Where has the time gone?

So I realized it has been over 2 months since I last posted.  I will do my best to fill everyone in on the Martins past events.  Since the last time I posted we have had Halloween and Thanksgiving - two big events for us.  This was the first year that Taelyn really go Halloween and was so excited about getting dressed up and getting candy!  She dressed up 3 times thanks to a party at school, a neighborhood party and then trick or treating.  Each time she was something different - a cheerleader, a fairy and a ballerina.  She said she liked being a ballerina the best.  Brie went as a big, pink, fluffy kitty cat.  We thought she was just as cute as can be - and so soft you just wanted to squeeze her.  Here is a picture of the pumpkin Chad carved.

We also made a trip to Waco to see the Baylor Homecoming Parade.  While we were there, the girls and I took a trip to the Waco zoo with my good friend Shelley and her son.  We had so much fun playing - if you are ever in Waco, you really must check out the zoo.  It is a great place.

After Halloween was over Taelyn started asking when Thanksgiving was since we had told her we were going to fly to Georgia to visit her cousins.  It seemed like every other day she would ask until finally it was time to get on the plane.  The plane ride was great - no problem traveling with two kids.  They both did really well, thankfully.  The biggest headache was just the amount of stuff we needed to take.  But once we got to my sister's cabin, it was all worth it.  We had a great time visiting with the family, a couple rainy days and then beautiful weather.  Chad had a good time fly fishing, we hiked and rode the train through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Now we are getting ready for Christmas and enjoying the cold weather!

September Already

This past week has been a bit crazy for all of us.  Chad and I have both been working around the clock and to make it worse, we are in the midst of a huge wildfire in Bastrop.  Thankfully the fires are on the West side, and we are relatively safe.  However, we, just like the rest of Texas, won't be completely safe until we get some much needed rain.  There have now been over 1300 homes burned and 2/3 of Bastrop State Park... really sad stuff.

On a more positive note, we are all doing fine and are healthy.  Taelyn stated gymnastics class this week and absolutely loves it.  She goes Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-1... it is a program called Jump and Learn.  It is a good mix of learning, crafts, gymnastics and yoga - she loves it and is making a bunch of new friends!  Brie continues to grow and  is getting her 2 bottom teeth.  She loves eating with her hands and her favorite food is the little baby puffs that melt in her mouth.  She is also pretty good with ripe bananas and avacados.

Like I said, Chad has been extremely busy with work and the traveling has picked up again.  He was gone the entire week last week and will be gone another day or two in a couple weeks.  It isn't much fun being a part-time single mom and the girls really miss dad when he is gone for more than one night... and I do too!  I am also busy at work, but it looks like I might finally get some help as we have a new manger joining the team this week.

Parade!

Taelyn and I got to be in the Bastrop Homecoming Parade a couple weeks ago and had so much fun.  I am part of the Bastrop YMCA Advisory Board and they had a "float".  It was actually 4 Smart Cars with the letters Y-M-C-A on each and we got to walk along the cars and sing the song "Its fun to stay at the YMCA".  My parents were in town and got to watch the parade as well - so thanks to my dad we have some pictures to share!

Growing, growing, growing

Lots of firsts this month!  Brie started eating rice cereal and Taelyn started swimming by herself underwater!

Brie doesn't really seem to be a fan of spoons yet, but it has only been a couple of weeks and quite frankly, it may be the fault of the bland rice cereal!  Have you ever tasted that stuff?  I can't say I would be eager for my next meal if that was being served!

Taelynstarted swimming without floaties about 3 weeks ago.  She loves swimming, so much we are seriously thinking about getting a pool in the next few months.  Her enthusiam, coupled with this ridiculous heat, makes a couple great reasons for putting one in.  Also, having a pool gives people another reason to visit us!  :-)

Other than that, we are all doing good.  Chad is keeping a watchful eye on his vines, as it looks like we may be having an early harvest this year - again, thanks to the extreme heat.  Let me know if you are interested in helping pick this year and I will put you on the email list!

