Here's To You 2010

2010 has undoubtedly been the greatest year of my life!  I started out the year pregnant, excited, and unsure about where my life would go...and ended it with an almost 8 month old angel of a daughter that is my ENTIRE world.  We were able to sell our old house and move into a new larger home with more land, cut and got rid of some bills and payments, and made some wonderful new friendships that I'm sure will last for years to come.  Words can't even begin to describe how blessed I feel to have the life I have. 

Not long ago I also posted about a career dilemma.  I decided to turn the job down and the NEXT day I was called for an interview and was just contacted about another possible one.  What an amazing way to start out 2011 huh?!  It just goes to show you that God won't lead you down the wrong path and it pays to follow your heart! 

We don't have any super crazy New Years Eve plans this year, we just plan on spending it as a family (thankfully Edwin is off this year).  Once the munchkin is asleep we're going to light up our new fire pit (thanks Mom and Dad) on the patio with some beverages and the baby monitor and just relax....oh and smores will be involved! 

Thanks to all (4) of you that actually read my blog, I hope you all have a wonderful New Years!  Bring it on 2011!

Best Christmas Ever

Oh where do I begin??  This was easily the best Christmas ever for me.  It's so much fun to experience everything through the eyes of a child, even a 7 month old.  We are so blessed and couldn't have asked for more from our wonderful family.  Peyton now owns every single toy made by Playschool, Fisher Price, Vtech, and Baby Einstein I believe, clothes, and a new sweet car seat and stroller since she's such a "big girl" now......

Here are some pics from Christmas Eve....

I love this comparison of Aimee and I!

  

 Here are a few from Christmas morning, opening presents with Edwin and I....

 

Christmas afternoon, Mimi and Grandpa came for lunch....

 

 



A few more random pics from Christmas evening at Nana's and the day after at Nonnie and Pa Pa's....

As if Christmas itself wasn't wonderful enough...we got 10+ inches of SNOW!

 

 

AND a friend of ours went in to labor on Christmas morning, he ended up being born at 3:45am on December 26th.  Congratulations again to Nathan and Kelly on their beautiful baby boy!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Today is my last day of work until after Christmas, woo hoo!  With that being said, I probably won't be blogging until after then.  We have a lot going on and I couldn't be more excited. 

Thursday - Nonnie is staying with Peyton during her nap so I can get my grocery shopping done.  Then Peyton and I will be running a few last minute errands and I'll start my cooking!
Friday - My Dad (biological for those that are confused) is coming to visit us.  We usually go to his house on Christmas Eve day, but since we have a new house we really wanted him to come see it.  I'll be cooking lunch for that visit all while cooking the rest of  the day!  We're going to our church's Christmas Eve service that evening and then heading straight to the Killette Christmas party.  We have it every Christmas Eve and do oysters and other yummy food.  I'm excited because I couldn't partake in the oysters last year since I was preggers, hmph!  We won't be able to stay too late with the munchkin.
Saturday - CHRISTMAS DAY (PRAYING FOR SNOW)!  We'll spend the morning just the 3 of us, exchange gifts, relax, etc...  After Peyton's 1st nap my in-laws, my brother-in-law, and his girlfriend will be coming over.  I'm making my VERY FIRST Christmas meal all by myself.  I'm talking all from scratch, the real deal.  I'm a little nervous because I've never made a few of the things (stuffing from scratch, gravy, and the turkey).  The menu will be Turkey, stuffing, gravy, deviled eggs, potato casserole, broccoli casserole, and cherry cobbler.  That evening we'll walk over to my Grandma's and do gifts and eat with her, my Uncle, his fiance, and my parents.
Sunday - Christmas with my parents!  We'll do gifts, stockings, and lunch. 

If I get some free time in the evenings I'll try to put up some pictures or do some updates.  If not, I hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Oh wow what a busy weekend we had!  Friday night Peyton's boyfriend Owen came over (with his mommy Meghan) so they could exchange Christmas gifts.  They're always so funny together because they're both so wide open!  Owen grabs at Peyton, Peyton grabs and sqeals at Owen, they crawl all over the place, and grab everything they can possibly find! 

We had 2 family get togethers on Saturday....1 was 1 hr to the East and the other was 1 hr the opposite way.  This was the day I had been stressed about due to naps and schedules and fussiness....HOWEVER, Miss Peyton was absolutely perfect. 

When she woke from her 1st nap we headed east for the 1st get together.  She sat and played in her car seat and didn't make a peep the whole way there (except for some chatter back and forth with her Minnie Mouse).  She was charming and playfully bashful and waved at everyone and everything (one of her new favorite things to do).  We ate, let her open her 2 first Christmas gifts, then hit the road so we could make it back in time for her to get a little sleep.  She was fussy on the way home, but finally fell asleep.  When we got home I was able to make a smooth transition from car to crib without her waking up too much.  She took another good 2 hr nap and I cooked my casserole while she napped. 

