First picture of the newest member of the Jones Family

We went in today and my friends mom did an ultrasound so we could see the new baby. I am about 9 and a half weeks along, so it doesn't look like much yet, but it is growing and had a heartbeat of 180. It is so amazing to me that it was only 4-5 mm long when we did this at 6 weeks and now it is 6 times that big!

The head is on the left. The spine is facing down. Arms on top and legs on the right.

My mom and I just found out that her and Payton and I are going to go to California for her Spring Break and we are so excited. It will be Payton's first airplane ride, so it should be interesting. Any moms who have flown with mobile toddlers...I welcome your advice!

Here are a few new pictures of Payton. This past week or so I have been so busy I haven't taken many. I promise to do better especially while we are on vacation.

Here's that trademark smile again!He can be a guitar hero like dad now.And he knows how to play video games too.New sun glasses. It isn't actually sunny enough here to wear them over his eyes yet.

Life is Good...

Payton is not a baby anymore. He is definately a toddler tantrums and all. I have been tired and so chasing him around all day definately wears both of us out. Good thing he has been sleeping good at night. We went to our friend's vacation home in Coeur d'Alene for the weekend and met them there. It was so fun to see them and for them to see Payton. And he had a blast. My friend Ashley is pregnant with their first and she is 5 weeks ahead of me. I wish we lived closer to them so we could be pregnant together, but it was fun to catch up. Life here has been great. We are starting to feel at home here again. We have been able to make some good friends here who all have little kids, so it has been great to hang out with other "young moms". Gregg still likes his job and his new health insurance is really going to be paying off with a new little one on the way.

Payton is going to be a big brother!!!

We found out a few weeks ago that I am pregnant. Yesterday we went in and my friends mom did an ultrasound. We got to see the heartbeat and found out that I am due the end of October-beginning of November. We are so excited! I would put the ultrasound picture up but at this point there is not much to see. As soon as I have belly pics (which hopefully won't be for at least a month) I will start posting them. My first drs appointment isn't until April 3, but my friend's mom is a nurse at a prenancy center, so she is going to do ultrasounds for free for us every month or so. As soon as we have one that actually looks like a baby we will post it. Payton and the baby will be about 18 months apart!

Here are some pictures from our new camera. I love how much easier it is and how good they turn out.
He is walking all over the place now.

Here is their posed picture.

This is Payton's new smile when we get the camera out. I think he thinks he is being funny. I think its cute, but it drives me crazy when I am just trying to get a real picture.
Sloppy, Sloppy Joes

I love this picture of him. He is is the bath tub.

New Camera - 10 Months

We got a new camera today. With Gregg working at Best Buy, he has been wanting to get one for a long time, but I am cheap so I kept saying as long as ours worked we should just wait. He finally convinced me to go in and look...and he won :) I have to admit, it is easier, takes pictures a lot fast, can do more cool things and especially takes better videos. I just tried it out for a few minutes so there will be more to follow but here is some Payton updates:

Gregg was calling Payton over but I guess he was more interested in the new camera then daddy.

This one is self explanitory. Payton always see people talk on the phone so he know what to do with one!

9 1/2 months

This is a little clip of Payton playing with some of his favorite toys. Balls. He says a version of the word ball, more like "baa" and if you say the word he will hold it up. Sorry he is just in a diaper. Thats how we roll at home sometimes.

This next clip is super short, so I will explain whats going on. Gregg had just left for work and I asked Payton where daddy was. He went over to the gate at the top of the stairs and was yelling "DAD". I grabbed the camera, so I just got the end of it but it was precious.

He has had a cold for the last few weeks so I took him into the doctor on Monday and he had an ear infection. For the most part he was still in a really good mood and he was sleeping at night, so I didn't even think it, but then on Sunday he had a low fever and was kind of throwing a fit, so I thought I better take him in because of the fever and then fact that the cold was just hanging around. And sure enough he was sick. If he would have been up more at night and acted more sick then I might have known sooner, but at least he isn't a grumpy kid.

