A player at heart

I love this picture.  It pretty much sums up the joy this kid has for the game of baseball.  Everyday when his daddy gets home the question is always the same, "Can we play some ball, dad?"  I love that he loves something this much at such a young age.  He has a passion for it, a drive, and it's so fun to see that in him.  It's nothing we've forced on him, it's just in him.  I also love that his daddy never turns him down for a game of catch.  

I heart #33.

Have I ever mentioned on here how much I love Jude's little gullet?  I do, and frankly, I will cry when it is gone.  It keeps him a baby to me just a little bit longer.  It is shrinking, as he slowly becomes gigantic on me, but I love the above pic because you can see it. 

He had such a great first season.  I'm so thankful we didn't rush into t-ball last year.  Dallas didn't want to start him off too early, and I think it was the right call.  This year coach pitch was a success.  Looking forward to many more years of watching my boy from the bleachers.  

Severely behind...

So this is a bit of a catch-all post.  A picture dump.  Here's what's been happening at the Martin home for the past few...

 The boys participated in their first lemonade stand.  We had lots of customers. 

 Dallas turned 32!  I failed to find the candles for the cake, but made up for it by getting him Apple TV for his special day:). 

 Cousins!  My sister and her three wee ones stopped by for a quick visit 2 times, both on their way to and from my dad's house.  It was so great to see them and the boys loved it!  Jude is especially smitten with Ellie, the oldest.  Luke looks like he could just join right into our little family here with that white head.  

 33 weeks I have been cooking this sweet baby girl.  It's getting close and I'm starting to feel the weeks adding up.  I'm feeling puffy all over and ready to meet her.  Doc still thinks she is small, but says my due date will remain the same, she'll just be a small baby.  She was 3 lbs 12 oz at my 32 week appointment and ultrasound.  

My sweet boy started KINDERGARTEN!  I was so emotional the night before, but managed to hold it together when we took him and dropped him off into someone else's care for 6-1/2 hours.  I've been a wreck ever since:).  

He didn't get the teacher he had hoped for, but I was super happy for the one he got.  I've heard great things.  He thought she had "witch hair" but seemed to get over that pretty quickly.  

He did such a great job and was such a big boy.  His teacher had all good things to say about him.  Rhett and I visited him at lunchtime and he was so happy to see us.  He did cry a little, but was super brave when it came time to get back to class.  I'm so proud of him.  Today was his second day and he came home with a dollar.  We asked him where he got it and he said his new best friend gave it to him. I asked what his name was and he said, "I don't know, some black kid".  We'll have to work on names.  

Meanwhile, Rhett and I have been adjusting to being alone together all the live-long day.  It's nice to have this time with him, but he misses brother.  Sometimes he'll just get extremely whiny and can't tell me what's wrong.  Yesterday he cried and said, "I just want to eat some crackers with Jude."  He starts a Mother's Day Out program next week, and I think he will welcome the distraction a few days a week.  About 6 times a day he lifts up my shirt, puts his hand on my tummy and says, "I want to talk to baby Ha-ee." He also pats my belly, and if I say she's moving he will run over to me an put his dimply little toddler hand on the side of my tummy and look at it until he feels something or gets bored, whichever comes first.  I'm so thankful for this special time with him.  He's really never had it as the second child.

Jude had is very first flag football game today.  It was pouring down rain and that made for double the fun.  The kids had a blast and his team won!  

We finally have an office! 

We brought this trestle table back from IL strapped to the top of our car..classy, I know.  It was in 7 pieces, but Dallas got it put back together in no time.  I was impressed with his wood working skills!  This table has been in my family since I was born.  A neighbor made it for us as a dining table for a project in his woodworking class at Miami of Ohio.  It is made from solid cherry.  My dad later used it as a desk for years, and no longer needed it after his move to the lake.  It's been broken, sitting in my sister's garage for a year, so I jumped on the opportunity to have it in my home.  This is a much improved office from the tiny built-in off of our kitchen.  That will now be a homework space for Jude.  I still need to get some wall calendars and bulletin boards hung, but besides that, not much else will go in this room.  There is a leather chair and ottoman in one corner, and I'm on the hunt for a cowhide rug.  I'm super excited to have a dedicated office space..I've never had that before!  

