Our Bairn

We are less than a week away from our seven month birthday. In other words, I am late... again...  with a Silas update. To say "we have been busy" would just be repetitive and some what of a cop-out. Truthfully, Silas is a lot more to handle, but he still naps regularly (when we aren't striving to reach new milestones) and so that only leaves one conclusion. A conclusion that is all too obvious and remains my biggest weakness. Laziness. Yes, the confounded character flaw that has caused me much distress because of the numerous things needing to be done. Tell me, why aren't laundry and dishes fairies real? If I just believe hard enough perhaps they can snap into existence, you never know.

6 Months

 

Enjoying a warm and sunny day

 

Anywho, at his last doctor's appointment Silas was at 18 pounds and 11 ounces and 27 inches long. He be growin'! He now sits up, crawls like a champ, and pulls up on E.V.E.R.Y.thing-A! He is opening cabinet doors, pulling out drawers, and likes to mess with the Blu-Ray player. He would love to chew on electrical cords, stick his tiny precious fingers in electrical sockets, and pull up on anything with wheels or cannot old his weight. I don't how/why this started, but he also loves plastic bags. You have to watch him or his little hands will grab those empty grocery bags that you have just unloaded into the cabinets and he will try to eat them. Trash bags too. He is everywhere! He  has also found the step button for our kitchen trash can. If only I could make him understand that Mommy hates cleaning and things are dirty, but no, I have to change my poor habit of putting things off and accomodate our little baby who can't keep his hands to himself or just find satisfaction in the numerous baby toys that have taken over every surface in our living room.

Into Everything

 

Hates Green Beans (I think we scarred him)

 

Additionally, he isn't loving solids any more, he didn't even like bananas! And solids (namely grains) do not seem to agree with him. He is teething, that is beyond obvious, but I do not see any little teeth buds. He is sensitive to any upset in his sleep schedule, however remains a very happy little guy. His giggle rocks my world and his Daddy and I cannot seem to get enough of him! Bath time is still a favorite time and he now loves walks. Even when the temperature is muggy and painfully hot, he loves to be able to sit up in his stroller and take in the world. He is a watcher of all things, this is why he will not nap outside of the house. He can't. He has to see everything and everyone. He is an incredibly easy baby to handle until he is overtired and you try to get him to sleep. That is the only time we struggle because it can last for days. He isn't cranky when you let him stay awake, but the minute you try to get him to sleep, watch out! He won't have it. No sirree bobbaroony. It doesn't matter though. He is still perfect. Our family is blessed and we can't get enough of each other! Love it!

Twirling a bowl for distractable play

 

Helping Mommy in the kitchen (he is a big helper!)

 

Hope you enjoyed the most recent update of our "tiny" man. Gotta go for now, he is has awoken from his slumber. Be back soonish.

 

Silas Update, Errrbody's favorite ;)

Our little man is FIVE months old now. Officially met the milestone on the 15th, but we are just getting around to writing an update. He is cute as ever and basically crawling. He is getting up on his hands and knees/toes and moving forward. He can only go a couple of feet at a time and sometimes he still goes backwards, but he his figuring out how to get to where he wants to go. AND has already learned that he wants the things he cannot have, like electrical outlets and extension cords. We haven't experienced any tantrums yet when we move him away from the dangerous things, but I am sure those days are not too far off. Unless we just have a perfect baby who will never do anything bad... it is a nice thought, no? Currently he finds joy in tappy-tap-tapping on my computer keyboard. He lunges for it when he is sitting on my lap, whether I am using it or not, he wants it. He sees it and he feels the need to bang away. Sometimes I let him. He loves my phone too. Pretty much anything he sees me with. He wants. No toy can sway his determination to get his hands (and drool) on his Mommy's things. Although he is teething, we see no teeth. It really isn't an issue unless he gets over tired and then it seems to be a bit more of a bother to him. His drool increases and so does his impatience. However, despite his baby woes, he is a great little boy who is just growing up way too fast.

