The Stats

For inquiring minds...

His "greater than 95%" on the height chart was even further up into the blue area this time. 

We've got a big one. 

Peter's Birthday Party

Thirty-five people, 16 of them kids, in our little townhouse (thank God for a beautiful day and a park just behind our house!) It was wonderful chaos.

The shy (and teething :/ ) birthday boy was a little overwhelmed by all the love, and clung to Mommy most of the time. Toward the end, though, he was closer to his normal babbling, playful self.

Dear guests, spread out all over the estate.

Lydia, happy with her pizza crusts

Cranky Peter with Uncle Scott

Peter's beautiful Aunt Anne (and little cousin, 2 weeks from her due date!) and Nana

The Cake Eating:

(held this pose for several minutes, with just his little jaw working)

Finger puppets and clappy crocodiles!               

Squinty smiley friends in the bright sunlight 

When Peter finally came out of his shell, thankfully there was one peer left. A little more his speed. So he and Toby made some noise

and fought over Toby's shoes

Birthday presents from the grandparents. Among other things, a height measuring chart from Grandaddy and Oma, to help us keep up. 

From Nana and Grandpa Sean: An enthralling pack of velcro command strips. 

The end. We celebrated the gift of our boy, which was a great excuse to get a bunch of dear friends together and eat pizza, cake, and ice cream. God has been so kind to us; we are truly the richest people we know. 

Birthday Cake

September 14, 2013
That momentous rite of passage, his first birthday cake:

One Year

What an incredible year. It grew us this big rambunctious boy out of a little helpless baby. 

I've long wondered what life would be like when we reached this day, and now (as if suddenly) it's here:

Happy First Birthday, Peter Clay Martin!

To Peter on his Birthday

  

My dear sweet son, today is your very first Birthday! that means it was one year ago today that you were born--

borne out of me and into this world where you have lived and learned and grown and interacted, by God's constant upholding grace. 

Yes, sweetheart, God upholds the whole universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3).

But He also knows every little sparrow, and every hair on your sweet head (Matthew 10:29-30).

Even before you were born, He knew you, knew your whole life (Psalm 139: 13-16). 

And He loves you more than you can imagine. 

And I want--more than anything else I want for you--that you would know him, our wonderful Lord Jesus, and follow him all the days of your life. 

Darling Boy, you are so precious to your Daddy and me. You have changed our lives in many little and profound ways, and God has used you to teach me so many things. Things about Himself, about myself, about life.  I'll say more on that some other time.

For now, for posterity, here are some facts about you. At one year old...

You are big for your age, and strong, but you still like to snuggle, and hide your face against Mommy when you feel shy (which is whenever you first meet someone). 

You are a good walker (since a little before 11 months) and can get up the stairs pretty fast and without falling (usually). But you have very little patience for learning to come down. We're working on that.

You love being outside, love grass and wind, swinging and exploring. 

You giggle after you've been startled, and squeal with delight when you're hoisted high into the air, turned upside down, rolled and thrashed. You are fearless about falling, and will try to dive head-first out of my arms or lap if you see something you want down on the floor. 

You love books, though you have a short attention span. 

You love to hear singing and laughing, and often imitate them. 

You love cars and balls and emptying out the tupperware cabinet and chasing Leuka and rough-housing with Daddy.

At play, you are an agent of destruction, emptying small containers and big bins, leveling anything stacked, doing away with any apparent organization. But just in the last week you have started putting in, instead of only taking out. Today you balanced two blocks on my knee, and then took turns with me putting your blocks in the wagon. I think we got to 14. This learning to "put" is one of my favorite milestones and opens up a whole new world of activities. 

You are learning some things the hard way: That you can't stand up under the dining room table, that you must move your fingers before shutting a cabinet, and when you remove our bedroom doorstop, as you do every morning, the door keeps swinging shut on you while you play in the threshold. 

Sliced grapes seem to be your favorite at the moment, unless one counts the mango lassi you had Saturday at a party. You were obsessed, and would have drunk yourself sick if we'd let you. Your love for oatmeal has finally cooled; you now prefer your yogurt and bananas at breakfast. 

When we put you down for the night, we sing the Gospel Song with you and sometimes pray over you. You sleep with a light blue fuzzy blanket and your blue elephant. You give hugs to your stuffed animals now, especially Mr. Elephant. 

You babble a lot now. Not in English yet. Your favorite word, though, is "yes" or "yish," used broadly to communicate positive feelings toward something. Usually food or a trip outside. "Peter, do you want some grapes?" "YESSSS!" You also say "AaDAH!" which I think is "all done," though again you use it broadly, to say that you don't want more food, or to inform me that your high chair tray is empty and you want it refilled. Your "all done" (had enough food) in sign language is much more clear. 

And this past weekend, you nursed me for the last time. Sniff. You are a weaned man, ready to take on the world. It has all happened so quick. I feel like you'll be heading off to school in another blink. 

The days are long, but the years are short. You'll understand that some day. 

My beautiful boy, I love you so much. Today we are celebrating your life and the very precious gift that God gave us one year ago today. Happy First Birthday, Peter!

Love, 

Mommy

What I Found in the Tupperware Cabinet this Morning

Grandaddy's Birthday Surprise

Last Wednesday Grandaddy Reynolds had a Birthday. But we caught him by surprise on his doorstep Saturday with a chocolate cake and a rambunctious little boy long overdue for some Grandaddy time.

Thanks to Samantha, he didn't suspect a thing. Sadly though, our co-conspiritors Anne and Scott had to miss out as Anne was called back to Washington for work before our surprise visit. 

Watching the Tech/Alabama game together.         Go Hokies!!!

Grandaddy admiring Peter's toes;                  Absconding with Grandaddy's bottle

After birthday dinner at the Silk Mill Grill, time for birthday cake. 

"...Happy Birthday dear Grandaddy, Happy Birthday to youuuu!"

A fun time was had by all. 

Happy Birthday, Grandaddy! We love you!