Spelling Test

Something that happens regularly at our house is a little "playing school". Belle is usually Miss Bare (the teacher) and Tren and I and whoever else might be over visiting, become the students.

Tonight after Belle got into her pajamas, she came out of her room and handed Tren a little notepad and pencil and said "I have a test for you." He didn't really want to play, but like a good Dad, he stopped the TV and took her test.

"# 1 . chores"
Tren proudly writes the word.
"#2. betrayed"
Tren writes it with some hesitation because he is so deaf he can barely hear these words he is supposed to be spelling and is also questioning himself. (I'm laughing quietly inside).
"#3. brachiosaurus"
--What the heck!? bahahahahahaha! And I laugh out loud.--
"#4. peter piper" and some giggling from Miss Bare
"#5. elimination"
Tren chimes in "where did you come up with this list?"
"from my dictionary.... #6! chocolate"
"#7. cookies"
Tren -"cooking?"
Belle -"cookies"
Tren -"cookie?"
Belle -"cookieS!!"
--At this point I am laughing quite hard.--
"#8. I saw black crows"
Tren - "I'm not writing all that"
"black crows"
"#9. sea shore" -and some giggling
"#10. sea shells"
"#11. micro raptor"
--HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA--
"#12. disintegrate"
Tren -"use it in a sentence"
Belle -"I saw the water disintegrate".
--BHAAHAHAHAHAHA--

Seriously. She is crazy. I wouldn't want her for a teacher!

The best part was seeing this list she was reading off of. The one she had wrote. My scanner would not do this justice and the pencil is too light on the blue paper she wrote it on.

1. chors
2. betred
3. brackyasoris
4. peter piper
5. elemanashoin
6. chocklet
7. ckookis
8. black crow
9. seashor
10. seashells
11. mickrorapter
12. diceagate

Ever since she started school, playing school has been one of the things she does the most. Just a few weeks ago, Tren, Lewis and I were in her room playing school. The boys both got detention. I got my work put on the "Quality Work" board.

Such a girl.

Halloween 2011

This year for Halloween, Belle decided she would be a "zombie bride". I was so happy she didn't want to be a princess or fairy. Whew!!

I had big plans to make Olive a stuffed olive costume. Notice I said "had"? Yeah, that went right down the shute. I don't have time for much anymore and crafting a costume, wasn't in the cards. SO on Monday the 31st of October I was on a hunt for a costume for her. I had no idea what I wanted her to be. Until I saw the sweetest little ladybug costume.

The tights were the best part!! I have to find a way to keep these in rotation for regular use because they are so stinking cute!

When I was taking a picture of Tren and Olive, I wanted to get a good close up of her sweet little face. So, I stood about 2 feet from them and twisted my lens out to zoom in on her cuteness and the closer I got, the bigger her eyes got. It was hilarious!

Proud Pappy

And me and my girls. girlS - plural . . . still can't believe it!

I hope everyone had a great Halloween this year!

Catch-Up

I have been slacking on the blogging and need to catch-up.

Olive's cord fell off on the 8th day of life. Baba gave her her first real bath, because I was nervous. There were parts Olive enjoyed and parts she hated. Tren and I gave her another bath a few days later and she was in heaven. It was spa day for her. A nice soak and soap, and then a rub down with lotion and lastly snuggles.

This picture was taken when Olive was 11 days old. She was enjoying watching Baby Mozart and left her legs up off the ground like this a majority of the time. This picture is a killer, I know.

Olive loves watching the Baby Einstein movies. She really watches the tv and you can tell when she is bored (when there is no music and just the puppets or something) because she looks away. But as soon as the music kicks back up and there is action on the screen, she is watching intently. I wish I could be in her little brain and see exactly what is going on in there. Lots, I'm sure. Too much for my brain to handle, I'm sure.

On Wed the 7th of September, Olive had her first "doctor" appointment. We went to Dr Mumford in Emmett. Olive had not been weighed since she was 2 days old at the Baby Place. At that time, she was down to 5lbs and 15oz. Miss Piggy herself, now 1 day away from being 1 month old, was 8lbs 11oz. And she had grown 1/2 an inch. Oh, my sweet!!

She is getting so big and she looks at me and sometimes gets a WTH? look on her face, and usually it is when that sort of look is approriate. I love her to pieces.

