These Boots are made for Walkin'

Mema called last week from the store regarding Payton's sizes for some new fall outfits. I told Mema what Payton was really into was shoes!!! You should see the girl anytime we pass shoes in a store. Not only does Miss Thang want to try on every single pair, but she also wants to have her foot measured. She is such a diva. She is especially fond of boots. I told Mema that Payton had her eye on some pink boots; however, I hadn't had time to actually get them. Therefore, on Monday a nice package arrived containing some pink boots. Payton went wild and wanted to try them on immediately.

After her bath last night, Payton noticed the boots on the dresser and she insisted that I put them on her.






She would then walk around in them and pose for me take her picture. I am not kidding. Every time I took her picture she would walk towards me and say with her index finger pointing up, "One more time, Momma. One more time." That is one of Payton's favorite sayings. "One more time," with her little finger making a one. However, she apparently doesn't truly understand the concept because she can one more time you like 20 times before you have to put an end to it.





She is such a little diva in the making.



Thanks for the pink boots Mema. Payton loves them.

We Came, We Saw, We Ate Cake

This weekend Payton and I ventured out to Amarillo for Jackson's second birthday. It was a really short trip, but a very loooong weekend. We flew out on Saturday morning and flew back on Sunday morning. Payton was a real trooper on the flight; however, it is getting harder and harder to travel with her as a "lap child." Derek was unable to make the trip. So that meant is was up to me to try to entertain Payton on the hour flight without throwing too many fits. I think we had at least two each way. However, it was worth it to see this little boy turn two. The weather was absolutely wonderful for a birthday party out in the park.


Jackson seemed a little overwhelmed by all the cameras. However, he had no problem eating his cake and ice cream.



Addison and Payton enjoying a cool drink. This was Payton's first ever Capri-Sun and she loved it. Baby girl had the death grip on the juice.




After the birthday party, we all headed out to Blue Sky for some burgers. Blue Sky has this huge sandbox outside. At first Payton was a little scared of the sand on her feet. It took her about five minutes to warm up to the sand, but when she did she was off and playing like a champ.



They all played out there until it got dark. Needless to say, Payton did not have any trouble falling asleep on Saturday night.



Here's Jackson modeling Addison's shoes. Happy B-day, Jackson!!!





Thanks so much Granny and Pops for letting us crash at your house, and letting Payton destroy it with all the toys. We had a wonderful time.

GRRRRRR!!!!

That's all I really have to say about this week so far. The good news is that Payton is completely well. She started being her old self again on Saturday. However, Daddy then came down with whatever little Miss Thing had on Sunday. So on Monday he was off to the doctor for a shot and some antibiotics followed by spending the rest of the day on the sofa. He is still under the weather and I feel so bad for him. I am just hoping against hope that whatever is going around stays far, far away from me. However, my mom is currently at the doctor because she is starting to feel bad. I have been sanitizing everything in my house. Yesterday, we also had a request for a showing of our house. I turned it down. It was the first time I have ever done that, but I don't think our house would have shown well with prescription and over the counter drugs every where with a 6 foot four inch man passed out in the upstairs bed, and laundry and sheets everywhere because I have been washing like a mad woman. That's just my opinion though.

I also think Payton may have been traumatized by the thermometer. As you know, when you have a young child there is only one way to get an accurate reading. I know I only used it twice during her week of illness and my Mom only did it three times. However, now any time I change her diaper she screams, "No thermometer, no medicine," over and over again. I have tried to explain to her that she is all better and that we don't need the thermometer anymore. However, I think she forgets because every single time I change her diaper I have to tell her no thermometer. I can't wait to see what the teachers at Mother's Day Out think when they go to change her diaper and she starts screaming no thermometer, no medicine. For the record, the thermometer we use is very high tech and can get a reading in like 5 seconds. I can't believe I have already traumatized my child.

Other than trying to stay healthy, work full time, take care of my child AND my husband because he is under the weather keeping our house sanitized and trying to keep up with the laundry nothing else is really going on in my world.

Well... At Least It Wasn't A Holiday

As you may know, Payton has a track record for getting sick with a high fever any time it is a holiday. However, this time Baby Girl decided to get sick yesterday. For the last three weeks Payton has had an annoying cough and running nose. I have taken her to the doctor twice regarding her cough. The doctor says she is too young to be tested for allergies, and the cough is not in her lungs. She also never ran a fever. Before the annoying cough was just when she would lay down for naps or bedtime. The doctor thinks that was due to her laying down and the snot draining which would led to her coughing. Therefore, the doctor gave us some decongestant and sent us on our way. However, for the past week, Payton has been coughing non-stop. I was on the fence about taking her again because she never had a fever. Then it happened. Yesterday morning Payton woke up with a low grade fever. The doctor could not see us until 1:30; therefore, we gave her Motrin and waited for the doctor. As soon as we arrived, they did a flu test (negative) and because of the cough and the fever the doctor wanted a chest x-ray. So we had to load Payton up to go to the hospital for the chest x-ray then get the image and go back to our doctor. (Yeah, let me just tell you how much fun it is to carrying a sick child all through out town).

