Friday Night Movie

File this one under "Things Mommy is More Excited To Do Than Peyton."

Peyton's big screen debut - 3D glasses and all.

When I heard Finding Nemo was being re-released (in 3D no less!) I squealed like a 2 year old. I couldn't wait to take Peyton to her first movie (okay, in truth this is her second. Grandma and Grandpa took her to see Winnie the Pooh when she was like one, but I wasn't there so it doesn't count).  Martin and I planned the big Friday night and chose to go to Studio Movie Grill so we could eat dinner while we watched.

Peyton was all about it at first...excited to go to the "mooooovieeeeeee!" and talking a big game. But, the previews were too long and she got bored with the whole thing before the movie started.  Martin and I made some rookie mistakes. 

1) We should have let her run around outside until the actual movie started, or at least gotten there closer to the starting time.

2) We should have taken her to an afternoon showing - not one that ran right up to her bedtime.

3) We should have told her it was okay to pee in her pullup, likely reversing all of the potty training efforts we have made - because she asked to go potty 37 times in 30 minutes.

4) We should have had her watch the movie beforehand so she was familiar with it.

Enjoying the previews.

Peyton's attempt at a smile.

When the heck is this movie gonna start?!?

Regardless, Peyton did watch some of the movie, and hopefully next time it will be a homerun. For now, we'll stick to DVDs at home. 

Thank God for Grandma and Grandpa

Peyton's sleepover buddies.

In my 2 years and 8 months as a working parent, I had successfully avoided the unavoidable....both Mom and Dad needing to be out of town for work at the same time. Usually Martin and I communicate well about our trips and are able to schedule accordingly, move things here, make arrangements there.  But our luck ran out, and thanks to a little communications meltdown (on Martin's part, ahem) both of us needed to be out of the Greater Phoenix area during the same 24 hours.

As the panic set in, and I wondered whose job was more important, and how we would handle this problem, the light bulb went off. We no longer lived in Virginia - thousands of miles away from friends and family. Instead, we lived ten minutes from my parents, and a mere five minutes from my sister. And dozens of other relatives and long-time friends within the same zipcode.  Problem solved.

Grandma and Grandpa naturally jumped at the opportunity to take poor little homeless Peyton for the Wednesday night while Martin and I solved the world's problems on our very important trips (readers I hope you sense the sarcasm here).  They picked her up from school early, took her to fun places, fed her, bathed her, bought her Tinkerbell pajams with a tutu, played with her, and most importantly, kept her from having to be left alone for 24 hours.  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa - you saved the day, and our jobs.

To show her appreciation, Peyton made sure to wake up extra early, knowing they'd want nothing more than to spend a few more minutes with her before the sun came up. To show my appreciation, I wrote this blog post (hoping they know just how much they are appreciated...for the big helping hands in situations like this, and for the little things they do on a daily basis for all of us).

Monday Mashup

A few of the latest and greatest from Peyton's Bear's life as a 2.5 year old (and the lazy way of catching up on weeks of blogging).

Devouring french toast in bed while watching Dora - a new Saturday morning ritual.

Enjoying dinner out with Grandma and Grandpa.

Learning the joys of drinking from the creamer from Grandma.

Playing doctor to her baby at Imagination Avenue.

Preparing a perfect play meal.

Making sure her dress up doll's closet is perfectly organized.

Setting fashion trends by tucking nightgowns into tutus.

Beat the Heat - Durango Style

The temperature is reaching 118 degrees in Phoenix. We are officially melting in the inferno. That's why our planned getaway to the mountains of Durango, Colorado couldn't have come at a better time. Thanks to some sweet hookups of my bestie Rebecca, we were able to spend five days in the cool mountains of Colorado in a well furnished house with plenty of activities for the kiddos.

This trip meant the reuniting of P Sizzle and Swizzle. We met Rebecca, Scott, and Emma along with their Texas buddies Luci, Scott, and Camden at the airport and immediately headed to our digs for the week.

We spent time at the park, waved to choo choo trains, rode horses, raced down the alpine slides, swam in the hot tub, roasted marshmellows, and jumped in bounce houses.

Mornings consisted of coloring, bead making, painting, and sticker stickering.

No caption needed.

Peyton talked a big game about going in the bungee ride - even put on the harness. But as soon as they strapped her in, she panicked, and immediately demanded her father rescue her from the torture chamber.

Gossip hour.

Peyton's initial reaction to horseback riding. She was terrified and begged me not to make her do it.

After a few seconds, and a promise that I would not let go of her hand, she calmed down and enjoyed her ride!

Enjoying the scenery from the top of Purgatory.

Alpine slide race. Daddy and PK beat Emma in round one, but lost in round two.

Best friends squared.

Peyton is wearing a sweatshirt. In August.

Learning the art of s'mores crafting.

Handbags and Ice Cream

Peyton hearts her daddy. To say she is in a "daddy phase" is an understatement. So when Martin got called out of town (again!) for a long work trip, I was slightly concerned that 7 days alone with Mommy and PK would be a challenge. While Peyton Bear missed her dad every moment of the day, and repeatedly told me how much she "wanted Daddy," we made the most of our time together. And I proved that being stuck at home with boring old Mommy has its perks.

She wore a tutu. She got her nails painted pink and purple sparkles. She picked out a hot pink sparkly backpack ("just like Dora!). And she ate bright blue ice cream.

We did crafts, including building a pink princess castle out of foam shapes. We played hide and go seek. And we read Eloise at the Plaza.

Daddy who?



Mommy and PK enjoying a Saturday evening out to dinner.

Peyton's handbag of choice (Mommy got one too!)

Playing at the splashpad in her tutu bathing suit.

"I want the blue ice cream!" Please note the purple headband paired with the pink bow. Peyton told me she needed both to complete her outfit.

Yum yum.

Livin' the Good Life...Cabin Style

A glimpse into Peyton's life at the cabin...

Easing the stress away in the hot tub.

Letting her creative juices flow with a craft.

Exhibiting her inner diva on a walk though the tree lined streets.

Enjoying a cocktail in her robe.

Charming the pants off of everyone at dinner.

Peyton's Hair Salon - Open for Business

While spending the 4th of July at the Richardson family cabin, Grandma and Grandpa spoiled Peyton with a new toy. And her life has never been the same since. Peyton picked out a new doll (later named Karina) and a hair stying chair, complete with smock, play scissors, hair dryer and brush. Peyton shampoo'd, dried, and cut every single one of her stuffed animals' and dolls' hair at least 40 times each, charging each patron $20. Daddy was in charge of collecting payment. She even did our hair as well. Funny thing - as much as she was ub-sessed with the hair chair at the cabin, she hasn't played with it since we've been home. Perhaps she knows it's appropriate to wait 4-6 weeks between cuts.

Snow White gets the celebrity treatment.

Kneeling down to make sure everything is even.