No No No No

Uh Oh, Summer has mastered the word "NO!"
Me: Summer come here and let me put your pants on.
Summer: No!
Me: Do you want a bottle?
Summer: No!

And for the record whenever I have said no to her I always say "No Ma'am."

She started saying it this week and at first it was no no no no but now she has shortened it to just one NO. And yes she knows what she is saying. She will even say no then shake her head no!

Here is a short video catching her saying NO.

Summer's 1st Birthday Party

Summer had the best birthday party ever thanks to our sweet family and friends who came to celebrate with her!
Let's just skip right to the cake...which we ate first like all good parties do.

Cutest cake and cupcakes made by http://www.artbytheslicecakes.com/ (Mom's friend). She is in Birmingham, AL if anyone needs ANY type of cake.

This was Summer's first taste of sugar and after a little beating around the bush she got the hang of it. She did however want to eat without the use of her hands...like bobbing for cake!

PS-no sugar for my child until her 2nd birthday

I think this is the look of Sugar Overload

Note to Summer - you just got lots of Birthday toys...you don't have to play with the dog bowls and chuck-it anymore!Wonderful, supportive, loving, spoiling Grandparents!Fun Aunts and UncleJen and I almost got bucked off these Wild Turkeys in downtown Asheville!And of course, my best friends!Ok-now for my sidenotes: you know how I spent all of my nap times last week making my craft project for the birthday party. Well, not to make anyone who attended feel bad, BUT hardly anyone even noticed them (queue fiddler)! So even though I am sure I didn't learn my lesson I will put more thought into how I spend my prep time next year. Seriously, all you need are pink balloons EVERYWHERE.

I painted these clay pots white (2 coats inside and out), traced and cut out Summer's handprints in fabric as well as the number 1,mod podge'd the fabric to the pot, handpainted the flowers and vine on the rim, polyurethan'd (yes I know that is not proper grammer) inside and out, then used as decoration to hold the cute napkins tied with pink ribbon that noone noticed and therefore used paper towels! Nahh, I wasn't bothered:)

Following the party on Saturday we participated in a Family Dedication at church on Sunday. It was a time where we could have the entire church pray for Chad and I to have a strong marriage and to be Christian parents to Summer so that we can raise her to know and love God. When we were getting in our car a older couple rolled their window down and said they liked Summer and thanked us for dedicating her. I was so moved by them saying that. That they were thanking us for choosing to raise our daughter in a Christian home. That was sweet of them.

1 year old

Oh my, it just dawned on me that I didn't take Summer's 1 year photo today in her diaper with the date...must do that tomorrow.

Back to 2009...

I slept great all night but I wasn't progressing so my doctor broke my water. Up until this point I really wasn't in much discomfort. I was watching the contractions on the monitor but it only felt like tightness. Once my water broke the pain went from a 2 to a 10 instantly! I asked for an epidural but the anesthesiologist was in a c-section and would be an hour. They gave me some pain medicine through my IV that would last 1 hr. At exactly 8am, one hour later, I woke up in screaming pain...the pain medicine they gave me put me to sleep. Chad and my mom said I was actually snoring while my contractions were going on. For the next 29 minutes I was the exercist! I always said I would keep my cool and not be one of those women that screamed during labor BUT in the moment being polite was the last thing on my mind.

Summer Marie Martin was born at 8:29am on May 20, 2009.

Afterwards, I ate crepes and we lived happily ever after...for a day.

Parenting is the biggest challenge I have ever endured. It requires your full attention and lots of sacrifices for all the selfish things you used to do when you just looked out for yourself. But at the end of the day there is nothing better than the light in her eyes when she sees me look at her. The way she smiles and waves at me as she catches me walking by. The weight of her little body on my chest when she falls asleep. I love being a mom to Summer and I look forward to being there when she discovers all life has to offer.

We will be celebrating on Saturday, like all birthdays should, and pictures will come then.

Prep Prep Prep

Getting ready for the big FIRST BIRTHDAY party!

I have been doing a craft project in the garage and now I totally get why the Gosselin's hung out in their garage all the time! That solid surface is perfect for all of our wheeled toys! It is amazing how much Summer liked her walker once she actually had a large surface to walk on (doesn't move so well on carpet). So while I was painting away, Summer was moving forward, backward and trying to escape my blockade of suitcases in an effort to escape down the driveway.

This afternoon I took Summer to Toys R Us for the first time. Surprisingly, she did not mind shopping there-go figure. In most stores she gets fretful when I stop and really look but with toys everywhere she just rocked back and forth with glee (that is what she does when she is happy). I am happy with the toys we got, one just for fun and one for learning.

One year ago...

May 18, 2009 I took this video.

The next morning, on May 19, 2009, I was so happy to see 8am arrive so that I could call my doctor. I had been up pacing in PAIN all night. The top of my belly was hurting along with a sharp pain in my right shoulder. I couldn't lay down at all. No position was comfortable. I spent most of the night bent over on the kitchen counter and googling what these symptoms meant.

