New Additions

On Saturday, the girls, my Dad and I headed down to my nephew Richard's 5th birthday party.  I was super excited because I was going to see my two newest nephews, Noah and Thomas.  I had not yet met Noah so I couldn't wait to see him - he was so adorable, super handsome and at that super fun age (8 months).  Thomas reminded me so much of Hannah - super clingy to Momma.  I did get to hold him and rock him to sleep once but he usually cried for his mom whenever someone else had him - brought back MANY, MANY memories of Hannah!  We had a great time spending time together and I'm really looking forward to spending Christmas night with them all again!

The newest little one, Thomas

Grammy (my mom), Richard, Emma and Hannah

My Dad with his grandkids (plus Rachel since that was the only way Thomas wouldn't cry)

Beautiful Noah

He was so gosh darn cute

I could have eaten him up all night!

My sister, Rachel with Thomas (I don't know how this one ended on the bottom - oh well!)

Visit with HoHo Man

Since school was closed on Friday for snow, we took the kids to see Santa.  We got there during his break and Matt insisted we get in line since he was due back in 30 minutes, but I said, there's no line, lets go get my camera!  Big mistake - we came back 15 minutes later and the line was huge!  But we got to watch many kids sit on his lap, some happy, some not so happy!  Hannah was very excited until the moment she said on the strange mans lap!  She looked down with her classic frozen "I don't see you" face and Santa had to lift her face up.  We never got a smile out of her, but she didn't cry either!  Merry Christmas!

Letters to Santa

Time for those letters!  Emma wrote on at home with me and one at school so she has two! The first one is the one from school written just as she wrote it:

Dec 1, 2010

Dear Santa

For Crismus I wod like grl puppy and a grl cat.

For my sister she wants a dorwo dans toy.

For me my vare own lop top.

I want a horse.

I want a hat.

Love

Emma.

To translate she wrote:

Dear Santa

For Christmas I would like a girl puppy and a girl cat (despite my repeated urging that Santa doesn't bring real animals!)

For my sister she wants a Dora dancing toy.

For me my very own lap top.

I want a horse.

I want a hat.

Love

Emma.

The letter she wrote at home reads:

Dear Santa

For crismus I woud like a more d.s. game. I wood like a kamra. Pelow pet. unickun. I wood like a grl puppy.

Thac uw.

Love

Emma

Translated for you:

Dear Santa

For Christmas, I would like more D.S. games. I would like a camera. A unicorn pillow pet. I would like a girl puppy. Thank you.

Love

Emma

Hannah's letter is quite humorous:

Dear Santa Claus -

I earned lots of tokens this year! For Christmas I would like:

-a DS just like my sisters but purple

-my own refrigerator and my own bathtub

-a kids laptop

-a bumble bee pillow pet

-a robot dog (see she listened when I said Santa doesn't bring live animals!)

-my own princess Christmas tree upstairs in my room

Thank you very much!

Love,

Hannah Grace

The bathtub seems to be a reoccurring theme for her - when I asked her what she wanted to get her Daddy for Christmas, she said his own bathtub!  Kids are classic!  I just want gloves that allow me to use my touch screen phone in this frigid weather - other than that, I'm open to whatever Santa can bring!  What did you ask for this year?

The Christmas Spirit

I LOVE Christmas!  I love giving gifts - finding that perfect gift and waiting in anticipation for weeks to give it to that special person.  I love baking this time of the year - when else do I need batch after batch of truffles, buckeyes, or sugar cookies?  I love our Christmas traditions - hmm, that's another blog idea there!  And most important, I love the meaning behind Christmas - I mean, we received the best gift of all that day in Bethlehem so long ago!  But what I struggle with now at 28 is what Christmas is supposed to feel like.  As a kid, there was the anticipation of waiting for Christmas break, all of the school-related Christmas activities, Christmas lasting ALL day.  Now, there is almost a disappointment because I don't know what to feel.  

I love to shop!  I look forward to Black Friday for months leading up to it.  This year my Dad came with me and we shopped from 3am until 7pm.  I was excited, I couldn't wait to get a ton of stuff crossed off my list - but once I purchased my items my excitement wore off.  What was I supposed to do for the next month?  So, in an attempt to maintain some sort of Christmas Spirit throughout the season, I'm trying to spread some stuff out.  This past Saturday we invited some of Emma and Hannah's friends over to ice and decorate some cookies.  Then on Sunday, the girls and I spent some time wrapping everyone's presents.  We're hoping to get out to the Bull Run Festival of Lights, and of course drive around to look at Christmas lights.  I still have some baking and wrapping to do as well as a few more things to buy.  To remind my girls of the reason for the season, we'll be having a birthday party for Jesus as well.  

