Presleigh Ann Peeples (Photo submitted by Peyton Sikes)
Every parent views their baby as the sweetest and cutest. For Peyton Sikes, that feeling was shared by many in the community. Her two-month-old daughter, Presleigh Ann Peeples, won the Sweetie Pie Spotlight photo contest. While the victory was exciting, Peyton’s goal was to create a keepsake for Presleigh to look back on one day and see how loved she was.
“I thought, ‘Oh, this will be so cool if she wins while she’s still a baby and has this article about her that I can show her when she’s older,'” Peyton shared. “That was the big thing for me.”
A Community Effort
Peyton didn’t hold back when it came to rallying support. She enlisted the help of everyone within her social circle. “Everyone. Literally everyone I know—my mom, my dad, my best friend, her coworkers. Everywhere. I told them all, ‘You have to tell people about this!'” she laughed. Peyton left no stone unturned and ensured that her friends, family and coworkers of friends knew about the contest.
When the winners were announced, Peyton was overjoyed. “We were thrilled! I was sitting there telling her, as if she could understand, ‘Presleigh, you won! You won!’ I just knew that one day, I’d be able to tell her that so many people cared enough to vote for her. It was really exciting.”
A Little Bundle of Sunshine
So, just who is this little star? Presleigh Ann, born November 20 of last year, is already showing off a personality as bright as her name. “She is the sweetest baby ever. She never really whines or cries—except when she’s hungry. She’s a little hungry hippo! As soon as she gets her milk, life is good again,” Peyton shared.
Presleigh also has a curiosity that is hard to quench. “She loves looking around at everything. She’s so fascinated by lights and bright colors. She was born the week before Thanksgiving, so she got to experience her first Christmas with all the lights, and she absolutely loved them. The past two months have been so sweet.”
Picture Perfect Moments
Winning the contest came with a professional photoshoot, an experience Peyton described as nothing short of wonderful. “Oh, she did amazing! She didn’t cry once,” she beamed. The photographer, Jessica, was patient and kind, capturing Presleigh’s expressions in both waking moments and peaceful sleep. “She made the whole experience super comfortable. Presleigh was happy the entire time. And the pictures turned out so cute!”
A Family Filled With Love
Presleigh is the first baby in the family, which means she is everyone’s princess. “She really is just such a great baby, and I’m not just saying that. She’s always happy, always exploring, and she never wants to miss anything. She’ll even fight sleep just to stay awake and see what’s going on! But if you leave the room and she can’t see you, that’s not okay with her either. She wants to be part of everything.”
And if winning a contest and celebrating her first holiday wasn’t enough, Presleigh was also present for another major milestone, her parent’s engagement. “A month after she was born, we (Peyton and CJ) actually got engaged!” Peyton revealed. “She was there when it happened, just looking at us and smiling. It was such a cute moment.”
A Cherished Keepsake
For Peyton, this contest wasn’t about prizes or recognition, it was about memories. “I just want it to be a nice keepsake. That was the big thing for me. That’s why I wasn’t really focused on her winning—just the idea that she would have something special to look back on one day.”
Peyton continues to create loving memories every day with Presleigh, strengthening the bond between mother and daughter. “I truly feel blessed every day that I get to stay home with Presleigh and spend this time with her. She’s just so happy, and I know it’s great for her to have that one-on-one connection.”
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