Pic-ing Em

(Yes, I'm definitely on my 3rd post related to Emery turning half of a year old.  That's how I roll, apparently.  Making Jen proud.  If you're already afraid of what you'll find in your blog roll come late March, you definitely should be.  ;c) )

On September 15th, the Martin Fam (sans Lola) met up with Shawna at Mary Jo Peckham Park in Katy.  Allow me to paint a picture for you.  It's about 98 degrees outside.  Emery is running on one 2 hour nap about 6 hours prior.  Ryan has just returned home from a weekend of man-cationing in College Station for the TAMU/Alabama game.  Casualties of said weekend?  One right hand and 85% of dignity.  I have just returned home from a weekend of party planning in Conroe.  Casualties?  My Dad's faith in my Mom & I's ability to count and potentially 75% of my organizational skills.  Emery has just started crawling and has wrapped up the week at school with 4 incident reports.  Casualties?  Normal flesh tone in her left cheek.   

I paint this picture not to call into question whether the heavens should have ever allowed us to parent a child or our competence to even dress ourselves each morning with such poor planning skills.  No, no.  I paint this picture to point out how remarkable Shawna is.  If she could have managed to capture even 2 usable photos in the hour and some change we spent together, that alone would have made her the world's best photographer.  The fact that she captured all the images I'm about to share below (and let's be honest- probably more because I am going to try to exercise some restraint in posting these)- makes her that but the super rockstar version.  I really can't plug her enough. 

Thank you so much for dealing with us Aunt Shawna!  We love you.  

Does this thing make noise or do I eat it?  Yeah.  I'm going to eat it.

So many tutu pieces to pull on, so little time.

Skeptical Baby at her finest.

Just thinking about last night when I waited until my whole mouth was full of carrots and then sneezed.  I'm so funny!

 What are you doing over there Mom?  You know this is a public place, right?  Like... Other people can see those faces you're making.

What do you mean we didn't bring Zelda the Princess?!

Follow me, adults- to the bird droppings!  Stat.  (Please note Ryan's Shrek hand.)

Peas, again?!

Dad... Little help, here?

Oh hey- there we are.

Yup.  Stillll there.

I could just eat her up.

I know what you're thinking...  (I am addicted to her little laugh face.)

...You're thinking, "Good gravy, woman"...  (Not kidding, addicted.)

..."THIS is your definition of restraint?"...  (Love this picture.  Skeptical baby takes portraits.)

... and it totally is.... (Loves her Daddy to bits.)

... Shawna gave us like 150 or something!  (I guess he's alright.)

I really adore this perspective.  Cliche as it is, these two really are my heart.

See you at 1 year, suckers!