christmas with cousins

I did not get a good Martin family picture this year, which is so sad.
But we did Christmas with Adam's family on the 26th this year.

His sisters and their kiddos were all in town for several days after Christmas, and despite all the fun, I did not get a good cousin picture.

But one night everyone was at our house for dinner and Adam snuck in the play room to see why it was so quiet and all the cousins were sitting on the couch watching Toy Story.  We put the baby on the couch, too, and snapped an iPhone pic.  Not the best quality, but a memory nonetheless.  :)  It's not too often that six kids sit still at one time!

I am so thankful for cousins.  I want Luke to grow up knowing and loving and making memories and mischief with these guys!

christmas day with honey + cramer

For Christmas Day afternoon we went to Honey and Cramer's house to open gifts, eat a delicious lunch, and play with our new toys. 

Our little man was spoiled rotten.  :)

quiet christmas morning

We had a lovely morning at our house on Christmas Day.

Complete with Adam + Jen time over coffee in the wee hours, homemade cinnamon rolls, snuggle time with our boy, opening presents, and playing with lots of cars and trucks from Santa. 

We wouldn't have had it any other way.  Merry Christmas. 

merry christmas 2012

For unto us a child is born

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Love, the Martin Family

Adam, Jen, Luke & Baby #2

christmas eve with pops + marley

Tradition in my family is to spend Christmas Eve with my dad by going to church and then out to a fancy dinner, then back to his house to open presents.

Though our tradition has changed a bit with my own growing family (we no longer go out to a fancy dinner!) we still spend that evening with him.

This year, Pops and Marley grilled steaks and we watched Luke open presents.
This was the most magical hour for me - watching my little boy understand what it means to open a gift and receive a toy.  He had so much fun.

We put Luke to bed over there and spent a few hours of quiet adult-time before heading home so Santa could come.  :)  

Here's a little recap, instagram-style.

1.  Christmas Eve "Eve" service at our wonderful church.
2.  Luke opening his stocking at Pops' house.  He would take out a gift and say, "more! more!" and then take out another one.  Priceless.
3.  Unwrapping.  He got the hang of this quick and once he got started it was hard to stop him!
4.  "Driving" his truck ornament through the air.
5.  Loving his new tractor.  It says, "caterpillar power!" over and over and over and over.  :)
6.  Bath time with Marley's special candy-cane bath confetti and his new sippy cup. 

haircut anxiety

Luke had his first haircut just after he turned 1 and he did great. 
But he's had several haircuts since then and I swear they've gotten progressively worse.

This little man has the worse haircut anxiety in the world.
Soon as he sits down in that chair he starts screaming and shaking and crying and reaching.
It's miserable.  Miserable for everyone.

After the last haircut I called my friend Melissa crying, swore that I'd never do that to him again.

But I was taking him to a local barber that's more meant for adults. 
So today, we took a little family trip to the overpriced just-for-kids joint at the mall.

It was horrible.  Terrible.  Awful.  No good.
He screams like he's terrified.  He refuses suckers, toys, movies, cookies. 
The poor girl giving the haircut did the best she could but he does not make it easy. 
And by the time we leave, I'm swearing that I'll never do that to him again.

But his hair will grow.  And since he won't let Adam or me cut it, either, we'll have to go back.
And that thought gives me haircut anxiety.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

19 weeks

It's as if I blinked and BAM! we were here. 
Almost halfway through and I have no idea where the last few months have gone.

Here we are, baby #2 and me, getting bigger every day.  :)

And for the most part, this thing is going off without a hitch.  ;)  Pretty easy and uneventful for now.

I felt this baby kick so much earlier than with Luke, and now movement can even be felt from the outside, which means Adam has gotten to feel the kicks, too. 

We'll find out if this is a BOY or GIRL in less than 2 weeks and I am so excited!

This little one is excited too - but he doesn't really know why.  ;)

jesus and jesus in the manger

I picked Luke up from school the other day and he met me at the door with his craft. 
His teacher was kind of laughing and I could tell there was going to be a good story.

Of course they are focusing on the story of Jesus this season and on this day they made little mangers out of paper sacks and then added hay and a "baby Jesus" made of a sock with a tiny blue blanket.

Luke's manger looked like this.

His teacher told me that he insisted that his manger had two babies.  She tried to tell him that there was only one baby Jesus, but he just shook his head and told her "nah nah" (no no) and put a second baby in the manger. 

I'm not really sure what to think. 
Other than ... he's pretty darn cute.
And stubborn. 

happy monday

Could he be any more beautiful? 
Every day that passes I am more in love with this child.

Oh this boy makes me laugh and he brings out a love in me that I never knew was possible.