The x-ray was negative for pneumonia (thank goodness). Therefore, we left with some antibiotics and more decongestant. Last night was a loooooong night. In fact, it reminded me when she was first born. We were up every two hours and it took her awhile to fall back asleep. The problem was that the Motrin for the fever and the decongestant were not "in sync." They were both to be given every four to six hours. However, she would wake up with a fever because the Motrin wore off and I would give her some and rock her back to sleep. Then about two hours later the decongestant would wear off and we were up again. So needless to say, neither one of us had a great night sleep.

The only bright spot for Payton is that she gets to hang out with Cooper today. My mom is on double Grandpat duty and has both the kiddos. As soon as Payton woke up this morning, she was asking about seeing Cooper non-stop. I told her last night that she would get to play with Cooper today.

Here they are this morning.



I think Grandpat may have her hands full today with these two.

Home Alone

The Sunday of Labor Day, my mom did something awesome for Derek and I. She watched Payton for us all night so we could go out to dinner and have some time together. It was wonderful to be able to enjoy a meal without trying to entertain an almost two-year old at the same time. The funny thing about having my mom watch Payton over night is that it was the first night Derek and I spend in our home without Payton. Sure we have had our getaways from Payton like when we went to Tahoe or to the Cliffs. However, we were always at a hotel without Payton. After dinner as we sat in our house all alone, we realized just how different it was without Payton. We also realized how much we missed her, and just how boring our lives were before she entered. Don't get me wrong, it was nice to have an evening without her, but it was such a surreal feeling. We felt like something was missing, and it was. It is funny to think that in just the 21 months she has been with us how much she has impacted our lives and what is normal. Three years ago sitting at our house on a Sunday night watching TV would have seemed normal. However, last Sunday it seemed more like an out of body experience and I couldn't wait to pick her up on Monday.

Our Little Talker

I know I am bias, but Payton's doctor can back me up on this. Little Miss Payton has an awesome vocabulary. Seriously, the doctor said she speaks on a three year old level and she is only 20 months. However, with this awesome vocabulary also comes some sentences that either make me laugh, cry or cringe. I'll let you be the judge.

1. "Mommy, I went poo poo in the bathtub." This was last night. Oh, what fun.
2. "Mommy, I love you." or "Mommy, I love you more."
3. "Good night Mommy." "Good morning Mommy."
4. "You got to share the (insert object from a book, blanket, or something she is not supposed to have)." That is quickly followed by (after I take it away if it is something she is not supposed to have. "Share, Mommy. You got to share. SHARE. My turn." and if I still won't give it back to her then a small fit will follow.
5. "Mommy, change my diaper. Stinky, stinky poo, poo."
6. "I don't like it." or "I don't like (insert object or food or drink of your choice)."
7. "Mommy no more sugars." "Mommy, tickle me."
8. Me: Payton what's the rule in soccer? Payton, "No, hands."
9. "Blues Clues. I want to watch Blue Clues. Blue Clues."
10. "Read the book to me. Mommy, read."
11. When she sees Daddy getting a beer. "Beer. I want a beer." Then she pretends to take a sip and says, "Aah, good beer." She also knows that when Daddy gets his beer he needs his koozie. Yes, please submit our name for parents of the year for that one.

In other news, Payton started school aka Mother's Day Out for two days a week this week. My mom said the first day was rough. She cried and basically throw a royal fit when my mom left. My mom said when she picked her up Payton was just shelled shocked. When we asked her about school, Payton would get this sad face and say, "I don't like it." The second day went a little better. My mom said she didn't cry until they got into the classroom, and she only really started to cry because another little girl was screaming her head off.


All and all life at the Cargill household is pretty good. Payton is so entertaining right now and Derek and I just sit and watch her. Last night for example, she started to scream, and then say, "Mommy, I'm screaming." Then she would run over to daddy and scream and say, "Daddy, I'm screaming." She did this for five minutes running back and forth to scream. Her little face was so funny because she would open her mouth up huge and make this funny face while she was screaming. It was like she was really concentrating on getting the perfect scream out.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.