The Martins

::Merry Christmas!::

2011-12-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

::hands down my most favorite picture of our Christmas celebration!::

::it sums up my trio::

::my big guy so handsome in his tie, desperately trying to keep it all together, smiling through the pain with a death grip on his brothers::

::my middle man, making silly faces and trying not to smile::

::and little dunc, ticked off at having to do anything not on his agenda and not afraid to show it!::

hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

fordisms

2011-11-19T08:10:00.000-08:00

"Mom, is Santa nocturnal?"

::the BIG 5::

2011-11-03T13:16:00.000-07:00

::ford is 5!!!::

this blows my mind!

five is BIG.

i love this kid something fierce.

he's super smart, hysterical and sly as a fox.

::he's OBSESSED with legos::

would eat peanut butter & jelly sandwiches 3 meals a day.

favorite show is Wild Kratts.

wants to be just like his cousin, Parker.

::he's got a precious heart.::

easily memorizes scripture.

loves to ride his bike.

can whine with the best of them.

can't wait to go hunting with Uncle Clayton.

::has his mama's heart in the palm of his hands!::

::we love you, Ford!::

happy birthday, big guy!

ahoy!

2011-10-31T13:39:00.000-07:00

::this merry band of misfits had a blast trick-or-treating and fall festivaling!::

ford said his school's fall festival was the greatest night of his life!

duncan got sent home early when he tried to climb in the corral with the miniature ponies.

and luke stuck close to granny's side...he was slightly overwhelmed!

::have you missed us?::

2011-06-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

::we're still here!::

just CRAZY busy!

the boys are out of school for the summer,

and other than VBS next week,

we have no big plans.

but this mama still has a job...

and no childcare...

so things have gotten even wilder around the martin casa!

i've rearranged my work so i have every morning free

and then work every afternoon.

we're all adjusting and my plan is just to

wear them out every morning so they're content

to stick around here in the afternoons!

{i may or may not have resorted to bribery a few times

with a happy hour slush from sonic}

::and this guy has decided to make things interesting and cries ALL.DAY.LONG::

bless his little heart...and mine...and his brothers'...and anyone else

that is forced into contact with him.

for some reason, he seems to snap out of it when daddy walks in the door.

crazy, right?

he just has a gift:)

2011-03-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

::duncan's 1-year stats::

weight: 21.13 - 30%

height: 30 inches - 55%

head: 75%

he was down a pound from our last visit, so if it weren't for that pesky stomach bug, i think it would have been in the same percentile as his height. and he's carrying on the martin tradition of having a big ol' noggin!

ONE

2011-03-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

::my baby is ONE::

i am still in shock.

this year has gone by in a blink.

after delaying his party due to a nasty stomach bug,

we finally got to get our cake on last night.

---------

it was also our 7th anniversary,

& i can't think of a better way to celebrate.

i asked joseph if he thought we'd have 3 kids in 7 years.

he said, "maybe, but i sure didn't think we'd have 3 kids in 3 years!"

----------

this little boy is my heart.

he brings so much joy to our family.

-----------

and he sure can TEAR UP some cake!

he started out slow, not sure what to think.

but once he got a little taste and knew it was sweet,

he was all about it!

::we LOVE you, duncs!::

{stuck}

2011-03-16T06:22:00.000-07:00

::i broke a pretty big parenting rule the other day.::

i handed my baby to a stranger.

a perfectly nice stranger, but a stranger.

we were at the chick-fil-a playground and my middle man

would not come down.

not with bribes, not with threats, nothing.

ford tried holding his hand down the slide,

then with my permission pushing him down...

nothing.

so i turned to a nice-looking lady and said,

"i know you don't know me, but will you please hold my baby?"

{who had a diiiiirty diaper and smelled like spit-up}

and i shimmied up the playset and retrieved my rascal of a son.

those things are not made for people in their 30s.

people didn't know they were getting lunch AND a show!

i'm sure we were quite a sight.

we won't be going back any time soon!

happy birthday, kate-kate!

2011-03-10T09:04:00.001-08:00

happy 2nd birthday, sweet girl!

we love you so much!

{a reminder}

2011-03-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

::even though ford is only 4, he's always been the "big" boy::

he was only 20 months old when he became the big brother,

and had just turned 3 when it happened again,

so he's always seemed so big in comparison to the little guys.

-------------------

::every once in a while, i'll get a reminder he's still my baby too::

today, he asked me to carry him upstairs for rest time.

he wrapped his arms around me, squeezed me tight,

and put his head right in the crook of my neck.

and he felt just like my baby again.

--------------------

::and then he tooted::

right on my hand.

3 times.

he laughed and laughed,

and said, 'gotcha!'

::they sure do grow up fast!::

::the tie::

2011-03-02T17:37:00.000-08:00

a couple of weeks ago, ford asked joseph when he was going to be a daddy.

joseph told him that first he had to fall in love, then he would get married, and then he would have kids of his own.

ford said, "daddy, i can't get married! i don't have a tie!"

so when i saw this little number when i was out buying the boys new khakis for duncan's dedication, i couldn't help but snag it! contrary to the picture, he loved it...mainly because he looked just like daddy.

and buddy, just because you have a tie now doesn't mean marriage is anywhere in your near future!

--duncan's dedication--

2011-02-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

::we had the honor and privilege of dedicating our sweet duncan in front of our church family.::

we pledged to the best of our ability to bring him up in the love and admonition of the Lord.

the biggest and most important job of our lives.

these are the verses we've claimed for him and pray over him:

Ephesians 3:14-21: "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!"

our sweet families filled the first two rows; this little man is well-loved. i know God is going to use him in mighty ways...he already has in my life, for sure.

we love you, duncan! you are joy and sweetness and light and the biggest blessing from the Lord!

::save the trees!::

2011-02-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

::we went to bid our fond farewells to our dear toomer trees::

it was quite a sight!

homemade cards, candles, signs, rolls of toilet paper...these trees are LOVED.

i know no matter what happens, the tradition will never die, but i'm sad that my boys won't roll the same trees i did growing up and in college.

we believe in auburn and LOVE it! war eagle!

{we did it!}

2011-02-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

::i never thought it would happen, but i finished my 1st 1/2 marathon!::

i've NEVER been a runner...when i first started running in july, i would be gasping for air and feeling like i was going to throw up after 2 minutes.

::but with this little speedster, my 'hot to trot' running gals, and the grace of God, i did it!::

shealy had to talk me into it about 5 different times, even offering to pay the entry fee when i used that as one of my many excuses!

::it was one of the most emotional experiences of my life.::

it was the national run to cure breast cancer, so everyone was running for somebody...a friend, a mom, a grandmother, a coworker...we stood beside a lady who just finished chemo in

november and training for this race was what kept her going.

----------------

::tears were streaming down my face for the first 7 miles::

there was a little boy running beside me, probably 11 or 12, and the sign on his back said,

"i'm running for my mom...1959-2007"

i couldn't stop thinking about my boys.

----------------

there were so many people on the side of the road with signs that said

"i'm a survivor!"

and they'd shout

"thank you, thank you, you're running for me!"

::my mom, aunt, uncle & cousin were waiting for us at the finish line::

i'd never been so happy to see them in all my life!

shealy & i both ran the whole way without stopping once and we both beat our goal times, although hers was substantially better than mine! that girl is FAST! i tell myself it's because she's younger and because i have 3 kids, but really, she would have beat me if i was 16 years old and in the best shape of my life!
------------

i went into the weekend just wanting it to be over, saying i'd NEVER do this again.

but it was such an amazing experience that it {may} have to become an annual event!

although next year i'll be looking for a running buddy more my speed...it gets a little lonely running by yourself for almost 2 1/2 hours!