I cant wait for footed pajamas to be necessary.

Olive Delphine Sundquist

Yes, I know. It is high-time I write about Olive’s birth and post some delicious pictures of my sweet little morsel of love.

Now, the more I think about it, the more amazed I am that I didn’t see her coming from a mile out and NOT go to Lake Fork for the annual camping trip!!

I had my 37 week appointment on Wed, the 3rd. I was GBS positive when I had Belle, so I knew I needed to be tested for sure, with Olive. My test results wouldn’t be in until Saturday, so I wouldn’t know if I was positive or negative until my 38 week appointment. I asked when they start “checking” to see if things are starting to move along. They don’t check unless you want to be. Well, I didn’t want to be… For 2 reasons. #1 I just knew nothing was going on and I didn’t want to be let down with a professional “no” and #2, gross… I didn’t want to be ‘checked’. I told Tren I would submit myself to it at my next appointment, just to get an idea of where things were at, if they were even anywhere at all. –and I bet they wouldn’t have been anywhere near me going to Lake Fork-

So, I had to look it up, and I found it. A chat where I told Tren I thought Olive had dropped.
Friday, August 5th
-Me: I think she dropped, by the way. Olive. I don’t feel like she’s all up in my business as much. -Tren: is that normal?
-Me: yep, one step closer to birth.
-Tren: well do we need to take the car seat to lake fork?
-Me: no goof. I don’t think so, anyways. She isn’t coming this weekend. She’s going to make me go to the 25th, I know it.

Well, well, well! She had dropped. I should have known. I could see my belly-button from an entirely different angle. There was a sign, straight from my belly-button, I shouldn’t be going to Lake Fork!

While we were at Lake Fork, Tren was the wise one and said I couldn’t go on the oh-so-easy hike to Duck Lake with everyone. Good job, Pappy. I surely would have hiked myself right into labor at Duck Lake.

And another sign = Sunday morning, at Lake Fork, I woke up and my hips hurt. I blamed this on the crappy mattress pad in the trailer. I slept like absolute crap Saturday night and woke up aching. Or in the early stages of labor?

