Payton Turn's 3 with lots of, uhm, spirit

Wow, how is it possible that three short years ago it was just Jason, Oliver and I laying around the house. It was so quiet back then, so still. Now there is a constant energy, even when the girls are asleep they're like computers with that little wizzing noise always on stand by, at any moment ciaos could erupt. And at age 3, it often does. Payton was always a happy even tempered baby, never even that curious getting into things, just mellow and content. Oh how things have changed recently. Now she's constantly on one end or the other of the emotion pendulum. She loves with such vigor, often telling us that she loves us THIS much with her arm out as wide as she can stretch. She will list everyone she loves, Mommy, Daddy, Parker, Oliver, Marmar Barb, Papa, Marmar Jackie, Marmar Teresa, Papa, Charley, Leslie, Thomas, Annika...and the list goes ON. She loves to snuggle and give hugs and is totally in love with her baby sister. Then, at the drop of a hat she's in hysterics because she needs kitty (or milk, or a certain doll or anything else) and it's like the sky has just fallen. She's crying, and just destroyed. If you raise your voice to her over this mess, somehow she finds another level of hysterics that seemed unimaginable only moments ago. So as parents we scratch our heads. Are we supposed to yell louder, use MORE time outs, spank more? What is the answer?? We've taken to sending her to her room lately so that we don't have to listen to her, but getting her up there is a whole fiasco of it's own, and usually the punishment ends up creating a need for a whole additional discipline session as she refuses to accept it. I'm 100% certain that my own parents are laughing their butts off as they read this, as I believe my apple didn't fall far from the tree. With that said I often try to relate to her. I know that as a kid/teen/adult I've always been a bit on the emotional side myself. Now I look at her and I know how she feels, I know that harsh words just make me cry more, but what's a parent to do? Ah, only time will tell.

With all of that said I must also say that she is such an amazing kid. She is so charming and for the most part polite. She loves to talk to strangers, and I think she's going to live life by the motto "There is no such thing as a stranger, just a friend you haven't met." She's well behaved now (for the most part) and I actually enjoy taking her with me when I head out and about. She loves to dance and play dress up. She lives for time with her friends, and leaving them is often cause for a melt down as described above. At 3 years old she can swim like a fish, and has no fear of the water. She is a bit bossy, but think that's might be genetics well!

I love you baby girl!

Great Grandma & Grandpa Visted

It's been a while since I've found/made the time to blog, but I'm going to go back in time here and try to catch up. We've had a spring full of activity, which leaves little time for writing it all down.

So the day finally arrived for the Great Grandparents arrival. I decided to take Payton with me to the airport, so we loaded up in the car and headed off. I had mentioned that they were coming, but we hadn't really gone in depth as to who they were. So the conversation went something like this.

Me: We're going to get Grandma Donna & Grandpa Dean, that's MY grandma & grandpa and Grandpa Mark's mommy and daddy

Payton: But what are their last names.

Me: Last names? Their last name is Orr.

Payton: But what are their LAST names.

Me: Their names are Grandma Donna & Grandpa Dean, Marmar Donna & Papa Dean

Payton: But what are their LAST names

Me: I don't know

We've had similar conversations since then, and I still don't know what she's looking for in a "last name."

Anyway, we had a wonderful visit with the highlight of Payton getting to play in the ocean with her great grandparents. I am pretty certain there are very few kids in the world who can say that! From the beach it was pretty hard to tell who the grownups were and who was the kid as they were all three having a blast and giggling like little kids when the waves knocked them over again and again. Parker spent most of the time on the beach eating sand, but she also enjoyed playing in the surf as well. I don't have photos from that day because I forgot my camera!

The rest of the visit we hung out around the house and the Estero area and filled their bellies with good fish. We took Grandma & Grandpa to Koreshan Park to show them some of our areas history, and enjoyed some good Florida April heat and humidity. It was a very special week for me, as I have very fond memories of my own great grandparents and I am so thrilled that my girls had a chance to spend this time with theirs.