A Busy Month

A lot has happened in the short month since its been since I posted last. I don't have much time to post but I hope to post more often than I have been. There will be much more to come after this but here is a glimpse of what has been happening this past month in the Payne lives. Enjoy! 

Keaton is growing up so fast! He is keeping me busy and makes me laugh everyday. His favorite place to be used to be his bouncy chair. But now he just tries to sit up or rolls out of it. 

 Keaton loves spending time with his daddy!

 He has been trying out lots of new food. His favorite from what I can tell is pears and his least favorite is peas, but he is a good eater and a messy eater and seems to like most everything we give him. Hope it stays that way...

 Derek has been leaving heart stickers for me to find in surprising places for me to find. They all say little messages to me (I know, I have the best husband ever). He decided to be funny one day and put a heart sticker on Keaton for me to find when I came downstairs. Keaton had no idea but he thought it was funny.

 Keaton loves his big boy activity center that my sister Krista let us borrow. 

 The best part of the day is when Daddy comes home from work. Keaton gets so excited.

 He has a smile that I can't get enough of. I love spending my days with this cute little guy!

 A lot of people have told us how Keaton shows so many expressions through his eyes. We agree. His eyes light up and tell all that he is feeling and thinking. This picture is one example.

 Keaton turned 6 months old on Valentines Day! I can't believe how big he is already and how fast those 6 months went. Derek and I are so blessed for our little family.

 Keaton tried out his big boy high chair for the first time. He looks so bug in it! He really likes his high chair!

 Derek is not afraid to strap a baby carrier on and tote our little guy around the house. Keaton didn't like it at first but he has gotten used to it and likes being with us as we go around with him strapped to us. 

 Kaden Mark Corry was born on February 5th and we were so excited. Keaton is pretty mesmerized by him and they are already the best of Buddies. Just under 6 months apart. Right now Keaton looks like a giant next to Kaden, but they will be running around together in no time!

 Keaton loves spending time with Grandma Keate at her house. We are so grateful for her and all that she does to help us with Keaton.

 Keaton has gotten to the stage where he knows what toy he wants and if he can't get it he will get upset. He loved my shiny looking Camera and wanted to get his hands all over it. Of course he couldn't have my camera because the first place it would go would be in his mouth. He didn't like that idea and this is the face I caught on camera when he realized he couldn't have it. Poor guy, life is so rough sometimes. 

 Over the 3 day Presidents Day weekend we took a trip to Tropic, Utah. For those of you who don't know its Bryce Canyon area. We had a lot of fun. We went with our great friends Pace and Amanda Clarke and Jens and Vonae Swensen and both of their babies. We went to play at Clarkes Resteraunt with our trio but it was mostly an excuse to get out of town and have a little vacation. It was Keaton's first real vacation away from home and we were pretty hesitant how it would be with his sleep schedule and how he would handle a new place. Overall he did really well and we are a lot less afraid to travel with him now. He did great. Here he is hanging out in the hotel room.

 Here Derek and I are at our Hotel room. We were excited to be out of town awhile and we had a lot of fun.

 One of the things we did was go play ping pong. Vonae and I didn't quite take it as seriously as the others, but we did have fun. We even threw down some sick jams (I have no idea if thats how you say it if you are trying to be cool) and did some rapping with some songs and about our trip to tropic. 

 Here we are playing for our trio at Clarkes Restueraunt. Delicious food and good music. Can't get better than that!

 We got to visit with Pace's parents at their house for awhile and we really enjoyed being there. Here Keaton is riding his first rocking horse. They were so nice to us to let us invade their house and eat with them.

Our trio also played at the Garden House on Valentines Day. Because we didn't get to spend Valentines Day with each other Derek and I did an early Valentines date with each other a week before. Keaton went to Grandma and Grandpa Paynes house for the afternoon while we had the afternoon to ourselves. It was a lot of fun. 

 Derek was so sweet and decorated our house with post it notes all over the place to surprise me when I came home from playing at the Garden House on Valentines. This was just what he did in the bedroom.

 This was the giant card I left Derek in his car that he found after work. 

We had a fun Valentines day and great 3 day weekend vacation. Now its back to reality and getting back to work. More pictures and stories to come soon. But for now, thats all folks. Thanks for reading!

Lots of catching up to do...

It has been almost 5 months since I have last posted here on the blog. I'm very sorry to all of you who follow and I've been major slacking. I can't believe its been 5 months since I have posted! One of the biggest reasons in the delay of this post is that we had a baby! I know thats no news to any of you out there now. But that baby has kept me on my toes and keeping me busy these past months. I'm finally getting around to posting about life in the time from then to now and its been on my "to do" list forever. Hope all of you enjoy this post. It will mostly be pictures of all of life happenings since Keaton joined our family and  few other major happenings in our life (and they are major...so stay tuned if you don't know yet!)

Lets get started...

 I went into labor and everything went smoothly. It went really fast as well. I only had to push 20 minutes and he was here! Keaton came 4 weeks early. He was 6 pounds 12 ounces. 

Keaton had to be in the NICU for 2 days because he couldn't regulate his temperature or his blood sugar levels. Those were some LONG days and nights but we were so blessed for the amazing team that they had there and they all helped him get better quickly. It was so hard for a new mom and dad to see their baby so helplessly laying there in an incubator and not know how or if you could help. We were happy to take him home healthy and strong.

 Keaton Max Payne. We are so blessed to have such an amazing baby. He is so special and we are blessed to be his parents. I can already tell he is going to be a social butterfly. He is so patient with us and an easy going baby. We love his fun personality already and he makes us laugh everyday.

Derek with baby Keaton at the hospital. 