Thankfully, my parents said Belle could stay with them at Lake Fork Sunday night. Without Belle, Tren and I headed home. We got home around 3pm or so and took showers and unloaded things from the trailer. These things stayed in the kitchen right where they were left by Tren. We then took about a 3 hour nap. I slept very well. Then Tren woke up and went badger hunting. I chose to stay in bed and do nothing. (good thinking!) I shut the tv off for bed at 9:30. Around 10:30 or so, I don’t really remember because I wasn’t watching the clock, but I kept feeling like I needed to poop. I would get up and go to the bathroom and not even a stinkin’ fart would slip out. I went back to bed and kept getting up and trying to poop, but didn’t have any success. Then around 1:45am I was laying in bed and kept feeling this “poop” wanting to come out and then POP!, my water broke! I shot out of bed and cupped my hand under my(self) and hauled to the bathroom. I sat on the toilet and said out loud to myself “shut up… this is not happening right now…. Oh my gosh….” I sat there for a few minutes and then would stand up to see if I kept leaking or if I just accidently peed the bed. Nope. I would dribble a little more and sit down, denying I was in labor the whole time. “I still have 2 weeks! This can’t be happening right now.” Then I had a mild contraction and felt it in my back. “I better tell Tren.” So I went and woke him up and told him my water had broke. He too, shot out of bed “Are you serious? How do you know? What happened? Do we need to call the place?” and then he started pacing and rubbing his head. So, I told him I was going to go and take a shower and see what happened. What the heck was I thinking? Ohhhh! I know!… I was denying I was in labor… “I’ll just shower this off and get back in bed.” Nope, the contractions in my back were starting to really hurt, so I knew we had to get moving. Dang it! I called The Baby Place and we estimated we’d be there around 2:30. Tren in his pacing frenzy, decided he’d better call Russ to give us a ride. I went into the closet to see what I needed to get for the delivery. I packed my bag and Olive’s bag a few weeks ago, but now, in the heat of the moment (that I am trying to pretend isn’t happening) I don’t think I have everything ready. Tren comes in and asks what he needs to get. I tell him the car seat out of Olive’s room. The car seat that we haven’t even put in the truck to see how it fits. Yep. He gets the car seat and I dilly-dally around trying to delay things. I really wasn’t mentally ready for this one bit. I still had 2 weeks!! Russ arrives and is surprisingly calm. Tren is wild-haired and pacing. I am farting around. Finally we get in the truck and I look at the clock thinking the midwives would ask how my contractions were. 2:10am. Russ is flooring it every chance he gets.. At one point, I told him we didn’t really need to go as fast (110mph) as he was. He would slow down in the construction zones to about 87 and then keep on going. My contractions are now coming every 3 minutes. Good heavens. A coyote crossed the road in front of us at Firebird. Was this a good sign? As we would approach an intersection and I would be looking both ways for other cars and then give Russ the okay to blow through the light. And he would. Tren was sitting in the back seat, rubbing my shoulders and trying to keep me (himself) calm. We arrived at The Baby Place at 2:24am. That’s 14 minutes!! Tren and I are shown back to our room and Russ stays out in the waiting area. I set my bag down and they ask if I need to use the bathroom. “Sure”, I think. “I can waste a little time in there.” I came out and sat on the bed. They checked me and I was dialated to 8 centimeters. Crap. 2 more and it’s time to push. Then Tren asks Samantha (one of the midwives) “Is this going to happen?” because he still isn’t sure if I really am in labor or if it was just a false alarm. “Yep, this is going to happen.” Is what she said. –Tren is deaf. The midwives all were speaking very quietly and calmly and Tren couldn’t hear anything they were saying. Ever. - Luckily, my GBS test came back negative and i didn't need to be treated for it before the birth. Samantha told us there was another mother and new baby there. When Tren went out to the waiting room to tell Russ he could head home and we’d see if his cousin or grandma could take us home tomorrow, Russ had heard this new baby crying and thought it was Olive. “That was quick!!” is what Russ said. And Tren told him I was still pregnant and that that was another mother. Ha! Russ insisted on staying and waiting it out. Tren came back to our room and I just sat there on the bed, trying to prepare for what was to come. Here I am, 38 weeks pregnant and having a contraction (thus the pleased and comfortable look on my face.)