While that takes care of activities leading up to Christmas, I still don't know what Christmas is supposed to feel like that day.  Maybe I'm crazy and no one else knows what I'm talking about (I know I'm not - the BFF confirmed the feeling!), but it just doesn't seem the same as I grow older.  Each year I seem to detach myself more and more from the childhood, excited feeling of Christmas.  Maybe if everyone sent me really cool things for me to play with all day, then I'd be OK!  :)  

Does anyone else know what I'm talking about?  Is Christmas any different for you now that we approach (and for some of you - already in your) our (gulp) 30's?  What do you do to maintain the spirit of Christmas? I'd love any suggestions!

Creamed Chicken and Biscuits

Need an EASY, QUICK and CHEAP dinner for a night you really don't want to cook?  I found this over at momswhothink.com. Everyone enjoyed it so it is definitely going on the "make again" list!  Sorry I don't have a picture - we were too ready to eat to snap a picture!

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter
¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (*I boil my chicken until done allowing it to shred or cut easier)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 can refrigerated biscuits

Directions:

1.  Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat; add flour, blending well.

2.  Gradually stir in broth, then milk.

3.  Reduce heat to low; cook until thickened, about 2 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

4.  Remove 1/4 cup milk mixture and gradually stir into egg yolk.

5.  Return egg mixture to milk mixture.  Add chicken, salt and pepper; heat through.

6.  Serve creamed chicken over hot biscuits.  Serves 4 to 6.

YUM YUM!  Enjoy!

Homework for Parents

As if I don't have enough school work to do already, Emma came home with an assignment for me (yes, ME) a few weeks ago.  It was actually kind of neat and I had a little while to think about it (but I have a horrible memory and could only come up with a few things!).  

Here was my assignment:

Homework for Parents????? Yes, it's true! Our class is learning that things in the past are different than they are now.  We would like to hear how things have changed since you were in first grade.  We would like for a parent for grandparent from each family to write a paragraph about what life was like when you were in first grade.  Please focus on things that have changed.  When I thought about this topic, I realized that a lot of technology we have today did not exist when I was in first grade.  Your assignment is due on Tuesday, December 4th.  Yes, they may be turned in earlier.  Grades will not be give on this assignment.

And here is what I turned in:

When I was in the First Grade
By: Mrs. Elliott (Emma’s Mom!)

When I was a kid going to school was a lot like it is now - I had lunch, recess, P.E., and even time at the library.   We recited the Pledge of Allegiance every day, had science and math but… a lot of things are different now than they were when I was in school!  In the first grade, I went to Belvedere Elementary School and my teacher’s name was Mrs. Davis.  I didn’t get to ride the bus – I had to walk a VERY LONG way to school, even when it rained (and snowed)!   We only had pizza on Fridays, but I always packed my lunch those days because it wasn’t very good!  We were just beginning to learn to read in the first grade – we weren’t great readers like all of you are now!  And computers? We didn’t have computer lab until at least the 3^rd grade because I don’t think computers existed yet!  If we had to do a project about something we couldn’t just look on the internet for the information, we would have to go to the library and find all kinds of books on what we wanted.  And then we had to write EVERYTHING with BIG, FAT pencils!  

I know it kind of just ended, but I wasn't sure how to end it since it was only supposed to be a paragraph and focusing on the differences and they are only 1st graders.  I'm surprised I came up with these things because I barely remember them - I have a few more memories of elementary school altogether, but not of just the first grade.  I hope I pass!

The TSA Screening & Pat Downs

Let me start off by saying that my opinion is based solely on the fact that I have flown a total of 2 times in my entire life and that the last time was 9 years ago, November 2001. I was on a small plane headed to Freeport, Bahamas, and by small I mean there were 3 seats on each side of the plane.  But this was still right after 9/11 and I was still a little very scared to be on the plane - but more so of the fact that there was turbulence than of a security threat. 