Our little 5 month old

My little Muscle Man

As you may know from recent posts, we have recently gone and returned home from Florida. It was an adventure... I thought I was prepared. Read about and "pinned" all I could about traveling with an infant. However, nothing could have prepared me for missing our connection and spending 8 hours in the Atlanta airport. Actually Silas was great at the airport, the problem was he wouldn't/couldn't sleep. There were no dim rooms or quiet places. Lots of people to watch and too many things to see. Nursing was another issue. If I used the cover he would get angry because he wanted to see so we tried nursing in the bathroom, but the constant flushing of toilets scared and distracted him. Overall, in a 19 hour stretch our little guy got maybe, maybe a total of 3 hours of sleep and he didn't eat hardly at all. SO by the time we finally landed in Florida he was extremely over tired and once we made it to our rental car he was extremely hungry. From the airport to where we stayed he screamed a wailing ear piercing scream for the 1 hour and 20 minutes it took us to get there. It.was.fun. I wish I was exaggerating, I wish I could say it wasn't that bad, but it was. It was terrible. Needless to say he ate and crashed like a rock, but the rest of the weekend didn't get much better. He wasn't terribly fussy, but he never did eat or sleep well. His surroundings were too different and he wasn't in HIS bed. We tried, but he just could not get enough rest. He became emotionless and would hardly smile and definitely no cooing or laughing. It broke my heart to see how tired he was and know there was nothing I could really do. To make the trip even less fun, the weather wasn't great. It was cool and the wind was strong and would beat you with the sand and broken shells on the beach. We didn't get to take Silas out or get cute little photos of his first time experiencing the waves. Sad. The EOD Ball was actually fun and we were able to eat at a couple of our favorite places down in Destin, but when all was said and done, as thankful as we are that we could go, it was not worth the trouble. It took several days for Silas to catch up on sleep and get back to normal. He was just so exhausted, but we perservered and learned a lot of lessons. One thing was obvious, Silas is a great flyer and I am sure on future trips it won't be so bad, but for the time being we are a little bit scarred and going to take it easy on travel.

Time with Mimi

Dressed for the ball

In addition to all the other news, on Silas' 5 month anniversary of being out of utero we celebrated by introducing him to Rice Cereal. He loved it, but since his first encounter with "solids" we have moved to oatmeal because a friend of mine informed me it was easier for him to digest. He loved that even more. He takes it well and we haven't experienced any negative effects, in fact, he is sleeping much better and for longer periods at night.

So excited for his next bite

 

Mmmmm

"Gimme that oatmeal!"

 

Hope you enjoyed the Silas update :) . I love talking about him and how spectacular he is. I can't seem to get enough of him, even when he is over tired and screaming his little round head off. He is my sweet boy and I cherish the snot out of him. He poops a lot and is a stinky boy, but who would want it any other way. Haha!

 

 

