Kenny's weekend of Birthday celebrations!

Happy Birthday to the best husband, father, and friend I could ever ask for! Little did I know (maybe because I wasn't even born yet haha) that 26 years ago, God would put one of the most amazing men on Earth for me to marry! I am one lucky chick that's for sure!

Friday night, we had some friends over and it turned out to be a little birthday celebration too. I made enchiladas, we played some games, the girls chatted, and the guys played Madden. Katie made brownies and we attempted to sing Happy Birthday, but Kenny wanted no part of it...as you can see:)Saturday, we had a little birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza for Alyssa, one of Peyton's other cousins! We played games and ate some of the BEST pizza in my opinion! I love their pizza! Afterwards, we went to my cousins wrestling match with my parents and later they gave Kenny his birthday gift. Thanks to my parents, I have lost Kenny's attention for the next 52 Saturday nights to xbox live...my dad loves playing Modern Warfare and another one of my cousin's has xbox live too. So they play every weekend and could not wait to get Kenny in on the action too! Here's P giving Paige a kiss at their cousin's party. (More like trying to eat her cheek off!)Sunday we went to Kenny's parents' house and bbq'ed. We played cards and watched the last half of the Vikings and Saints game! Not that I have anything against the Vikings, but yay for the Saints! We also took a little walk by the wash that was really running from all the rain last week.Peyton was eyeballin' that cake! She just couldn't wait to dig in!Hanging out while the food was cooking!
Monday, P and I went to find Kenny a present! I know, the day of his birthday, nice huh...gosh I am such a procrastinator! In my defense, we were going to go on Friday, but Kenny got home early that day. When he got home Monday, which was really his birthday, I had all of his gifts wrapped and ready along with his favorite snack (pepperoni, cheese, and crackers) and cherry limeade from Sonic! We got him GTA, which turned out to be the wrong one, (but he pointed to the wrong one in the ad so it wasn't my fault) a dvd holder, which he has been needing desperately, and a jacket from American Eagle. I tried looking for a Lucky hat (since he threw his other one on to the ice last weekend at the hockey game), but I couldn't find a single one at Buckle, Macy's or Dillard's...oh well, I think gift shopping was a success anyways:) Here's just a couple pictures from the last week. I haven't posted any pictures of her teeth so here they are in all their glory! Please excuse the dried snot and carrots in and around her nose...I really didn't want to wake her up by cleaning her face and then not being able to get a picture of her pearly whites.Look at our big girl just sitting there playing. I dont know what it is about pictures showing her orange stained nose, but it really is not as bad as it looks in pictures. It's kinda funny actually:)

It had to end sometime...

Well, the Cowboys just couldn't quite hang in there against the Vikings:( Oh well, better luck next year...hopefully. On Saturday, Peyton and I went over to our friends Gina and Tres' house to watch the Cardinals game. My sister and Tres were the only Saints fans so they were pretty happy. I didn't care either way. Then after that game, I went over to my parents' to watch the Colts game and we played poker with some of our other friends and family. I tripled my money...a whopping $12 were my winnings!...or would that be quadrupled?? Haha Anyway, I hate losing money to gambling so I said to myself once I lost the $4 in quarters I had in my purse, I would be done. Kenny went to a Coyote's game with our other friend Jeremy. He said it was a lot of fun and they had great seats. I think the 5th row from the ice. He called me after it was over and said he lost his hat. I asked him, "What? How did you lose your hat?" He said there was a hat-trick. I had no idea what that was so he explained it to me.(It's when a player scores at least 3 goals in a game, the fans throw their hats on to the ice) It was his Lucky hat, which was probably one of my favorites he has. It wasn't his "good luck" lucky hat, it was the brand "Lucky" that went with everything. At least it will be donated to charity. Now that I think about it, maybe it was his good luck hat and that's why the Cowboys lost...we'll never know:)
Me and Auntie Kel watching the Cards get their butts kicked! I can crawl, but it's only backwards!I was making some silly faces in the bath the other night!