I am understanding of the new regulations (even though I think it can lead to further violations elsewhere) and this is why:

• If someone came into a room full of people and said that someone in the room had a bomb strapped to them that was not made of metal - I'm pretty sure everyone would be willing to do whatever in order to prove that they were "free and clear".  Let's move that situation to the airlines - who wants to blow up in an airplane? If there is a possibility that someone could get on an airplane with me that has a bomb on them - THAT is a violation of my constitutional right just as much IF NOT MORE THAN proving my innocence. I would rather go through imaging if it meant that my flight was safe.
• The airlines are offering us a service and they have a responsibility to keep us safe - plain and simple.  As the terrorists get more creative - the TSA is going to have to increase its security to match them.

But I also disagree with the regulations for a few reasons but let me share in all CAPS that my first reason for agreeing with it SHOULD OUTWEIGH ANY DISAGREEMENT IN MY OPINION.

• Apparently this imaging is new and not well tested - I wonder how many smokers are complaining about this? Since when do people care that something is not well tested about its long term effects - OH, only when they don't like it. And how many times does the FDA approve something and then realize 20+ years later that its not good for you after all? (OK maybe that didn't help my argument in the way you'd think). I'm not saying that we shouldn't care about the long term effects - please don't take this the wrong way.  I think members of the tea party people are using this as a reason for their "cause".  Further testing should absolutely be required! 
• This is a violation of my constitutional right - well so is being blown up at 20,000 feet.  'Nuf said.  
•  I don't agree with the private pat-down rules.  You can request a private pat-down yet there is no one else to supervise the pat-down and no video tape to make sure nothing inappropriate is done.

I recently asked a frequent flier his opinion on the new regulation (part of his opinion: "I've seen the actual scan of a screen, and it's really not a naked picture of someone. There are shadows and shapes discernible, but you can't see the person's flesh. I compare it to getting an MRI or CT scan") and he led me to a respected blog which led me to an article on how the Israeli's conduct Airline Security and I absolutely think that the United States needs to adopt something similar identical.   You can check that article out here.  What are your opinions? What would you do? Would you refuse? Would you go through, no hesitation?

Family "chip" In

I almost drove myself off a cliff a few weeks ago, almost ran off somewhere far far away, almost dropped the kids off at a strangers doorstep only to bail - do you get the picture? The kids were DRIVING ME NUTS!!  I don't know what it was but their behavior had me going crazy - it was the worst it had been in a long time.  Hannah is in the midst of the terrible 3's and Emma is approaching tweenhood - attitude and all.  It seems like I'm always on them for something and it's draining and exhausting.  I always talk of doing more positive reinforcement, but it never lasts longer than I want.  So I finally put my words into action and we created those "buckets" shown above.  All it took was some creative thinking, a trip to the dollar store and some supplies from the craft closet, plus my supply of poker chips (hence the family "chip" in).  

Here's the lowdown:

• They earn a token for GREAT behavior.  It has to be something worth earning - helping someone out with something without being asked, coming home on green from school, using manners without suggestion consistently, doing what they're told the first time without a fit, you get the picture
• They lose a token for bad behavior.  Coming home on yellow or below, back talk, hitting or any other aggressive behavior, throwing a fit, etc.
• Their ENTIRE bucket gets emptied for lying.  

If you noticed, they each have a bucket and then there is a family bucket.  Matt and I decided we needed to spend more one on one time with the kids and I really needed some alone time with Emma to hopefully steer the attention seeking bad behavior into attention seeking good behavior.  Wednesday nights are now for our individual dates with the girls.  Matt and I will swap weeks with the girls (one week I'll go with Emma and he'll go with Hannah, the next we'll switch).  Based on how many chips they have earned throughout the week determines our "date".  A certain amount for ice cream, a certain amount for for dinner out, etc. etc. Then each of their buckets get dumped into the family bucket and once the family bucket gets full - we'll do something super spectacular as a family and since it takes a bit longer to fill that one up - it'll be bigger than usual!  

Emma has embraced the idea and tries her best to earn tokens!  Hannah doesn't fully understand the concept, but still loves getting tokens!

 

Turkey of Thanksgiving

Each year (OK, for the second year now), we sit down with the kids and talk about what we're thankful for!  I made another turkey since I couldn't find the one from last year and on each feather we took turns writing something we were thankful for. 

Emma is thankful for:

• Heather (yes, she wrote my name, but then wrote mommy under it)
• Sister
• Love

 You can see how much her handwriting (and spelling) has improved in just one year from last year!

Hannah wrote a bunch of H's on her feathers then translated to me that she is thankful for:

• Grammy
• Her Friends
• Mommy
• Daddy

Emma was pretty salty that Hannah didn't list Emma - it was funny!