Confessions of a Lazy Lady

Well, I have avoided this post for as long as I could. We failed. We failed in our weight loss goals. We didn't fail so bad that we gained, but we didn't lose. Turns out it is really difficult to stay motivated with a baby in the house. You really have to make up your mind to make things happen because life is throwing you constant curve balls. Even if you have a pretty good routine, something can and usually will upset it. You can't count on anything, which has made gaining momentum difficult to say the least. You have to prioritize and learn to do things even when you feel lazy and tired (which is all.the.time.) There is no "I will have a chance to do it later" because later comes and you are more tired and busy than you were when the last opportunity arose. It is beyond frustrating, but convicting. I am realizing where I am weak and how prone both Rob and myself are to excuses. It is always going to be easier to cook a DiGiorno instead of prep for a salad. It is always going to be easier to sit on the couch and relax while the baby is sleeping than get up and do a 30 minute workout. There will always be periods where life is strolling along smoothly and then BAM you hit a giant pot hole and it ruins your whole day or maybe even week. You just have to make things happen no matter the inconvenience. I am living in a constant stream of lazy excuses. I need to break out. Bust free from the "I'll do it later" to a "get it done now" kind of mom. So easy it is to think it, so difficult it is to make the change. I am unhappy with my laziness, but comfortable. Oh so comfortable. One thing is for sure, this is a journey best accompanied by some Holy Spirit, for my own resolve will surely fail me. I need grace and strength from the Most High. Through Him all things are possible and because His words are true, I know it is true I can make this happen.
No doubt it is a bit disappointing and embarassing to admit my failures on my blog. And it should be clear that I did not want to publicly voice my lack of progress. I mean, it has been a couple of months at least since I wrote out my goals for you to see, but here we all are reading how far I did not come and how far I still hope to go. I pray others are having more success than I am (wouldn't be too hard) and enjoying their new lifestyle as a healthier person. Maybe in another month I will have something more positive to report... maybe...
Until that day of (what we hope will be) good news, soon you can expect a baby update. Our Florida trip has come and gone and we survived. That is all I can say. We made it through the tortuous travel and came out the other side having learned plenty of lessons like, if you can help it, don't travel with a baby. However, this is a story for another posting that I will share sometime in the coming days. Here is a pic to hold you over ;)

What a cute drooly chunk

p.s. The Apple Carrot Muffins turned out very, what is a good word??? Very, meh. BUT I made some granola that was amazing. You will like the Fruit and Nut Granola too if you like coconut. It is super simple to make and I think it is well worth the time and dirty dishes.

Anywho, thanks for stopping in to witness the confessions of one lazy lady.

A 3 Month Old in Da HOUSE!

Wow! This boy is desperate to be a big kid.

Although this "little" man is still attempting to sit up on his own with very little success, he has in fact mastered another milestone- rolling from back to front. We officially have a roller. He especially loves practicing his rolling during diaper changes, making me look forward to the task all the more *deadpan expression*.However, my proud mommy moment ("my boy can roll!") was short-lived when I realized he would no longer continue his good bed time routine. We had it down and perfected. Bath time, eat, swaddle, swing, bed, and sleep. He did so great for so many weeks to see it all end, was, in a word, sad. Because of his new skill we have had to stop swaddling cold turkey, it has become too dangerous to leave him pinned when he is rolling over to his tummy. Too many times I have gone in to see him with his face smooshed into his mattress. Scary! SO we have spent many less than sleep full nights trying to figure out the best solution, only to settle on the obvious and most difficult. No more cozy comfort for baby. Just free movement and unsettling jerks. It has been hard on both myself and Silas. I am used to being sleep deprived, but he isn't and believe me, that boy needs some good sleep. Our poor little Butterball...

In addition to his roley poley-ness, he is really starting to figure out the technique needed to crawl. He is moving them arms and legs and getting his butt way up in the air. I feel safe saying that with more floor time, he will be crawling by five months. I feel both proud and terrified. He is so determined. Tummy time is no longer a time of screaming, but has become a time of pure determination and will to move. This kid hates being horizontal and just wants to be up. We have even started propping him up in his walker and he loves being able to just look around. He can't reach the floor yet, so he is stuck in one place, but he loves the ability to move his head around and see everything from a more "grown up" position.

More and more his personality is shining through. I think he definitely going to be an observer like his daddy and more inquisitive than silly... something to look forward to once he can talk ;) . If I had to guess, I'd say he going to be a go getter and pretty independent. Who really knows, but basing my assumption on what I am seeing now, that is my best prediction for the little boy to come.

He is for sure a momma's boy right now. Loves me! It makes me feel so good :) , but he still talks more with his daddy. I am more of his comfort and the pro at getting him to sleep, it doesn't hurt that I am his only source of food. If all else fails to comfort- feed. It is handy.


