July 14, 2012

Griffin Lee Martin

July 14, 2012 ---- 3:23 P.M.

7 pounds 13 ounces ---- 20 1/2 inches

I was scheduled to be induced a week early which was July 14, 2012.  I had been having contractions on and off for about a week and a half so I was really hoping I wasn't going to have to be induced even though it was a week early.  Needless to say, the 14th arrived and we finally got into the hospital about 10:30ish.  I was dilated to a six so I knew it was going to be very long!  

When we got there, I got hooked up to all the fun stuff (by my favorite nurse ever!) and did the waiting game.  My parents brought the kids down around 12:00 and after that the doctor got there and broke my water!  By 2:25 PM I was ready to push (after dry heaving for the past 1/2 hour).  

I thought it would be maybe 20 minutes and he would be here.  Needless to say, things did not go as planned either for me, or for the doctor.  At one point, I was having a tug-of-war with one of the nurses with a blanket to try and get the baby's head under the bone.  I had to have my mom come in and hold my head up because I was too exhausted.  After the doctor got the forceps (I know, lucky me), he finally came out by a millimeter (as the doctor said) at 3:23 PM.  The kids loved him even though they said he was funny looking at first!  We love him so much and think he is the perfect addition to our family!

                                                                    The night before. Yes, I'm huge.

  Last family picture of four!

  He came out looking for food! 

      Kenna, and the birthday boys! (it was also Pepas birthday)

 First family picture of us FIVE!!!

  Griffin and Grandma Martin

 Poor kid was so beat up!!!

Gavin- 3 1/2 - 4 1/2

1.  You started Mary's Little Lambs preschool and were very nervous.  You loved it after that.
2.  You didn't like to do anything that was "squishy" and didn't paint a thing because you didn't want to get your clothes messy.
3.  You ask SO many questions.  The best thing is, it's not just "why."  You ask legitimate questions!
4.  You LOVE your Dad.
5.  You always have something in your hand that you call a "teddy."  I don't know where the name came from, but it changes about every other week. 
6.  You were a zombie Buzz Lightyear for Halloween.
7.  You are very sensitive.
8.  You love to torture your sister.  You know exactly what buttons to push.  It is so funny and hard to discipline, but we obviously it has to be done, even though you run right out of your room and throw the same doll again.
9.  You are shy.  Especially around people you know. But once you warm up, there is no stopping you!
10.  You are so sweet, but hate to give hugs and kisses.  We can barely get a high five from you.  Except Dad of course.
11.  You cried when we told you we were having a baby.  It was so dang funny.
12.  You are super quick to pick up on technology things (Ipad, phone, computer).
13.  You are very picky with your clothes.  Some weeks, you will wear the same shirt 5 times.  I have to wash it in the middle of the week and hang it up on the hanger you have picked out for it.
14.  You don't like going to church and cry almost every Sunday.  You are so well behaved in Primary though.  You said the other day, "I wish we didn't have to learn about Jesus.  It's boring.  I want to learn about Ninja Turtles or something cool like that"
15.  You will play anything with Makenna.
16.  You are very stubborn.  Very.
17.  You pretty much get your way.  Especially with Dad.
18.  You like to wrestle.
19.  You are so funny and say the most random things.
20.  You verify everything with me, even if you have permission from Dad or Makenna. 
21.  You are very polite and always say excuse me.
22.  You say "bless you" when you sneeze.  Which is quite often. (You sneeze every morning when you wake up)
23.  You are a good little buddy to hang out with.
24.  You love your little brother and are surprisingly cute with him.
25.  You LOVE to tease Makenna (did I mention that already?!)
26.  You say "mmmmmm" when you eat.  The whole time you are chewing.
27.  You want to be a Dad when you grow up.
28.  You want to go to Pennsylvania on your mission.  (We saw a license plate for that once).
29.  Besides your Dad, you are the most photogenic kid ever.  Until you want to goof off and then there is no going back.
30.  You love to drink apple juice.  Or anything for that matter.  And can drink very fast. 
31.  Makenna loves you to pieces.
32. You went to Fathers and Sons with Dad and didn't want to come home.  You loved the tent the most.
33.  We finally got you on the tube at the lake and you like it as long as it doesn't go too fast!
34.  All the old people love your hair.
35.  You love swimming with Pepa.
We love you Gavin and can't get over how fun you are!  You make us so happy and we are glad you are in our family!!!