Daddy is thankful for:

• Good health for us
• Being able to take care of our family
• A loving and caring wife (as he rolls his eyes, just kidding...)
• When they listen, the kids 

He had to explain the last one several times.  He is thankful for the kids WHEN they listen - that one was funny too but if you've experienced our household the last week or so, you'd be thankful too!

Finally, Mommy is thankful for:

• Daddy's job 
• Our health 
• Our salvation through Jesus

In the middle of the turkey, I usually try to list a scripture that is about Thanksgiving.  This year is Psalms 100:

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
 ² Worship the LORD with gladness;
   come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the LORD is God.
   It is he who made us, and we are his;
   we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

 ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
   and his courts with praise;
   give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
   his faithfulness continues through all generations. 

What a beautiful scripture!  I love how it shows how and and why we should come before with Lord with Thanksgiving and reminds us of God's enduring love and faithfulness.  

What are you thankful for this year?

Thomas Leopold

Proud Aunt with Thomas before he fell back asleep

His Proud Mama

Proud Papa

The little miracle himself!

Round Hill Farm

Hannah had her first field trip on Friday - both the 3 and 4 year old classes headed to Round Hill Farm to enjoy the pumpkin patch.  It was cold and windy and more of a farm than a pumpkin patch.  We looked at some farm animals, played on some playgrounds and waited (a very long time) for a tractor ride to a pumpkin patch where Hannah picked a very small pumpkin very quickly and we then had to wait a very long time again for a ride back.  We were then free to go home, but Hannah wanted to play some more before heading back.  Here are some pictures of our time: 

Both classes before we got started

Playing in the corn box

Holding onto her Pumpkin on the tractor ride back

"C'mon Mommy, follow me!"

It wasn't the most exciting day ever, and Hannah kept asking when we were going to the Pumpkin Patch (I guess because we had been to a different one last weekend), but it was so great to be able to spend the day with her and be a part of her first field trip!

He's HERE!

He's here, he's here, he's REALLY REALLY here!  My sister had a scheduled c-section at 39 weeks this morning and delivered Thomas Leopold at 8:04 a.m..  He is 7 lbs 10 oz and 19 inches long.  

This truly is a miracle as she was never expected to make it full term - we've had so many people praying over her and the baby. PRAISE GOD!!  I'll post some pictures when I go visit which will hopefully be this Friday depending on when they get home from the hospital!!!

**I've been asked not to post anything on facebook while they are still in the hospital, so please don't post anything to my wall about this most wonderful, miraculous event**

Desperately Seeking... a Lady Bug??

It's the middle of October and I think the high was about 92 degrees but I was Christmas shopping anyway!!  The girls have been wanting Pillow Pets for almost a year now, at least it seems that way!  They are stuffed animals that fold open to become pillows - they are actually pretty neat!  Emma wants a unicorn and Hannah wants a lady buy:

I tried to order them earlier this year for Easter but the ladybug, apparently, is very popular!  She was constantly sold out.  The girls forgot about them, I forgot about them and then the infomercials surfaced again and as did the constant "requests" for PILLOW PETS!!!  A few weeks ago we (me AND the girls) noticed they were now selling them at Walgreen's and Wal-mart, but since I was trying to now make them Christmas presents, I told the girls we could add them to their list. 

I kept forgetting to go back and get them while they were both in school, so today while Emma was in school and Hannah with her Grammy, I made a trip to Wal-mart. But they were no longer in the front of the store in giant boxes for everyone to see.  I checked EVERY toy aisle, twice - nothing.  Too hungry to walk all of Wal-Mart, I decided I would just go to Walgreen's and see if they still had any left.  On my way out, I passed the home decor section, the blinds, and it hit me - check the pillow section!  There they were along with a lady who had the LAST lady bug pillow pet.  Besides the one she had, all that was left were 2 dolphins, a few cute penguins and some dogs.  She asked which ones I was looking for.  As I recanted the story for Matt later, I told him there was a small part of me that wanted to slowly walk past her cart, tell her the lady bug one, grab it and bail!  Ha, ha!  She did tell me that she saw lady bug ones at the K-mart in Charlottesville - Lady, I REALLY want to go get these for my girls, but I'm not driving that far for a stuffed pillow when I can order them online (or steal it from your cart!).  