So, now I feel a little more caught up:).  Hope everyone is doing well and having a great back to school season.  Can't wait for fall weather!

Hattie's room

My goal with Hattie's room was to create a space she can grow into.  A room where in two years we can remove her crib, replace it with a big girl bed and call it good!  I tried to use a lot of what I already had, make things, find items second hand and repurpose anything I could.  I think the rug is the only brand new item purchased for her room.  

The ruffled curtains really helped "girly" up the space. 

Measuring stick looks really dark in the bright sunshine.  

Love this little pouf!  

Getting all of the necessary essentials washed and ready!  

There you have it.  Now all we need is a sweet faced little baby to put in it:).  

In the 30's, little swimmers and summer's end

Week 30

First I want to start off by saying that I really could care less if I get stretch marks.  After I posted about it last time I felt incredibly selfish.  Of all of the things that could go wrong, stretch marks are seriously no big thing to me.

Holy braxton hicks batman.  I feel like I felt the day before I went into labor with Rhett..already.  My doctor said it is normal for these to intensify the more kids you have.  He's not surprised that I'm experiencing a ton of pressure and hardening in my tummy with number 3.  I on the other hand don't care to feel like labor is starting every other night.

Somehow Hattie is measuring small at 30 weeks.  You wouldn't know it from the pic above, but she is barely measuring at 29 weeks.  He said we would keep an eye on it to make sure she continues to grow, but she has been measuring right on target up until this visit.  This of course is all determined very scientifically (by using a soft measuring tape and measuring from my pelvic bone to the top of my baby bump while I lay on my back.).  I'm not too concerned:).

At my 32 week visit we will do another in-depth ultrasound (just like the one I did at 22 weeks).  I haven't seen her in nearly 10 weeks!  She is supposed to be around 15" long and 3 pounds right now.

I was super irritated to find out that a new couple at church was having her baby any day and also naming her Hattie.  Obviously I don't own the name, but I just didn't care for her to have another Hattie in her very first class ever and already have to be called "Hattie M".  Well, they had the baby this week and they named her Haddy, which is totally a different name, right?! :).  Either way, we are sticking with Hattie..it's her name.

Little swimmer

Three weeks ago Rhett took a plunge into the pool and just took off swimming..under water and all on his own.  It was amazing.  I had sort of given up hopes for him to swim this summer, but he surprised us and is a little fish now.  He jumps in the deep end and will swim half way across the pool.  The only problem is that he doesn't come up for breaths, so I have to make sure to pull him up to breath from time to time.  It will come to him.  We are getting ready to spend a week at my mom's where we will swim every day all day, so I expect him to be swimming freestyle by the time we leave.  Not too shabby for a 2 year old!  This kid is always surprising us being bigger than he has to be.

Rhett had his 6 month echo follow-up last week, and the cardiologist said that his valve looks nearly normal!  She still categorized as trivial and said that he needs to come back in one year from now.  At that appointment they will determine if he ever has to be seen for this issue again..ever!  Such a miracle. Praise God!  

Summer's End...

We are wrapping up our summer with a nice long trip to IL to see my mom.  We are so excited to have a week with her and to get out of the crazy 115 degree temps in OK.  The forecast for IL is in the high 80's next week.  I should probably take a sweater:).

Jude went to a cute little music camp a few weeks ago and had a blast.  We will definitely sign up again next year.  He learned all about Faith and it was great!  He's still singing all of the little songs.

This kid will be in kindergarten in just a few short weeks.  We are excited to go school supply shopping and get all the goodies.  I love school supplies!  He is excited to find out who his teacher is and I think he is excited to get back to school.  He likes to learn and be challenged.  We worked on letters yesterday and he could have done it all day.  He just soaks it all in.  I will miss him all day long.  I sort of wish kinder was half days still.  He's begging to ride the bus, but Dallas and I both agree that he's just too small and neither of us are ready for that.  I will take and pick him up as long as I possibly can.  I will walk him into his classroom as long as he will let me as well...at least until Jr. High:).  

Happy August!  Try to stay cool as summer winds down with it's hottest month.  

