10 months ago....

Just 10 months ago we didn't know what life would be like with a little girl in our lives. But 10 months later we can't imagine life without her here!
These are a few pictures from our 10 month home photo shoot!

She is so funny! It was like she knew we were taking pictures because she is 10 months old! haha

She is definitely one of the HAPPIEST babies I have ever known.... 

And I love this picture of Cohen kissing her.... Priceless

OH how l lucky we are to have such beautiful children. Inside and out! The way Cohen is smiling at her. Unexplainable!

"Family" Vacation

Well today is bitter sweet. My mom along with my sister and her family left for the beach this morning (my dad is meeting them later in the week) and Cody and I have chosen not to go with them this year.  We feel like we need time alone! We need to take our beach trip just the 4 of us and enjoy our little family.  It is amazing how much a "change up" and get you swinging harder than you would have with an expected "fast ball".   We have learned more about ourselves and more about our parenting skills in the past 9 months.  I would have never in a million years thought I would take this years vacation just us.... Because for the past 6 years we have only missed 1 vacation with them.... Most of those years the Destin Crew was.... My parents, My sister's family, and my In-Laws.  So this year we are changing it all up...

Here are a few pics to show the past few years of family vacation.

2007
I can't seem to find a picture from 2007. I know we took some but for some reason I can't find the album with the pictures in there. We took beach pics all together, matching in our jeans and white polo's. I will continue searching and upload a picture once I find them. But 2007 was the first year we ALL (including my family & Cody's family) went to the beach together. 


2008

We went on our honeymoon in 2008. So this is the one year we missed out on family vacation.  This is a picture of us with the friends we made. Angela and TJ. You can hear some on Angela's music on itunes, etc. Just look up Angela Wood. She is amazing and a wonderful singer! I pray her dreams come true and she becomes a very known country singer!

2009

In 2009 I was pregnant for Cohen. It was our last trip as a family of 2.

2010

This was our first vacation with a baby! Cohen was 10 months old and it was so much fun! He LOVED the water and sand.  And still does!


2011

I was pregnant for Sawyer during our 2011 trip.


But that's what happens, as a parent you have to make decisions that are best for your family.  We both feel that Cohen needs time with us centered ONLY around him and Sawyer and.... For a vacation himself.
I can't wait for OUR vacation, OUR family.  I will miss our parents, and nieces, but I am truthfully ecstatic about our trip. The new memories we will make on our own. Doing what our parents did for us. Going on a vacation with just them and their kids.  I know it will be more work. I know we will only have each other to tend to a 10 month old and 2 1/2 year old when we would have had a lot more than our hands to help out!  But it will only make us stronger! I just can't wait!

Superman x 2

You know those friends from childhood who were such a major part of growing up you can think of them in a second? I think that is the way these 2 will think of each other. I really hope they stay life long friends and can later reminisce of their childhood years.  I would have never imagined a few short years ago Cody and I would have our Best Friends right next door! "Aunt Lin" and "Uncle Mike" and Thomas have become a part of our family! and I am pretty sure they feel the same about us :) Thomas joined the clan shortly after Cohen started to think his "vacation home" was only a few steps away from his own front door.  Now his once, vacation home, is occupied by his best friend! 

They can even look back at how they matched their clothes for a good ole Saturday Bar-B-Q. 

The boys enjoyed their day. They played Baseball...

Nice Follow Through!

They played football...

They mowed the grass...

Then after a hard days work they cooled off with some water and a dip in the pool. 

"There is something about childhood friends that you just can't replace"

         -Unknown

Paradise

Cody has recently been saying that the song, "Paradise" by Coldplay reminds him of Sawyer.
He listens to it all the time, so I decided to listen, really listen. I didn't understand at first where he was coming from but now I think I do. Any song can have different meanings to any one person. You may think of this song one way (and it may or may not be the intentional meaning from the musician), but it is yours. So after taking in the lyrics:

                "When she was just a girl
                 She expected the world
                 But it flew away from her reach so
                 She ran away in her sleep
                 And dreamed of
                 Para-para-paradise, Para-para-paradise, Para-para-paradise
                 Everytime she closed her eyes"
                              -Coldplay

I actually had tears in my eyes when I first started thinking about it. But this song can have so much hope. My precious girl may have more obstacles to embrace than many other children. Yet with all of that, she honestly has the world at the tip of her fingers and I believe will always reach her PARADISE. She will dream of her paradise just like we all do. I pray that her dreams come to reality and the world will accept that we are all different. I can only pray that parents raise their own to love and respect everyone is this world. So next time you hear this song, you may think of it in this way or in another. I pray that my baby girls "paradise" never flies out of her reach, I pray that she gives others the light to see their own "paradise", that "paradise" is not only a dream, but a common reality to live in. My girl is so happy I pray no one ever takes that "full face" smile away from her or her dream of "Paradise".  Thank gosh she has the brother she does, because I know deep down inside Cohen will never allow anyone to take away Sawyer's love for life!

Feeling HOT, HOT, HOT!

It has been RIDICULOUSLY hot, here in south Louisiana... But I promise I am not complaining... I would much rather sweat my but off any day rather than FREEZE.  Although when I get home from work it takes me a minute to re-group before I can even think about taking the kids outside to play. It is almost like I have to prepare myself for the heat! 