When she woke we loaded up and headed to the 2nd get together.  When we walked in my Aunt scooped her up and we didn't see much of Peyton after that LOL.  It was nice to be able to sit down at the table with Edwin and eat an entire meal uninterrupted!  Peyton got another awesome Christmas gift (I'll have pics once I get them from my Aunt).  We couldn't stay too long, but we were able to eat, visit, and take some pictures before we had to hit the road.  Poor girl crashed hard on the way home.  I hated to wake her up to put on her pj's and change her diaper, but she was back asleep not 10 mins later and didn't move the entire night! 

Edwin went across the street to a friend's Christmas party after Peyton went to bed.  We were going to switch off and I was going to walk over after him, but I never made it.  I put on my sweats, got in the bed and turned on a Christmas movie...it was over after that!  Sunday we were back in the car to go look at a Jeep in Goldsboro.  We're looking for an older SUV just as an extra "just in case" vehicle with 4wd.  Just something we can pay cash for.  We made a quick Target run after looking at the Jeep then were FINALLY home for the rest of the day, whew! 

A few holiday pics....

Peyton and Owen

 Playing with the gift bag

 At the 1st Get Together

 Playing under the tree

 Too incredibly cute!

Dilemma

I want to be completely honest and real on my blog, and I'm currently having a slight dilemma.  If you don't know me, I'm an Executive Secretary with a Human Services department.  I don't love my job, it's lower level than what I could/should have, and when I was hired my boss knew I wouldn't be here forever.  I really don't do a lot of "secretary" work anymore as my position has evolved more into doing database work, which is the only thing I actually do enjoy here.  Of course that means I do higher level work for lower level pay.  I figure it's job experience though.  I've been applying for other positions with different work schedules.  My goal is ultimately to work a little closer to home and get off earlier so I can spend more time with Peyton during the week. 
This morning my boss offered me the position of a co-worker that is retiring in February.  I have the experience and the degree to qualify and she wanted to offer it to me before posting it.  I told her I would think about it, but that my heart wasn't really in it.  I'm not interested in the work that position does at all and it's not anything I would ever pursue in the future.  It is however a higher level position and a pay raise.  I went to my husband for some support, unfortunately all he could see was the money.  He couldn't believe I would ever turn down more money.  His advice was to take the job while I job hunt, my Mom seems to have the same opinion.  But when over 50% of the staff that do that particular job are trying to get out and complain to me about it on a daily basis...why would I add that kind of stress to my life? 
I feel like I have made up my mind, I'm just not 100% sure.  I would love to hear any feedback, opinions, views, life stories, etc...  Feel free to email me at Jessecu82@aol.com if you don't want to post.  Thanks for reading!

We're in For it Now!

I knew Peyton had started trying to pull up about 2 weeks ago because I watched her in her crib through the video monitor.  She could get most of the way up, but would fall back down.  She did pull up using my leg once.  Well Nonnie heard some noises last week during Peyton's nap time, she walked in to find....

Since that day she has been trying to pull up on everything!  We went ahead and lowered her crib at home and now she pulls up every morning when she's ready to get up.  Let the fun begin huh?!

SOLD

It's official, our old house is SOLD!  Praise the Lord!  The house has been in my family for over 50 years, so it was definitely bittersweet for me.  I have a lot of childhood memories in that house, not to mention the first 5 yrs of our marriage and the first 6 months of Peyton's life were spent in that house.  But it's so exciting to be in the new place and start making some new memories. 

Crazy Weekend

We had a great but BUSY weekend!  I spent all week getting ready for our Housewarming/Edwin's 28th Birthday party Saturday night.  On top of that I had to fix a dish for our work Christmas party on Friday.  Luckily when we have our Christmas party at work, we get to leave for the day around 2pm.  So I was able to run errands before I picked Peyton up and finalize some party details. 

Saturday I spent the morning fixing all the food and doing some massive cleaning.  Peyton took an excellent 2nd nap, so she was raring to go when guests started showing up.  I was amazed by how many friends and family came, and overwhelmed by their generosity!  The first half of the night was a little chaotic for me, I felt like I was running around like a crazy woman.  We had a lot of different "groups" at the party...some knew tons of people, some knew none, so I was trying to make sure everyone was comfortable.  I had some work friends come, of course we had many police officers and ATF agents there, some family, some college friends, and some friends from church.  It was great to see those families, because unfortunately we rarely make it to church these days with Peyton going down for her 1st nap between 9am and 10am.  I put Peyton down at 7pm and then the rest of the night calmed down a little!  Most of the families left around that time to get their little ones to sleep, so we were left with just couples and had some "adult time".  I was a little concerned about how Peyton would sleep with a party going on in the other end of the house, but with her little fan blowing she couldn't hear a thing!  After everyone left, I sent the birthday boy to bed and stayed up to clean.  When I finally got in the bed, I was exhausted!  Thank goodness Peyton has been sleeping through the ENTIRE night...that's right, she goes 7pm - 7am these days and I'm L-O-V-I-N-G it.  I know she'll throw me off at some point, but at least I know we can always get back to a full night! 