28 weeks {diabetes, kick counts & epidurals}

So, this little baby is officially large and in charge!  When she moves I can feel her all of the way down by my pelvis and up by my ribs at the same time..all sprawled out and comfy in there, I suppose.  I have been feeling great, just a little pressure the past few days or so.  Some stretching is taking place, but I am so hoping to avoid more stretch marks this go round.  Rhett didn't give me any, but I got two good size souvenirs from Jude. 

My appointment this morning went well.  NO gestational diabetes, no weight gain, it's officially time to start counting kicks, sign up for my epidural, and visit the doc every 2 weeks.  It's all winding down from here!  

This week I have enjoyed passing Hattie's room and peeking in every time I go upstairs.  The boys like for me to read to them in the chair in there {guess how much I love you is their favorite right now}, so we've been doing that from time to time.  It feels like a peaceful space to me.  I love it.  

I FINALLY got Rhett's baby album done.  I do one for the firsts until they are one.  Jude's I made by hand {totally old-school, and no, nobody can see it because I might be embarrassed by my lack of craftiness}, but Rhett's was all done on Shutterfly.  Thanks to Aja for gifting me the album online.  It seriously took me forever to locate all of the pics from day one and upload everything, but thankfully Dallas had a system on a thumb-drive and I found everything I needed.  I really wanted this done before baby makes the scene, so this was a huge weight off of my shoulders.  I'm so thankful for coupon expiration dates, how would I get things completed without them?!

Our friends from Austin will be in town this week, and we are so excited to spend some time with them.  Shout out to my friend Sarah, who gifted Hattie with a gift card to Lifetime from Whitney.  Apparently they both have a love for a good Mocha Madness protein shake:). She's the sweetest!  Hattie also got her first jammies from Aja this past week.  Yay, she'll have something to sleep in.  Thanks girls for being so thoughtful!  Love you! 

We are preparing for cousins this week!  Cohl and Micah are coming from IL for a week, and then we will take them to my other sister in Dallas for 10 days.  We are all so excited to spend a lot of time together.  Nobody on my side of the family has ever seen me this preggo before, so I'm excited for them to know this side of me:).  We will see everyone again in August, so they will get the real picture then!  

28 Weeks with Hattie 

Um, yea, so this is a pic of me heading into delivery with Rhett at 38 weeks (I literally delivered him like 20 minutes after this pic was taken).  Does my stomach not look about the same size (maybe bigger!) as this already..at 28 weeks...10 weeks difference?!  I might be in for some stretch marks yet:).  

Rhett was bitty though, so maybe our Hattie girl will be the chunky babe I was.  

I hope everyone is having a lovely week!  

27 weeks!

Que the hallelujah chorus for the last trimester!  Wait, does that start this week or next...either way, it's close and I'm excitedaboutit!

This little baby is growing!  My tummy is feeling very heavy, as is the rest of me.  I've gained about 15lbs., and am right on target with my pregnancy with Rhett.  I'm starting to feel chubby in my face, arms, and shoulders (is that weird to be fat in your shoulders? :)).  I can feel the fluid in different places in my body.  It's so strange, but it's very cool too.  What a miracle this all is.  I'm sort of taking it all in this one last time.  It's surreal to be pregnant with the last babe, you just want to soak it all in.  It's hard to believe that I won't do this again.  It's the end of a stage of my life...a little sad, but also exciting for the next stage to begin.

I've still been trying to exercise as much as possible, but frankly, I want no part of the heat or the sun.  I'm lathered up in 50 sunscreen anytime we go to the pool, and I still just get too much sun.  Laps indoors make me gag, and so this leaves the treadmill.  I tried to go on them at the gym today only to realize that I forgot my earbuds.  Everyone knows you can't workout on the treadmill if you can't watch t.v., so that was that.  I joined in on a barbell class instead and OH.MY.WORD.  First, I was totally embarrassed, and second, I had to straddle a step-board, maneuver a barbell and lay flat on my back.  It was awkward. It was  dually awkward when my neighbor was there and informed me that the girl I was consulting with about if it was okay for preggo chics to take the class was just a random participant, and not in fact the instructor, as I thought.  Oh well, she was very helpful in giving me tips on how to make it a comfortable workout for me:).  Funny.