Around 3:00am-ish, I decided I would get in the tub. I was wanting to do a water birth. I had heard it was less painful and that was what I was after. I climbed in and immediately start sweating. The water has to be 98° or hotter because if it is anything less, the baby would be born in cooler water and take a breath before reaching the surface. I sit there for a few minutes and soon the contractions are really starting to get stronger. Tren offered several times to get in the water with me. I was so hot and starting to get to the irritable point, so I nicely told him there was no need for him to get in. I know he was just feeling useless standing there. And I appreciate his offers. Tren asked Samantha when I would start pushing and she said “whenever she wants to. I’ll check her and make sure it’s safe for her to push and then she can start pushing.” A few minutes later, after ignoring a couple of those contractions that give you the urge to push, I confessed I should start pushing. She checked me and said “You can push. This isn’t going to take long at all. Baby is very low.” Whew!, I thought…This isn’t going to take long at all. Thank goodness! So, with my next contraction, I push. And it wasn’t bad. Soon Jerusha and Rachel are in the room, perched on the edge of the tub next to Samantha. Tren is crouched behind me, outside the tub, and rubbing my shoulders. I have a few contractions and push with all my might and Jerusha, Samantha and Rachel all nod their heads and say “good good good good good”. This makes me feel very good. I ask between contractions “how much of her head can you see?!” think that with all this positive feedback she’s about out. Jerusha holds up her hand and shows me something resembling a quarter and says ‘about this much’. What the heck?! A freakin quarter?! Crap. So, I start pushing even harder and trying to keep pushing as long as I can. But oh no!,… It’s really starting to burn. There is that dreadful ring of fire. I didn’t remember that from when I’d had Belle!! So, I push again hard and long and holy nurse, it’s getting worse. Then I really waited for the contractions that had the urge to push with them, because I so badly didn't want to push and feel that fire. I screamed and cried and yelled and told them it hurt and would stop mid push because it hurt. I did not like it. Also, in the mix of things, my right leg was getting a cramp. This would cause me to stop my pushing so I could straighten it out and get rid of the cramp. What a show I was putting on. Note- Through all of this chaos, they would randomly check the baby’s heart rate. Through it all, she was a mellow happy little heart beat. Such a good girl.- I remember at one point pushing and being hunched forward so much, I could see her little head and she even had hair floating in the water. Oh my word! I wanted to see her and for it to be done. Tren said while I was pushing, he was behind me pushing and taking breaths right along with me. Finally, I gave one last really big painful push and her head was out! Hallelujah!! Then in the same contraction at 3:45am, I pushed her sweet little body out and instantly, the pain was gone. Just like that. Oh my girl. She was screaming and flailing her skinny arms around. I could have squeezed her guts out! I turned to Tren and said “do you see her?” and he was teary eyed and smiling. A proud Pappy. Tren noticed her little mouth was just like his and that she had big hands like his. I was able to hold Olive there in the tub for several minutes. Then Tren cut the cord and they took Olive and wrapped her up in a nice warm blanket and Tren held her for a while. I climbed out of the tub and into the bed and then I fed her. She latched on very well. A few minutes later, I asked if we could have Russ come back to the room and see her. Rachel (I think) went and got him and in the mean time, Jerusha and Samantha cleaned up the crime scene so Russ wouldn’t be scarred for life. (haha!). He came back and if I remember right, he held her for a few minutes. Then he ran to the store for a few items and came back. We had to stay at least 4 hours and Russ again insisted on staying. Russ slept on a couch in the waiting area until about 6 or 7am when another mother was on her way in to have a baby. Then he came back to our room and slept in the recliner. Tren fell asleep immediately. He was exhausted. I think it was more work for him than it was for me. I on the other hand, did not sleep. I was too busy watching and looking at my little lady. I still couldn’t believe she was here already. 2 weeks early! 6 lbs, 3 oz and 20” long. She was perfect. Around 11:30am, Olive’s vitals were taken one last time and we were able to head home. (Something I want to say, so I won’t forget it, but probably never will anyways. When we were ready to leave and Jerusha was done checking out Olive, she gave me a hug. Jerusha did. And it was a real hug. Not just an arms around you buddy-pat-on-the-back hug. It was a hug. A sincere hug. To this day, and even as I type this, thinking about that hug, I tear up. It was just what I needed, though. From someone who knew what I had just been through. If that makes any sense to anyone. Anywho.)

Look how tiny she is in her big car seat.

We headed home and at regular speed. When we got home, Russ headed to work, and Tren, Olive and I took naps. Well, Tren and Olive did. I just couldn’t sleep. I didn’t sleep until 3:30am. The first night was rough. Olive was talking all night long. Just making noises and coo-ing. All night long. And that was just fine. She is here, 2 weeks early and sweet and perfect and healthy.
And I’m in love.

Olive's Room

I think for the most part, I am done with Olive's room. I had a few projects I wanted to do, but decided they would be too much over my head, so they are on the back burner for a while. I knew I wanted to do black furniture with black white and olive green colors. I painted the window wall and the little short entry wall black. Tren found the perfect black crib and changing table set off craigslist. One day we were driving down Main Street in Emmett, by the old Farm Store or whatever it used to be called, and I saw this mirror and had to have it. Tren went back and traded and also gave a little cash to get it for Olive (me). Tren's Aunt painted the "Olive" board above it and it is olive green and matches everything perfectly.

A few weeks ago, I made the curtains. I love the curtains. They are probably my most favorite thing in the room. They aren't too girly, but just girly enough.

I have been searching craigslist for a glider or rocking chair and was having no luck. Everyone wanted way too much for them. We were out yard sale-ing this weekend and came across a glider for $10. After leaving the yard sale without it, getting to a different street, deciding I DO want it, going back and realizing we didn't have cash and deciding nevermind again, and then driving away and deciding I DO want it lets go get cash from that gas station, discovering that gas station doesn't give cash-back, and then going back to the yard sale to see if they'd take a check, we ended up taking the beauty home. Tren spray painted it black and I made some slick little pillow covers for the pads. Love it!

We also got a little storage box/table thing from Wally's, to set next to it. I will put extra blankets and burp rags in it until it's time for toys to go inside.

The super soft-backed blanket I made.



Her name above her crib.

And part of the diaper/wipe stash under her crib.

