How to Enjoy the 4th of July....

Get the family together at Huntington Beach and gather bikes and trailers for everyone to ride down to the parade on Main Street...

Make sure you have a separate trailer for 3 week old Olivia...

Line up all the kids on the curb with Grandma to watch the parade...

Feast on all the delicious food...

Ride bikes again straight from the parade down to the beach...

Have the Dads play with the kids in the ocean, while the Moms relax on the sand...

Search for sand crabs...

Bury the kids...

Jump over waves...

Ride bikes back to Nora's after the fire works after a fun filled day!!!

Grandma's House

We have been having way to much fun at Grandma's house this past month! We've loved being back in California with family!!!

One Month

Olivia was one month old yesterday and even though time has flown by it feels like she has been a part of our family forever. She totally just fits right in. She is my only baby that has wanted to nurse every 2 hours around the clock, but every once in a while I luck out at night and she'll stretch 4 hours. Just before she was 3 weeks we realized that she is a huge spitter...just like both her sisters. Olivia is very easy tempered and goes with the flow. We love Olivia and all the happiness she brings to our family.

One Week

Happy Father's Day

What a wonderful father we have in our family. Ben impresses me as a Daddy everyday. He is the favorite guy to all his little ladies. We love you.

I'm in LOVE

Olivia is just as Perfect as she looks!!!

Olivia's Birth

I was scheduled to be at the hospital at 6am, Wednesday, May 25th for my induction. After waking up that morning at 2am I was anxious to get there. Everything went so easy. I got right in and was at a 4 (and 50% effaced).

They started pitocin at about 8am and shortly after I got my epidural. The doctor checked me again at 10am and I was now at 5cm. He said he would come back at noon during his lunch break and see where I was at.

In the mean time my epidural was only working on one side. After some help from the anesthesiologist, I was soon completely numb on both sides. During this time my monitors on my belly had shifted and so it was showing that I wasn't having contractions. The nurse finally came to reposition them at 11:30 where we found I was in full blown labor.

The doctor showed up at 12:15, checked me, and said I was at a 10 and position 3...the head was right there. He quickly got gowned up and after 3 pushes Olivia was born at 12:34pm

It was soooo fast, that I felt like I barley had any time to take it in. Everything went so well and calm. She was perfect and I felt instant love for her.

Nana came the night before to help take care of the girls. She dropped them off at a friends house right before the delivery and just missed Olivia's birth. We are so thankful for her willingness to come help and be here to take care of us.

Later that afternoon the girls came to meet their new sister.



The both brought her a present that they picked out all by themselves. I thought it was hilarious that Abby wanted to give Olivia a "taggie" exactly the same as hers.

We were discharged from the hospital 24hrs after the birth.
The rest of the afternoon was spent together in our house. It was a bit crazy with three kids and I know I have a lot to get used to, but it felt so good all being together.

The next morning (Friday) Nana took Gracie and Abby with her to Dallas to her house so that Ben and I could finish getting the house all packed up. It was so helpful being able to do this with the girls gone and being able to enjoy Olivia to ourselves for a couple of days.

The girls were really cute saying goodbye to our house and walked through all the rooms saying goodbye.


Tomorrow we load up the truck and head to Dallas to get the girls. I will fly with them (with the help of Nana) while Ben drives the car to California. What a journey these past few days have been, but it has been a wonderful journey...

She's Here...

Introducing...

Olivia James Martino

May 25, 2011

12:34 pm

Born 6 lbs. 14 oz.

17.5 inches

More to come...