Ten Months Old

1-31-2011

Daisy's latest

*Stands up constantly and occasionally will let go and balance for a handful of seconds
crawls a lot faster now
*opens everything, cabinets, drawers, boxes, etc.
*Eats constantly but still isn't a big fan of eating veggies unless they are pureed
*Has slept through the night (7:30-5) more in the past two weeks than she has in the past 10 months! We are so excited about this progress!!
*Has 8 teeth and currently is teething again
*Loves eating cheese, breads, fruit and crackers and sweets (uh oh)
*Is smiling a lot less these days which makes me kinda sad
*I can finally get her to laugh now and then and it melts me!
*Struggles with separation anxiety and it is a bummer
*Loves to play with our things
*Can say mama, dada and num nums (food)
*Shakes her head no but doesn't yet know exactly what it means
*Cries when I say ah ah ah (my way of telling her no) it's funny
*She doesn't actually know what the word no means as I haven't really used it much yet
*Cries when I say, "all done," when her food is gone. She hates to be done eating. SO cute!
*Is SO loud now. She shrieks and hollers constantly.
*Loves to touch my face. It's as if she is exploring it by touch. Neat!
*Is still nursed 4 times a day
*Today we installed her big girl car seat and she did great in it
Daisy is an absolute blast. I'm loving this phase!



**Today was the most beautiful day we have had in months. It was around 60 degrees and the sun was shining. Daisy got to wear a tank top (shown in the pictures above) and I LOVED taking pictures of her as she soaked up the rays outside. So sweet!

Day 8 - Write a Blog to Encourage Another Beautiful Woman

"Friends are the sunshine of life."
John Hay (1871)

Somehow I got mixed up and did day 8 before day 7, whoopsi.

There are so many wonderful women in my life who I would love to encourage by sharing how amazing they are. Women who strive to be strong Godly examples to their children, who desire to serve their husbands, who are creative, beautiful and fun and who bless my life in more ways that I can count. I hope you all know who you are because I love each of you!

Today I want to encourage a particular friend of mine, Elissa. (shown in the above picture on the left). You can visit her lovely blog here: Living For His Legacy

Elissa and I met shortly before my hubby and I got married about 7 years ago and she has been a blessing in my life ever since. Currently, she is 32 weeks pregnant and also has two adorable little boys. Her hubby, Mike, is overseas serving a 6 month deployment and will be coming home to them in just a handful of weeks right around the time that she is due with her 3rd child. Military families go through a lot and deployments are harder than I could ever imagine but, Elissa has always been strong in spite of it all. She and Mike have an awesome marriage and they are incredible parents. More importantly, their love for Jesus is so evident in all that they do. They are generous, servants, loving and joyful. Elissa and I have been through a lot together and our families have vacationed together several times now. So much laughter and so many great memories shared!

She is a blessing to me and I just wanted to brag about her today because she deserves a little boost as she waits for her hubby to come home and her baby to arrive! So close Elissa!

Serious

It seems that my ever silly, smiley, social little girl is developing a bit more of a serious side. When she wakes up from her naps and even around strangers lately she smiles less and is more interested in staring and quietly observing. Not all the time but, these pictures don't lie. lol.

I just woke up from my nap mom. What do you expect when you stick a camera in my face?

Sitting like such a little lady

Okay, looks like you aren't putting that camera away so I guess I'll get up and do something

I'm still not feeling this mom but, I guess I will let you gaze into my beautiful brown eyes

I really don't want to play with this toy. I just want to get into the basket that you keep telling me to stay out of.

Does anyone else have this trouble with these types of shoes? They get all smashed up under her heels. That can't be comfortable but, it's either that or rug burns on the tops of her feet!

Reach, reach reach

Eating is one thing that always makes me happy

Every day I marvel at my baby girl and how quickly she is growing out of the baby phase. Every time I talk to my mom on the phone I think about the day when my daughter is out and on her own and will hopefully be calling me to check in. I hold her more tightly now while I can and savor every slobbery kiss and every sleepy cuddle. Okay, so maybe she is years away from moving out and going off to college but, let's face it; time flies.

I do have to add that Daisy is teething again! She currently has 8 teeth. Over the past few days she has been drooling and licking her lips constantly. On top of that she has a cold from it. Poor thing! I hope these teeth come in soon for her! How many teeth will this girl have by the time she turns one???

