The Snaggle

Nicholas had a crazy snaggle-tooth!  He has an extra tooth on his left side between his front tooth and the next to the left.  We had a dentist tell us that it was throwing off his bite and that we needed to get it removed.  We went to our orthodontist for a second opinion.  After taking x-rays and seeing that there was no permanent tooth underneath it, he recommended just waiting to see if it fell out on his own.  It was pushing his bit off a little bit, but the ortho said that should correct itself once the tooth fell out.  

Sure enough, when Nicholas' left front tooth started getting wiggly, so did that extra tooth.  I told Nicholas to wiggle both of them together, and he did.  Everything seemed to be going fine until one morning he woke up and it seemed like overnight the extra tooth had swung to the front and was sticking straight out.  Even worse...it wasn't loose at all anymore!  After several days his front tooth fell out, but the snaggle stuck firm.  His permanent tooth started growing in and I had given up hope that it would fall out on it's own.  We had an appointment scheduled for a cleaning within a week or so, so I decided to wait and ask the dentist's opinion.  

One afternoon after school, the big boys were playing on the trampoline.  Nicholas came in with a bloody face asking for some tissue.  Thomas had kicked a soccer ball and accidentally hit Nicholas in the face.  It hit that snaggle tooth and it was bleeding pretty good.  I told Nicholas that if he wanted that tooth out, this was the time to do it.  He took a minute to work up his courage, went into the bathroom by himself, and then came out very excited and triumphant!  

I was so relieved!  That was probably the only time I will be happy to hear that Thomas kicked a ball in Nicholas' face :) 

P.S.  Sorry about the nose drippage....that's just life, especially in the spring with pollen flying everywhere:)

j

IT's a Girl

I am sure you all know how it is to get out of the habit of doing something good.  While I was so sick I completely got out of the habit of blogging.  I have been feeling much better for a couple of weeks, but still haven't gotten back in to the rhythm.  The longer I put it off, the more overwhelmed I feel, and the harder it is so start again.  I did just finish putting together and ordering my 2011 blurb book.  There were 1738 pictures and 314 pages in the book.  It is so fun to read and remember those moments.  I want to save and cherish as many of those moments and memories that I possibly can.  I feel like the last 4 months will be mostly forgotten because I didn't take pictures, or record much of anything.  I survived, though, and have a healthy little baby girl growing inside me because of it...that is definitely worth it!  

We were all convinced that this baby was a boy.  I was sure, Jackson was sure, the boys were sure, and Essie went along with all of us.  I think it had something to do with the baby's due date.  She is due September 4th, which will put her arriving right in the middle of all three of my boy's birthdays.  Essie's birthday is a few months later, so it just made sense that this would be a boy.  

We are oh so excited to add a girl to our family.  Essie often talks about her little sister.  When we went through her clothes taking out things that were too small (a task I usually do without her because it is too hard for her to part with her beloved clothes), she happily put things in a pile "to save for her little sister."  The boys have taken to saying they each have 2 brothers and 2 sisters.

I can't wait to meet her, hold her in my arms, and feel of her spirit.  Here are the ultrasound pictures.  Most of them are hard to make out, but I want to have them in our family book nonetheless.

Bowling-January 2012

Playmates-January 2012

Book Lover-January 2012

The Big Storm-January 2012

This winter was incredibly mild and dry.  It was like no other since we have lived here.  This was the biggest storm we had all winter.  Luckily it was a day off of school and work, so we all got to enjoy it together for the few hours it stayed on the ground.  It was very icy with a thin layer of powder on top, so it was perfect for pulling the sleds around on the sidewalk.