Anything that the dog does...

Taelyn loves playing with the cat and dog. She follows Butter around and loves to snuggle with Trout. Lately she has gotten more adventerous and has even gone so far as to try out the dog door. I caught her in the act the other day and thought I would share.

Halloween

We spent Halloween with our good friends Alex, Jenny and Caroline. Taelyn went dressed as a cow and I dressed as a Gisha. We enjoyed Trick or Treating and seeing a bunch of kids in neat costumes. Next year when Taelyn is old enough to actually eat the candy she collected, she will probably enjoy the event even more!

Fishing in North Georgia

We took a week vacation to a wonderful cabin on the river in Dahlonega, Georgia - an old gold mining town at the base of the Appalacian Mountains. Thanks to Jenny and Alex, and Caroline!for their hospitality. We all had a great time and really enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Chad was able to do some fly fishing and caught a couple big rainbow trout. We also were able to spend a couple days with my sister and her family. Here are some pictures of the week's trip: 1)Chad and Alex showing Taelyn and Caroline a big green grasshopper - Taelyn was not scared and immediately grabbed it from Alex's hand and tried to put it in her mouth - yuck! 2)Gwen and with her sister, Chan, and the kids, Taelyn, Bryson and Pierson 3) Chad fly fishing 4) Taelyn sitting on a blanket enjoying the cool Fall day.

8 months old, crawling and more teeth on the way…

I think I say this every month, but it is so hard to believe that Taelyn is already 8 months old! She is crawling everywhere now and it is sometimes tough for me to remember that if I leave her in one spot, she might not be there when I come back after just a couple minutes. She is quick and is into everything, so luckily we don’t have too many things on her level that she can mess with. The dog toys are fair game and Butter is starting to realize that – who doesn’t like a squishing, squeaking rubber ball? She pulls up on some things, but only if they are right in front of her. She doesn’t quite have the strength to reach up and pull her body to a standing position, but soon enough I am sure!

In addition to the crawling, she is getting more teeth. She has the two on the bottom and is now getting her 2 front teeth and maybe the 2 on either side of those. There is a lot going on in that little mouth, but she has been pretty easy going for the most part. During the day she is happy-go-lucky like normal, but occasionally at night when she is going to sleep, she is cranky. Overall, she is doing well and seems to have a pretty high threshold for pain – something she must get from her daddy, because her mommy feels everything!

We spent the weekend with Grammie and Gramps in San Antonio where she had a good time playing with their doggie's toys... and her grandparents!

Fall means "Time to Hunt"

This past weekend Chad did a little dove hunting with some friends and Taelyn wanted to support him in bringing home some yummy snacks… not that she would be eating any, but still! She put on her hunting attire to match Daddy and definitely looked like a natural hunter.

A time for celebrations...

This past weekend, we were in Dallas celebrating the marriage of our good friend Maegan to her wonderful husband Eli. We had so much fun at the wedding catching up with old friends (Sinead, Tom, Katie, Martin, Kelly and Matt) - thank you for allowing us to be a part of it. It was a great excuse to dress up and put a bow on Taelyn! If you are looking at this picture and thinking that is a big bow, there was another baby with one even bigger - not kidding. I think she looks cute and Taelyn didn't seem to mind all the extra attention she was getting!

So many new things...

Okay, so I have been bad about not updating the blog in a few weeks - so sorry. Taelyn continues to do amazing things everyday. She has 2 teeth now on the bottom (I attached a picture for you all to see) and she is really thinking about crawling. We have been saying that for a couple weeks now, but the day is very near. She just needs to move her hands forward. She finally has gotten to where she will pick up one hand to grab something and stay in the crawl position - that is a big accomplishment! Next the moving forward part... we will see. In addition to crawling she has really found her tounge this week. It is pretty funny watching her stick it out and lick her lips. Babies are so amusing, aren't they?

Has it already been 6 months?

How time flies! It really is pretty easy to see how quickly time passes when you are looking at a baby that has only been alive so many months. Taelyn is getting so big, as babies do! She is still such a joy in our lives, even now while she is cutting her first tooth... although we have to remind ourselves when she has a tough time falling asleep or wakes up in the middle of the night just needing more oral-gel! Besides the tooth, she is busy sitting up by herself and eating solid foods. Right now, her favorite food is sweet potatoes, but I am sure as she tries other things that will change.

Trip to Granbury & Dallas

This weekend we took a trip to see Grannie Norman and my aunts, uncles and cousin. We had a great time swimming with Aunt Judy & Uncle Sid. It was Taelyn's first time in a swimming pool - she liked it so much that we are going to have Daddy get us one too! :-) In a couple years maybe... After we left Granbury, we headed to Dallas for a wedding shower honoring Maegan & Eli. Taelyn was the youngest there, but she didn't seem to mind until it was her bedtime and people wouldn't be quite and let her sleep. We made an early departure and had a good rest of the night. Congrats to Eli & Maegan - we are excited for you!