{25 years}

2011-02-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

:: happy happy 25th anniversary, wade and debbie!::

that's a pretty big deal in our book!

the two of you are a great example to us on how to truly cherish your spouse

and love each other through the good times and the bad.

we love you so much!

::winter blues::

2011-02-08T12:40:00.000-08:00

::the martin boys are READY for spring!::

it CANNOT come soon enough.

after a week of the stomach bug, an eye infection and general unruliness from being cooped up for TOO long,

we are totally over winter and ready to move on!

we've been bundling up every afternoon and trying to release some of this crazy boy energy...and we've turned duncan's room into an obstacle course! joseph put the twin mattress on the floor, so they jump from the box springs to the mattress, do a spin or two and then jump to the floor. even duncan gets in on the action by climbing on the mattress and letting the big boys bounce him...all 3 belly laugh and it might be the sweetest sound i've ever heard!

::this is what i've resorted to at lunch time every day...major bottle propping!::

this baby refuses to hold his own bottle and i'm more than happy to humor him in the morning and at night, it's about the only time he actually lets me cuddle with him. but mama needs both hands at lunch,

which seems to be the craziest time at our house.

so tupperware and a towel are put to good use!

::he's getting too big too fast...he'll be ONE next month!::

where did my squishy little baby go?

{this is what happens when daddy gets bored...

he ties his children's arms behind their backs just for fun!}

::the big guy has turned into a total word nerd!::

he LOVES trying to sound out words and is constantly telling us what words start and end with, almost rain manish! we were driving home from laredo last

night and joseph had to request silence for a minute just so we could have a break!

i always knew that 9oth percentile head was holding a big old brain!

my luke has been a late bloomer in the talking department, but he's really starting to take off! he calls chick-fil-a the "fry store" and would take salty over sweet any day of the week.

he's still a wild man and isn't overly fond of his baby brother,

but he thinks his big brother is about the coolest thing around.

so cool that he wants to wake him up at 5:45 every morning to play by turning ford's light on...not exactly an ideal wake-up call and has made for a few grouchy mornings!

and this lovely contraption is what i get to sleep in every night for my...BUNION!

can you believe it? my first running injury is a bunion.

i feel like a grandma, and not a cool grandma like my mom who can rock some skinny jeans and boots with the best of 'em, but an afghan-wearing, sweater-knitting maw-maw.
so now i have new running shoes with a "bunion window" that look a bit orthodic, a bunion shield to wear when i run, and the beauty pictured above. i got it in the foot care section of target, and it claims to be "podiatrist recommended", so we'll see if it works. total hotness, i know:)

2011-01-28T09:17:00.000-08:00

duncan did great this morning and we were home by 8:30! praise the Lord!

the doctor said his ears were full of pus {although i wonder if they tell that to all parents} so we're so thankful to hopefully put an end to ear infections! woo hoo!

the big boys spent the night with my parents last night, so joseph and i jumped at the opportunity to eat out with just one kid. we went to chappy's {love their fries} and duncan was shoving fistfuls of my turkey melt in his mouth. the boy loves to eat, and at 22 lbs @ 10 months, it shows!

we talked on the way home about how relaxing dinner was and how quiet everything seemed, only to walk in the door and find the 2 dogs i had taken pity on and left in our bedroom so they wouldn't have to freeze outside greet us in the laundry room with VERY guilty faces. turns out they had very much enjoyed the pound cake i had made for the college ministry's retreat this weekend. the one that was completely wrapped up and pushed to the very back of the counter. i should have known better considering they did this twice during december. if anyone is looking for 2 lovable mutts with a sweet tooth, let me know!

and to end with a few fordisms...

yesterday we were waiting for the elevator at school and a cute little girl asked us if ford and luke were twins. ford looked at her funny and said, "no, we're not twins, we're martins!"

------------------

the two of us went to walmart this weekend while joseph stayed home with the little guys who were a bit under the weather. our conversation went like this:

me: "buddy, i sure do love you."

ford: "why are you always telling me that?"

me: "because i just want you to always know"

ford: "well, i love you too but you don't have to tell me every 5 minutes!"

how old is he? like 15?

tubes

2011-01-27T13:10:00.000-08:00

this little doll face is getting tubes in the morning...praise the LORD!

poor baby has had an ear infection since the week before thanksgiving that we just can't clear up. ford had tubes so i know it's not that big of a deal, but there's just something about handing your baby over for surgery that makes this mama's heart skip a beat!

please say a little prayer for both of us in the morning!

++mountain fun++

2011-01-22T13:30:00.000-08:00

how do you entertain 6 adults & 6 kids for a week in the mountains?

you build a campfire (or a damfire as ford would say) and roast s'mores...

you try to catch snowflakes on your tongue...

you play in the snow with your most favorite person...

you make silly faces at your silly aunt...

you marvel at the amount of gear a dozen people need in the winter...

you do lots a baking...

you read lots of books...

you feel very manly and chop lots of wood...

you have deep discussions about the meaning of life after the kids go to bed...

you build the coolest fort EVER...

you take naps wherever you can...

you have lots of tickle time with Papa...

you play on the rope swing...

and swing on the hammock with your cousins...

you watch a little tv...

you wear hideous hats but look cute anyway...
you put together a roller coaster...

you warm your toes {and bottoms} by the fire...

you make dede cry by surprising her with Christmas Vacation moose glasses...

you decorate cookies for Santa...

and gingerbread trains...

you wear fake mustaches...

you go sledding...

and you thank the sweet Lord for giving you such amazing in-laws!

wade & debbie, thank you, thank you, thank you for such an incredible week! i'd get snowed in with you any day! we loved every second, and this is definitely a trip we'll be talking {and laughing} about for years to come! next time, we'll all have 4-wheel drive!

and to these two, thanks for the late night talks, jam sessions, help with the boys, and all the laughs...especially jennie's "whip cream" song and "i don't want to eat dinner at waffle house"...you guys make everything an adventure!

we love you!

<>< christmas morning ><>

2011-01-20T09:20:00.001-08:00

it didn't take very long for this...

to turn into this!

ford's favorite gifts were his police robot and his pillow pet. {why did i not come up with that idea?}...

luke's were the girls' new dollhouse and minivan...

and duncan's was sophie!

ford got a race track and luke got a thomas travel track...

joseph & mark were pumped about guitar hero to go with their new xbox's!

everyone was spoiled rotten, but i think the kids would have been perfectly content with just their stockings. it was a great lesson for me to learn...and to remember it's not about the presents. God already have us the best gift we could ever receive.

and this is how ford would have spent the rest of the trip if we had let him...playing his new leapster games. it's a good thing they're {slightly} educational.

we've definitely had to set a limit on screen time!

this kid is just like his daddy - after every gift he opened, he put them in a neat pile off to the side and then would go hug and thank the person it was from. a touch ocd with a heart of gold!

christmas in the mountains

2011-01-20T08:51:00.000-08:00

we had the most fabulous christmas EVER!

papa and dede took all of us {that would be a dozen folks in all, 6 of them 5 and under}

to Cashiers, NC for the week of Christmas!

it was absolutely beautiful and the most fun vacation i've ever had. full of noise, laughter, great food, great wine, tons of snow, sledding, a constant fire in the fireplace, s'mores, gingerbread houses, cousins giggling, fort building, long talks, and making incredible memories.

thank you papa and dede for making our christmas 2010 one we will never forget!

happy birthday, bug!

2010-12-13T13:00:00.000-08:00

happy birthday to the coolest little sister in the whole wide world!

you are beautiful, inside and out.

you're my great listening, wardrobe supplying, running inspiring, chick flick watching, dirty romance novel reading, long afternoon saving, clothes shopping, hard truth telling, gospel sharing, very best friend.

and my sister.

it just doesn't get any better than that!

i love you!

painful

2010-11-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

these pictures don't exactly resemble a celebration of the birth of our Savior...i think we'll be holding off printing the Christmas cards just yet!

