The McMahon Family
From The Learning Channel's "Where Are They Now?" series, this is a follow-up to their "Baby Story" on Martha Byrne giving birth to her second son, Max, four years earlier. It was shown in December of 2006.

These two pages will show you some photos of the family on this page (there were no close camera shots of the baby on the episode) and some I took showing the new house Michael and Martha just built and into which they recently moved.

At the time this episode was filmed Annmarie was 3 months old. She was born on June 12 of 2006. Michael (Mikey) was 8 (May 29, 1998) and Maxwell (Max) was 4 (September 3, 2002) During the show, Martha and her husband, Michael, talked about the joys and challenges of raising children.

Michael told us that he was now retired from the New York Police Department, and was building two houses in addition to his own private eye work. He likes that his flexible schedule gives him more time with his children. He is aware that they "grow up so fast," and wants to spend as much time with them as possible.

Martha was asked about having three children as opposed to only one. She said that now she had an hour and a half each way commute to work, and that was tiring while pregnant. She said Mikey was a 22 hour labor, a C-Section, and 10 pounds at birth, while Max was a scheduled C-Section and smaller, which helped. She was back at work two and a half months after delivering Max, and it was much longer with Annmarie. It was therefore harder to go back.

Her husband told us he supports her work. "Women need that... jobs, spa days, outlets like getting her nails done. They deserve it as well as husbands." He said when they have to handle the kids going two directions or on a big day, they just split up and take one each to practice or parties or where ever. He said his kids are the "best gift in the world. It's unexplainable. Amazing."

Martha said that Mikey has always been jealous of Max, being four when Max was born, but is getting better. She said emphatically that both boys adore their baby sister. Michael sees Mikey as "open, emotional, athletic (loves sports) and needy." He feels that is his fault for being so into him those first four years. He said Max is more "independent. More into himself. He'll do things on his own." Martha said Max is a "character. Loving... sweet. He has big blue eyes and dark hair..." a real "charmer." She talked about how much the boys bicker, and it reminded me very much of my sons when they were kids (my daughters, too, to a point) She said she guessed they would stop and be friends someday..... and they will. It's just how it is!!






NEXT PAGE