New Blog Design

I am so pleased to share my new blog design with you all! A huge thanks to Jhen Stark of From Here to Eternity (the blog). She is so creative (not to mention kind and a beautiful mama) and took the extra time to incorporate some of my ideas into her design. I wanted it simple, fresh, green, (my favorite color), natural and it is exactly that. Jhen you did an awesome job and I encourage any of you readers who are eager to give your blog a face lift to stop by Jhen's blog and check out her other design work. Thanks again Jhen!

Day 6 and Day 7

Day 7 - Jaded Beauty. Has the world's definition of beauty ever jaded you?

JADED-

1. Worn out; wearied: "My father's words had left me jaded and depressed" (William Styron).

2. Dulled by surfeit; sated: "the sickeningly sweet life of the amoral, jaded, bored upper classes" (John Simon).

3. Cynically or pretentiously callous

More specifically I would say, has the Hollywood definition of beauty ever jaded me and my answer to that would be yes. Not every day and certainly not always but, sometimes, yes. It is tiring to be assaulted by the thin, tan, flawless skin, everything looks perfect, designer clothing model image that we see constantly in various forms of media. When I was younger it was much more tiring to try and keep up with an unattainable beauty standard. As I get older however; I am more at peace in my skin. My athletic build, skin flaws and strong features are what make me..me and most of the time I feel confident being in my skin. On PMS days or whatever you wanna call them, I might feel the need of a superficial beauty treatment to get a pick me up but, those days are rare now. Thank God! I have learned that nothing feels better than to embrace who I am on the blah days and the beaming days. I have found that spending less time in front of the mirror and avoiding beauty magazines and shows has helped me to not focus on me as much and I like that. It feels good to focus on other things!

Day 8 - Have a beauty secret? Share, please!

I have the simplest and most boring beauty routine of anyone I know. I am terrible at doing anything fancy with my uber thick hair and my makeup application has been the same every day for the past 10 years. teehee. I do love putting about 2 or 3 french braids in my hair slightly damp at night and then taking them out in the morning for a nice natural wave that can be sprayed or moussed for a different feel. That has been a life savor for me on special occasions! My hair is always flat as a board and is super thick so curling it takes over an hour. Braids are a faster, simpler solution!

Chase Me - Video

hmmm...what's in here?

ooooo, look at these neat toys in my basket! Aren't my hand dimples to die for!

My new favorite thing is bobbing for window strings. Choking hazards? Yes, but the fun is worth it!

Look, I almost got one!

Do you like the bunnies hanging out on my shirt. I think they are pretty cool! Thanks Grandma Lulu for my comfy outfit!

My other favorite thing to do is to pull everything out of my drawers. Making big messes for mommy to clean up is a blast!

This dogie is so cool but, why does she always have to lick me?

A whole new Daisy has emerged over the past couple of weeks. A silly, playful, hyper, exploration minded, giggly girl. It's like she grew up overnight and I'm still trying to catch up!! She loves to be chased and she crawls away as fast as she can which is really exhausting for her but, sooooo cute to watch! She loves to climb on me, play peak a boo by herself, climb on everything and I mean everything, she opens all of our cabinets, tore everything off of my bookshelves (video of that next post), says mama and dada all the time and is such a blast!!! I'm in mommy Heaven. Exhausted and body aching...most definitely, but loving every second of it...YESIREE!!!

Day 5 - Write a Blog Thanking Someone Who Has Made My Heart Come Alive

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails..." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8



My hubby and I met our junior year of High School over 11 years ago. He was my first love and is still my first love. At that time my parents were going through a rough patch in their marriage and I was struggling with my emotions and my heart felt broken though I carried that pain quietly and few knew what I was going through. This guy came into my life at the perfect time. A time when good friends were scarce and times were tough. God is the author of perfect timing. I know God brought Joey into my life to make my heart come alive! We have been through SO much together over the past several years. It is an absolutely beautiful thing to weather good times and bad alongside a man who always has my back. No matter what we go through my guy always affirms my feelings and wants to make me happy. Even after all these years his motto is still, "happy wife, happy life," and he really does live up to that! He would do anything for me. All I have to do is whine and I get whatever I want. hahaha (but, seriously!) He is sensitive, passionate, hard working, an amazing Daddy, a Jesus lover, loyal, faithful, handsome, spontaneous, funny, sarcastic and fun. I truly cannot imagine my life without Joey by my side. Here's to 50 more years in Jesus name! Cheers baby!