I had just been to the doctor for my weekly checkup yesterday and I was 1.5 cm dilated. When I was checked this morning, in obvious discomfort, I was 3 cm dilated. My doctor, Dr. Westfall, said that I was going to have my baby today! Wahoo! We called our moms and both of them hopped on planes to Reno. My doctor was on call at the hospital that night and I was so relieved. She told me to go home and walk and count the minutes between contractions. Chad and I were so excited. We walked around the neighborhood and even were interviewed by the local news regarding our opinion on gov. funds being cut on road repairs or something...I hadn't showered as I was- well you know feeling preoccuppied...and so Chad did the interview. We really weren't good at counting contractions. It was mostly because I didn't know what a contraction felt like! They weren't painful to me at that time. So once 5pm came around we decided to go to the hospital and check in. I can remember the nurse checking me in saying "You can't have this baby yet. You're only 36 weeks." I felt like arguing with her saying..."yes huh...my doctor said she is healthy AND our mothers are on the way!"

Ok, I will hurry this story up...I was monitored until 9pm (Chad left during that time to pick up my mom from the airport) and then they said they were sending me home because my contractions were not consistant. I got dressed and was waiting for them to come tell me I could officially leave and the nurse on the new shift came in to apologize that she needed to take some blood before I left. She said I could go and if anything came back from the bloodwork she would call me. The same pain in the top of my belly was coming back and I asked for some medicine to help me sleep. They gave me an Ambien and said it was strong so take it immediately before I went to bed. We went home dissappointed that we weren't having a baby and I went to sleep.

About 10:30pm my phone rang and I heard Chad get it. It was the hospital calling to tell me that my bloodwork had come back and they had some concerns and wanted me to come back to the hospital. I can clearly remember walking down the hallway in the hospital all groggy on Ambien. It was the only time in 9 months that I had felt buzzed and it felt SO good! My doctor told me that I was showing signs of pre-eclampsia and she was going to induce me. To combat my abnormal liver levels they gave me Magnesium. They said this is going to make you very hot. My ears felt like they had steam blowing out and from then on (I was on it for 36 hours) Chad wore his sweatshirt in the end of May because my room was cold. I thought the bed was so comfortable and slept great (thanks Ambien) all night.

The rest happens tomorrow...

*Sidenote: This story never gets old to me. I think I will be able to tell it with enthusiasm and suspense for the rest of my life!

Monday Chatter

On a typical day, this is the best photo I can get of Summer.

Summer: Seriously Mom? Camera again?

Me: Seriously Summer? Can you not stay still for one moment and smile into the camera?!

Both of us: Big sigh followed by an eye roll

But today I was real sweet to her and snapped a few pictures immediately after her morning nap and I got some good ones. We were in dire need of a smile looking at the camera.

Hmmm...Has anyone seen Summer's brown stuffed animal named Moose?

The first bloom on my hibiscus plant. I think these are so pretty and this is my first year to grow one.Today was one of those days when I woke up, had my cup of coffee and put on my Superwoman cape to make miracles happen. That's right, deep cleaning at my house requires the likes of Superwoman. Bathrooms cleaned, laundry washed, craft project step 2 of a million-completed, exercised and to prove today really was a miracle...I showered!

This past month we have joined the gym and it really is great to be able to go work out and put Summer in the childcare(exclamation point!) Twice I have made the mistake of arriving 20 minutes before childcare ends and I vow not to do that again. The people on the treadmill next to me must have thought I was crazy because I basically just sprinted for 18 minutes flat. I was determined to get my workout in if it meant running for my life.

I have developed a passion for running. However, I must have my ipod. I rock out to Black Eyed Peas and Dave Matthews. Seriously, when Dave goes off on his riffs I crank it up as loud as possible and zone out, feels good.

Nicole wanted to know what my meal plan consists of, and since we only play phone tag I will spell it out here. By the way, I am that person who can eat the same exact thing every day for the rest of my life so I rarely stray from this. There ARE other options I could eat but I am easily satisfied and lazy at the same time.

Breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled with lemon pepper & sliced tomatoes (microwaved for 1:45) and 1 piece of whole grain toast liberally covered in spray butter

Snack: apple and a reasonable spoon of peanut butter

Lunch: salad with lots of veggies topped with 4 oz grilled chicken (lowfat Kraft 3 cheese ranch dressing) and either another piece of toast or whole wheat crackers

Snack: apple and peanut butter

Dinner: Either I repeat the salad thing or 4 oz chicken/fish with sauteed veggies (no carbs @ dinner)

Drink 1 gallon of water throughout the day to stay full.

Important to eat only wheat breads & brown rice - no white! Read your labels and stay away from Sugar. You will be surprised how much is in some foods that you don't consider sweet & fat free is often higher in sugar than lowfat so I choose lowfat.

And that's my Monday chatter. What's going on with you?

Time Flies

Hey Y'all,

It seems as if I haven't posted much lately and I just can't seem to find the time which is sad because I want to be a good blogger. I feel I am left with no choice but to do another mental unload on you...here goes! Beware, my thoughts are random and gross!

We have had lots of "accidents" lately. Yesterday Summer tee tee'd on the carpet between taking off our clothes and getting into the bathtub. THEN she poo poo'd in the tub! "Daddyyyyyy, we neeeeeddd you!"