I get full really easily.  Like the room is gone in my stomach even when I want to eat more.  I guess that's good, but sometimes I want dessert!  I eat it anyway, and then I am miserable.  I'm trying to eat healthy, and mostly only healthy things sound good.  It's hard for me to get all of my protein, so lately I've taken to smoothies from Lifetime.  One smoothie has 38 grams of protein!!  My doctor wants me to have 80 grams a day, so that's nearly half in one drink.  Katie, I'll have to bring you one for breakfast one day:). 

Hattie's room is done!  We put up the finishing touches this weekend, so I'll post some pics soon!  I'm sure I'll add some things here and there as I find them, but for now it's donezo!  Now, if only I could get the finishing touches on Rhett's big boy room.  I'm taking full advantage of the nesting stage to whip this house into shape.  By the time she is born, everything should be done around here:).  I'm working on getting an office put together as well, and it's no easy task.  I just want it done.

Can we talk for a minute about how ridiculously expensive girl's clothes are?  I mean, goodness...I could easily spend $100 for 3 things at the gap...for a baby..who will outgrow it in three weeks.  I just refuse to get caught up in it.  Thankfully Target has so many cute options and they are like $8 bucks.  Old Navy and Crazy 8 seem to be much more reasonable as well.  I just have to remember to watch for sales and buy in the off seasons.  I'm a little overwhelmed by the clothes situation this go round.  We had SO so many hand-me-downs with the boys that I literally had to buy nothing!  I also had showers for them, so you always get scads of clothes at those as well.  We are all on our own this time, and it's so strange to start from scratch.  I'm sure this is what every other parent feels like when they have a different gender baby, but it's weird to be feeling it with the third.  With Rhett I just whipped out the tubs and washed all of Jude's old stuff.

Well, here's a pic of my every-growing belly at 27 weeks (let me just say that my stomach seem half this size today.)...

Don't I look thrilled to be out in the heat in a SWEATER!  Seriously, you can't win here.  Blistery outside, frigid inside.  Don't even get me started on what it's doing to my hair.  

Here's one from today..just for comparison sake.  Okay, so maybe not half the size:). 

darndest things.

This week I've been reflecting on the cute little things that I don't want to forget.  Little things that are said day to day, but I may pass over because they get said so often.  Or maybe it's just the way they are said that captures my smile.

Rhett always asks me to "buckle him out" of his carseat.  When we stop the car somewhere he instantly says, "Momma, buckle me out." instead of unbuckle me.

Rhett fell again last week, this time straight off of the back of a stool onto his head on the tile.  It was scary. I took him to the pool after dinner and asked him how his head was feeling and he shrugged his little shoulders, threw his hands up and said, "Um, I fink is wooks great!"

Sometimes when I lay with Rhett at night it is right after a snack for me.  I climb into his bed and he will start chattering away.  He'll stop mid sentence, put both of his hands on my cheeks, look straight in my eyes and say, "What you have, momma?  Peanut butter?"  Yup, usually I do:).

In the morning Rhett climbs into bed with me around 7:00.  9 times out of 10 while I'm welcoming him into my bed, he says, "your stink, momma...brush your teeth!"  Followed by, "I want milky."  Yes, both of my boys still LOVE milk. 


Tonight Jude and Rhett were playing and Jude said, "Come on Marty."  Rhett whipped around and shouted, "I'm not Marty, I'm Doc!"  Then they jumped in their DeLorean and gunned it to 88.


Jude has been using big words lately.  The other day he told me that a situation we were in seemed mysterious.  He said he learned it on Martha Speaks.  I love that he uses these words in the right context.

Jude asked me the other day when the baby was going to come out of my groin?!  This took me by surprise, so I just quickly answered that she'd be here in a few months.  I didn't even go into how he knew about the groin region.

We were at the pool the other day and the whistle blew for adult swim.  Jude looked right at me and said, "shits".  I quickly asked him where he heard that.  He admitted that he saw it on Sandlot (I promise I don't let him watch a lot of movies).  I don't love it when he uses these words in the right context, or at all.  I still did have to hide my face in a towel to laugh where he couldn't see me, though.  That's how mature I am.