And her dresser in her closet, also painted black. And the wonderful little artwork from her big sister, Belle.

I made this "messenger" diaper bag. I was in Joann's for seriously 2 hours trying to decide what to use. Then I came across the camo and thought "duh!" Tren will feel so proud carrying this baby around! It was by far the toughest sewing project I have ever done, and surprisingly it turned out perfect and in the end, wasn't really that hard. I got the instructions/idea from Make It Love It. And I bought some fabric to make Belle a messenger bag for school.

The only things left I would like to do is switch out the ceiling light in the room. It is a big ugly fluorescent light and it needs to go. I also need something to go above the changing table. I was thinking a black shelf with pegs to hang her bath towel and wash cloth or something from? I don't know. Any suggestions?

4 more weeks and she should be making her grand appearance!! Oh my!!

Happy Birthday, Belley Bea!

Today is Miss Belle's 7th birthday. Good jerky, that's getting OLD!

We celebrated her birthday on Sunday. Belle is all about Katy Perry right now and had requested a "Katy Perry bikini". I did some google-ing and this was not a good thing for a 7 year old to be wearing. Belle likes the Candyland thing Katy Perry has going so I decided I would do a candyland cake and then make her a little outfit that was candy-ish. I started my crafting on Sunday a week ago, and with an un-expected event, I had Belle most the week and it's hard to work on her birthday present with her there. Luckily, I finished the pieces of candy that just needed sewn onto a shirt. Then on Sunday (2 days ago) we went and got some tulle for her skirt. We got home and after making the cake, I was finally going to put the pieces of candy on her outfit. But! We had an issue with a dog thinking she's a wolf and trying to attack another dog through the wood fence, thus causing her to lose a big tooth. Boston's should not be over excited or worked up... they can have heartattacks and die. Not a good situation for my getting older Roosty. So, I had to contain her in the kitchen and make sure she relaxed and cooled down. This meant only the peppermint swirl was sewn on to the top of the outfit. This was all okay with Belle.

We ate dinner and then realized what time it was and showed up late to her party.

I did not do a big bbq dinner or anything this year. But I did have a cooler with some ice-cold brews in it. It was nice to sit back and chat and have a cold root beer.

Belle enjoyed her present opening and inspected each one.

After presents we had cake and ice cream.

Then, as my tradition goes, the balloon release. Such a sassy little girl, she is. (note the one peppermint swirl on her shirt)

And away they go!

Belle was nice enough to let Uncle Russ hold out a balloon to shoot at with the bb gun after she let it go. Then Granny got involved and Russ didn't think she could hit the grain bin with the bb gun, so she took it and proved him wrong. Then she was challenged to shoot the mailbox. I love this picture!!

It was a great day for Belle and she had a wonderful party.

7. Years. Old. old. old. old. old.

YOUNGSTERS !!!

As some of you may know already, Tren has been madly working on opening a new business in Emmett. (Thank You, Russ, for all your help!)

YOUNGSTERS is a New and Pre-Owned Children's Apparel Store. When Tren first told me his idea for the store, I was very confused because Tren knows nothing about kids clothes and the value of them and the sizes... pretty much nothing. But, he went with it, and I really think it is going to turn out to be a huge success. They will purchase your clothes for cash or in-store credit, too. Something that is a big deal these days. Especially on kids clothes that are grown out of in mere months.

I took a few pictures of the coming together of the store. Instead of forwarding those from my phone, I'm just going to post the final product. Rochelle designed the tags and logo and they are amazing. I am so proud of Tren and his accomplishment. I am inviting everyone to stop in and take a look, give us your honest opinion and also make purchases :)

The view from standing in the doorway.

The check-out counter. Using a dresser was my idea. hehehee!

These 2 bees are supposed to be me and Belle. They crack me up.

A look at the boys' side.

And the wonderful tags... on some clothing.

Hope you all come down and check it out and make some purchases!

Serious Catch-Up

I'm lazy. Okay. I get it. But who cares. I don't. Work has been incredibly busy the last month and a half, so I prefer to come home and sit and do nothing that really requires much brain power.