 I think one of the weirdest feelings ever is to bring a baby home from the hospital. They help you pack him up in the car with you and then say goodbye. You want to just stop and say "Wait a minute...so you aren't going to help anymore? We are taking this baby home forever? The two of us?" We have loved being parents...its not always fun...there are hard days. But we wouldn't trade it for anything. Keaton was born right at the beginning of Derek's last and busiest semester. So when we brought him home Derek was back at homework...he tried to do Dad duty too...thus the picture above. Derek did well multitasking at this. 

 Derek is a great dad. Keaton is a major Daddys boy. He lights up every time Derek comes in the room and he loves playing with his dad. Derek went above and beyond what a great dad does. He would help me in the night and a lot of times even take one of the feeding shifts and give him a bottle during the night because I needed a break. I am so blessed to have my wonderful boys in my life. Like father like son. 

 Keaton was so teeny in his carseat for the first several weeks...Now he is huge and we want him to stop growing so fast! Where does the time go?

 One of my favorite things is napping with my baby. He is a major cuddler and we have good quality bonding time...and some of my best naps ever. 

 Derek always teases me that one of the main reasons that I had a baby was so that I could dress him up in cute clothes...he may be partially right. I love dressing him. What girl doesn't love dressing her baby? Whenever Keaton and Derek have similar outfits I make Derek wear it so that they match. He is a good sport to go along with me. haha. 

 Crazy hair after bath

 We blessed Keaton when he was 1 month old exactly. It was a great day. Here we are with Grandma and Grandpa Payne

 And here with my parents...Grandma and Grandpa Keate. Keaton loves spending time with both his Grandparents. 

 On the day of his blessing was the first time we got him to smile in response to us talking to him. It was so fun to see him smile. This is him in his blessing outfit (which was also Derek's blessing outfit).

 We love his red hair... I don't know if he will be a full blown out red head, but he definitely has red in his hair and we are hoping it stays!

 Sometimes Keaton gets a little crazy during his nap times. I love come in after naps and see what he has done during his sleep.

 Keaton sleeping with Daddy

 This is Keaton's 2 month check up where he got his first set of shots! Poor guy didn't know what was coming. He was so happy and then ... BAM...tears and crying. He was a trooper though and did well.

 Keaton's first Halloween. We had fun dressing up with him!

 Keate halloween party!

 More daddy bonding time. I love this picture.

 Meet Keaton's future wife, Rome. We have great friends that we do a lot together and our babies are only 1 month apart. We have set them up already. They love each other already... I know it. 

 Keaton in his bumbo.

 This is the cute face I get to be around all day! I love his smiles. He is such a happy boy. 

 Family Picture

 Derek is always doing crazy things to/with Keaton. Keaton thought this was hilarious. 

 Keate family Thanksgiving.

 Keatons first time in a snowsuit. He could hardly move. But it sure kept him warm.

 Keaton loves his bath times. This is him in his dinosaur towel after bath.

 Keaton's first time eating rice cereal. He did great!

Keaton in his Christmas PJ's. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Keate for the pajamas. We had so much fun with family over the holidays. 

 We had a family talent show for Derek's family at Christmas time. Derek even pulled out his trumpet after 5+ years and did great!

 Keaton all tuckered out after a long day!

 During the Christmas break my family went bowling. It was the first time in a very long time. We had a lot of fun. Turns out my dad is a pretty dang good bowler...who knew?

 Keaton all dressed up for church in his big boy church clothes. Isn't he so cute!

 I get to wake up to this every day! Great way to start a day out!

 Derek and I with Keaton before church!

 Another family picture

Now I need to brag for a minute about this guy. Derek graduated in December. He applied for a job at SUU to be a part of their graphic design team. They were very impressed with him and gave him the job! We were so blessed to have gotten a job in Cedar and to have it all lined up so that he started as soon as he graduated. It is a great job and Derek loves it so far. I have such a talented good looking husband! So blessed!

Other news that has happened in the past several months: Probably the next biggest news that we have had happen in our life is that we moved. We are still in Cedar (obviously... especially with Derek just getting this new job and all). We moved out by the hospital in a much bigger/nicer place that we got a smokin deal on. We just couldn't pass it up. Its a nice 3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath townhome and it fits us great! I will post pictures on the next post that I do...maybe when my house is a little cleaner. :) 

Because we moved we had to move wards which we were sad about but we are still in the young married stake and we love it and our new ward. 

Keaton is now rolling over like crazy! He rolls over from his back to his front but then will get frustrated because he can't get back over. I hope he learns to get back over onto his back soon.

I have a few piano students that I have just started and am really liking that. I also (with two of my friends, Jens Swensen and Amanda Clarke) have started a string trio that we have a lot of fun with. We practice each week doing some fun songs and our first gig will be at the garden house on Valentines day. We are also hoping to play for some weddings and get known enough to keep a steady busy.

Derek, Keaton, and I have all had our turns with being sick this winter (especially Keaton...I hate that babies are so susceptible to everything) We are sick of being sick and hope to all be healthy soon! Derek and I are over the worst and I think Keaton is on the tail end of his sickness too.

Keaton is also teething right now with all 4 front teeth! Who knows when they will finally pop through because they have been working on moving down for a about 3 weeks now.

Despite Derek being out of school and not having homework he stays busy with projects and being a great daddy and husband!

Some days are REALLY long but Keaton and I have fun at home playing with each other and we go up to Grandma Keate's during the day a lot too just to get out for a change of scenery for the both of us. Keaton will be 5 months old in just a few days and I can't believe how fast time goes!

Our family is so blessed and we realize everyday how lucky we are to have the things that are in our life and to have eachother. I promise I am going to be updating this a lot more regularly now. Sorry for such a long post and dumping it all out at once, but I had to catch up the past several months. I will get on soon...until next time!