Hold on a second mom, let me finish my food then I will give you a smile...Here it is! We just can't get enough of her!My mom got a new horse and I wanted to ride her so while my mom was getting her all saddled I was taking pictures of Peyton on some hay bales. I thought they turned out really cute! I love this one!
Peyton wanted a turn too...Don't worry, she really didn't ride, I just wanted a quick picture:)

6 Months Old! Already?!?

Her nose looks like it is stained orange from her food! LOLPeyton turned 6 months last week! I can't believe she is this old already...I know I say that every time. She is getting so big right in front of our very eyes:( We went to the doctor yesterday for her 6 month checkup and she weighs 17lbs 15oz (75th percentile) and she is 27in long (80th percentile) She has such a personality that is so fun and sweet. She smiles all the time, even at complete strangers. Actually, it's really cute because if we are in a store and someone talks to her she kind of looks at them with a little grin then looks at me with a look like "is it ok if I smile at this stranger mom?" haha She also reaches now too. One night while Kenny was holding her I was cooking and he walked into the kitchen and she saw me and totally reached out for me! I LOVED IT! Before, if she was in her car seat or something she would move her arms like she knew she was getting out but nothing like this. Now though if she is in her little activity gym and I walk by she will put her arms up. I know this is only the beginning of more fun things to come, but right now its the little things that are so dang cute. She loves to feel her teeth on her top gums(at least we think that is what she is doing.) She will move her mouth around like an old lady trying to place her dentures and it is so funny. She absolutely hates putting on shirts! She loves bath time! She loves to be held! Hates to be touched and talked to when she is tired. Loves anything that makes a ruffling noise, like a bag or her wipes when we change her, and anything she can get a hold of goes straight into her mouth. Also, the other night we gave her a taste of lemon and we had the camera ready for a sour face, but NOTHING! She just smacked her lips together like, mmm, what was that and can I have some more? Her sleeping schedule is a little weird now too. She is also still in our room...I know you are probably thinking "what!?!" But it's our first baby and we just can't seem to put her in her own room yet, so don't judge! We were going to try just before New Year's, but then she got sick and was coughing at night so I wanted her close by. She starts out in her bed, then between 3:30 and 4 she wakes up, not crying or hungry, she just wants to talk. So she talks and yells and scratches her fingers against the side that makes a noise and we wouldn't mind, but Kenny gets up so early that I don't want to bother his sleep so I just lay her next to me and we cuddle and I let her play with my hands and face until we fall asleep again. I have tried keeping her awake until as late as 11 at night, but she still wakes up at that time. I have tried to limit her naps, but that's hard if I am driving and can't help it if she falls asleep. And I think it is a little cruel to keep her awake when we are home when she is falling asleep like this in her toys...She pulled her bow down and even though she was probably uncomfortable, I thought she looked so precious. I just thought it was so funny and I wanted to snap a picture of it:) I do put her in her crib to nap and at first she wakes up, but then I just put her little music and light toy on that hangs on the side she watches and hits at it until she falls back asleep.On Monday, it was Hailey's 14th birthday so that day we went to Chandler mall, had lunch, and shopped. That night we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner and it just wouldn't have been a proper birthday celebration without the saddle and song! She was so embarrassed, but there was also another girl right next to us celebrating her 14th birthday too so she wasn't alone!Here she was doing her mouth thing in Finish Line that day, but I was too slow and she saw me and smiled.Such a pleasant little passenger she is!She gets so excited and bounces up and down when you talk to her while she is playing!She grabs for everything now and that means her bowls while I feed her too! She was too quick and hit the bowl then when I went to grab a paper towel she started smacking at it...So I just let her play...I didn't think I would be faster at getting the paper towel than she would be finding the pile of sweet potatoes in front of her:) Luckily, she wasn't dressed for the day. I have learned that her foods get messy so I wait.And in other news...How 'bout them Cowboys, huh?! Kenny is on cloud 9 after hearing what everyone is saying about them! They are doing awesome and please, Lord, let them win it all!! My hubby deserves it:) lol It is a great week on TV, that's for sure! With ESPN talking up the Cowboys, American Idol starting last night and LOST starting in a couple weeks it couldn't get better! AI had us almost rolling on the floor with these two gems! Watch and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTD1jzssd3w


Hope everyone has a great week!

Happy New Year!