------------

picture taking as a family of 5 = pain, misery & torture
------------

i can see why photographers charge so much...they earn every penny!

-----------

shealy might be designing us a card with 3 squares this year...

one for each beautiful, angelic, obedient little face!

::fun on the farm::

2010-11-20T19:44:00.000-08:00

we had a fun time with friends on a farm! hayrides, hotdogs and s'mores...a perfect night! and yes, our method of photography is for the adults to just keep smiling at the camera no matter what the kids are doing...it hasn't really worked for us so far, but we'll keep trying!

at least we have all 5 in a picture together!

Christmas Cards

2010-11-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

if you're in the market for a fabulous Christmas card, my super talented sister is the girl for you! she can do just about anything you can dream of, and who doesn't want a custom-made, one-of-a-kind card to show off your cute family and spread a little holiday cheer? she also does blog headers, birthday and shower invitations, and birth announcements...she did the dunc's and i LOVE it! her email is shealy.mckinnon@gmail.com if you're interested!

::6 cousins on the plains::

2010-11-08T17:28:00.000-08:00

the rays came for homecoming and we took all 6 kids to campus before the game. it was wild and crazy, but lots of fun! they love each other so much and it's so neat to have cousins so close in age. 10 of us under one roof means lots of noise and not a lot of sleep! the big 3 sleep together in ford's room, mark, jennie and emma are in the nursery with emma in the closet,

luke stays in his room, and duncan goes in our closet.

for some reason, whenever papa and dede are here with us they opt for a hotel...

i can't imagine why!

ford is four!!!

2010-11-02T17:04:00.000-07:00

my big guy is 4! here are some four-year-old ford facts:

loves: superheroes, puzzles, sweets, coloring, painting, writing his letters {total nerd alert}, playing football with daddy, his baby brother, his little brother in moderation, chicken nuggets, pancakes, chick-fil-a, playgrounds, books, his bike, his cousins, school, dinosaurs, his new leapster, the backyardigans, and being outside.

does NOT love: vegetables, naps, anything pink and girl-related, when luke gets into his stuff, when mommy has to work, when daddy leaves in the morning before he can give him a kiss and hug, getting haircuts from mommy, and wearing anything other than jeans!

we had a pumpkin patch party with 4 of his friends with fall birthdays back in october and he had the best time ever!

we love you so much, fordman!

you are the biggest blessing to all who know you!

--a cowboy, an indian, a little squaw, and a racecar driver? --

2010-10-31T15:59:00.000-07:00

the kids had so much fun trick-or-treating this year! luke didn't feel the need to wait for people to open their doors, he just knocked and walked straight in...the boy is not shy! dunc was just along for the ride...little man lives in jammies and tonight was no exception.

this is one of my most favorite things about living in my hometown...the whole family together!

my {middle} man

2010-09-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

Something tells me this one's not going to get lost in the shuffle of being the middle of 3 boys...between his fashion sense and that dimple, he can't help but stand out! His latest escapades: smashing grapes with his armpits, putting peanuts in his ears, getting his hand stuck in the opening elevator door at school {one of my top 3 scariest mother moments...the other two being our times in the NICU} and only wanting to poop in his underwear! He sure knows how to keep things exciting around here!

--naked slip 'n slide--

2010-09-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

i bet that title got your attention!

sunday afternoons are my most favorite time of the week! it's family time...no grocery shopping, errands or other chores...just time be together and have fun! so this past sunday we combined two of the boys favorite things - water and nakedness!

{does anyone else have children that strip their clothes off at every opportunity? it's a rare afternoon if my boys aren't running around in their underwear...and my neighbors can attest to that.}

they had a blast!

::life just doesn't get much sweeter than that!::

duncan @ 6 months

2010-09-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

this baby is the definition of joy! he is rolling everywhere, can sit for a little while, drools constantly but no teeth, smiles, coos and laughs from sun-up to sundown, loves the exersaucer and puts everything in his mouth. his hair is really dark and his eyes are blue except for a streak of brown in his left one, so the verdict's still out on what they will be. he LOVES ford and ford LOVES him; ford is always talking to him and singing to him and giving him toys or his paci, and he loves to make him laugh. luke is indifferent, although he seems to warming up to him a little more now that duncan is more interactive. it's hard to believe he's already 1/2 of a year old, but it's also hard to remember life without him!

6-month stats:

weight: 18~10 (75%) by far my biggest baby! i can't remember what the other 2 were at 6 months, but i know ford only weighed 19 lbs when he turned 1!

height: 26 3/4 inches (70%)

head: 17 3/4 inches (80%)

at least he's proportionate! i like to say there's just more to love!

{birthday boys}

2010-09-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

happy 31st birthday to my husband and happy 1/2 birthday to my baby...i think you're both delicious! i'll be back on monday with duncan's 6-month stats...he's large and in charge!

duncan

2010-08-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

baby boy is 4 1/2 months and pure sweetness! it was a ROUGH start...tummy trouble, sleepless nights, days full of inconsolable screaming...but that's all a foggy memory now! this angel sleeps from 8:30 until 7 or 7:30, takes 3 naps a day, drinks 5 bottles and is just about ready for baby food. he smiles and laughs and coos and goes from playmat to swing to exersaucer to bumbo to bouncy seat pretty much all day long. when he smiles big his left eye squints and it's the cutest thing i've ever seen. he is HUGE...definitely my biggest baby...he weighed 15~13 at 3 1/2 months and is wearing 6-9 month clothes. he loves watching the big boys and they love to make him laugh. luke sat on his head yesterday, but other than that, they are very gentle with him and they both like to hold him. his hair is coming in very dark like daddy's and his eyes are still very blue. he is pure sugar and i can't imagine life without him! by far the best surprise ever!

moobs

2010-08-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

he's got 'em, that's for sure! chunkalicious!

my 3 boys

2010-08-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

Puzzle Prodigy

2010-07-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

ford LOVES puzzles...i mean he LOVES them. he's an early riser, and the boys have to stay in their rooms until 7 every morning, so he usually does legos or puzzles when he wakes up until mommy drags her tired self out of bed. yesterday morning, i walked in his room to find that he had done a 100 piece puzzle all by himself!!! i was shocked! he was so proud of himself. i told him he could come downstairs and he said, "i need 30 more minutes, mommy" and then proceeded to do 3 more 48 piece puzzles before coming down for breakfast. joseph used to do puzzles all the time with his bea, so i guess ford gets it from him!

birthday boy

2010-07-07T11:36:00.001-07:00

my lukey is 2!! where to even begin...this little man is my heart! he is the snuggliest, cuddliest, kissingest boy on earth! and it's a good thing, because he's also one of the most mischievous too!

he loves: cars, trucks, push toys, trains, throwing tissue in the potty, jack & mac, turning over water bowls, destroying his big brother's puzzles, being outside, chips and french fries, drinking juice, buttons and switches, mickey mouse clubhouse, things that light up, rocking with mommy before bedtime, anything his brother is playing with, his rainboots, and hiding things in obscure locations.

he doesn't love: eating, getting in his carseat, coming inside, room time, being told no, swimming, leaving granny's house, not getting to play in the fridge, not getting to play with the computer and fax when mommy is working, mommy working and not giving him 100% of my undivided attention, and cats (he's allergic).

