple juice from a sippy cup.  
– New foods this month are: raspberry, pear, cauliflower, broccoli, mango, cherries and you will be introduced to your first meats, turkey and lamb. 

xoxo-

Mommy

 
She was so not happy when I took her monthly pictures. She hardly slept and barely even gave me a smile all day due to her hurting mouth. 

Playing with her puffs. 

Showing Mommy and Daddy she knows how to hold them not only in her fingers but where she is hiding them. 

and she is a little confused that they are all supposed to go in her mouth. 

One of her many “looks”. 
Chasing after Mama. This girl can book it! 

A Half-Year-Old

Dear Payton-

   Today you are a half of a year old, I cannot believe how fast this year is flying by! I know I say this each month but with each passing day you grow and learn something new. This past month has been so exciting watching you learn and explore as you scoot, discover your toys, your hair accessories (which almost gave me a heart attack when you discovered this) and how you “talk”. You amaze me and I could literally sit and watch you play all day. Your newest thing is rolling all over the living room, on a few occasions you have almost ended up outside, you have bonked your head a few times on the heater and found a passion for mommy’s shoes. Daddy may be in trouble if you have a shoe fetish, but this is okay with me, as long as we’re the same shoe size! You are starting to cuddle, which Daddy and I love to death! I love when I am home to see you wake-up because it puts in the best mood for rest of the day. You have been solid foods now for a few months and you haven’t rejected anything which is great! You have eaten: Sweet potatoes, yams (I think these are your fav), butternut squash, sweet peas, carrots, zucchini, avocado (another fav) and peaches. You usually devour everything and are starting to grab for your spoon! You are officially feeding yourself with your bottle which we also love. We missed your six-month wellness check today because you were really fussy from your stubborn teethers that don’t seem to want to cut through which has in return made you very crabby and your in a lot of pain. Mama gave you some Tylenol and you went down for a two hour nap, which I joined in on and we overslept! I feel like a bad mommy, but we will have to weigh you this weekend to see how much you weigh, my guess is eighteen pounds. To mark your half year birthday we are purchasing your big girl car seat since you don’t have any more room left in your carrier. You are so grown-up my sweet baby girl! Let the birthday planning begin! 
Pay, we love you and thank God everyday for bringing you into our lives. 

A Letter to Payton – Five Months

Dear Payton-

Today you are five months. I am more in love with you today then I was the first time I saw you my gorgeous baby girl. Each day gets easier and you are learning and growing with each passing day. You love to giggle and squirm as we tickle you and blow behind your ears. You spend a good chunk of the day bouncing in your jumparoo and playing on your activity mat. You have mastered rolling from back to stomach but still get caught up going the opposite direction. You also love your doggy, Delilah. On some occasions you have managed to grab a hold of her tongue and pull it straight out of her mouth. You also love latching onto her long crooked tail, pulling it and giggling as Delilah just watches you. You two are best friends! You also decided to find your “voice” three weeks ago at 4 o’clock in the morning. You just lay in your crib talking to yourself while Daddy and I listened knowing this newfound voice was only going to get louder. Which, indeed it has! Today, on your fifth month you have mastered your lovely screeches! They just make us giggle, because in public people think your crying but your just carrying on a grand ‘ole conversation with your toucan or banana! We also started you on solids this month. We gave you rice cereal to start and you now eat carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and this week we moved onto sweet peas, which you love! You are definitely your Daddy’s daughter. Mommy is going to start making your food next week! You are almost a non-supported sitter; you last a few minutes but then take a dive forward or sideways. We still have yet to see a tooth, you are drooling, biting and have the worst runny nose. We hope to see one soon! We also have to thank you for breaking your twelve-hour sleeping habits to waking up multiple times a night. Mommy and Daddy aren’t used to waking up early because you have been a great sleeper since birth, we beg you, please go back to your old sleeping habits. PLEASE! You do however let us know when you’re ready for a nap by rubbing your eyes. You have completely outgrown all your 3-6 month clothing and are the length of your nine-month clothing, slow down! We aren’t going to get any use out of all your adorable 6-9 month summer clothing at this rate. We love watching you grow, and every night after you go to bed Daddy and I always say how lucky we are to have you in our lives.

We love you baby girl!