Yes, I know almost a week has passed, but better late than never, right? I have been thinking of what my New Year's Resolution will be, but let's be honest, I can't keep those! The last decade has been incredible! Of course there were ups and downs, but that's what makes life fun! Not only did I meet the man of my dreams, but we have a beautiful child, a cozy place we call home, wonderful families, and the best friends, so what more can we ask for. Of course those are the "ups" and really the only down is the fact that we are getting too old too fast! We are grown-ups with bills and are completely responible for a precious baby, which is the scariest, yet most fascinating and exciting feeling! I guess you can consider my resolution is to be the best mom through love, patience, and strength. I have no doubt about the love part, but I may need help with the patience and strength...the practice of patience when my house is a mess because of a curious little toddler and the strength to keep those tears from pouring out of my eyes when she is hurting (I am not gonna lie, I pretty much lost it when her first tooth came in) We spent New Year's Eve safe at home. My brother-in-law, Matt, came over along with my cousin and his girlfriend. Peyton wasn't feeling good so we didn't want to take her out anywhere. I am pretty sure she caught a cold that I had last week. She has had a runny nose and that night she developed a little cough. I had to call the doctor about a month ago because she sounded a little stuffy, but since she is too young to take anything, they said to watch her and if it develops into something worse, then make an appointment. Well, Thursday night she started to cough...Friday, she was still coughing, but only during her sleep. It was a horrible little cough though and sounded like it hurt. Saturday morning I called the doctor and they were able to get her in within the hour! Thankfully! Her pediatrician said her chest was clear and it is just a cold and that we would have to let it run it's course. If it doesn't seem to get better within 7-10 days, she wanted us to bring her in again, but her 6 month check up is next Tuesday so we will know by then if he is getting better or not. I think she is much better and barely has a little cough now. Well, I hope everyone had a fun and safe New Year's Celebration! Here's to the last decade, and to the next 10 years that await us!Yes, this little girl was awake to celebrate the New Year!

Peyton's 1st Christmas & Tooth!

***PICTURE OVERLOAD!***

That's right, her first tooth broke through Christmas night! We were driving home and she was crying more than usual. I climbed to the backseat and sure enough I could feel a little poke when I was rubbing her gums. The next morning almost the whole top of it was out! Poor thing:( Our Christmas celebration started early in the week when a lot of my family came into town. My Aunt Julie, Uncle George, Jill and Trevor, came in on Monday. My uncle is in the military and he just got his orders for Texas last month so on their way moving from Washington to Texas, they were able to spend Christmas in the valley. Then on Wednesday, more of my cousins came in from North Carolina and Peyton was able to meet her 3rd cousin, Dawson, who is almost two months younger than she is. He is such a sweetheart! I still think Peyton is a baby, but when I was holding him it made me realize just how big she is getting! Christmas Eve, Kenny had to work, but at least he was home early! I spent that morning doing last minute stuff and of course swore to myself, just like every year before, we will have everything done a week before Christmas next year. It is just absolutely silly how many trips we have made to Target and Walmart in the last couple of weeks! Oh well, it's all worth it! That evening, we went to my parents for dinner. Then we went to Kenny's parents and in honor of the Holmes' family tradition of Kenny and his brothers exchanging gifts and getting new pajamas from his parents. Peyton got a cute little Christmas pajama sack too. We got home around 10 or so then the real fun began! We had to finish wrapping Peyton's gifts and build one. This year, we didn't go all out for Peyton because obviously she won't remember anything, not to mention be able to open it herself either. She got some clothes, shoes, a couple little toys and one big toy for when she starts walking from Santa! But don't worry, her grandparents did not deprive her of anything:) It was so cute helping her open her gifts. She would hold on to the paper then Kenny or I would just pull the gift away so it would tear off.

Christmas Eve!I can't believe I didn't get one of these sooner! She loves it! Thanks Grandma and Papa!Later that night playing Santa;)Christmas morning at home!Everything was going straight into her mouth!Now how am I gonna get that up and into my mouth?Later that morning at Nana's and PopPop's, cousin Paige helped me open my gift from her! It was a cute little outfit with a strawberry on the butt of my pants!That is one sexy face right there!Nana and PopPop Holmes with Peyton! This is the gift Kenny and I made for them...It says "HOLMES" from pictures I found in random places the last couple of weeks. They really liked it too!More presents for P!My first laptop!

Later that day, my grandparents had a big shindig at their house in Gilbert and she got more presents there too! Grandma and Papa Maher with their first grandbaby!Daddy giving me a smooch during family pictures on my very first Christmas!
Look at my REAL cowgirl boots grandma and papa got for me! And I got baby Wranglers to match!Me, Kel, Peyton and Jessica! We are only 2 months apart so we all three grew up going to the same schools, for most of the years, and were the best of friends! We were practically inseperable!
My Monnie (grandma) got all the little ones cute little socks! And of course she got more toys and clothes from aunts and uncles and cousins!But the celebration doesn't end there! Saturday night we went to my Aunt and Uncles and celebrated with my dad's mom! I didn't take too many pictures there, but we had a wonderful time and once again, Peyton was spoiled rotten by everyone! Great Grandma Linda goes CRAZY when she shops for me!
A couple of days before Christmas she met Dawson! They were sitting there getting along just fine... Then she decided to grab his cheek and he was done!Thank you to everyone who made P's first Christmas so special! We had a great time with our families and couldn't ask for better ones! We love you all and hope everyone who we didn't spend it with had a very Merry Christmas too!