Dream #2 (had a couple weeks ago)

I walked into my and Tren's apartment and went to the closet. I open it up and there he is taking a nap on the shelf. The inside of the closet is the EXACT shelf that was in my bedroom I shared upstairs with Annie. (We used to sleep on the shelves in the closet because they were so huge and wide we could lay on them. Now that I think about it, I don't know if we actually slept in there, but anyways.) Tren was sleeping in the closet and I crawled in and said "I need you to go and lock the windows... This guy is after me and I am afraid he'll come in through the window." We get off the shelf and open the door out to the main room and there is this kid standing there. It wasn't the guy who was after me, but I felt a little uneasy with him there. I asked what he needed and he didn't answer so I knew he was working for the guy. So I act like I'm walking away from him and snatch a vase with flowers off a nearby desk and turn and smash him over the head with it. The vase does NOT break and simply bounces off his head. I then feel bad and apologized. Then I look towards the living room and there is the guy I was worried about. He'd come in the window. We argued about something and he wouldn't let me and Tren leave the apt. The next thing I know, we are down in the lobby of the apartments and it looks strangely like the waiting area of a hospital. I look around for Tren and realize I am now carrying him trapped in a laptop. This was what I was afraid of (apparently) because I start crying and yelling at the guy who was after me, because he put Tren in my laptop. I could just see Tren's face on the screen. I was in serious freak-out mode. I wanted back in my apartment. I wanted Tren out of the laptop. There were people walking around us and I couldn't tell anyone what was going on. The guy was just standing there 'what are you going to do? You cant go back to your apartment.." and he was creepy. I start crying harder. Then I just get pissed off and I yell at him "You know what! bleep you!! I don't want my stupid apartment!" and I start to leave the waiting area. Now I'm really crying because this means Tren is forever stuck in my laptop. I am walking down the hall of the lobby and a sweet little hand grabs mine and I look down and the little GIRL says to me "Come on, Mom". It was a little fat Tren girl. I stopped crying, squeezed my laptop tightly to me and me and my little girl walked away.

Ever since this dream, I think I'm having a girl.

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Shoshone Falls

Two weekends ago we took a little over-nighter trip to Shoshone Falls and to see the gators. We were eating brunch at Denny's in Meridian and decided we'd see if Tren's grandma would want to go. Short notice, but she was ready when we got to her house 45 mins later.

We drove to Twin Falls and checked in to the hoe-tail and then headed to Shoshone Falls. It was just a bit rainy while we were there, but it was still pretty.

At first, we told Belle this was the waterfall we had done all the driving for.

Belle and Grandma Bernice

After the falls, we went to dinner and then back to the hotel for swimming. Belle and Tren swam. I took my suit. I put it on. I put my clothes over top of it. I did not swim. I couldn't bear to bare it.

Sunday we woke up to sort of sunshine and headed to Hagerman to see if we could find the gator farm Krista shared. Success!! It was windy and cold so the gators were just floating with their eyes above water. We will try this again in warmer weather.

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Saturday morning I made this sweet combine cake for a little farmer's birthday. Ty was turning 3 and wanted a combine cake. I think it turned out pretty dang cute!

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Today, I am 20 weeks along. That is half way! Woohoo!!! We have an ultrasound scheduled for Wednesday morning and will hopefully be finding out if it's a boy or a girl. Tren wants a boy, Belle wants a girl, and I really don't have a preference. A boy would be fun, and girls are just cute and fun. I am excited to be able to refer to it by name and start shopping for fun things and decorate a baby room. Still can't believe it's happening. But so happy it is!!

"Oh Snap!"

Warning! There are bloody mouth pictures in this post.

Belle is almost 7 years old. She has been dieing to lose her teeth. I would ask why and her response "so I can get some money from the Tooth Fairy!!" An entrepreneur, perhaps? She also complains that Grace, who is only 5 has already lost teeth and she hasn't. Good heavens!

Now, let's go back to January 8th, when I got a text from Belle's step mom saying "Belle has a loose tooth! Finally!!" I could hardly wait to see and wiggle this loose tooth. Finally, Belle will get some money from the tooth fairy and stop feeling like a baby who hasn't lost any teeth. A few days later when Belle came home, I conveniently and not intentionally, took this picture of her sweet mouth with all her teeth. I suggest to all parents to do this, intentionally, because once one tooth comes out, their teeth, mouths, and faces will not be the same.