He is a mama's boy, loves his brothers but torments the big one and pats the little one a bit too rough, smiles with his eyes, has a dimple that melts my heart, has a great laugh, runs instead of walks, and gets into everything he shouldn't! I think I say "Where's Luke?" at least 40 times a day. His granny is his most favorite person and he asks to go to her house from sun-up to sundown. He talks a lot but I have no idea what he's saying most of the time. He makes the funniest expressions and is almost always wearing the hat the Rays gave for his birthday. I think he's as cute as they come and he is absolutely adored!

big boy bike

2010-07-07T11:32:00.001-07:00

Papa and Dede got Ford his first 'real' bike as an early birthday present and he LOVES it! Joseph and Debbie took him to get it and they said he hopped on at the back of the store,

rode it to the front register and said, "We'd like to buy this, please!" while sitting on it! He looks so big and he has already put many miles on it! Thanks so much, Papa and Dede!!!

fordisms

2010-06-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

Last night at dinner: "Daddy, I'm too busy to eat tonight, I've got a meeting in January." {the boy will say just about anything to get out of eating a few chicken nuggets}

Today at breakfast:
Me: Ford, why do you think Goofy can talk and Pluto can't but their both dogs?Ford: Well Mommy, I guess that's just how God made them.

Today at lunch: "Mommy, I'm not going to be here for a little bit this afternoon, I've got to take Chick (the green car from CARS) to the jungle."

never a dull moment!!

::at least it's not just me::

2010-06-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day, love!

l.o.v.e.

2010-06-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

Popsicle-eating, dirty-faced, sweet-dreaming boys...and they're all mine!

Baby Boy

2010-05-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

I could eat him up! I LOVE this munchkin...and I'm trying to savor every minute of his babyness because this. is. it!!! He's definitely more high maintenance than his brothers were as babies. He's got pretty bad reflux and lots of gas, which causes a lot of discomfort for the little man. But it's getting better and we're all hanging in there. Every time he makes a whimper, Luke tries to jam his paci in his mouth or rock the swing 100 miles an hour, so at least I've got some good helpers! He's been eating every 3 hours around the clock, but last night he only got up once! Praise the Lord! He weighed 11~2 at his 2 month check-up so all that eating is paying off. We are just so thankful he's healthy and well and ours!

Loungin'

2010-05-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

Never a dull moment

2010-05-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

This is why I don't have time to blog these days...

this rascal is keeping me busy! In the past two weeks, he's gotten in the shower and turned the water on fully clothed {twice}, dumped an entire bag of chips out in the pantry, poured sand on his head {on the day our water pressure broke - imagine cleaning that mess up with a drip}, tripped on a sand bucket and sliced his face, tripped over a table and busted his bottom lip, fell off the picnic table on the deck and busted his top lip, multiple busted knees, broke my brand new necklace I got for my birthday, transferred half of the toy basket to the refrigerator, took all our old VHS tapes from a drawer and put them in the shower, shredded my new bath sponge, whew! You'd think I was never around, but he is a sneak and manages to do all these things while I'm feeding Duncan, pumping, or working. It's a good thing he's cute!

If a picture is worth a thousand words...

2010-05-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

this one's made up of the four-letter variety!

Thirty and Fabulous

2010-05-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

I got to kick off my birthday celebration at my favorite restaurant {Warehouse Bistro} with some of my most favorite people! Thanks Holly for planning such a fun night! I sure do have some beautiful friends!

home

2010-05-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

we are home! and exhausted! duncan is going to be the toughest kid on the block after all he has been through in 6 short weeks. his blood cultures began to grow some sort of bacteria yesterday and we were told we might have to stay in the hospital for 5-10 days of antibiotics, but it turned out to be a contaminant in the culture so we were discharged this morning. the thought of another week in the hospital just about did me in, so you can imagine the joy and relief i felt when we heard the good news! thanks for the prayers and i'm sorry it's taken me so long to update - it's been a little wild around here! we go back to the doctor monday morning for a follow-up, so hopefully we'll get a good report. a HUGE thank you to Dr. Brooke for taking such good care of us and giving up your night off to be there for us. brooke was one of my pledge sisters at Auburn and has been such a blessing to our family! you are the best!

Prayer Request...

2010-04-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

It's Shealy - Sarah asked me to update with a prayer request...

Sarah is at the hospital with Duncan right now having some tests run. He woke up from his nap this afternoon with a fever of 100.8. Apparently, any baby 8 weeks and under running a fever of 100.4 or higher, has to be admitted to the hospital. So, that is where they are right now. I just talked to her and she said his initial tests looked good, and they should know more in the morning. It is routine that they have to stay for at least 48 hours to make sure everything is okay.
Also - Luke has had a fever and has been throwing up since Monday. A trip to the doctor today revealed a slight case of pneumonia, a double ear infection, AND a stomach virus. So, a baby in the hospital, a VERY sick almost 2 year old...you can imagine the feelings.
Please pray for healing and rest for everyone, as well as patience with the situation and wisdom for the doctors. Thank you!

Savory Solutions

2010-04-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

My aunt, Carol Duncan, is a fabulous personal chef and owner of Savory Solutions, and she has started a new service that I have to brag about! It's called Crockpot Wednesdays. She comes to your house, loads up your crockpot with something delicious, and you get to eat an amazing home-cooked meal with no effort on your part! My mom gave us two Wednesdays of meals after Duncan was born, and it was wonderful! I think this would make a great baby shower gift, especially for a mom with multiple children. Or anyone who just needs a break one night a week from figuring out dinner! Carol's website is www.savorysolutions.net, but I'm not sure if she's updated it for Crockpot Wednesdays yet. Her email is savorysolutions@bellsouth.net, and she sends out a newsletter with all she has to offer plus recipes and fun tips every month, so email her and ask to get on her mailing list! She's amazing!

:: bright eyes ::

2010-04-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

big brother

2010-04-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

luke was my main concern throughout this pregnancy - he's a mama's boy and i just didn't know how he'd handle having a baby in the house. so far, so good! major answered prayers! he doesn't pay duncan a lot of attention, but whenever it gets too quiet, i know where to find him...on his tiptoes in our bedroom looking at "baby". sweet, sweet boy!

--first bath--

2010-04-15T18:58:00.000-07:00

milk drunk

2010-04-09T15:22:00.000-07:00

ford.

2010-04-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

he's hilarious. and really smart. and stubborn. and a touch ocd. and quirky. and loves crafts. and to be outside. and speaks like a robot a good bit of the day. and makes me laugh ALL day long. he's my big boy.

pics from the first day home...

2010-04-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

life is full. but so are our hearts!

we are adjusting to our family of five and it's been a great week! joseph took this week off so we've just been soaking up every second of our time together with our boys. ford loves to rock duncan in the swing and has held him a few times. luke points to him and says, "ooooh, baby" and then ignores him for a few hours. duncan sleeps for most of the day {and night!} but I know will wake up soon and become a real baby! he's the sweetest thing ever and we are blessed beyond measure!

Tomorrow is the BIG day!

2010-04-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

If all goes according to plan, Baby Boy is coming home tomorrow! Joseph and I have to spend the night at the hospital tonight to prove we can take care of a newborn...I wanted to ask if I could bring my other two up there to show they somehow managed to survive our parenting thus far...but we'll jump through a million hoops if that's what it takes! I CAN NOT WAIT TO HAVE THIS BABY HOME! He might never leave my arms! Hopefully we'll have pictures soon of Duncan meeting his brothers tomorrow! Pray that we pass inspection!

almost there...

2010-03-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

This baby is doing great! He's up to 5-14, and they were hoping to take his PIC-line out today, which is the last thing he's hooked up to. The dreaded lumbar puncture came back clear, so he's been off antibiotics for a few days. He's taking his feeds great, and although they won't say when he can come home, I really feel like we're almost there. Not for Easter like I had hoped, but maybe the first of next week. My sweet friend April came to the hospital today and it was so fun to get to share him with someone who loves him and has been praying for him. And it was nice to have someone to talk to...thank you, April! Jennie and the kids are coming tomorrow, so I'm hoping Jennie will get to see him maybe tomorrow night!

I do have two other handsome little men who haven't gotten much blog time, so I thought I'd share some pictures of them. These guys have kept me going through all of this...they are the sweetest, funniest, most precious boys around! We've been outside every chance we can get, meeting friends at the park or playing around the neighborhood.

