While Mom's away....Peyton will destroy!

So, a lady had come to the door to pick up a monogram order, so I left Peyton in his room playing. After 10 minutes Peyton comes looking for me. After she left, I noticed a "foul" smell and new Peyton had pooped. So, as I took him into his room to change him, this is what I saw.


I tried to get mad, but it really was funny. When I made it into the room and noticed his closet doors opened, I laughed again....


After I grabbed my camera, I told Peyton to go sit with his books. He did without a pause and actually seemed quite proud of his "accomplishment".

Mr. Engineer

Peyton comes from a looong line of engineers. Opa Opa, Erich's grandfather is a mechanical engineer, Opa, Erich's dad is a mechanical engineer, Micheal, Erich's uncle is a mechanical, and Erich is an electrical engineer. And there is an equally non mechanical woman married to them all!

Peyton, like Erich, is very methodical in how he does things. He is particular, perfectionist, and very precise. Today, Opa came over to deliver a table he made for my sewing machine! He was in my room putting it together when in toddled Peyton. He immediately picked up a socket wrench and put it on a bolt and turned. I mean, very good hand/eye coordination, got it right on top of the bolt the first time kind of thing.


Erich's dad was amazed and kept trying to help Peyton, but he didn't really need any! Peyton was so serious and intent on helping screw in the bolts. I have to say that I think Peyton is going to be another in the long line of Holderer ENGINEERS!

Choo Choo

Peyton loves to line his toys up in a neat little line. I am not sure if he is making one long train or just likes things in order. I find blocks, tv changers, cars, you name it and he lines them up.


Yesterday I came across this in the floor of the living room. Peyton had gone out on the back porch so I snapped this shot.



Later on he came back inside and picked up Mickey Mouse and started playing with him. I guess he was the conductor. When he finished we played, "clean up' and all the little trucks and trains went into the dump truck bed and he wheels them around.

Dada's Hand

Mr. Albert has been cutting my family's hair as far back as I can remember. He cut my late grandfather's hair, my father, brother, mine when I was little, my uncles, Erich's after we met.....and now Peyton's hair. He has been in his same location for 45 years and his goal is to make it 50. It is a little hole in the wall place that any woman in their right mind would run from! When you called to make an apt. he always answers the phone very quickly with, "Skylinebabershop"....all one word. I can imagine that after answering the phone everyday for almost 50 years it begins to be garbled and quick.

We weren't sure how Peyton was going to do, so Erich had his hair cut first. Peyton just played in the floor not knowing he was next. Erich's dad has always cut Peyton's hair, so this is his first experience with a real barber shop. When it was his turn, Albert placed a board on top of the chair and I could tell by the look on Peyton's face that he wasn't so sure about this. I was taking pictures of the "event" so Erich stood next to him, holding his little fingers. He took his hand off Peyton's before the cutting began and within seconds, Peyton's little hand reached out for his Daddy's hand to comfort him.




From that point on, Peyton held on to Dada's fingers with one hand and his little toy in the other. He never cried or got upset. And...while sitting on the board he spotted the gum directly across from him, and immediately had to have a piece. I am sure he swallowed it whole since he has never had any before!He did not like the hair all over him, but with Dada's hand, Peyton made it through his first of many haircuts at "Skylinebarbershop"!

How does your garden grow?

Okay, once the warm weather, cool breezes, and sunshine hits every spring, I get the itch to plant flowers. Last year Erich and I grew our own zinnias from seeds. They were beautiful all summer long after we planted them in the front flower beds. This year we branched out with petunias and bacopa also. Some are sprouting very well, and some not so well. When you see the pictures, the black containers are full of little seedlings.


So, this weekend Erich, Peyton and I went to Lowes to stock up on all things colorful! We bought hot pinks, whites, purples, and yellows. I also bought coconut liners to create my own hanging planters. We added pine straw to the beds, trimmed bushes, fertilized and planted. Peyton has his own garden set and with my help with the water,he watered the same one over and over. So here are pics of our blooms on the back deck, my new ferns, and some plants I intend to add today.







We have had a little mama birdie singing to us every morning from the front porch. She has hatched several "batches" of little birdies already. Since I had the ladder out, I snuck and took some pics of her little nest, which is actually a dove nest left over from last year, and the new bird added her own nest on top.





On the way home today, the clouds were so puffy and white. Out of the front window there was a crescent moon shaped cloud. Peyton noticed it and said, "Look Mama, moon." I was amazed. Then I said,"Well, Peyton that is a cloud moon." As we turned into the neighborhood he said, "Bye bye cloud moon." Too precious!

Busy, Busy Bees

We have been busy little bees this April. With Katie and her girls here last week, Erich's parents here for the birthday, Peyton's 2nd birthday party, and Easter.....I have been exhausted. It has taken me several days to recuperate. I was talking to a girl today in Atlanta Bread Company about how quickly time flies. She has a 9 month old and was asking me how old Peyton was. I told her 2 and it felt like yesterday that he was a newborn. People tell you when you are pregnant to cherish the days because they fly by, and you can't really understand it at the time. But it is so true. I can't begin to tell you how much I have cherished these past two years with Peyton. I get to stay home with him, create underwater chalk worlds, pick flowers, push Peyton in a swing, take walks, blow bubbles, create train tracks out of blocks, sing silly songs like "see you later alligator", count everything, be amazed at the smile on Peyton's face as he sees his first real butterfly, read mounds of cute kids books, wipe tears, kiss boo boos, and the list goes on and on. This boy is so amazing at 2 and I am so happy to be his mommy!