I passed the word on to my mom and she immediately made Belle a tooth bear. This bear will guard the tooth while under her pillow and then hold the said 'money' the Tooth Fairy will pay for the tooth. Very cute and handy.

Tren and I did our fair share of wiggling on the loose tooth. You cannot see it in these pictures, but her bottom two teeth are growing in BEHIND the baby teeth. Not under, like teeth generally do. This is causing her teeth to be pushed forward instead of up. Thus, she had 2 loose teeth at once. Very exciting! She wanted this tooth out so badly, she bravely let Tren wiggle and gently pull with pliers. At this point, I am freaking out. I'm pregnant so I'm emotional enough, on top of that, my child has her first loose teeth and we are crossing a huge milestone. And then yet even further, she is so determined to get the thing out she's letting pliers be put to it! I had to leave the room several times to get a grip.

The pliers were a bit much for Belle, so she let him tie floss around it to try and yank it out. No luck there either. Nearly ever night, Tren would wiggle and pull on the teeth. One night, Belle got an incredibly long string of floss and had Tren tie one end to the tooth and then hold the other. She didn't want to slam it in the door. She just wanted to "run away" from Tren. Really? So off she goes and nothing.

Now let's move forward to February 8th. I pull into Shem's house to pick Belle up after school/work and she is waiting for me on the curb with THE BIGGEST GRIN on her face. As I get closer, I can see why. She had lost her tooth!!

I tear up a bit (crazy, I know) and she gets in the car and I want to know the story and where the tooth is? She told me she was sitting in class and started crying because she was afraid to pull it out. Miss Keeney said to her "what the heck is wrong with you?" and she twisted it and it came out. Miss Keeney gave her a little plastic tooth necklace to keep the tooth in. I am honestly surprised that tooth made it home and into the tooth bear. She had it out several times on the drive home and then again when we got home.

That night she put her tooth in the bear and under her pillow and hoped the Tooth Fairy would come. Indeed, she did. And she brought a nice crisp $1 bill.

And now, on to February 16th. After dance we eat dinner and nothing has been said about the 2nd loose tooth or progress of wiggling or anything. Belle goes to the bathroom and I start cleaning up dinner. A few minutes later she comes hauling out and says "Momma!! Look at this!" And I look:

"OH MY HECK, BELLE!" She said she went into the bathroom and twisted it and heard a 'pop' and a 'crack' and this is what happened. She ran in to show Tren and he of course wants to pull it right then.

Just another great picture. See the 2 adult teeth growing in behind the baby's? Lovely, eh? And she is also growing molars. -note, I love that you can see her peach fuzz on her sweet little cheeks-

We all end up in the bathroom and she is on the sink fogging up the mirror trying to be brave and just yank it out. Tren and I are also, inches from her, with our fingers out ready to pull too. "You're too close to me!" is what she says, so we give her some space and leave the bathroom.

Next thing I hear is "Oh snap!" and she hops off the sink and turns around just as I'm looking in and she is holding the tooth in her hand and smiling at me with a big bloody grin!

Again, we tuck the tooth snugly into its pocket and off to bed. Another $1 bill is delivered. (The Tooth Fairy gives dollars at her step-bro/sis's house, so she does the same here to follow suit.)

I'm so proud of Belley and her braveness and how much she is growing up. It is sad to see, but also very exciting.

So Far

Well, this pregnancy has been nothing like my first. Why? I have no clue. Different man? I'm older? It's only been 7 years between? I don't know. I started out feeling good and then BAM, like a ton of bricks I felt like poo. This poo feeling lasted for about 3 or 4 weeks. Not fun. I swore I was never going to get pregnant again during these few weeks. I never vomited, just felt like it 24/7. I honestly felt hungover. Nothing sounded good - food wise - but I forced myself to eat. I could not get enough sleep. I had terrible headaches. I was VERY irritable (poor Tren and Belle). I was crazy. I was a serious Debbie Downer.