He has the funniest personality now and we are constantly laughing at him. He is saying quite a few words and doing a good job following simple directions. He is walking pretty good but still is faster at crawling. He loves my brothers. When they walk in the door he is so excited. When they go down the halls to their rooms he crawls down there calling for them. He has gotten more stubborn about eating. He has started randomly refusing foods and doesn't like to be fed. He will grab the spoon out of my hand to try to feed himself. Right now I give him a lot of foods he can eat with his hands because it isn't worth the battle.

Here's a picture of him trying to play guitar and brush his teeth at the same time. A little multi-tasker, just like his mom.

He is very attached to his Giraffey. It is a must have for sleeping. We don't let him carry it around in the day, so it stays in his crib, but yesterday he was reaching through the crib bars to try and break giraffey out. When he got him he put him in his mouth and came crawling out all proud, only to have giraffey put back where he belongs.

Getting Into Everything

I know that all you moms who have multiple kids will say I am a wimp, but its a lot more work when your child goes mobile. There is nothing in the house that is safe from him. We put safety locks on some of the cupboards and the rest of the have their contents taken out daily.

Here he is getting into his favorite drawer that is full of his bottles (which he doesn't use anymore) and his sippy cups. He take them all out and pretends he is drinking out of them. It gives me a chance to get stuff done in the kitchen because it keeps him entertained for a while.Here we are getting ready to go for a walk. These days with all the snow it is easier to use the backpack then the stroller. Plus its getting him ready for hiking in the park this summer. He has a lot of fun looking and pointing at stuff from daddy's back.

Then at the end of the day Gregg and Payton take a much deserved rest together.

Walking!!!!!!

Payton has been taking a few steps for the last couple days and he is starting to get pretty good at it. Here is a clip of some of his first steps! At first he is throwing a fit because he just wants us to give him a bath :) Every time we are in the bathroom even if he just had a bath he wants in the tub.

9 months

Today is Payton's 9 month birthday! I can't believe he is that old. I think he is by far at the most fun stage we have had so far. His personality is really starting to develop and he is such a happy, goofy, social, fun little person.

Here's the checklist:

28 1/2 inches

21 lbs

Has 4 teeth

Takes 3 to 4 steps in a row and can stand for a period of time

Gets into everything!

Super fast crawling

Knows what a lot of words mean and can follow simple instructions

(Give mom your cup, Come over here, No, Do you want water...cherrios...up?)

Points at objects when you say Where is daddy.. the kitties...giraffey...etc?

Says a few words

Yells at us (or strangers in the store) to get our attention

Uses his toys to try to climb up on stuff

Dances when ever he heres music. If we are watching tv while he is playing and there is music on the commercial he bops his head and dances

Willing to eat anything. I really haven't found any food he does not like.

Loves other kids. We are working on how to use our hands nicely to play with our friends :)

A lot of other things

Haircut

Here are a few pictures of my new haircut. I haven't had it this short in a LONG time!

Settling into the new year

The new year has had a good start. Now that Gregg has been full time for long enough our health insurance through his work will start. We only have to pay a portion of the plan which is much better then the plan we are currently paying for and costs us much less. The amount we pay is taken out of his check before taxes so this is a huge blessing. Another benefit of this job is he has guarenteed hours and holiday pay.

Here are my boys relaxing on the couch. They really are such a blessing to me. Here is a new outfit Payton got from my friend Honey for Christmas.

Payton is now standing on his own (for short periods of time) and he will take a step without holding anything to get from one thing to another. Maybe he will be walking by the time he is 9 months!

His hair is really filling in and I am planning on getting it trimmed around the ears when I get my hair cut tomorrow. He is so precious and I don't know how I lived without him!

Christmas

Here are some more pictures from the days around Christmas.

At the piano ... again. This is where Payton goes all of the time. He is content to stand there forever and reach up and hit the keys. Keaton used to do this all of the time when he was little.

Payton decorating cookies with Grandma...

then he discovered what frosting was!

Payton getting caught opening one of his presents early.

Payton, Papa and the Christmas Chicken. When ever we turn the chicken on and the chicken dance starts to play Payton dances along.

Payton trying out his new tooth brush. He has two on the bottom that are almost completely grown in and the two on the top have just broke through.

Christmas sweaters from my Grandma. We decided that Payton will call my moms parents G.G. and Gramps.
Trying out my new sled, jacket, hat and gloves.