Things he loves:
Being sung to
Cooing
Bath time
Interacting with Mommy and Daddy
Bouncing
Raspberries on his belly
Being airplane baby

Things he hates:
No one paying attention to him
Being in a lying or sitting position (has to be up all the time)
Naps. Yes, at one point he was napping so well. Now, he hates 'em. I suppose we are at the point where day time is exploring-and-figuring-things-out time.
His Carseat. Oh my gosh he HATES his carseat, now titled The Seat of Sadness

There is no continuous daily routine with this kiddo. He switches it up on me every day and I have to try to keep up. I would never say it is easy, but it is worth it and it can be a LOT of fun. Sometimes I just have to grit my teeth and get through the day, but those little toothless hammy smiles make the tough days much easier to handle. One just has to remain thankful and realize the gift of such a miracle. Because of some very special people, I have been able to keep perspective and not complain (too much) when things are hard. I am beyond thankful for his precious life, even at 4am when he wants to play and all I want to do is go back to bed. He is the best baby EVER!

R and T update later...

Peas out ;)

Workin' On Workin' Out

We continue to make progress in the Martin household. Silas will sometimes sleep for 7 hours straight, other times he only goes for 3 or 5, but either way I feel like we are making decent progress. Even if that progress goes up and down like a roller coaster. I will take it! Oh right!

In other news, Rob and myself are both working on getting leaner and more in shape. We just threw out a bunch of food (sorry Mimi) in hopes of making better snacking decisions. We have a new grocery shopping rule: I will only buy Coke and a jug of juice once a month so Rob has to watch his sugar intake. Additionally, I have gotten a some delish looking recipes for healthy homemade granola and granola bars as well as (and I am super excited about this one) a recipe for Apple Carrot Bran Muffins. Yummmmm... I will let you know how they turn out. They make them fresh at a grocery store up here and they are SO good. I hope mine will be just as good, will find out soon.

Obviously with this "new" way of eating we are upping our workouts. We are both making a stronger attempt to work out 5 times a week. It has not been an easy thing to keep up with, especially with a baby, but we are getting there. I had to join the YMCA in order to have childcare and thankfully that membership provides me with free classes. YESSSS!!! I just tried my first one this week, Body Sculpt. This class seems similar to Body Pump but more cardio.  As for how effective it is, let's just say Silas seems to have gained 10 more pounds and our stairs seem like they have gained a few more steps... rough. HOWEVER, me and Rob feel great about our decisions and have set a goal to be down 10 pounds by early May for the EOD Ball. Something to work toward! I don't expect things to go perfectly, but I hope we can maintain motivation well enough to make our goals.

For your benefit and curiousity I would take before, during and after pictures in order to show my progress, but I am not comfortable showing my figure to the public, even if I maintain coverage. BUT I will be happy to share my progress through words...
I am starting this journey at 144-146 lbs. My goal is to be at 135 by May 3, but my ultimate goal is 130. My workouts include:
Running- Monday, Thursday, Friday
Pilates and Body Sculpt classes alternating Tuesdays
Kickboxing Classes and Weights alternating Saturdays
Rest on Sundays and Wednesdays
I have made this plan with no real knowledge of what I should be doing. My intended routine is just a mixture of things I know I need to do and things I want to do.
Hopefully by sharing this goal with my friends and family it will help to motivate and encourage me, which will in turn help motivate Rob. Of course we are giving ourselves some wiggle room because we have an infant and life can't always be predictable, unfortunately. It's a good thing this baby is SO cute, see-

Cute Sleepy Boy

 

-makes the unpredictable nature of our lives much more enjoyable when we get to converse with, cuddle and kiss this adorable little nugget of chunky-ness. We are smitten.

If you have some pointers or are doing something and would like some encouragement, please tell me all about it and I would be happy to be a support to you :) .

