Petting Zoo

This weekend we decided to go to the Forney Gentle Zoo.  Baylor loves animals so we were pretty sure she would love this...and she did!  She showed no fear and wanted to hug, kiss, and pet EVERY animal in sight!  She also showed her fearless spirit on the Bounce House as well!  We love getting to make all these special memories with her!



Hello Pig!

 Daddy and Bay in the bounce house...she loved it!

Hello Goat!  Come here!

I'll give you kisses...

And pet you....

And love you forever!!!

Baylor has also started wearing bracelets lately.  Her KK bought her 2 bracelets today from Wal-Mart and she walked around with her arms up and wore them the WHOLE time!  Thank you Aunt Lou Lou for inspiring her with your oh so sparkly bracelets.  She wants to be just like you! :)

The bounce house!  I admit...it's a little sketchy...but she LOVED IT!

A "slow-mo" of her face going down...priceless!

Tomorrow Baylor's Daddy will run in his first half marathon in preparation for the full White Rock marathon in December!  Go Daddy!  We are so proud of you!

Are You Smarter Than A 3rd Grader?

This is the game I feel like I am playing everyday these days.  And for the record, yes, I am smarter than a 3rd grader...one day at a time!  Being a mommy and teaching a new grade, in a new district is harder than I could have ever imagined.  I want to be the best mom and the best teacher and finding the balance has been difficult at best.  I have accepted the fact that I can not leave when the bell rings.  I am teaching a new grade that I came into late, and if I am going to be an effective teacher, there is just no possible way for me to leave "early."  I take work home with me every night to try and study for the next day and on Sunday afternoons while my daughter is napping I am doing grades, looking up reading strategies, and basically trying to keep my head above water.  The school I am working at is great and my team of teachers are awesome.  I am very blessed because without them, their help, and their patience, I might have thrown in the towel by now! My family, my mom in particular, have bent over backwards to help me in whatever way possible and my father's weekly/daily  "pep talks" full of God's truth and "in yo face" honesty have also been lifesavers in this new journey! I have received so many emails, cards, phone calls, and texts letting me know so many people have been praying for me and for these I am forever grateful!  I have moments of complete anxiety and then moments of complete, "I can do this" type of peace. So thank you! :)  I am thankful for this job and thankful for God's timing, the hardest part is adjusting to my "new" normal, but it will be fine.   God has a plan! 

     Meanwhile, Baylor has adjusted amazingly well to the new schedule.  She loves her sitter and loves getting to play with the other girls everyday.  Knowing she is so well taken care of and not really missing me at all, has been quite comforting and made the adjustment slightly easier. 

     Speaking of Baylor, she is full of personality these days.  She has mastered the word "no"  and is not afraid to use it in any situation.  She is much more interactive during play time.  If she hears anyone laugh or clap, she will start to laughing and clapping, and if she has a hold of something she's not supposed to she will run and try to hide from you!  Below are just a few pics and videos of her doing what she does best.  Being Baylor! :)  She is sick today :(, which is how I actually have time to write this blog.  So please pray she will be back to her silly self in no time.

So happy with her Mohawk made from her peach juice at supper time!

 Just a normal day shopping at the outlet mall... 

 My loves

 Lil Pirate

 Hang'n out with Dad on the field...she really thought she was about to run through this thing...yikes!

Just chill'n in her car with her rain boots on

Doesn't every kid have one of these pics?  It's official, she's into EVERYTHING!

    

This is just plain funny.  She would not stop!  I fear many medical visits are in our future. :)

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Hi kids. I'm Mrs. Peek

Today is my last day as a stay at home mommy and tomorrow I start my new job as a 3rd grade teacher.  I have so loved being home for the past 13 months with my baby.  It was 10 months longer than I even planned on getting to stay home.  They were a true gift from God.  Now, God has blessed me with the opportunity to do what he has called me to, teach!  As thankful as I am for this new opportunity, I am taking it on with much resistance.  I am not ready to leave my baby.  That being said, every big blessing in our life has started with me resisting God and the blessing he's given us.  For starters, I never wanted to move to Sulphur Springs.  As it turned out it was better than I could have ever imagined.  I made great friends, grew even closer to our families, and was led to the doctor that helped us get sweet Baylor.  Then when we moved last year, I again met that obstacle with great resistance.  I wasn't ready to leave my family and my comfort zone.  God again though blessed us beyond measure.  We made new friends, found a new church home, and I even got to stay home with Baylor which I would not have had we stayed in Sulphur Springs.  So with this new journey, I have lots of new reservations and concerns, but ultimately I have to remember that God has a greater plan.  He has not called me to be miserable, but to thrive and be an active disciple for his kingdom.  Please pray for us...for me...as we start this new journey.  Baylor will be in the best of care while I am at work, but it will still take time for both of us to adjust to our new routine.  God has brought us this far, and I know he won't leave us now!