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Just a little peak at what I have been working on this week. Editing pictures from a mini photo session of a good friend of mine and her daughter, Lila. Her little girl is turning one soon so this was her birthday photo session. I will posting all of the pictures on my photography blog when they are finished at: casey martinez photography

Day 4 - Picture in a Favorite Outfit and Other Things

“You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her”

I don't have a favorite outfit or a favorite anything for that matter. I tend to like different things depending on my mood or the weather. lol. I am very much a casual person. I would say my black yoga pants, Uggs and a comfy sweater would be high up there on my favorite outfit list but, those things are in the laundry because I wear them so often. hehe. So, my next favorite thing to wear is something that is both comfortable and yet makes me feel feminine and pretty. As a mom I have very little time for hair, makeup or outfits that take too much thought. This is easy to pull on, easy to chase a baby around in and yet nice enough to go out and run errands in and feel somewhat classy. Thanks to my hubby for patiently watching Daisy while I got ready and for taking this picture!

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Daisy and Daddy playing on the swing set in our church nursery while I took some pictures for a friend whose daughter is turning one soon.
Gotta love Wal-Mart for an affordable and yet somewhat stylish storage solution for baby toys!!

Yeah! They only look that organized for the picture!

Joey scoping out some crown molding at Lowe's. We are really excited about starting our dining room molding in the spring!

mommy and Daisy hanging out while Daddy checks things out

Ever since the CIO episodes with Daisy at nap time I have noticed an improvement in her nightly sleeping routine. She never slept through the night prior to this but, since she has slept through the night (which for her is 7ish until 5AM) a good 6 or 7 times now. My body doesn't even know how to handle the extra sleep it is getting. I generally go into Daisy's room and give her pacifier back to her and lay her back down (as she is always standing up in her crib at 5 AM) and she goes back to sleep for another hour or so. It is brutal how early Daisy likes to wake up...brutal, but for now I am praising God for the fact that she is sleeping almost 10 hours without waking...not every night but, most nights lately. Baby steps right!

Daisy always holds onto something to keep her balance when she is standing but, just in the past couple of days she is letting go when she gets to a standing position. She wobbles and usually catches herself before falling but, it is really neat to see that she is already exploring her limits. I think walking is a good couple of months of yet but, maybe not. Who knows!

Daisy is clearly saying mama and dada now. She often will say it on cue if she is in a good mood. She imitated Joey several times today and it was the coolest thing ever to hear her understand and repeat after him. It is awesome to hear her holler for us...annoying too sometimes but, mostly awesome! haha

Daisy has begun to do a silly little dance when she hears music. She waves her hands above her head and shakes them back and forth. It is darling! Hmmmm, I really need to get a video of all of these new things!

Okay, that's all for now!

Day 3 - Someone I know Who Inspires Beauty

"I'll love you forever
I'll like you for always
As long as I'm living my baby you'll be"
Robert Munsch

Day 3 - Someone I Know Who Inspires Beauty

Lots of people in my life inspire beauty. My husband affirms me with encouraging words and sweet kisses on my forehead. My mom builds my confidence with her wise counsel and endless patience. My girlfriends set such a great example for me by being servants, great wives, mothers and givers. My family fills my heart with joy because they are always there for me. All these people inspire beauty in my life and all in different ways!

Today, however; I would like to draw extra special attention to the one little person who has inspired a whole new level of beauty in me; my daughter, Daisy.

She doesn't talk much yet but, words aren't necessary for her to radiate her love for me in all that she does. Her life is a picture of God's love for me as every day I feel closer to the Lord simply by watching my daughter grow, smile, play, cry, kiss, cuddle and sleep. I am inspired to be a Christ-like example because I want my daughter to know Him! I am inspired to never stop bettering myself for the sake of my daughter. I am inspired to be confident so that I can then in turn invest that confidence back into my daughter. I am inspired to be silly, carefree, more patient, creative, imaginative, disciplined, joyful and abundantly loving!