Today I had to wipe my dog's hiney as he seemed to have fallen in his own poo.

Yesterday I accidentally got poo on my index finger! (Oh, in editing I realized I needed to state that it was Summer's poo.)

I get it! You think this is gross BUT I am the one who endured it, ok!

Next week is Summer's first birthday (I'll save the drama for then) and I am having fun preparing. I love to get crafty and I am also a thrifty mama so of course I am making the decorations which will serve as party favors.

I really think they are going to turn out super cute! If only I could execute all of my ideas I could probably...

I want yall to know that even though my fitness bootcamp is over I am still eating per my strict rules and exercising. I must confess I have missed a few days of exercise but I feel justified because I am eating so healthy. Post bootcamp I have lost an additional 3 pounds bringing my total weight loss to 12 pounds! I can now fit into all of my cute summer clothes. Goal achieved! I am setting new goals now...goals that I never thought possible before I learned, I mean really learned self control.

Susan and I planted some flowers in the front and back yard and once they are in full bloom I will snap some photos. This year's color is-you guessed it, PINK!

I will try to get some pictures of Summer uploaded and posted soon.

Just what I needed

A weekend dedicated to making life easier for mothers couldn't have come at a better time!

We packed up the Griswald's and headed deep into the woods to visit with family and escape from our everyday routine.

This video shows just how CRAZY things were in the moments before we got there.

I didn't even realize Chad was wearing earplugs until I video'd him. I typically don't ride in the back with Summer but we had missed our nap and I knew this was going to be a tough drive. Once we arrived our attitudes perked up and we had a great weekend full of rest and fun family time. Summer got to enjoy Gigi, her Great Grandmother Martin, for the first time.

Summer also got to play in a baby pool for the first time. That went well for a few minutes...until she decided to pluck grass and put it into the pool and eventually crawl out.We went to dinner at the restaurant where we had our rehearsal dinner 6.5 years ago...sweet memories!What a blessing to celebrate Four Generations of Martin's!Summer has really taken off on her walking. This weekend she was side stepping and even turning around! Here is a video to show you what I am talking about.

Barely...Hanging...On

It has been 3 weeks now that Summer has been unsuccessfully fighting a double ear infection.

And even though she IS the happiest sick baby she does have her moments where the pain and uncomfortable feelings make our house a very unpleasant place to be.

We are on the third round of antibiotics as the first one didn't work and the second one caused a rash on her body. She does seem to be making some improvements but it always gets worse before it gets better.

Meanwhile, I think I might be getting sick or a virus too. I have been so weak the past 2 days and thankfully Summer has taken an afternoon nap in order to give me a nap too. My skin hurts and I am pretty sure that isn't a good sign.
We are looking forward to taking it easy over Mother's Day weekend. This will be my first Mother's Day with Summer and I am not so sure that one day of pampering will be enough to last me until next year.

Ok, I think I am going to plop on the couch now...don't even have the energy to eat which I know I should. By the way, Summer is walking now! I don't mean to say that so nonchalant...let me try again SUMMER IS WALKING!! She is taking about 6 steps at a time and is trying ALL the time. I will get some video and upload.

Chaos

After organizing Chad's office I decided that I could turn some other areas in my house from Chaos to Organized.

As I mentioned, I went to the JCREW warehouse sale this weekend. I got there 15 minutes before the doors opened and I was the 200th person in line. This is serious shopping folks...NO mirrors, NO dressing rooms, NO returns! Buy or Die.

JCREW Chaos...lucky for me this is exactly the type of chaos I thrive in! Give me a few hundred boxes of mens, womens and children's clothes and I will find the treasures.

BIG THANKS TO CHRISTINA for telling me how to upload a video. Wow that is so much easier and faster than the way I was doing it!

JCREW Treasures - Everything you see I actually purchased for other people. I am a personal shopper in my spare time! Marley Rose will be struttin' the cutest cardigans this fall (approx $8/each). I am serious, every over the top cute clothing piece I saw was a CREWCUT size 4/5. I was starting to think of ways to shrink my body to fit into these adorable clothes. Just about everything is under $20 which is like a 90% discount. I bought a lined dressy sleeveless top for $4 that probably would have retailed for $68. I LOVE DISCOUNTS!

Jewelry Chaos

Jewelry Organization (forgot to mention this is hung in my closet)

This is a magnet board we had in the garage. The little holes are perfect for earing hoops.

Happy Anniversary Bud and Jen!

Happy Birthday TODAY to Mom/Mimi/Trish!


I don't think I mentioned it but Summer had a double ear infection 2 weeks ago. Last week she developed a fever and I took her back in. As it turns out, one ear healed but the other did not. And in addition, she had a new cold develop. Her new antibiotic has now given her a rash and her cough seems to be getting worse so we are headed back to the doctor for the 3rd time.

Video Issues

Yes I am thrilled that I received my replacement FLIP and have been taking videos.
However, I am having ISSUES with uploading to blogger...so bear with me. I have things to share I just can't get them to work properly.