Fun in the Sun for July 4th

We had a good time July 4th weekend with several friends that came to visit from Houston and San Antonio. It was full house for a few days with fun for the adults and kids! We also spent a day at Lake Travis and Taelyn enjoyed "swimming" in her boat that Grandma and Granpa Martin gave her... dressed very patriotic in her stars & stripes suit!

Taelyn takes her first dip in the Lake

So finally the water has been warm enough to let Taelyn go swimming. She seems to like it and as she gets bigger it will probably be even more fun for her! Right now we are enjoying her reactions and seeing her play in the water.

Happy Baby

Taelyn has to be one of the best babies ever and one of the happiest too! We have been so blessed to have such an easy baby - the only time she is difficult is when we put her to bed for the night. She fights sleep and wants to stay up and party... just like her daddy. :-) Each day she is getting stronger with her legs and neck. She loves tummy time on her mat and time standing - with a little help from mom and dad of course! These past 4 months have been wonderful and we are so excited to see what she will do in the next 4!

Friends and Fun

A couple weeks ago we had some good friends, Tyler, Amy & Ainsley Rudd, and Chad's brother, Jeremy, come out for a visit. Taelyn had a good time with all the new faces and continues to love everyone she meets!

Easter in Ohio

Taelyn had her first plane trip over Easter weekend up to Ohio to visit Gramma Martin, many cousins (Laura and George especially), and good friends Kristi and Chris (and their family). Taelyn did amazingly well on the plane, just like she was an old pro! We all had a wonderful time and enjoyed all the visitors and good food. Everytime we visit Chad's birthplace, we always get to meet more cousins. It seems like everyone in Fremont is a Martin!

Taelyn's Dedication at Church

This past Sunday we stood in front of our church and dedicated our family. It was a very nice event that both sets of grandparents were able to attend, as well as Aunt Chan and cousin Bryson from Atlanta and several good friends (Jenny, Alex, Caroline, Scott, Amanda, Lucas and Anna). We are so blessed to have the support of friends and family, as well as the church, as Taelyn grows.

Happy Baby

I realized that the pictures of Taelyn that I have posted do not show her as the very happy baby that she truly is. Each of the pictures below make her look like she is serious all the time. However, that is really not the case. :-) This is her at 10 weeks - finally a shot that reflects her true personality... or at least until she is hungry!

2 months already!

It is hard to believe 2 months have already gone by. Taelyn is growing so quickly, as babies tend to do. At the doctor's office yesterday, she weighed 10.10 pounds and measured 22 3/4 inches - amazing that she has gained over 3.5 pounds and is nearly 3 inches longer than when she was born. It is no wonder she eats all of the time! Here she is using her favorite boppy - the dog, Butter!

6 Weeks Old

Time really does fly - 6 weeks has already gone by and they really do grow up quickly. Taelyn is weighing around 9.5 pounds now. Pretty incredible to think she has increased her weight by a third since her birth.

This past weekend we to her to the lakehouse for her first visit. She didn't get to take a boat ride since we were experiencing 40-50 mph winds and freezing temperatures. Instead she stayed indoors and listened to her daddy construct a wall for what we thought would be her sleeping quarters. Instead, the space has become a closet for our room and her crib will go beside our bed. Chad did a great job with the remodeling - you all need to come for a visit and check it out!

I'm One Month Old Today!

Taelyn hit the 4 week mark today. It is so hard to believe she has been in our lives a month already. She is changing everyday - it is truly amazing. If you haven't been by to meet her, we hope you will stop by.

Two weeks, four days, and 6 hours....But who is counting ;-)

Taelyn has Arrived!

On Monday, January 19 at 7:45am, Taelyn Paige made her entrance into the world. She weighed 7 pounds and measured 20 inches long. We are doing well and amazingly getting at least some sleep! We had several visitors at the hospital and more have come to meet Taelyn at home. Chad's mom spent the first night at home with us and the Normans arrived early the next day for the second shift. It has been so nice having the help and we will be sad to have them leave next week. Thanks to everyone who has come by, brought food and sent flowers - Taelyn has very much enjoyed all the attention to say the least!

The Growing Belly

Progression of the growing belly... beginning at 13 weeks and ending at 39 weeks.

Finally, Baby Martin has a name!

So, after much deliberation and scrutinization, Chad and I have finally decided on a name for our baby girl. Drum roll please... Taelyn Paige Martin. It is similar to a name I found in a baby book, but not exactly. I looked up Taelyn and found that it means "inner path". Also found that the actress "Lexie", from Grey's Anotomy, has a daughter in real life with the same name - interesting. Anyway, hope you all like it - we certainly do!