Makenna- 5 1/2 - 6 1/2

1.  You love school.
2.  Mrs. Buzzell was your kindergarten teacher and you loved her!
3.  You ended at the top of your class for reading.
4.  You "loved" Michael Winward.
5.  You are in dance, piano and soccer and great at all of them!
6.  Camryn is your best friend, but you also like to play with Mia, Parker and Ryan.  You also met some new friends Braylen and Serae that were on your soccer team.
7.  You are the most thoughtful little girl. 
8.  You have the Martin temper and when it flares, boy does it flare.
9.  Your imagination is absolutely crazy.  Everything in the house has at least two purposed (example: laundry baskets = cars, rock = phone, table = clubhouse)
10.  You love to shop (except for groceries as you say)
11.  You already have a sarcastic personality and we love it.
12.  You will eat almost anything I tell you to.
13.  You love church!  You say your prayers by yourself, read scriptures, and enjoy going to church!  You are always trying to choose the right. 
14.  You listen!
15.  You were so excited when we told you that we were having a baby.  And then cried when we told you it was a boy!
16.  We took you to Anti-Gravity for your birthday with your friends and you had a blast!
17.  We go to the lake a lot and you are an animal on the tube.  You have been launched out and didn't even cry.
18.  You are willing to try most things at least once.
19.  You were a zombie Rapunzel for Halloween.
20.  You don't have a favorite movie.  You watch almost anything and even love Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Spiderman with Gavin.
21.  You help Gavin all of the time.
22.  You enjoy playing with all of your cousins. 
23.  This summer (2012) has been a blast.  We have been to Lake Powell, camping (in a tent even!), to a cabin for the Martin reunion, Sand Hollow and Quail Lake.
24.  You have been the best little mother since Griffin has been here.  You even tell me how to do things (example: when I grabbed his bottle by the nipple you told me that I shouldn't do that because my hands have germs on them and that I will be spreading it to the baby).
25.  You can be quite moody.
26.  You are very, very sweet and always will give Dad and me hugs and kisses!
27.  You are an excellent swimmer!
28.  You want to grow up so bad and it makes me sad!  You can't wait to get married.
29.  You and Mema have a very special bond and I hope you always have it.
30.  You tell me everything and aren't afraid to say what's on your mind.
31.  Gavin worships you and thinks you're the funniest girl ever (which you are)
32.  You bore your testimony for the first time on August 5th. 
You are a complete joy to our family Makenna!!!  Dad and I love you so much and I hope you always stay close to our family!!!

Making a comeback!!! (hopefully)

It has been a long time since I have done this...  A long time meaning over a year.  I really want to get back into the "blogging scene" since I don't keep a hand written journal for my kids.  

As most everyone knows, a lot has happened since last June.  Emily Maynard was the last Bachelorette, Makenna has finished kindergarten and started first grade, Gavin is moving into his second year of preschool, I just ate the most delicious cupcake ever, and most importantly, we have two new additions to our family!  No, we didn't have twins (thank freaking goodness), but we did have a baby in July and added a dog!!!

One day I may go back and do a bunch of past posts, but for now, I am going to summarize each kid and move on from there!  If anyone cares... Mom, that would be you.

Griffin- Three days old

Family Pictures

My awesome cousin once again took our family pictures before she moved out to Cali to be with her boy toy. Thankfully, she was able to squeeze us in before she left.

This was the best family picture sesh ever. Even though most of us match (except Kenna). It totally wasn't planned. I figured I would make things easy and just dress the kids in what they normally where, let Brent pick out whatever and then I would wear something I had as well. Then we went to a park, and took the pictures. It was probably only a half hour long and I LOVE the turn out. Damn we are a good looking family!!!!

(is this not the best picture EVER!?)

Wigged out.

Makenna is obsessed with Tangled (as most of you have probably witnessed). She used to try and get me to make a blanket stay on her head so she could use it for her long Rapunzel hair. It never stayed on, and it drove both of us crazy... her, because it wouldn't stay on, and her whining because it never would stay on drove me nuts. Then. I had an idea. And this is what I came up with.


Trashy?! Possibly a little. But let me tell you. This wig has many hours of play in it already. She wears it daily (all day), hangs it up at night on her headboard, and even kisses it before she goes to bed. She has put it through monkey bars to swing on it, wears it in the stores (when I'm in a good mood), etc. She once took it to her cousins house and lost it. Unfortunately. I have never seen her cry that hard in my life. She SOBBED for over a hour. SOBBED. She could barely talk after I finally calmed her down. I'm surprised she fell asleep that night. I was laughing so hard. After another one was made, the first one was found (that's how it always goes). So she is STOKED that she has two.

She slides down her hair on the couch (funny huh?!)

Easter once again.

Easter weekend was so much fun! It started off with dying eggs at home... Kenna liked it, Gavin LOVED it. He was so sad when there were no more eggs to color. Or paint (he kept correcting me).

I'm standing on my tip toes... he is crouching

After, we had the annual Staheli Family Easter picnic. And as usual, it was a lot of fun.

It is always a good time, and you never know who is going to be there... literally, half of the time, I don't know half the people that come to it. But they are always nice and make some killer dutch oven potatoes, so I don't care who comes!!! We ate, ate, and ate some more. It was SO freaking good. These pictures are out of order... but I'm too lazy to fix them. Sorry.

Some of the people getting ready for the hunt.

One of Gav's best buddies.

Such divas.

What kid doesn't love climbing on hay stacks.

And jumping from them.

Yes, I know my extra chin makes me look super old.

My grandpa convinced McKenzi and I to get back on "a good horse".

Little story. When we were four or five, my grandpa got us on a "good, old horse" that never spooked or bucked. Needless to say, we ended up on the ground when the horse got scared... we haven't really been on a horse since. So we figured we would try it again. We went around twice and the horse started backing up so we got off. We were proud of ourselves.

As you can see (I think we were saying naughty words at this point)

This is how we all felt by the end of our excursion. Isn't that hilarious?!

Sunday was great as well... we woke up like normal (meaning I was yelling at everybody to get ready for church for 45 minutes), coming home, me yelling some more (I'm really good at it right now) and then us having a relaxing rest of day, a dinner at the in laws and then home for bed (thankfully)....