Daisy, you inspire beauty my sweet girl!

Day 2 - What Makes You Uniquely You

Psalm 139:14

"I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."

Day 2: What Makes Me Uniquely Me?

Everything that I am makes me uniquely me. Sure, there are other women with blonde hair, medium build, freckles splashed across their faces and a heart for Jesus but, there is no one who looks exactly like me, feels exactly what I feel or thinks exactly like I think! God designed me inside and out and in all the world there is no one else...no one else exactly like me!

That my friends, is a beautiful thing!

Day 1 - What Does Beauty Mean To Me

"The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them.
People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

Day 1 What Does Beauty Mean To Me


I wrote about 3 different essays in response to this question and each time I deleted them. I kept asking myself, "what is it...what is beauty at it's core and why can't I pin it down in a way that satisfies me."

Then the voice that calms storms and speaks softly and yet like a roaring lion all at once captured my heart and said,
"The closer you draw to me the more beautiful you are."

And that was it. All other thoughts evaporated and I was left with the simple truth that for me, the more I discover who I am in Christ the more beautiful I am inside and out! The other stuff doesn't last and it doesn't satisfy. My emotions are always changing and my ideas of beauty are very fickle but, the Lord and His word is the same and never changes. His word is beautiful.

Ah, it feels good to get to the bottom of that! haha

Project 31

I was visiting a fantastic blog From Here To Eternity and saw Jhen's post on project 31 which is hosted by another fantastic blogger, Mandy at She Breathes Deeply.

I am really excited about participating in this blogging project. What a great way to increase confidence, learn more about ourselves, focus on what beauty really is and what God designed us to be! We live in a world that sends so many mixed messages to us and this is a great opportunity to be real, raw and simply beautiful! I encourage the rest of you to participate if you feel led. I think we will all be stretched and will learn more about ourselves and each other in the process! I will be using Mandy's list for my 31 days and you can do the same or create your own list and link up to her site to participate.

You don't have to post every day in a row. You can post as you are able.

Here is the list:

Day 1. What does beauty mean to you?
Day 2. What makes you uniquely you?
Day 3. Who is someone you know who inspires beauty?
Day 4. Style 31. Post a pic of you in your favorite outfit.
Day 5. Write a blog thanking someone who has made your heart come alive.
Day 6. Jaded beauty. Has the world's definition of beauty ever jaded you?
Day 7. Write a blog to encourage another beautiful woman.
Day 8. Have a beauty secret (e.g. hair tip, make up tip)? Share, please!
Day 9. What virtues do you value in yourself?
Day 10. What is Jesus teaching you as a wife, mom, or friend? (Or just woman in general?)
Day 11. Post a recipe. Or if you don't cook, try a new recipe and write about how it turned out (pictures please!).
Day 12. Write about what wears you out as a woman.
Day 13. Write about something you would like to change about yourself for the better.
Day 14. Style 31. Post an outfit pic!
Day 15. Write to encourage a friend. Inspire her beauty.
Day 16. Write a letter to your daughter, or a young girl in your life. Tell her what beauty means.
Day 17. Write about 3 things that make you happy.
Day 18. Describe your personality.
Day 19. Write about your favorite comfort food (we are women- we ALL have comfort food!)
Day 20. Write about your job and why you love it or hate it.
Day 21. Write a letter to your husband to encourage him (or if you are single- your future husband.)
Day 22. What are some needs that need to be met in your community? Blog about how to extend your hand to those who need you.
Day 23. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
Day 24. What is Jesus teaching you presently?
Day 25. Style 31. Post a pic of your favorite comfy clothes.
Day 26. What do you hope your grandchildren will say about you someday when you are gone?
Day 27. Write a blog to encourage someone and build their confidence!
Day 28. Write about your insecurities as a woman.
Day 29. Write about "a day in the life of me." (Pics are great!)
Day 30. Who is your role model as a woman?
Day 31. Write about your dreams and goals as a beautiful woman!

