Where Did October (Not to Mention the Last Four Years) Go??

This month has flown by! We've been super busy, which helps the time pass. I hope we can keep this pace up through the winter; I'd like that season to just be over with--and it hasn't even started yet! We did get a small taste of it a week or two ago, but thankfully that disappeared quickly. The kids enjoyed the snow while it was here, and their excitement kind of rubbed off on me making it easier to stay upbeat.

Above: Drew and Owen making snow angels.
Below, Left: Drew and Owen playing. Below, Right: Samantha couldn't decide if she liked the cold or not.

Below are some pictures of Samantha being her cute self. She cracks me up lately. She hates to be told "no." If I tell her no, she puts on this really cute smile and she pats my face or hugs my legs depending on what she can reach, as though I'll let her off the hook just because she's cute. If anyone outside the family tells her no, it apparently hurts her feelings; she'll cry and cry, very loudly, squeezing out big ol' tears. She did that in church today and I had to take her out into the foyer where she decided in about two seconds that crying was a waste of energy and she'd rather play with all the babies out there.

Above: a cute little dress she got for her birthday (and Drew's hand creepily grabbing her shoulder).

Below: Sometimes I read a magazine while we're having snack time. I got up to clean the snacks, and Samantha stayed at the table to "read." She was so cute and serious about it, I had to snap a picture.

Not too long after the snow melted, the days warmed up again in typical Idaho fashion. We took advantage of the sunshine and headed to the park for the afternoon. Owen headed strait for the jungle gym, shimmied up and jumped down. It must be a ritual of some kind because he does that every time we go to the park, then he doesn't play on it again the remainder of our time there.

The swings are by far the favorite park activity for Drew and Owen, but Samantha usually cries if I even attempt to put her in a swing. This day, though, she actually laughed (it sounded a little forced) and we all played on the swings for almost half an hour.

This digger is another preferred toy at the park, but the boys rarely get a chance at playing on it because they don't understand the concept of waiting their turn. Usually if someone is on it and they want to play on it, they come crying to me and something similar to the following ensues: Child: Mom! That boy won't let me play on the digger! Me: Did you ask nicely? Child: I can't! I need help! Me: Go over there and ask nicely if you can play. If he says no, just wait until he's done. Child: [walks back to the digger, says something, comes running back] He's screaming at me! Me: He's not screaming at you. Child: [starts screaming at me] I want to play! Me: Then you'd better quit crying, or we'll go home. Child: [still screaming] I don't want to go home!! Me: [gather my stuff and the other two kids] Okay, lets go home. [Scene.]

Samantha gets more and more brave every time we go to the park. She has to keep up with her brothers and all the other kids at the park. She also likes to invent her own fun, such as hanging from the top of the slide for a minute before she slides down it.

It always nice when the kids play nicely together, which happens on rare occasions for about twenty seconds at a time. Owen and Samantha like to play in/on/around this tunnel together, and it keeps them happily occupied for at least 40 seconds, which is twice the norm.

So here we are, in the latter part of October. Next Sunday is Drew's and Owen's birthday. They will be four already, which I absolutely cannot believe. It makes me a little verklempt, because I remember sitting on our couch with my hubby the night before we went to the hospital for the delivery. We both got a little teary-eyed thinking about how much our lives were about to change. We had no idea.

Brush Your Kids' Teeth!

I really like my job. I feel like I picked up on the hygiene side of things pretty quickly; doing cleanings, taking x-rays, et cetera. But I feel like I'm struggling still as far as assisting with fillings and crowns (or Ops as we call them). I have shaky hands, and they feel large and in the way. I dropped a couple things today, and I handed the wrong thing at the wrong time once or twice. I realize it takes practice and I've only done it a handful of times, but still--it's frustrating. So with that in mind, here's a Public Service Announcement from your friendly newby Dental Assistant:

I've been up since 5:45 a.m. for the second day in a row. Most Wednesdays or Thursdays the dentist I'm working for goes up to the hospital or the surgery center to do work on kids who just have a ton of work to do and who won't sit still for the work (we're talking thrashing and screaming, not just a few flinches here and there). The kids are put under general anesthesia so the dentist can work on them.

The first time I went was pretty tough to watch. We were setting up all our equipment and supplies when the first kid was brought in to be put under. This poor girl was crying for her mommy and then the meds kicked in and suddenly she was just laying there. Now I know why they don't allow parents back there; it's kind of heart-wrenching!

Even more heart-wrenching, though, is the amount of decay in these kids' mouths. Of course cavities happen, even with good hygiene habits; that's part of why dentists exist. But putting a bunch of fillings and a couple crowns in a three or four year old kid is just crazy. That happens when kids are eating lots of junk, and going to bed night after night without brushing.

So please brush your kids' teeth, especially at night, so I can do more of the cleanings and x-rays that I love and less of the Ops that make me nervous!

Here are some helpful guidelines for helping your kids take care of their teeth:

ADA Website

A Helpful Book You Can Check Out From the Library