Ford has been having nightmares for the past week and has ended up in bed with us a time or two...which is a time or two more than ever before! God just knows I need a cuddle bug to snuggle with. I'm hoping once life gets back to normal (whatever that will look like) he'll settle down.

This monkey is obsessed with sunglasses and much prefers mine over the ones we got for him at Target. He likes to sport the upside-down look and is as cute as they come!

And keeping it real, this is Ford pouting when we were leaving the park the other day. He wanted to throw rocks in the creek before we left, but Luke always ends up IN the creek, and I just didn't have the energy to deal with it. He's perfected that look, hasn't he?

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter! I can't believe God gave his son for me...that's all I can think of when I'm holding Duncan...the ultimate sacrifice. I was very sweetly told by my husband that we would be attending church on Sunday {even though I have nothing to wear} because God has blessed us beyond belief...so I'll suck up my vanity {and my stomach} and be there with bells on! Happy Easter! He has risen!

the latest

2010-03-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

Today has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster...we were told this morning that Duncan was being moved to an open-air crib sometime today, which is fantastic news. This is the last step before he gets to come home, so we were thrilled to hear this. We went up there this afternoon feeling encouraged, and then were told that they were going to have to do a lumbar puncture to check for infection due to his labs from this morning. The thought of them having to stick a needle in my tiny baby's spine just about pushed me over the edge. The nurse wasn't the friendliest person in the world, and it would be an understatement to say that I didn't exactly handle it well;) Luckily, one of my sister's best friends is a NICU nurse in Birmingham, so Shealy immediately got on the phone with Stacy and she explained the procedure much better and calmed me down!

I did get to give him a bottle today for the first time and he finished it in about 30 seconds and wanted more! I'm hoping they'll increase the amount he's getting tomorrow so we can get some weight back on him. They should have the results from the lumbar puncture in 3 days, but he's been on antibiotics since birth so I'm not sure what would change if they came back showing infection.

It's been a long weekend...I think I finally hit a wall and the tears have been falling pretty freely. It's tough when you can count how much you've held your baby in minutes. And then I look around the NICU and see babies that are so much sicker than Duncan and know that this will pass. Joseph and I say all the time how thankful we are God chose for this to happen with our 3rd baby; we know the drill after going through this with Luke and we have two hysterical boys to come home to who constantly make us laugh and keep us so busy there's not much time to feel sorry for ourselves! I can't wait to have all 3 of them together!

great report

2010-03-25T19:18:00.001-07:00

duncan had a great day! he's breathing all on his own, they turned off the jaundice lights, and he was able to start feedings!!!!!! we are praying now for digestion and continued progress...i would love to have him home for Easter! thanks, friends!

New Pics and an Update

2010-03-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

I went to see this precious boy this morning and he's doing really well. He's off the cpap and on the nasal cannula with room air! This is HUGE! He's up to 5-11, but he's pretty puffy and I know most of the weight gain is due to the iv fluids. His x-ray this morning showed some concerns with his digestive system - a big word that I don't remember meaning something is swollen and his belly still needs to rest. So no feedings today, but hopefully another x-ray tomorrow will show some improvement and they can try again. He is completely off the sedation and was resting very comfortably while I was there. I'm sure his jaundice levels are high just by looking at his 'suntan', but they'll put him under the lights soon and once he can start eating that will take care of itself. Joseph is going back tonight after work so hopefully he'll get another good report! We're trying not to both be away from the big boys too much to keep their routine as normal as possible...whatever normal is! Here are some more pictures of one of the 3 cutest things I've ever seen;)

He looks so big compared to most of the babies up there...makes me count my blessings for sure!

He's got chicken legs and monkey toes!

Dark hair like Daddy...his head wasn't nearly as "coney" as the other boys, maybe because he was in the birth canal for 0.3 seconds!

The Latest

2010-03-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

We just got back from seeing the little guy and he's doing really well! They took him off the ventilator early this afternoon and he's on a cpap, which are the tubes going into his nostrils. He seems so much happier without a huge tube going down his throat! His carbon dioxide levels were off so they started him on something to balance them out. He still has a lot of mucus in his stomach, so they're holding off on any more feedings until they get an x-ray in the morning. He's only lost 2 ounces, which is a huge relief! I know the iv fluids account for some of the weight, but it's still nice to see. And best of all, we got to hold him, which was totally unexpected! We didn't even have the camera with us. He is so precious and such a gift. His nurses have all been amazing, just the kindest people who obviously love what they do. It makes it a lot easier leaving him there knowing he's in such good hands.

Ford has asked a million questions about why Baby Duncan isn't here and why we can't go see him in the hospital...slightly heartbreaking! I can't wait until I have all of my boys together...then the real craziness begins! Thanks again for all the prayers and offers to help! We're just taking it day by day right now. Joseph is going back to work tomorrow to save his days for when we bring Duncan home, so he'll mainly be going to visit Duncan at night. Please pray for safe travels, Duncan's digestive system and continued lung improvement, and the doctors and nurses taking care of him. We appreciate it more than words can express!

Duncan Update

2010-03-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

Sarah wanted me (Shealy) to update everyone on a few things. Prayers are needed over sweet little Duncan and Sarah and Joseph. Throughout the day today, they had to increase Duncan's oxygen a few times because he was having some trouble breathing. Well, this afternoon the doctors decided that intubating him would help him not have to struggle so much. The best place for Duncan to be right now with this going on is in Montgomery, so they made the decision to intubate him and transport him tonight. Sarah and Joseph were up at the hospital when they were getting him ready and Sarah said that when they intubated him, that he immediately stopped struggling to breathe and actually started to look like a normal baby. She said that he looked so much more comfortable and that she knew that this was definitely the right thing for them to do and has a peace about it. We will keep everyone updated on his progress... Please pray for him to gain strength and that his breathing will continue to get easier. Please also pray for Sarah and Joseph to be able to get some rest. And for Sarah - I can only imagine the emotions she is feeling right now...

A praise is that Luke is feeling better and Sarah and Joseph will be able to see him and Ford tomorrow (Sunday).
Thank you all so much for your prayers and comments. I know Sarah and Joseph appreciate it so much.

Our Introduction to Life with 3

2010-03-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for all your prayers! This is certainly not the way we hoped little Duncan's birth would be, but I have such an amazing peace about everything that it can only come from above! Duncan is under the oxygen hood and probably will be for another day or 2, but his breathing sounds so much better than it did even this morning. His x-rays showed improvement and we know he's getting the best care possible. It's been really funny to see the same sweet nurses that we got to know so well when we did this with Luke a short 20 months ago!!! My uneducated guess would be Duncan will be here for 10 days to 2 weeks, but he may surprise us! Not that this could ever be easy, but I am certainly less emotional this time around - I couldn't even look at Luke the day after he was born without weeping uncontrollably, and now I just see that sweet baby boy and know it won't be too long that this will all be a blur!

To add to the craziness, my mom took Luke to the doctor yesterday and he has the swine flu! Hilarious, right? I'm assuming Ford had it last week when he ran a fever for 5 days and passed it on to Lukester. The big boys are quarantined at my parents' house, and no one that has been around them can come up here. I think my mom's heart is slightly broken, but she knows she's where she's needed the most and the boys are having a blast with Granny and Crawdaddy. Joseph and I were laughing that this is the most time we've had together without kids in a while! We have 3 babies and right now we're not really responsible for any of them...the calm before the storm!

I'll keep you posted on Duncan's progress. I got to hold him right after he was born and my arms are aching to do it again. Thanks for all the emails, calls and texts!

William Duncan Martin

2010-03-18T19:22:00.000-07:00

Sweet Duncan blessed us with his presence today! He was born at 6:37 p.m. and weighed 5 lb 10 oz and is 19 in long. Sarah is doing great and so is Duncan. He is in the special nursery since he was so early, but he is only under the oxygen hood and he is breathing on his own. Here are a few pictures...

