We're gonna party like it's your birfday!

Before I delve into the past, I'll start with an event from today. 

Peyton and I went for a long walk today. Despite the concrete-jungle-like surroundings and the fact that we were on our usual roadside route, I felt a bit pioneer-ish. Why? Well, first allow me to set the scene. Our usual route follows two major roads near our complex. It's a nice, winding sidewalk shaded by tall oak trees running alongside the street. On the other side of the sidewalk, there are a few open fields next to the American Airlines Center. After exorbitant amounts of rain (such as what we received earlier this week), the fields turn to marshes and parts of the sidewalk turn into lakes/rivers/ponds (depends on how much you like to exaggerate). So now you can picture it. As Peyton and I approached a humongous lake of a pond spanning a generous portion of the sidewalk, I thought to myself ... 

Can't go through it ...

Can't go under it ... 

Can't go above it ... 

Guess we better go around it! 

Unfortunately, on the right the water went clear to the street and on the left, there was a miniature gorge. I opted for the gorge. Just before heaving our double jogger across the gorge and through the stream, I spotted a coyote in the field. What draws these coyotes to the open, empty field surrounded by corporate offices? Who knows. As I pushed our double-wide, eyeing the coyote as he eyed me, I reminisced on youth treks of yore (the jogger felt oddly like a handcart, but with better handling and less weight). 

That story really had no point, but I really wanted to share it. 

Now for the good stuff -- Peyton's birthday! 

Everyone knows I don't celebrate birthDAYs, I'm all about the birthWEEKS! Birthdays should never be celebrated for less than a week. That's a fact. So, to kick off Peyton's birthweek, we went to the Dallas Zoo! Peyton loved feeding the goats in the children's petting zoo. He chased them around and yelled "goat!" The goats were justifiably scared out of their minds. 

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Let's flash forward to Peyton's birthDAY. We kicked off the morning with some cinnamon Cheerios (because Peyton REFUSES to eat plain ones), milk, and Peyton's favorite fruit: bananas.

Isn't he such a goofball? I love this kid. 

Then we headed out to our dog-crap infested grassy area to take some birthday pictures. Seriously, people should not be allowed to (1) live on their own, (2) own pets, property or vehicles, (3) eat anything but dog feces if they are too lazy to pick up after their stupid (but not as stupid as them) dog. And I WON'T step down from this soap box. These people LIVE in this complex! How can they care so little about their surroundings? If I knew the perpetrator, I would shovel every last bit of fecal matter and dump it on their carpet. Dis.gust.ing. It's seriously a minefield out there.

When the poop became too overwhelming and we realized there were no safe places on the grass, we headed out to the basketball and tennis courts. Thankfully, people don't let their pets poop there.

After a VERY sad morning at the doctors (50% in everything except for head circumference. Again. He likes to hover around 95% there. Anyone seen So I Married an Axe Murderer? "Look at the size of his head! It's like an orange on a tooth pick!"). Kiddo did great when the pricked his finger for the iron test. Didn't cry or wince! The three shots he had to get ... not so much. I will say, my son can KICK! Hard. To make up for the fact that I scheduled his well-baby appointment on his birthday (I know, bad mom), I took him to the park to play!

I sneaked Mr. P an Oreo while I frosted his cake. He loved it, of course.

Opening presents. Thanks Emily for being photographer! Sorry that since you did that, you're not in any of the pictures. =(

For some reason, Peyton really loves Brian. So much so, that he didn't want to sit with me while he opened presents (frankly, he wasn't all that interested in presents, period), he wanted to sit with Brian. 

Because of Peyton's obvious lack of present-opening interest, we had the other kiddos open his presents.

Peyton LOVED his cake. See for yourself!

"I'm one-year-old!"

Gonna put my hands up ... it's a party in the USA! 

Please, please! No more photos!