I had my first midwife appointment on the 19th of January. Tren went along and was a great supporter. They drew blood and I asked questions and they asked questions. Next, we tried to just hear the baby's heartbeat, but it was not coming through. I was a little panicked at this point, thinking I was 11 weeks along and they cant hear the heartbeat?! So she did an ultrasound. This was when they popped the tiny little bubble I was in and told me I was only 9 weeks along. I literally fought back tears. "another 2 more weeks of feeling like CRAP?!" -is exactly what I thought. I asked them to check again. They did and the baby hadn't miraculously grown in that second and I was still only 9 weeks and 2 days along. This put my due date from Aug 9th to Aug 22nd. Bloody heck. We rescheduled for the next visit in Feb and I told myself and Tren I was demanding another ultrasound then to see if things had changed.

Last week, as if someone had flipped a switch, I have started feeling 100 times better. (big happy sigh). Don't get me wrong, I'm still moody and emotional and tired, but nothing compared to the lovely self I was a month ago. I feel like doing things. I have cabin fever. I have an appetite. It is great. I am so ready to start feeling the baby and to find out what it is and to shop and decorate and have a belly full of baby! I am however not happy with the hideous stage my body is in at this point. My shirts are not fitting as comfortably as before. Gross. I went shopping for larger ones, but that is depressing. I want the bump instead of the gut. Soon enough, right?

When I first found out I was pregnant, I saw a "dream journal" online and told myself I was going to keep track of my dreams. Only the few I feel are worth sharing.

Dream 1: I decided I was going to go buy paint to paint the living room. So, I got on my BMX bike and headed for Meridian. It was in the dead heat of summer and here I am, peddling a small bike to Lowes. What the heck? I was at the intersection of Ustick and Eagle Road, in the turn lane, as if I'm a car, and I decide I am too stinking hot. I looked up into the sunlight and I can see myself with my eyes closed, without a hat on and no sunglasses and my face is beat red. Lovely. I also realize I have no way to carry home these gallons of paint and brushes when I'm on a bike. I really hadn't thought that through. I was dieing of thirst too. So, I frogger through traffic and turn up Ustick towards Linder thinking there is a Maverick down there somewhere so I can get a drink and head home for the car. I am peddling and peddling for a long time and never seem to come across Maverick. Finally I see this little shack thing and there is a sign out front that says "COLD DRINKS" so I pull in. I notice my friend, Jesika's, mini van there so I think to myself she'll give me a ride home so I don't have to ride my bike anymore. I go in and there is not a single drink in the store. It was a sno-shack. I bought a sno-cone and tried to pour as much blue coconut flavor on it, so I could drink it, but the lady saw me and took it away. Jesika asked what I was doing and why my face was all red and I told her I came over for paint and that I was on my bike and right as I said that and was about to ask for a ride home, her youngest started screaming so she had to leave. Without me. I woke up, dieing of thirst and wanting nothing to do with a blue coconut sno-cone.


More dreams to come!

Interview 2011

A New Year means a new interview with Miss Belle. She just went to the doctor last week, so we have very good measurements.

Weight: 45lbs
Height: 47 3/8" (that's just shy of 4 feet!)

The dr said Belle is in the 19th percentile for her age and such. Such a skinny tall drink of water she is. :)

I asked the same questions as last year and think I'll stick with them for the next couple of years.

1. What is your name? Belle

2. What do you want to be when you grow up? a Vet

3. What is the hardest thing you had to do today? My seat work. (when they are doing reading groups and if it is not your turn for reading you do work at your desk.)

4. What is your favorite thing? a puppy

5. What makes you happy? Rooster and Henry

6. What is your favorite thing to do? Play with my baby brother, Asher.

7. What is your favorite thing about school? Nothing!!

8. What is your least favorite thing about school? my teacher

9. How many brothers and sisters do you want? 40

10. Who is your hero? Henry because he is funny and dumb.

11. What is your favorite food? Pudding - chocolate pudding

12. What is your favorite day of the week? Monday because I get to go to school

13. Who is your best friend? Jordan - This "jordan" is a 5th grader and HE is a boy and I am still not sure how to handle this...-

14. What is your favorite song? Life is a Highway - Chris LeDoux or Red Red Wine

15. What is your favorite color? Red

16. Do you have a lucky number? If so, what is it? 16

17. Why is "16" your lucky number? Because when I am 16, I will get to have a boyfriend and that will be Bradley.

Belle is doing good in school. I am still blown away with the fact that she can read. It is amazing. She loves doing Jazz/Tap for dance. My little girl is growing up. boohoo.

Here she can be seen focusing very hard on her homework.

and the usual little freak....