We think he has Ford's mouth and Luke's nose. He is absolutely adorable and perfect! Welcome to the world baby Duncan!

Kate is ONE!!!

2010-03-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

This little angel had a birthday last week and we got to celebrate yesterday! The boys were so excited and Ford talked constantly about helping her blow out her candle, but when the time came, he got a little shy. Kate is such a sweetheart and it's nice a have a little girl around the corner to spoil with this house full of boys!

My sister did a great job with the party planning - the giant cupcake she made looked like it came straight from a bakery, and although Kate wasn't thrilled about it, everyone else enjoyed it!

Ford spent the majority of the afternoon playing with Kate's new bubble puppy. He LOVED it!

I sure feel blessed to live in the same town as my sister and get to raise our kids together. The boys love their Aunt Bug and Uncle Clayton {Ford especially after Clayton giving him a dart gun yesterday} and I love Kate like she's my own! Happy Birthday, little girl!

The first of many...

2010-03-13T11:17:00.000-08:00

I figure in a household of 3 boys, this is just the tip of the iceberg!

Ready for Spring

2010-03-12T11:30:00.000-08:00

Soak it up, little man!

We are READY for the sunshine! I am so thankful this baby has stayed put through these cold, dreary days...being cooped up inside does not make for happy boys or a happy mama. Baby Duncan will be here soon and we are excited to meet him! My last shot is Wednesday and my doctor said he'd induce me a week early if I made it that far, so no more than 4 weeks left! Luke was already here at this point, so I feel like every extra day is just icing on the cake.

Here are a few pics of what we've been up to lately!

Bundling up and going on walks around the neighborhood, stuffing our pockets full of rocks to throw in puddles...

Creating masterpieces for daddy in the driveway most afternoons...

Fishing with sweet friends...(Ford was the only one that didn't catch a fish, and to add insult to injury, the other kids were GIRLS - he woke up at 3 a.m. that night and we heard on the monitor, "Don't worry, we'll catch one next time!")...

Cursing winter germs and sleeping off a fever virus while Diego played over and over and over...

And getting to see Mae Mae and Josh (Joseph's mom and little {BIG} brother) for a quick stop on their way to the beach for Spring Break! Josh is about to graduate from high school in May and has been accepted to Auburn, so he may be here in the fall! We told him how easy it would be to pick up girls with two little cuties in tow - don't all college guys love to babysit?

Buddies

2010-03-12T11:23:00.000-08:00

Two of my most favorite people and their precious boys came to visit earlier this week and we had a blast! Five boys 3 and under made for a loud, messy, super-fun house and we loved every minute of it. Ford and Sawyer hit it off right away and it was really sweet to see them play together and listen to their little conversations. College roomies in 2024, right? Ash and Al, thanks for making the trip...please, please, please do it again soon!

My 3 Valentines

2010-02-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

Cold Cousins

2010-02-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

We were so excited to have Parker and Maryn here with us to enjoy the snow! They had a blast - all except Luke, who has another double ear infection and pink eye. Thank you, Jennie & Mark, for sharing your precious kids with us! We miss you, Emma girl!

Warming up and zoning out...

The Question

2010-01-24T18:10:00.000-08:00

Tonight Ford and I were laying in his bed talking and he asked THE QUESTION...

Ford: Mommy, how did Baby Duncan get in your tummy?

Me: Well, sweetie, God put him there.

Ford: But how did he get IN there?

Me: God decided we needed another baby and he put him in mommy's tummy.

Ford: Did you have to eat him?

Don't you just love how the 3-year-old mind works!

2009 In Pictures

2010-01-20T08:48:00.000-08:00

Since I've been the world's worst blogger lately, I thought I'd do one catch-up post for 2009! I know that's not going to completely satisfy some of you (Papa & Dede), but I vow to be a better blogger in 2010!

January...Ford moved into his big boy bed, got his first real haircut by Mrs. Sharon, we had Shealy's baby shower, and we all got the stomach bug.

February...Luke was dedicated to the Lord and Papa, Dede and the Rays came to visit.

March...my precious niece, Kate, was born and it snowed;)

April...we spent lots of time playing outside, went to lots of Easter Egg Hunts, Joseph and I had a weekend away thanks to Granny and Crawdaddy, and Ford went fishing for the first time.

May...we spent a week in Charleston with this crazy crew!

June...Mark & Jennie celebrated their 10th anniversary with a fabulous trip so Parker and Maryn got to stay with us for a week!

July...my sweet baby turned ONE and demolished his birthday cake in 2.5 seconds - I've never seen anything like it!

August...Jennie, Parker, Ford and I surprised Dede in Seattle for her 50th birthday! Little did we know that someone else was along for the ride...another little Martin! We found out we were having another baby and I think Joseph is still recovering from the shock! William "Duncan" Martin will hopefully arrive in April...a perfect FINAL addition to our family!

September...Joseph turned the BIG 3-0 and the Rays came to help celebrate!

October...we went to a million birthday parties got lots of candy for Halloween! The boys were doctors and Kate was the cutest little chick you've ever seen!

November...Ford turned 3 and we had cupcakes in the park with all of his friends!

December...Christmas!!!! The boys loved every second of it, and we were so happy Papa and Dede were here to celebrate with us! Ford still gets sad and asks why we took down Jesus' tree and birthday decorations!

Happy 30th to my man!

2009-09-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday, Jo! The boys and I think you are the coolest thing around...we kind of adore you! I hope you loved your Boston birthday trip - I sure did! Love you, Say

Fordisms and a Mom Tip of the Day

2009-07-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

While we were playing dinosaurs and I was the damsel in distress:

Me: "Oh, you are such a scary dinosaur!"

Ford: "No, Mommy, I'm not a scary dinosaur; I'm just a handsome boy!"

While driving by the new CVS:

"Look, Mommy, there's QVC!"

While eating lunch the other day:

Ford: "Mommy, I'm so sad."

Me: "What's the matter, punks?"

Ford: "I didn't get to sing Happy Birthday to Emma."

He then proceeds to lay his head down on the table for a few seconds while I try to call Jennie so he can sing to Emma (whose birthday was 2 weeks ago). She could not be reached. He picks his little head up and says, "I think a popsicle would make me feel happy!"

The boy knows how to work it.

And I love it.

A few Mom Tips for you:

Tip: Have all supplies ready before bath begins.

No matter how fast you can get pajamas out of a drawer from a room that is attached to the bathroom, your 1-year-old will be faster and will make it from the hallway, where he just got lotioned, diapered, and pajamed, to the tub and will end up face first back in the tub with his brother who will give you no warning that this is occuring.

Tip: Don't put your baby's crib next to a light switch.

For some reason, they don't sleep when the light is on. Who would have thought? The crib was just moved the crib by the light switch because said baby pulled the curtain holder out of the wall in the crib's first position. Crib will now reside in the middle of the room. I'm thinking that's not going to stop this guy from wreaking havoc on something else; I've just got to stay one step ahead of him...

Any tips?

Cake!

2009-07-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Birthday Boy

2009-07-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Wild Man! I can't believe you are already 1! You melt my heart a million times a day; but how could you not, with that precious grin and that dimple! You are such a happy boy, but I have a feeling we're in for a crazy ride with you. You are into EVERYTHING, especially the dog bowl and the floor vents - you can get the cover off of one in 3 seconds flat! There's no telling what you've dropped down that hole! You had a BIG time with your birthday cake. I don't think I've ever seen a baby enjoy his cake more! It took you two seconds to realize you had a huge chunk of sugar in front of you before you started shoveling in fistfuls into your sweet mouth! You gave everyone a good laugh!

