One Last Summer Hoorah

It's amazing how a picture can be so powerful. It takes you right back to that certain place or time and gives you more details that you could even try to recount from your memory. Considering I'm going back to August to write this post tells a lot about the last five or so months. I flip and flop in bed at night because I'm five months behind on my blog log. I'm five months behind on stories and five months behind on precious memories and it makes my skin itch just thinking about it. BUUUUUUUUT....I do have pictures uploaded just sitting and waiting for some words to go with them. There won't be very many words considering I've got 21 posts waiting to be attended to (yes, I have a sickness) but here goes nothin'....about something'.....

 

 

Going back to our final weekend of the summer....

 

 

Hal braved the halls of the ECC for the first time when she visited her new classroom for meet the teacher night. She was both nervous and excited but her parents were oh so happy to be headed to Mrs. Hodgden's room with her. Okay, and maybe we were a little sad too....

We had a blast with friends at Justin and TeNeil's backyard cookout. The kiddos did some swimming, bug hunting, hide and seek and entertained the dog. Or maybe the dog entertained them ;) The adults (and baby Bella) talked and ate...a great combo.

Erika must've been hearing my silent cries for some alone time with Bella (and maybe even a nap) because she asked if her fam could keep Hallie entertained for the day. Yes, yes and more yes. She jumped on the trampoline, probably ate them out of house and home and went to the waterpark with her (boy)friend Riggins. This picture says it all....

And then here's the whole eating part....

 

 

Our four made our own little trip to the waterpark with Bella for the first time that summer. She embraced the heat and the sun....under the shade tent of course lathered in sunscreen with her fancy hat of course ;)

We ventured over to where daddy and Hallie were doing some swimming....

Her first dip in the pool was iffy....

Okay, actually I think she hated us.

Big sis to the rescue....

All is right with the world....

This chick right here had a busy summer full of pushing my buttons. Take this full body marker sesh for example....

Our church hosted a back to school bash complete with a giant water slide, kite flying, games and a bouncy house. Hal was in heaven of course....

 

 

So was Bella on Auntie Lauren's lap....

We spent that final late summer evening at home gearing up for Bella's first day at daycare and my first day back at work. Our favorite season flew by in the blink of an eye. I do feel better now that I spilled those words out on the screen. Check....20 more to go. But really who needs words when you have pictures like this one....

 

 

 

Bella: 2-3 months old

 

Just when I thought I couldn't enjoy my lovebug more she went and started sleeping like a champ. Eight solid hours of sleep felt phenomenal for this mom who had become accustomed to a zombie-like state. No more blood shot eyes and 3 a.m. feedings. Just in time to return to work. The day I took her to daycare was plenty more sad that the first day I dropped Hal off. This time I was leaving two babies to play and go to school while I headed off to work. My first week back coincided with Hallie's first big week of Pre-K. More about this exciting and stressful week in a future post (who knows when that will be, ha) though. For now I want to talk about this precious blessing from above at two months old.....

 

 

We enjoyed our time at home together a little too much. So much so that we really had a hard time parting ways......

 

"You mean you're leaving me?!?!"

 

Crying was a rarity. Even first thing in the morning with a hungry tummy she was always very patient and polite with just a few subtle grumbles. After her breakfast she would help me wake up big sis for school. Often she'd drift off back to sleep right next to her....

 



My seemingly itty bitty baby was truly a pretty big gal for her age. At her two month checkup she weighed in at 12lb4oz. She loves her some mommy's milk!

 

Her favorite position was nestled in somewhere with a cozy blanket and her fists clenched tight....

 

We busted out the Bumbo and boy howdy she looks adorable giving it a whirl....

Much to her dad's dismay I began the brainwashing process early with this one. Ya gotta start 'em young!

What's cuter than a baby sleeping? A baby sucking their thumb while sleeping. That's what.

 

Or possibly a baby in a hooded towel.....

 

Behold her favorite napping position.....

When I say this one is smiley baby, I MEAN IT. All the time. For no reason. Just smiley to be smiley. When I look back to compare same age pictures of big sis I have a hard time finding ones where Hallie is smiling. Haha! She did have her grumpy pants on for a good part of the first year of her life. This one could not more different. To say she brightens our days is an understatement....

 

 

She's plenty loved around here, that's for sure....

A pesky little (well, actually kinda big) hemangioma popped up on her left shoulder around two months old. At first we mistakenly thought it was a spider bite. It looked nothing like Hallie's hemangioma. After a quick checkup at the doctor we were sent to a dermatologist in Enid to get things checked out. We now rub some medicine on it daily to reduce the size of it. Hopefully it will fade and eventually disappear like big sissy's did. She didn't seem too concerned about it at her appointment....