Well we have finally found a summer hat that actually fits Sawyer's head and doesn't end up covering her eyes.  Honey Bunny loves a good compliment and enjoyed us goo'ing and gaa'ing over her new accessory.  She wore her bathing suit and sat pretty.... 

Now, that is not quite the same story for the boys.... Cohen and Thomas played their little hearts out in the water!
It is so nice to have them right next door. Lindsey says that Thomas wakes up asking for "Conan" every morning. . Hilarious and so darn cute!

Cohen thought it would be cool to go down the slide head first. 

After the kids lost interest in the pool. We took out the fun jump. They definitely had sweat dripping by the time they were finished.

and decided to take the walker out the attic for Miss Priss.  Lindsey suggested it may make her feel a little more independent... And INDEPENDENT she was... She rocked out the walker.... Her feet don't quite reach yet for walking, but we will get there soon enough!

So on a therapy note: Sawyer met her OT for the first time this week and we really like her. She had amazing things to say about our little angel, and was surprised at how well she is doing. It is like music to my ears every time a therapist comes in and tells me such wonderful things about Sawyer.
Promise that will never get old!

Our lives have been fun and hot lately. Never a dull moment in the Martin house but that just makes life a little more fun!

Simple Fun

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum have been matching more often. Cohen loves for Sawyer to match him and I love it! He even wore a pink shirt to dinner the other night. Just a little tid bit.... HE DOES NOT WEAR PINK. He says that is for girls and not boys! So when I took out a pink dress for Sawyer and asked him for the 100th time to wear his pink button down polo he agreed because Sawyer would look like him! Sha baby boy! And let me tell you he rocked the PINK Polo!
And of course we have matching Cajun gear!

So I sat them down the other day for a "photo shoot" and this is what I got!

Now as you can see, they did not look at me 1 time... I kept calling their names but they were more interested in each other. Oh their love for each other is so breathtaking.

So I eventually put Sawyer on Cohen's lap so that I could at least get their faces a few times. Cohen held her with such pride.

Sawyer is pulling up a lot more and wanting to stand up. She is sitting very well on her own and only falls when she gets super excited! Guess her excitement gets her completely off balance.
But her smile is infectious! She loves a good compliment and she seems to get them often from us all.

It really is nice to enjoy the little moments....

Saturday morning we had a play date with friends, that was long overdue! Well while we were there Thomas walked up to Sawyer with a ball and she looked at him reached out and grabbed it! I was so proud.  It is the truth to say that I don't remember Cohen reaching for a toy and me smiling from ear to ear. It was just something he did. Now I know Sawyer will eventually do everything but at that moment she interacted. It was like a complete sigh of relief. My baby is now playing and really interacting with her friends.  The little moments really are SO BIG!

Remember when playing in the rain was SO MUCH FUN! Remember when you didn't care how dirty the ditch water was? Remember when you didn't care how wet you were from running in water? and dirty water at that! Oh how fun it is to re-live these moments through him. Sometimes life makes us too serious! We find ourselves too serious to enjoy these simple ways of fun.
Cohen had the time of his life playing in the rain the other day and I enjoyed capturing it!

Oh this boy! He has a smile that will definitely steal hearts and a personality that will take him far in life! I am so proud of the little man he is becoming. With his little heart of gold I can only pray that he stays this sweet forever!

Moving right along...

We have been enjoying the hot summer sun! The kids have been playing outside more than not and I LOVE IT!

We have been running the roads from birthday party to birthday party! I now understand when people say "we never stop!" But I have to say I am really enjoying this. It makes life exciting and definitely eventful!

Sibling moments are so memorable! I love to look at pictures of Shenee and I when we were little. I hope Cohen and Sawyer enjoy these moments in pictures one day as well. 

Because I know I will. 

Sawyer is weighing in at 16 lbs 10 oz.  Never thought the little 5 lbs 8 oz newborn would become my little chunky monkey! Oh how we love her rolls!

As Cohen would say this is a picture of the Football Players of our family...

And these would be the Cheerleaders.... Sawyer's already started with the yelling!

Super-hero's have come into our life recently. Superman, Batman, and the Red Power Ranger live at our house. He protects us from "the bad guys".  

                      

He is growing up so fast I could cry! He really says he will protect us! I know he doesn't understand now but he really will protect us! He has protected me from so much already... More than I ever thought he could, when I looked into his eyes I always realize we are all okay. 

I know I have said it before but we really are so lucky to have Cohen as ours! This kids soul his much wiser than he can imagine. He is going to protect Sawyer like I always dreamed a big brother would. I think deep down God instilled such a caring heart because he knew he would guide all of us with it. 

And then there is this little miracle who has showed us how to face our fears and enjoy life.  Her smile and laugh are truly infectious!  I can only imagine how much more she has in store for us all!  Carlyn says that Sawyer is the Queen Bee! She makes me laugh when she still says her hands are clean before she touches Sawyer! (They had on matching bathing suits).

So with our life moving right along, I found out wonderful news today.... Early Steps has been SAVED. Oh thank goodness! I am so happy that our state legislature has proper morals. Sawyer is doing so great and she deserves all that she can get to strive in life and her physical development.  I still find it so hard to believe that they were even thinking about discontinuing this program.  But all that matters now is that they are NOT!...  WOO HOO!

"Don't go through life, Grow through life" 

                 -Eric Butterworth