Mommy & Daddy

4 Month Sweet Baby P

Dear Sweet Little P-

We have reached your fourth month. With each passing month I recall the day I met you and wonder where you had been my whole life. You are a dream baby, literally. I know each mother brags about their child but everyone who meets you or hears about how good you are tells us how lucky we are and wonders when we will give you a sibling. We know we are blessed to have a child who is happy 95% of the time, sleeps 8-12 hours a night, is calm, content and overall loves everything you encounter. This includes your big sister, Delilah, who gives you countless kisses in your mouth, grooming and licks. But, you show her who’s boss by pulling her fur and tracking her every moment. I cannot wait for the day when you tell her “no! duh-wri–wah“. For now, we will settle for the countless copying coos that you give us and giggles that come deep from your belly. Day’s where you sleep and sleep I cannot wait for you to wake-up because you are hilarious and such a joy to be around and truthfully I am bored without you. You also have a new found love for your hands, anything that your hands can reach will soothe you for a while; including our fingers which seem to bring you to dreamland on fussy days. You had been eyeing your toes for almost a month and with each day you became more flexible, finally getting those little piggies into your mouth. I love observing your determination on working those little babies into your mouth, you crack me up every time. Your head is pretty stable now so you finally got to go into your jumperoo this past weekend. You love it. Over the past month you have started teething, there is no sign of your first tooth but your gums are becoming more white. I seem to think it will pop through right around next month, we’ll see if I am right. As usual with each passing month you get to experience more and more and you are growing like a weed. Here is what else has happened this past month:
– The most major event was that you finally got to meet your Grandmom Julie from New Jersey. Her and Tony came out on Grandma Barr’s birthday and stayed until after you were baptized on your 4-month birthday (4/18). While they were here we took you to downtown Disney to show them another part of SoCal.
– You and I were baptized together. Your God Parents are Travis and Suzanne.
– You celebrated your first Easter and first major earthquake.
-Mommy went back to work and naturally we all survived.
– You rolled over six times on Easter night.
– Sleeping exclusively in your crib unless Mommy misses you and steals you from your crib.
– Not a fan of your swing any longer.
Four-Month Stats:
15 pounds 1.9 ounces (90th percentile)
25 inches long (90th percentile)
head circumference 42
Dr. Martinez says you’re the size of a six to seven-month-old. She has instructed us to begin you on rice cereal because you are not getting enough with just formula. We are going through 1 1/2 cans per week. Once you get used to the cereal she said to start you on yellow and orange veggies. yay! Daddy and I cannot wait. We will be trying this for the first time tonight.
We love you peanut. Thank you for being our perfect angel.
Mommy

at downtown Disney

Checking out your jumperoo for the first time. The first day you needed some assistance reaching the floor but by the next day you were fine.

Three Months

Dear P-

Today you are three months old and it marks our last few weeks together before I go back to work. I am experiencing a whirlwind of emotions about my return on April 5th but I trust that it is the best decision for the three of us. I love waking up in the morning to make you a bottle to return to you giving me the most radiant gummy smile, legs kicking a mile a minute and sweet coo’s as I pick you up. I love our days together and it makes me extremely sad to think we will never have this time again. I am comforted that you will be with Grandma, Aunt Kathy and Daddy while I’m working but I will be wondering what you are doing the entire time we are away from one another. With each passing day I love seeing your personality change, a little bit more chubs in the cheeks and you’re barely there blonde hair coming in. I cannot get enough of you, you are honestly the best thing I have ever done. As we move forward, I will not look back, rather, anticipate what is to come and cherish all the memories we will make.

What you’ve been up to this past month:

  • · You are sleeping anywhere from 8-12 hours a night. Still in our bed but we are phasing you into your crib. Again, thank you for being such a good sleeper!
  • · You got your ears pierced and everyone that sees them has an opinion. But Mommy doesn’t care!
  • · You are long enough for your six-month clothing.
  • · Transitioning into size two diapers.
  • · You are teething. Yay for mommy and daddy! We bought Highlands teething tabs and they have helped cut your edginess. Thank golly, mommy’s nerves were almost caput after Monday.
  • · You went to Disneyland, the Wild Animal Park and the Zoo all for the first time. You were amazing on all three occasions.
  • · You giggled for the first time a few weeks ago but today you giggled for me two times and three times for daddy.
  • · You are “talking” like crazy. I love watching your mouth and nose as you get your sounds out. It cracks me up and I could literally watch this all day long.
  • · You found your hands a few weeks ago and some days I think you love them more than me! Two days ago you started looking at your feet so hopefully we get into the feet/mouth stage soon!

xoxo-

Mommy