Sunday I woke up not feeling the best in the world.  No not because of the wine...after all, someone had to be the DP (designated parent) Saturday night :)  I had a horrible headache and sore throat.  Unfortunately Mommy's don't get sick days, especially when their husband is recovering from the night before!  We ran some errands that afternoon and when we got home Peyton had a total meltdown.  The only thing I can think of is that her teeth were hurting her and she seemed to have a tummy ache.  Edwin offered to put her down for her afternoon nap so I could try and take a nap myself, but after sleeping for 45 mins she woke up screaming.  He couldn't get her back to sleep, so I had to go work my Mommy magic.  I got her back down and she slept another 1 1/2 hours!  She woke up screaming (not like her at all) and would tense up and shake a little every now and then like something was really hurting her.  I had given her some Motrin before her 2nd nap, so I'm still not sure exactly what it was or if it was just a combo of symptoms.  We all loaded in the car to head to BWW's with Edwin's parents for his birthday dinner.  She was golden once we got to the restaurant as usual.  That girl LOVES going out to eat!  We got home, gave Peyton a bath, put on some super cute Christmas pj's, and went to bed.  Then Mommy finally got to break in the whirlpool garden tub in our bathroom, it was just what I needed.  I was worried about how her night was going to go since she had a rough afternoon and I had been sick too, but thankfully she slept through the night again...unlike her Mommy! 

I don't have any pictures from the party yet, but here are some from last night....

The Cutest Little Christmas Butt!

I LOVE these jammies Nonnie bought for Peyton.  They have a Christmas Frog on the front, but the back makes the whole outfit!

Snow!

Well we had our first snow of the season this weekend, and it was absolutely beautiful!  It was my kind of snow, pretty but didn't trap me in the house for days.  Peyton was amazed by the snow.  When I first took her out in it she let out a huge "gasp" and then reached out for the falling flakes...it was adorable.  Of course we had to take some pictures.  We got a few when it first started, then she went down for a nap and when she woke up it was a beautiful winter wonderland outside!

Mommy and Peyton

Our new house

 Winter Wonderland :)

 Hey check out that tooth!

 Daddy and Peyton



7 Months!

My beautiful little girl is 7 whole months old today!  She's officially closer to the 1 year mark than to the day she was born...where does the time go?!  We don't have a check up again until she's 9 months old, so I don't have any stats to share.  She did go to the doctor yesterday for her follow up booster to her flu shot.  I was anxious as usual since she had to get a shot.  I had given her my necklace that she LOVES to chew on, we laid her down, stuck her, and.....NOTHING.  I couldn't believe it, she didn't even flinch!  The nurse even waited a second expecting her to cry.  Whew, what a great visit! 

The things I can share about Peyton these days are...

• She has uber high energy!  There's no laying around for this little girl, she's on the go 24/7.  She even makes some laps in her sleep.  I will most definitely have my hands full when she's walking.
• She's crawling and starting to pull up.
• She still has her Mama's short temper (sorry Edwin).  She's an incredibly happy little girl, but when she wants something she wants it NOW.
• She's starting to understand what "No Ma'am" means and is starting to grin at me and do it anyways...oh boy. 
• Her 2nd tooth is cutting through as we speak!
• She goes to bed at 7pm and usually wakes around 6:30am (otherwise it's any time between 6am and 7am)
• She's still waking once most nights, but I attribute most of it to teething.  When we had a short break after the 1st tooth came through, she slept all night.  But now that the 2nd one is cutting we're back to 1-2 wakings.  (I'm not complaining though, I've heard horror stories of other 7 months old still waking every 2-3 hours!)
• She's eating Stage 3 foods 2-3 times a day, but she's starting to prefer finger foods.  She wants to feed herself and eat what we're eating.  She kills those Gerber puffs because they feel so good to her tender gums, and she's a huge fan of pancakes :)  When she's not cutting a tooth (her appetite decreases when a tooth is coming in) she eats a consistent 2 meals a day, but the 3rd (breakfast) is hit or miss since she's usually asleep during breakfast.
• She's down to 2 naps a day....the 1st from around 9am - 11am and the 2nd from around 2pm - 4pm (give or take)
• If you couldn't tell, teething has definitely been an issue for the poor girl!  Tooth #2 is going a little better than tooth #1, but she just doesn't handle the pain very well....Ibuprofen is my best friend. 
• We've hit separation anxiety at full force!  She's always been very attached to me, but we've reached a new level.  If I'm not there she's perfectly fine, but if she knows I'm in the house or can hear me...it's over! 
• She loves going out to eat and riding in a shopping cart!  She's amazed by all the people, sights, and sounds.  Thankfully going out to eat with her is an absolute joy!  She could care less about sitting in a stroller now that she can ride in a shopping cart.  She wants to be up at everyone else's level!

I say this every time, but I'm so incredibly lucky and blessed to have such a wonderful little girl in my life.  She has made me a better person and has made me realize what's truly important in life. 

Just Doin a Little Crawling

I forgot to put this up earlier.  This is Peyton on Thanksgiving Day...just getting the hang of the whole crawling thing!