My Little Silas Boy

Tomorrow our little Chunky Monkey is a whole TEN WEEKS! People tell you that children grow up too fast, but I never realized how quickly time could fly until our wee one came along. It is amazing how things change from one day to the next. For example: one day Silas wasn't smiling (except for sleep smiles... and gas) and the next day he was. There was no gradual "getting the hang of it", he just started doing it. Same with rolling over. It seems like he just decides to do it and it's done.

The newest thing our 13 pounder is attempting...

Sitting up. He is anxious to be able to sit up on his own. It started yesterday and now any time he is in a horizontal position he starts flailing his limbs and lifting his head. Grunting and struggling to try to achieve something he can't quite accomplish yet. It is hilarious to watch, but it quickly becomes a frustration to us both. He gets fussy and my arms are forced to endure the burden of his weight for however long he wishes to stand and bounce on my stomach. He is so enthralled by his surroundings that he has no time or desire to lay around all day. On the bright side, he is much happier in his swing staring at his mobile or sitting in his vibrating/bouncy chair in the kitchen while I cook dinner. He loves to watch and observe, even if his vision isn't great yet, he loves to look around and see the happenings around him. Additionally, he is napping much better and going down far more easy because he wears himself out with all the excitement and hopefully this means our little chunk monk will be easily entertained because there is not a whole lot of real excitement around this house.

Look at this cutie trying to take in the world around him.

Some current names we call our boy that will likely confuse him later as he begins to speak:
Mommy's Nicknames-
Chunkey Monkey
Stink Bug
Gladimir Pootin'
Sweet Boy
Sir Spits A Lot

Daddy's Nicknames-
Tiny Tim
Little Man
Peach Head
Silas Boy

And these are just to name a few. Everyday we establish a new name for him it seems, but these are the most common ones heard around our house. He doesn't seem to mind though ;) .

Other new things we are experiencing include an increase in spitting up, which I have decided is directly related to his desire to be more active. Little laughs- nothing continuous yet. And a sudden disinterest in his pacifier with a newly found interest in chewing his hand. It is a new thing ALL the time.

Other than the new adventures of Silas Martin there is very little else to up date on, so until next time- HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

p.s. He really is THE cutest baby in my world. Love his little fat cheeks and his soft little "Peach Head".

You have a blog? Yes...

Welcome back ME! Haha! Sooooo to say "it has been a while" is a bit of an understatement. More like it is has been forever and a day. To tell the truth I haven't needed to update my blog so much considering it was started as a way to update family and friends of the happenings in the Martin household whilst we live in distant lands far from those we love most. *sigh* The life of an Army family. Up until recently we have been fairly close to our home base and the need to keep our dear ones well informed was easy and the upkeep of a blog seemed tedious and unnecessary- HOWEVER- we now find ourselves farther away than ever before with a new baby and I felt 'twas time to once again put my typing skills to work and update those who care.

Since my last post way too much has happened to thoroughly inform. The highlights include: a move to Virginia, followed by a move to Maryland during a hurricane, followed by the birth of our first son in December. We are learning to live without the comfort and support of having our immediate families near by. It has been hard on me, but for the first time I am reaching out and really making an effort to establish friendships. For an introvert such as myself, it isn't always easy, but I feel blessed that God has provided us with a good community here on post and a great church. I suspect this experience being far from home will be a tremendous gift to us in the long run and that we will be the better for it. That said, we are both very anxious to be back in Texas! We love our home state and we are definitely proud to be Texans :) .

Now that you have been somewhat caught up on our life...

The following video is a sweet one! Our 8 week old boy is talking (cooing) to his Daddy. You have to wait 'til near the end before he actually starts, it is the last two out of four minutes I believe, the rest of the time you can laugh at and be in awe of his sweet cute self ;) . This video is mostly for the grandparents. I know it is hard on Granny and Mimi to be so far away from their adorably sweet and, I dare say, amazing grandbaby boy...

Video: SilasTalking

Check back soon for more exciting info (but not really) on the Maryland dwelling Martins.