 

Laidback is something I need around here and this girl brings it. I could learn a thing or two from Bella....

 

 

It seemed like the days sometimes all ran together but I can tell you that the evenings were packed full of love. Well, after dance and gymnastics were done, backpack was unpacked, car was unloaded, paperwork was completed, books were read, bottles were washed, milk was pumped, baby was fed, dinner was made, dishes were done, house was picked up, laundry was folded, kids were bathed......then came the love. Hehe! We spent most evenings talking to our newest family member and finding ways to make her smile. This was a fun/crazy month of getting into a routine of work, daycare and school. I really could not have dreamed for a better beginning to our new normal. Hallie adjusted to her school schedule which made us all breathe a sigh of relief, Riley was a huge help int he evenings and Bella was along for the ride with few complaints. Sitting down to write this post created a few tears because I feel like she's already grown so much more. So bittersweet watching your baby grow.....

Tooth Fairy Comes to Visit

 

The tooth fairy didn't really want to come to our house this year. She thought it was a tad bit too early to come. The mom around here agreed with tooth fairy. But when you're dealing with a cheek the size of Jupiter and a baby in severe pain ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Miss Hal ended up with an abscessed tooth and became much too familiar with the dentist chair as a result. One morning she began to complain of her tooth hurting. It was the only time she mentioned it that day so I didn't think a lot about it. Until the next day when she mentioned it again and there were tears this time. I called the dentist to make an appointment. Naturally it was something like the mommy who cried hurting tooth. She had no pain or symptoms of anything when we went. He gave us a referral to a ped dentist in OKC and told us to call if anything else happened with the tooth. Well.....something happened. She woke up two mornings later with this.....

 

I might also mention that she stayed up half the night wailing in pain. So sad. The only thing that would calm her down is some Tylenol, an ice pack and some stroking of her hair. Broke my heart.

Off we went to Dr. Heim. The girls slept most of the way and when we got there Hal felt much better. She loved the dentist office which had a little play area for kiddos. We quickly found out that her infection was so bad they would have to keep her on antibiotics for a week and then return to have the tooth pulled. ugh. The swelling was pretty wicked according to the doc. No wonder she was hurting so badly. We left with a happy girl though, after all she got to pick out of the treasure chest. We picked up some meds at Target, had a quick lunch and did some much needed shopping at the mall. The girls and I looked on as daddy tried on new work clothes. Well, I looked on. Hallie smothered Bella and she took it all in stride.....

Hal and I took a special detour to the Disney store as a reward for being so brave at the dentist. I knew what was to come the following week and I must say I was feeling scared for her. The words "tooth pulling" were not mentioned. But she'd soon find out what was in store.

One Miss Piggy stuffed doll, a dose of antibiotics and a pink cupcake with sprinkles later and she was feeling good as new and ready for the ride home.....

I might mention that it is now a sin to not stop by Gigi's cupcakes when we visit OKC. Yes, I realize the cupcake and a dentist visit don't really go hand in hand. But like a said. It's a sin to not go. A sin, people. I enjoyed my heavenly cupcake from the front seat and a nice doze while the littles slept the afternoon away. Pinched myself a few times wondering when the explosion was going to happen. ;)

When we got home Hallie tried on another one of her "you were so brave" surprises and told me she was Dr. Heim. Looks like doc made quite the impression on the Halster....

One week later, Hal and I returned for a girl's trip to have her tooth pulled. She waltzed back to the dentist chair by herself without hesitation and came out a wee bit loopy with her a big hole in her mouth. She seemed pretty confused about the blood and gauze that were taking up a considerable amount of room in her little mouth. We were given instructions to return in a couple of weeks to have a spacer inserted. Our short little journey took us to the Cheesecake Factory for a fun lunch and a stop by the cupcake store (didn't want to sin) on our way out of town. A very quick trip with a very quick tooth pulling with a very brave girl with a VERY big tooth....

That evening she learned about the tooth fairy ritual. Oh what excitement!

She wanted to make sure her tooth was extra shiny for the fairy. Peppa Pig may or may not have inspired this move....

We carefully and ever so gently placed the tooth in her tiny purple treasure chest and laid it underneath her pillow....

 

And viola! Just like that she was $2 richer.....

 

 

Three weeks later I checked her out of school early on a Wednesday and we made a mad dash to OKC for her space maintainer placement. She doesn't even notice it's there thank goodness. "No more sticky or chewy candy" says the dentist. Thank you Dr. Heim!

 

This tooth situation is one we are not going to repeat. Well if I have anything to say or do about it we won't. She's been scrubbing her teeth like crazy ever since her last visit. Even though she likes leaving with stickers and princess wands I'm fairly certain she's over the dentist chair for now.