Dislike

Scary Movies- I wish I was tougher and could handle watching a horror / scary movie with my hubby. It sounds like so much fun to squeal, cover my eyes and cuddle up with him but, let's recount...the last scary movie I got suckered into watching with a group of people went something like this, me: "honey, I'm going to cover my eyes until the scary part is over." my husband: "okay, but I'm just telling you, the entire movie is scary so you will spend a lot of time with your hands over your eyes. Why don't you just take a nap and I will wake you up when it's over." Me: "yah, that is probably a good idea." If I get any glimpses of anything creepy I will ultimately suffer dearly by having nightmares and more or less see monsters in the shadows in my room for weeks. I don't know why my imagination has no self control but, I guess that skill is something I never acquired as a child. lol.



Spiders- I know this isn't a picture of a spider but, to be perfectly honest, just looking at pictures of spiders or seeing them on TV or in a magazine is enough to get my skin crawling. Yes, I would say that my feelings towards spiders borderlines on being a phobia but, you might feel that way too if you had two encounters with a black widow! Once in junior high we were helping our teacher move her old art supply boxes that hadn't been moved in years. I picked one up and unbeknowst to me a black widow had hopped on my shirt and was crawling towards my face. My body went cold and I kept shaking my shirt but, the spider just kept crawling up, up and up...finally I was able to fling it off and someone stepped on it for me...sorry, tragic day for the BW. Then just a year ago at a family member's house I was turning a chandelier on by flipping the switch which happened to be on the floor in the corner of the room and I might as well of picked the black widow up as it was sitting under the switch when I grabbed it. Yes, heart attack. So no...I do not like spiders!


Being Cold- I don't handle being cold very well. It doesn't matter how much clothing I put on, I still feel miserable when I have to run an errand in the winter. I wear slippers and a jacket in my house all day and that is with the heater on! I find myself grinding my teeth when I have to go outside in cold weather. Evidently grinding my teeth helps distract me from the angry thoughts I have about how much I don't like feeling cold! haha
Onions- I am not a picky eater and I am always willing to try new foods but, one food that I cannot eat raw is an onion. I cannot stand them raw. For years I wouldn't eat them at all but, just in the past few years I have learned that when they are very well cooked the acidity that I hate goes away and I can actually tolerate them and enjoy the flavorful benefits! I keep trying them raw and end up gagging every time. They also burn my eyes horribly if I am remotely near them when they are being cut so I leave that task to my husband! IT annoys him that he has to make two batches of salsa. One without onions just for me and another large batch with lots of onions for everyone else...the normal people. hehe

Truth be told there are many other things that I don't care for but, these are the biggies. I got the idea to post this after visiting Remember Ember. What are your big dislikes?

50 is the new 25

HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY TO KATHY! So glad we could all be there with you to celebrate in Wilmington!

Above: The boys are grubbing on some amazing Olive Garden for dinner. Talk about an awesome birthday feast! Below: The group hanging out and eating and don't blame me for the dark pictures..well, you can if you really want to. I only brought my point and shoot and it's flash is really point and crappy...ug. This will teach me to leave my nicer camera at home!
The family picture: the Axlerod family (birthday girl's family!), the Martinez family and the Bailey Great Grandparents
our cousin Daniel hanging out with Daisy. Daniel has a special bond with Daisy. He lives in Florida but, has happened to visit on many special occasions...one such night being the night Daisy first learned to crawl! A lot of people on Facebook think Daisy is Daniel's daughter because they have so many pictures together...personally, I think it's funny and like to add to the confusion by encouraging it! hahaha.
The birthday girl, Aunt Kathy, Daisy and Daniel
The Birthday family. Robin flew in from Ohio just for the night's festivities and had to rush back to OH super early in the AM. No one knew she was coming so it was a huge surprise to ALL and very wonderful! Daniel drove up from Florida to surprise his mom. These kids are amazing aren't they! lol. And Mike, KAthy's husband is the master mind behind this awesome surprise party! Great job Mike! I'm telling you...Daisy looks like she was adopted into this family...post this one too Daniel! haha
The sisters;0. Cindy was also a planner and party decorator...and she is wearing boots...they aren't really this different in their height. I can't help but point that out. haha. Daisy jumps in every picture!
And this is what a baby looks like after a long party night and a busy family day. Pooped! She did UH-mazing though. I'm in awe of my daughter. She is a pure delight and a joy to be with these days. She is all smiles, grins, squeals and silliness. I love you to pieces Daisy girl!