So off I go to Walgreen's where there was a large assortment of Pillow Pets - just no lady bug!  I grabbed the unicorn and tried to call my mother in law to see if Hannah would like a bumble bee since she really wants to be one for Halloween, but I couldn't get a hold of her.  So I pay for the unicorn and decide to go home and just order the lady bug online.  I had to pre-order one like one of those psycho mom's wanting a singing/dancing Elmo, but hey, they are cute and cuddly.  I also needed to spend $5.01 more in order to get free shipping so I ordered the cheap ($4) mascara by Maybelline that actually works the best and a $1 package of tissues just to get free shipping for my darn lady bug pillow pet.  But I can rest easy, she's on her way - and the girls are going to be so excited!!  I can't wait to give them to them!

All that for a Christmas present!  Have you every done anything crazy for one of those TOP Christmas toys? 

And just a few minutes ago, I ordered the husband the best Christmas present ever (besides a flat screen tv - sorry honey).  I'm so excited to give it to him - I don't know how I'm going to wait until Christmas.  I love finding gifts that I know people with just absolutely LOVE!!  It makes giving gifts that much better and isn't that what it's about??

Thankful

It seems in the last few weeks or months I've been bombarded with stories of mothers having to deal with sick children and I'm not talking about sick as in Emma is home sick from school today with what looks like another round of croup sick (she really is), but sick as in terminal sick.  Maybe it's God's gentle reminder that my everyday frustrations with my kids are nothing and I should be thankful I only have to deal with "Terrible 3 Meltdowns" or the everyday crying over homework with Emma - because my girls are healthy as can be.

I follow a blog called forward motion.  I don't remember how I found it, a blog through a blog through a blog type of thing.  I'll let you read it, but the girl that blogs was pregnant (she just gave birth last night) and found out about half way through her baby's kidneys were not functioning and he would most likely pass away immediately after birth.  She has to grow and carry and nurture and love this baby until she delivered, only to let him go - it was absolutely the most heart wrenching story I've ever read.  I cried with every entry she posted - she poured every emotion into every blog.

I watched Letters to God last night, a movie I've been wanting to see for months.  It's a story about a boy who has brain cancer and writes letters to God, literally putting them in the mail for the mailman to deliver.  It's a journey for every character, but the little boy has the most faith and courage out of anyone I've ever seen.  The movie is based on a true story.  

My sister is 36 weeks pregnant - due to have another little boy.  During her 20 week ultrasound, they thought that there might be some complications.  Although they have been able to rule out some things and little Thomas has grown, they won't fully know the extent of his health until he is born.

These are just three of the more recent stories.  I hate hearing them - I wish children didn't have to suffer and get sick.  I hate that it takes hearing things like this for me to remember to be thankful that my kids are in tip top shape. 

Mission: Complete

Well, halfway completed.  I finished my associates program at Axia College at the University of Phoenix last week!  Whoo hoo!  While I feel absolutely accomplished, a part of me feels a little embarrassed that I'm doing this at 27, but I think I'll let the accomplished part shine through! 

I chose the University of Phoenix because finishing my degree was really important to me, but I knew with kids that I wouldn't be able to the traditional way.  UoP has 9 week classes and you take 2 classes at a time so you are able to complete a full semester on time.  It's a TON of work getting a full semester of work into 9 weeks and there were multiple times I was up past midnight trying to get an assignment in on time.  And I took classes for 17 straight months - I started April 2009 and did not have a break in classes until a required 2 week Christmas break that year.  Then I started again that January and went straight through until right before my very last set of classes where I forgot to sign a new Master Promissory Note for my loan and they had to delay my classes a week - other than that, I didn't stop - I was in school mode for 17 months. 

Now I'm all transferred, registered and ready to go at Liberty University for my Bachelors of Science in Education.  The biggest reason I chose to transfer was that UoP works in teams in their bachelors programs and my grade would depend on the work that my team members across the country did.  I finished at Axia with a 3.82 gpa and had no interest in relying on anyone but myself for my grade.  A good friend of mine had a horrible experience with teams and after much research and tons of bad reviews, I decided it wasn't worth the chance to me.  I looked into Liberty and after much prayer decided it was the route to go.  The program is non-licensure, at the bachelors level, but I preferred it that way, wanting to go on to complete my Master's in order to get my license (call me CRAZY).  But I actually just found out that after I graduate, I'll have my ACSI certification allowing me to teach in Christian schools if I wanted to! I'm still waiting on my official transcripts to transfer in, but I should be finished around Spring or Summer 2012 depending on how my student teaching goes!

So I'm halfway there and darn proud of myself for doing it.  There has been a ton of guilt these last 17 months when I can't take the kids outside or do certain things because I have school work, but the pay off was well worth it!