For the record, you have 4 teeth - two on top, two on bottom. You had your top teeth for about 5 days before you chipped one of them - we don't call you Wild Man for nothing! You weigh around 22 pounds, but you've really leaned down since you started crawling a month ago. You will eat anything we put in front of you, which is a big change from your big brother! You think Ford is really funny, although he's not totally wild about you since you seem to want everything he has. I know the two of you will be big buddies this time next year!

We love you, precious boy! I can't imagine our lives without you. You are such a sweet gift from God!

Love, Mommy

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-20T13:09:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's Day to the most incredible father on earth! You have a wife and two little boys that adore you!

PRAY PRAY PRAY for Mike

2009-06-16T07:14:00.000-07:00

I've posted before about my dear friend, April, and her husband Mike's battle with cancer. They just heard some tough news yesterday and need PRAYER. Here's a link to her blog, and you can keep up with Mike's caringbridge site from there. PLEASE pray for God's healing for Mike and for strength for April as they walk through this fire. They are truly the most amazing people I know. I know they covet your prayers!

http://mikeaprilbailey.blogspot.com/

Michael & Jenna's Wedding

2009-06-13T11:36:00.000-07:00

The bride was beautiful, the groom was handsome, and the ring bearer was adorable...all-in-all, a big success! Ford marched down the aisle as if he'd done it 100 times, got to the end, and then ran all the way back down giggling. It was pretty cute! Jenna said he'd done his job - to make
everyone smile!

Pictures went pretty much like I expected them too, but there weren't any tantrums so we were happy! Ford did not inherit his father's love of having his picture taken!

Congratulations, Michael and Jenna! We are so excited for you! Thanks for letting us be a part of your special day!

What do you do when it rains at the beach for 5 days?

2009-05-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

You watch 'Fox & the Hound 2' 84 times...

you play Hide & Seek (Emma won)...

you do many a craft (please notice the bat dangling from the chandelier - Parker's latest obsession)...

you make handprint stones for Dede's garden...

you visit the fantastic Charleston Children's museum and you play with water...

and you paint...

and you make your crazy Uncle Joseph fish sandwiches...

you have Battle of the Baby Booster Seats...

you build cool forts (leaving Papa and Dede without a bedsheet)...

you play 'pool' with your cousins...

you listen to Joseph tell lots of stories...

you download 12 books to your Kindle and read them all...

you do some puzzles...

you catch up on some sleep...

you play in the driveway because when there's finally a break in the rain and you try to go to the beach, the wind blows the sand on these sweet little legs and brings on the tears...

you praise the Lord you have two super sweet babysitters there with you to help out...

and you're really thankful you have a wonderful, fun, laid-back, go-with-the-flow, creative, hysterical family that you actually enjoy being cooped up in a beautiful beach house with!

More Charleston pictures to come...we actually did get to go the beach 2 days and we celebrated some major birthdays, so check back soon! Thank you Papa and Dede for another wonderful trip!

He'll be signing autographs for a small fee...

2009-05-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

I know - he's pretty stinkin' cute, isn't he? Our friend Dale, who is crazy creative and talented, is doing the website and marketing for our builder. He asked us to 'pose' for him, not really knowing how much Ford DESPISES having his picture made. It took some mad Photoshop skills to get Joseph's hands off the frame...Ford refused to hold it by himself. Dale - you are awesome and have some MAJOR patience!

If anyone has any tips to get kids to pose for pictures...send 'em this way! Ford is a ring bearer next weekend and I'm having mild panic attacks about the picture taking portion of the evening! And you'll have to step it up a bit from M&M's, people. Crashed and burned several times with that one!

fordisms

2009-05-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight when we were leaving swimming lessons:

"I don't want to wear my crocs, Mommy, I want to wear my feet!"

My Growing Boys and Gardening

2009-05-05T12:42:00.000-07:00

Ford turned 2 1/2 on Saturday! I absolutely adore this guy! The things he says and does make me laugh all day long. He loves trucks, trains, dirt and all other things boy. We were driving by a construction site the other day and I said, "Look, there's an excavator!" He replied, "No, Mommy, that's a front-end loader." Whoops! I've finally given up on the food battle and mealtimes are much more pleasant. He'll eat when he's hungry, right? He loves throwing the ball to the dogs and playing on his new playset that Daddy and Dr. Brad built him. We're outside pretty much every second he's awake. He has a temper that we're working on and praying about, but he's got such a sweet heart and is a very kind little boy. He is such a blessing and I LOVE getting to be his mommy.

This little angel turned 10 months on Sunday! His personality is so different from Ford's; while Ford is very high-maintenance (like his mother) and full of energy, Luke is the most laid-back sweetie I've ever met (just like his daddy). To know him is to love him - his smile will melt your heart and does mine multiple times a day! He's not crawling but can roll and scoot anywhere he needs to go. He's just content as he can be to sit and watch his blur of a brother! He's probably not crawling because he spends most of his time in the swing outside! His new nickname, bestowed by his Crawdaddy, is Mohawk, because he's got a strip of black hair on the top of his head and not much anywhere else! Jennie called him a skunk this weekend, but I think we'll stick with Mohawk;) He has 2 bottom teeth and eats anything you put in front of him. He's starting to have a little bit of separation anxiety, but what can I say, he loves his mommy! He says mama and dada and bye bye, and he just starting waving yesterday. I can't believe we'll be celebrating his 1st birthday in 2 short months!

Last summer, my sweet husband built a flower garden for cutting underneath our kitchen window. I actually planted the seeds the day I went into labor with Luke (6 weeks early), so the garden didn't get much love last year! Despite my lack of tending, we have lots of blooms and it makes me smile to think how far we've come since those seeds were planted!

The other day, my parents came over to see the new playset. Both are avid gardeners and have a beautiful yard to prove it. Looking at my garden, my mom gently reminded me that the more you cut them, the more they grow. I couldn't help but think how true this is of people, too. The more God 'cuts' us through challenges with family, friends, jobs, etc., the stronger we can grow towards Him. He's the ultimate gardener, and if we let Him tend to us, the more we will bloom. So today while the boys were napping, I decided to tend to my garden and spent that time praying that my heart will be open to God's 'gardening', and I got some beautiful blooms out of it as well!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Happy Birthday, Parker!!!

2009-05-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

To my most favorite nephew - happy 4th birthday! We had so much fun at your party and loved getting to play with you and your sisters. We love you to pieces and can't wait to see you at the beach! Bad Bart has been getting into lots of trouble so bring your handcuffs!

Love, Aunt Say

fordisms

2009-04-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

Overheard after nap this afternoon through the monitor:

"Welcome to Moe's! I'll have a quesadida!"

I might need to start cooking at home more often.

2009-04-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." John 11:25-26

Daddy's Home!

2009-03-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

These two little guys have not left their daddy's side all morning! Joseph got back yesterday after spending five days in Mississippi for work. Ford kept hugging him and saying, "Daddy, I missed you!" So did Mommy!

Rascal

2009-03-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

This kid cracks me up. I told Joseph the other day that I can't wait for him to wake up in the morning just to see what he's going to say next. I call my mom 20 times a day to tell her a funny Ford comment.

The garbage man came today ~ a definite highlight in Ford's week. We watched him and then rolled the garbage can to the top of the driveway. It was muddy behind the fence and Ford was already dressed for school (and mud = a dirty Ford), so we just left it in the driveway. Fast forward 5 minutes to me backing out of the garage to go to school...yes, the trashcan was forgotten and got a gentle tap with my bumper. He said, "Uh, oh, Mommy hit the trash can. Mommy go to time-out!"

This afternoon, I told him it was time for nap. He said, "Me's go outside for two minutes, kay?" and then gave me the cutest grin you've ever seen. So guess who got to go outside for two minutes;)

Can you handle the cuteness?

2009-03-24T01:30:00.000-07:00

the things they say...