June Already?

I am not sure where May went.  It seems like the last time I took pictures was at Easter and then its like I lost my camera.  Nonetheless, I did manage to take a couple pictures of the girls over the weekend.  A super cute one that was Taelyn's idea is the one I decided to post.  I always lay Brie down on a blanket to take her picture, since she isn't old enough to sit up on her own yet.  Taelyn thought it would be cute to lay down next to her for me to take a picture of both of them - I have to agree!  :-)

Refugees

So, we have added a couple refugees to our family... at least temporarily.  Clucky and Plucky are staying the in vineyard for a few weeks while they go through rehab and grow new feathers.  They belong to our neighbors who have several chickens and once these two had "wounds" the others pecked at them and they could not heal.  They are a fun addition to our yard and Taelyn loves to collect the eggs everyday - nothing better than fresh eggs!  I was a bit worried that Butter and Trout would try to attack Plucky and Clucky, but after a couple days they were left alone - thankfully!  Butter is most interested in getting to the eggs before Taelyn does!  Luckily there is a gate on the vineyard and Butter can only get in when we let her.

Rodeo and Growing Baby

We went to the Austin Fair & Rodeo this past weekend and had a ton of fun.  As always, Taelyn loved the petting zoo.  She also enjoyed dancing to the music on the lawn.  Brie slept during most of the activies, but she is definitely getting bigger!  She is 10.5 lbs now at 9 weeks.  Hard to believe she has already ganined 3 pounds since her birth.

One Month Pictures with Big Sis

We got Brie's one month pictures taken last week - has it already been a month!  Time really flies when you are constantly just feeding and sleeping.  We had fun taking pictures and Taelyn got in on a couple as well.

First Snow

What a fun week - snow in Texas!  Here are a few pictures of Brielyn's first look at snow and Taelyn's fun day playing.  We got about an inch and a half, but it only stayed around for a little while.  By Friday it was nearly completely gone.  Taelyn was sad - she wanted to play in the snow more!

Announcing Brielyn Reese Martin

It was early Tuesday morning, January 25th, and I began having contractions.  They had actually started about 1:30am and were more a bother than a pain.  I would wake up with the contraction and because they were not close together or painful, I would fall back to sleep for 30 mins or so before the next one came.  Finally around 6 am, I woke Chad and told him this might be it - he wanted me to be sure before he got up and drove to the hospital.  So for the next 45 mins I layed there and timed my contractions... yes indeed, it was the real thing and they were coming about 8 -10 mins apart... and getting stronger!  We got up and got ready to go.  Taelyn woke at her usual time around 7:30, we hopped in the car and were off.  Chad's mom met us at the hospital to take Taelyn for a day of fun and we settled in for the pending arrival.  When I arrived I was already about 5 cm dialated, but the contractions were still not that bad.  By 11:30, when I still had not gotten my epidural - not because I wasn't asking for it!- I was almost to the breaking point and in walks the anesthesiologist...Finally!  At 12 noon, it was time to start pushing and so I did, for the next hour and a half.  The baby was turned and having a tough time getting out, and I had thought to myself if this baby doesn't come soon, they might just have to cut her out of me!  But, that luckily did not have to happen and at 1:33pm, Brielyn Reese made her arrival on the world.

38 weeks and nearing the end...

Wow, I have been bad about posting.  Here is a new picture of me at 36 weeks - stastically I haven't really changed since then, although I feel like I am bigger!  My due date is January 26th and Taelyn's birthday is January 19.  Being a twin, I know what it's like to have to share your birthday, so hopefully that will not happen!

In addition, here is a picture of Taelyn playing in the rain.  She loves her rain boots and mackintosh!  Also, Taelyn has gotten pretty good at taking pictures with the digital camera, so here is a picture of Butter that Taelyn took... not bad!  It is also good that we have a dog that will sit still for a while and makes a pretty easy subject!