First Day of Preschool

Hannah's first day of preschool went pretty well.  I dropped her off at 9am with no problems.  She wanted to play in the play kitchen area when we first got there but apparently the morning routine is to color, read or work a puzzle so she kind of clung to me for a minute, but when I asked her which one she was going to do, she said puzzles and ran off.  I grabbed a hug and left - no tears or anything (for me or her)!  I was kind of surprised at myself, but hey, at least I wasn't embarrassingly sobbing on my way to the car!

I came back to pick her up at noon and she was one of the last ones out (I think she was going potty).  She said she had fun, her friends were mean (I noticed a rough little boy at orientation) and when I asked her if she was ready to come back Thursday, she replied, "no".  So, I'm a little worried about tomorrow, but the rest of the evening she talked about her day with joy! 

Her daily report read: "Fantastic 1st day! A great friend and helper! Very attentive and great job participating.  We will work on staying in our seat. Did not go potty"

Hannah insists she did go potty and I think she was going when I picked her up and that is why she came out last and obviously her sheet was already filled out - but she is so shy I worried about her either holding it all morning or being too shy to ask, but I discussed this with the teachers already.  I really like her teachers, they are great with her and very open.  I think Hannah will do very well there twice a week.  

Yay, for preschool!

Ready, Set, WAIT!

It's hard to believe that this little girl starts preschool tomorrow - I mean she's so little, how can I let her go?

Here she is only hours old

And here she is just a few months old

It just doesn't seem real - can't I change my mind? I just want to keep her home, make her stay 3 and hold  her in my arms forever!  But really, I'm a little hesitant to let my baby go since Hannah has been with me every second of every day since she was born.  I think everyone knows how attached she is to Matt and I, so even though she is starting to learn to trust others, she is still somewhat clingy which makes me nervous about dropping her off each morning.  

But she is SUPER excited and I had to basically drag her out of orientation so I hope that the first day is similar.  She'll be going Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-12 until the end of May just like a regular school year.  

Wish me luck as I drop her off in the morning as I know I'll be a mess!  It's going to be much harder on me than her and I know she needs it! 

Extraction

Emma had to have her two bottom baby teeth pulled last Thursday:

 The larger tooth in the back started appearing near the end of the last school year so I made an appointment with a new pediatric dentist.  She said it was very common and it should eventually cause the baby tooth to come out.  She said that it was our choice if we wanted it to come out that day or wait for it to come out on its own, but that if the "adult" tooth had become level with the baby tooth, then they would need to extract it.  

So summer came and went and her tooth never fell out, and the other shark tooth appeared, so we made an appointment to have her teeth pulled.  The dentist had assured me that it was not painful - that they rubbed numbing gel on her gums and wiggled it right out. 

They used laughing gas to calm her nerves and used numbing gel on her gums.  What I didn't expect was that they numbed her gums with a shot as well and Emma panicked at the initial pain - but they encouraged her to breathe through her nose to calm down and were able to prick her again to get the rest of the medicine in her.  The rest happened pretty fast.  They "traced" her teeth with one tooth and then literally used plyers to wiggle and pull them out.  The dentist talked to Emma the whole time.  She named the easy tooth Opal and she wiggled and danced out easy, but the stubborn tooth, Petunia, needed Emma's help wiggling.  So after Emma wiggled her hands, feet and self, Petunia came right on out.  You can see how ready Opal was to come out, the root was pretty much gone and we only needed a few more days at home for it to come out on its own.  Petunia on the other hand still had the full root and was no where near ready to come in and definitely needed pulling!  

She was pretty sore for a little bit afterward.  I had promised ice cream as a reward and she couldn't even eat it.  But Brittany and Kayla came over later and all was better! Here is what the wounds look like:

And here is her new smile:

OK - so that smile is a little psycho but it gives you an idea :)  I was surprised how much it affected me.  I was kind of excited; she was losing her first teeth - it was a brand new milestone, but once they were gone I was pretty sad and I had not been expecting me to feel that way at all. 

She says it feels weird to have her teeth gone and she does all kinds of tricks with her tongue in the empty slot, but I think she was excited.  She liked the visit from the tooth fairy - $5 a tooth!  

The dentist said that now her bottom teeth are gone, it should make room for her other teeth to loosen and come out on their own, so we'll pray that we won't need anymore help!  And her top teeth have a little more space than the bottom - so hopefully we'll only be seeing the dentist twice a year for cleanings! This was one experience that I don't want to have to redo!