::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

::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.

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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!"

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this little boy is my heart.

he brings so much joy to our family.

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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}

::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!

happy 2nd birthday, sweet girl!

we love you so much!

{a reminder}

::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.

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::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.

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::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::

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--

::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!