Zephaniah 3:17

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

1st Day of Pre-School

Today was Baylor's first day of pre-school!  I am teaching at a pre-school twice a week this year and Baylor gets to come with me!  I am so excited about this opportunity because it will give Baylor the chance to play somewhere outside of the house and will give me the opportunity to do what I love, but still get to stay home with my little Bitty Boo! :)  I was very nervous for Baylor though.  She doesn't have seperation anxiety or anything like that, but it is the longest I have ever left her with anyone besides family.  Her teacher this year is Mrs. Cassey and she is oh so sweet and patient! :)  Baylor can be a little head strong sometimes...I don't know where she gets it from... :).

 I left my camera with Mrs. Cassey to take some pictures if she had a chance to and she did!  So here is a snap shot of Baylor's day.  Thank you Mrs. Cassey!

She painted with Jello.  She is SOOO sleepy! Having too much fun!

She ate the Jello! :)

She ate lunch

Her favorite part of lunch, juice!

Naptime!  This is her new pretty napmat...inside a crib!  Maybe next time she will actually sleep on it! :)  Baylor does not like to miss out on anything going on around her so she didn't sleep much this time.  Next time Mrs. Cassey...we promise! :)

Big girl!

So...I know I sound like a broken record, but I am still amazed on how quickly Baylor keeps changing!  Sometimes I just want to say, "Stop!  I forbid you to grow up!"  I just want a little extra time while she is young and innocent and cuddly...sometimes. :)  Other times I just pray that the "phase"  goes by quickly!  Like her not knowing the word "no"...or just ignoring it all the time!  From 12 months to 13 months was a much bigger jump than I expected.  She's gone from me just talking at her to much more interactive...if that makes any sense?  Anyhoo...here are some of our pics and vidoes of new accomoplishments!  She even got her FIRST haircut!  Thanks Minna!  You're awesome!

This is Baylor holding a baby that is wearing one of her outfits from when she was a newborn!

Ready for church!

Her hair was getting a little mulletish so we are getting ready for our first trim!

Baylor and Minna!

Goodbye party in the back! :)

Hello cuteness!

Here is Bay attempting a puzzle.  She got 3 out of 6...not bad!

Some of her words and body parts she is learning...

Cute little monkey!

I hope everyone has a blessed school year and work year!  Love God and love people!

Matt 22:37-39

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^{[c] 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[d]

Dallas World Aquarium

Today was one of Colby's last days of summer before he has to go back to work. :(  I am so thankful for his job (somebody in this family has gotta work ;) ), but he is a great Daddy and we REALLY like having him home!  He does so much to help me and he does lots of playing with Baylor.  So to get out of the house today we decide to take a last minute trip to the Dallas World Aquarium.  Baylor LOVED it!  And I loved watching her see all the animals.  I wish I had gotten a few better pictures of her facial expressions, but I was too slow!  And I wish I would have video taped her...she was talking quite a bit to those animals. :) Here are a few pics that I did manage to get.



Hello DWA!

We are laughing because she is embaressingly loud!

You can't tell, but there's a shark behind her!

If you look real close, you can see her smiling in this picture. She was watching a giant ant eater!

And when our arms were too tired, it was time to hop on Dad's shoulders.

How do you know if it's been a good day?  If they stay happy all day and crash as soon as they get in the car...success!



July 15 Part 2

The second happiest day of my life came again on July 15th.  On our 4th anniversary, Colby and I welcomed our sweet baby girl, Baylor Ann Peek into the world. She weighed 6lbs 9oz and was 18 3/4 inches long.  And she was awesome!  I had to wait a full 24 hours before I was able to hold her, but once I got my hands on her it was an instant, overhwhelming, can't believe I have a daughter, love!

 

Since that day Baylor has been a mover and a groover and has not slowed down yet!  She went from being in the 15th percentile when she was born, to at 1 year old the 85th percentile!  She's a big girl!

And she was SO excited for her party! :)  The year we did an owl theme, "Look Who's One!"

We had owl cupcakes and an owl smash cake.

Owl party favors and a frame that everyone signed with her birthday invitaiton as the picture.

I made few birthday banners, this one was a pennant banner that had a picture from each month of her precious life!

And of course, not party would be complete without a pintata! ;)

I think Bay's favorite part of the party was eating her cake. She started out eating it so delicately...

But it was just too good to eat that slow, so she dug right in!

I know some people think it's silly to have a party for a one year old, and I agree it probably is, BUT this year had so much to be celebrated!  We had a new baby, and a new job, in a new town, didn't have much of a clue what we were doing and we survived!  Not only did we survive, but God blessed us immensely throughout the entirety of this year.  And I thought it was something to be celebrated.  We had new friends, old friends, and family to help celebrate.  All of Baylor's little playdate friends and fellow coach's kids came out to party.  And it was great!  Thanks to all who throughout this crazy year have prayed for us, loved us, accepted us, been there for us, we couldn't have done it without you!

All that being said, it is crazy how much can change in a year!  Especially from infant to 1. For example:

The progession of passies.

She's gone from lots of bottles to a few sippy cups.

Her clothing size has especially changed!

Happy Birthday sweet Baylor!  You are such a blessing and I can't wait for what's to come!