2009-03-16T14:20:00.001-07:00

When told he couldn't have another bag of Nemo fruit snacks...

"Me's got it rough!"

Cousins and a Cutie

2009-03-14T17:45:00.000-07:00

Can you believe how big Luke looks next to Kate? It's amazing how much they change in 8 short months!! Ford was totally unimpressed with the whole situation...

but this guy took an immediate liking to baby girl! He's going to take such good care of her when they get older - Will Vakakes, you've got a very protective cousin to get through so think twice before you lay claim on this one! He's pretty fierce...

Little Doll Baby

2009-03-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, I am SOOOO in love with my new niece! She is amazing. I am in total awe of this little miracle. I really do love her like she was my own! She was born at 12:56 a.m. and is a little peanut - 6~5, 18 1/2 inches with the longest legs, fingers and feet I've ever seen on a baby of that size! She's got a ton of long, thick black hair and looks just like my sister to me, minus the whole squishy baby face thing;)

Let me just tell you, watching Shealy go through that was a LOT harder than I thought it would be. Not that I wanted to trade places with her, but I had a hard time watching her in that much pain. I wasn't in there for the actual delivery, and I'm thinking that was probably a good thing! Everything went smoothly, but there was that time lapse from when the epidural was ordered to when it actually was administered where she was really hurting. I've always tended to be a bit overprotective of my little sister, so not being able to do anything to make it better was tough. Darn that Eve!

I took the boys up to the hospital to meet their new cousin after Ford's school today. Ford was so excited to go the "hop-spit-al" and talked about it all morning, but as soon as we got to the maternity ward, he saw a nurse carrying a thermometer and freaked! The kid is not a fan of healthcare professionals! It was pretty chaotic with both boys up there, so we didn't stay long - Ford wet his pants, which he hasn't done in forever, so we headed home pretty quickly for naps! I think I'll leave them at home when I head back up there tonight! I'll have more pictures to post on their blog later on...I'm working on about 2 1/2 hours of sleep, so it'll be an early night for everyone. Welcome to the world, Baby Kate! You have a family that adores you!

Sweet Pea

2009-03-06T09:07:00.000-08:00

Too big...

2009-02-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

I glanced at this picture as it was downloading from the camera, and I thought he looked so much older than 2! We were making cupcakes for his teachers for Valentine's Day, and he had to make sure they tasted okay! He kept saying, "I want a blue one, Mommy, not a pink one." ALL BOY!

Excuses, Excuses

2009-01-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

Long time, no post, huh? I figured when I started getting anonymous comments telling me it was time for an update, I'd better get on it! Instead of telling you why I've been too busy to blog, I thought I'd show you...

Decorating a tree THREE times after it fell twice, right where that little lamb is laying on his playmat...praise the Lord he wasn't there either time...

Celebrating an early Christmas since Bug and Clayton spent the real day in Birmingham...

Putting together a train table and then playing "choo-choos" for approximately 473 hours since December 25th...

Potty training boot camp for this rascal roo - the longest 3 days of my life but 1000% worth it...

Not paying enough attention to the Lukester during the aforementioned 3 days...

Then making it up to him by kissing on these irresistable cheeks for days on end and getting some giggles...

Moving to a big boy bed...

And having the bed head to prove it...

Everyone but LAM getting the stomach bug...

Chillin' with this guy...

And discussing foreign policy and health care reform with this one...

Feeding my baby lots, I mean LOTS of baby food...the child can eat...

Hosting a baby shower for my sweet sister and soon-to-be niece (only 8 more weeks!)...

And loving on my 3 favorite men...

Life doesn't get much better than that! Throw in Thanksgiving in the ATL with 21 people under 1 roof, my dad's, sister's, and mom's birthdays, Callaway with Lenzie and Clay, a long weekend in Charlotte with the Rays, WORK, a few Auburn basketball games (Ford loves the band, the popcorn, and the Sprite), Luke's 6-month doctor's appointment (17 lbs and 28 inches - long and lean like his daddy) and the general craziness of life with 2 precious boys and the most rockin' husband ever, and that's my excuse for the lack of blogging! I vow to try to do better! As Ford would say, "Peace out, guys!"

What you won't be seeing on our Christmas card...

2008-12-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

My mom made the boys' Christmas outfits and they weren't yet monogrammed when we took this picture, so they ended up looking like miserable and/or drunk clowns. Not really the look I'm going for this year!

Pray for Mike

2008-12-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

Please pray for Mike Reed - this latest round of chemo has left him with a serious infection and he's in the ICU in Montgomery. His wife, April, is one of my very best friends from high school and they're expecting their first baby, little Trent, next month. Visit his CaringBridge site for more details.

BFF

2008-11-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

A Weekend with the Rays

2008-11-14T07:44:00.000-08:00

The Rays came to visit last weekend and we had a fantastic time! Although with nine people under one roof, and 5 of them 3 and under, our time together wasn't exactly peaceful or quiet...but we wouldn't have it any other way! For those of you wondering logistically how we all slept, Mark and Parker were in the playroom, Jennie and Maryn were in Ford's room, Emma was in Luke's room, Ford was in our closet, and Luke was in the laundry room!

The scene in the living room...bodies and babies everywhere!

My absolutely adorable nephew and nieces!

These two got their first taste of something besides milk...yum!

And the babies, one week apart, side by side. Emma is a lot longer than she looks in the picture:)

We can't wait to see you in 2 weeks for Thanksgiving! It's going to be CRAZY, but there's nothing I'm more thankful for than the people in these pictures. Deep friendships, healthy babies, and incredible memories made every time we're together.

the birthday party

2008-11-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

a HUGE thanks to everyone who made ford's birthday so special! we had a fantastic time at his "things that go" party. my parents were kind enough to let us have it in their backyard. the weather was perfect, and other than ford deciding since he was now '2' he didn't need a nap, it went off without a hitch! it was really incredible to see ford surrounded by these precious children that he'll grow up with...lifelong friendships in the making! we are so blessed to live in a place with so many amazing families with young children! as you can tell from the pictures, the yard was taken over by cars, trucks, trains and children!

The Martins

::Merry Christmas!::

fordisms

::the BIG 5::

ahoy!

::have you missed us?::

ONE

{stuck}

happy birthday, kate-kate!

{a reminder}

::the tie::

--duncan's dedication--

::save the trees!::

{we did it!}

{25 years}

::winter blues::

tubes

++mountain fun++

<>< christmas morning ><>

christmas in the mountains

happy birthday, bug!

painful

::fun on the farm::

*Christmas Cards*

::6 cousins on the plains::

ford is four!!!

--a cowboy, an indian, a little squaw, and a racecar driver? --

my {middle} man

--naked slip 'n slide--

duncan @ 6 months

{birthday boys}

duncan

moobs

my 3 boys

Puzzle Prodigy

birthday boy

big boy bike

fordisms

::at least it's not just me::

l.o.v.e.

Baby Boy

Loungin'

Never a dull moment

If a picture is worth a thousand words...

Thirty and Fabulous

home

Prayer Request...

Savory Solutions

:: bright eyes ::

big brother

--first bath--

milk drunk

ford.

pics from the first day home...

Tomorrow is the BIG day!

almost there...

the latest

great report

New Pics and an Update

The Latest

Duncan Update

Our Introduction to Life with 3

William Duncan Martin

Kate is ONE!!!

The first of many...

Ready for Spring

Buddies

My 3 Valentines

Cold Cousins

The Question

2009 In Pictures

Happy 30th to my man!

Fordisms and a Mom Tip of the Day

Cake!

Birthday Boy

Happy Father's Day!

PRAY PRAY PRAY for Mike

Michael & Jenna's Wedding

What do you do when it rains at the beach for 5 days?

He'll be signing autographs for a small fee...

Christmas Cards