Baby/ Toddler Shoes Quick Fix

When your baby starts walking, it's important to have shoes that are safe and easy for them to walk in. Otherwise, there will be extra bruises and more frustration as they learn to become more mobile. 

Somebody bought these adorable shoes for Tenley, but she simply cannot wear them the way they came. The bottoms are like as smooth as glass and she was sliding all over the place trying to keep her balance. 

It was an accident waiting to happen, so I went to the Dollar Store yesterday to look for some possible solutions. In the kitchen supplies aisle, near the aluminum foil and plastic bags, I found some sheets of "Grip" intended for kitchen drawers to prevent glasses from tumbling over too easily. 

Since it was only $1, I bought it and took it home. 

Today, I assembled my toddler shoe fixing supplies, which included:

The shoes in question, scissors, the Grip, and a hot glue gun. 

It was very basic--I cut out two sole shapes from the Grip using the shoe for reference. 

They looked like this:

Then I heated up my hot glue gun, and made a shoe-print shape around the inner edge. I also put some lines across the middle so the middle wouldn't pop up. 

After I'd carefully stuck the Grip on the glue (it was hot, but my fingers are used to it), I added more hot glue on the outer edge of the Grip pad, and then did a few zig zags across the middle for a little more traction. It looked a little messier than I'd imagined, but once the glue was dry, I cleaned all the spider-webby strings and it looked fine. Plus, I realized they were going to get dirty if she wore them outside anyway, so oh well. 

Here's a pic (it's not very good, my apologies...):

But it did the trick! I put them right on Tenley's feet and she could walk! It was a miracle (kind of...). 

Look how cute they look on her: 

Anyway, that's all I have for you today, but I just wanted to provide a little inspiration to you moms who have malfunctioning baby/toddler shoes or outfits. We are smart and resourceful people and we can figure it out!;)

Have a fun Tuesday night! 

I'm So Glad I Married You.

I wrote this last night (and finished it today). 

Dear Dalin, 

You've been at work since 3pm yesterday and won't be home until 11pm tonight. In that time I thought I'd be getting all kinds of things done. I thought the house would be perfectly clean and that I'd have gotten some homework done. I thought I'd have been enlightened by Women's Conference and had a relaxing time at church. 

But Tenley quickly undid any cleaning I attempted, and wanted to play with me and eat all afternoon. I had no time to read for my schoolwork. The dishes went undone, the kitchen table and counters stayed dirty, the clothes remained in piles, the laundry unwashed, the couch and floors cluttered. Women's Conference was great, but Tenley needed constant attention which meant I didn't recall as much as I wanted to. Then doing church alone was harder than ever. Tenley was all over the place during Relief Society and I was exhausted from chasing her. (Thank goodness for those heaven-sent women in our ward who stopped and helped me keep an eye on Tenley and distracted her for me). By the time sacrament came around, I was ready to take it and get out of there. Tenley wouldn't let us sit in the chapel for even a minute. (Again, thank goodness for Paige who took Tenley out for me so I could sit still and listen). 

At home, Tenley miraculously fell asleep in the rocking chair with very little effort. I took that time to rest and relax (and recover) and missed you immensely. When you stopped at home to grab a few things and say hello, I was so happy to see you and cried when you left. I was so tired of being away from you and just wanted you to stay which I told you a few times. After your mom and Grammy visited with me for a while (which was the perfect distraction I needed) and eating the dinner they brought, it was a relief to put Tenley down for bedtime and wait for you to come home. 

When you finally did get home, you greeted me with a hug and a kiss but had a lot of homework to catch up on before your classes tomorrow. I was sad that you couldn't come right to bed so we could snuggle and talk, but just having you home made it so much easier for me to sleep. 

This morning, I woke up tired and grumpy from Tenley whining for me to get up and help her. I wanted to be cheerful and have the energy to do it but I just couldn't feel that way when I was so exhausted. I grumbled at you as I finally got out of bed to change her stinky diaper and supply her with milk and some cereal. But as I was doing those things, and finally starting to wash the dishes while I fried some bacon, I remembered the reason I was doing those things at all. I was doing them for you, for Tenley, for our family. I was doing them because I chose you and because I love you more than anything. 

I want you to know I am so grateful for you. I am grateful for your patience with me. I am grateful that you are understanding. I can only get up and do those hard things because I love you so much. You are my motivation to keep going. I am thankful that I married you. I am thankful that you are a hard worker. I am thankful that you love our babies so much. I am thankful for your testimony and example. And I am especially thankful that you love me enough to forgive me even when I do the same silly things over and over (like complain about things that don't bother you at all;). I am thankful that I can talk to you and that you listen to me. I am thankful for your advice and your confidence in me even when I have none in myself.

I just wanted to tell you these things because I don't say them enough. I think them often but I assume you already know. But I can't expect you to be a mind-reader all the time (even if we are that in sync;). I love you and I hope you feel that or at least always know it in spite of my silly frustrations and nagging. Like I said, you are so inspiringly patient and it means so much to me that you still love me even in my most imperfect moments.

Thanks for being a true best friend to me. I am so glad we get to keep working on this friendship and love we share forever and ever. 

I love you, Dalin!

Your little dear, 

Things to plan for in the coming months:

October:
Finish my Independent Study course (and start another?:/)
November:
Make Thanksgiving plans
-Where are we going? (Boise or Arizona?)
-What am I making this year??
December:
Make Christmas plans
-Where are we going? (Boise?)
-Who do we have for the gift exchange?
Decide on Christmas photos...to do, or not to do...
January:
Last-minute baby boy preparations! (And possible arrival, but I doubt it!)
February:
Baby boy's birth!!!
Dalin's 25th birthday!
Valentine's Day <3

What I'm Actually Taking to the Hospital the Second Time Around

I am naturally an over-packer. I love to be prepared and always have been even before becoming a mom. But at the same time, I really try to be an organized person and over-packing bothers me because then there is always so much more to put away when you get home. (I also try to be efficient, which you can also read as lazy, but I'll stick with "efficient";). Not only that, but I don't like having a big mess when I go somewhere, making it more difficult to find the things I really need.

That said, I think some of those "What to Bring to the Hospital" lists for when you have a baby are ridiculous. I mean, unless you know you're having a C-section or your baby is going to the NICU for several days, you just do not need that much stuff. Or I suppose if your hospital is far from home and in the middle of nowhere limiting your access to a store, then maybe.

But since any of those are rarely the case, I think the list can be cut down significantly. If you are a first-time mom, it's hard not to want to be over-prepared, I totally understand that feeling. I looked at tons of those lists before having Tenley and kind of went all out with packing. Now I don't know about other second-time or veteran moms, but I feel like all I need is a small bag of stuff and I'll be good.

Actual necessities:
Car seat (installed) for the baby. The hospital is supposed to check that it's installed correctly before you leave.

A blanket for the baby (the hospital will probably give you a swaddling blanket you can have if you forget one anyway)

Your phone and charger (to stay in touch with family members who can't make it or your husband in case he leaves at any point during your stay--thankfully Dalin never had to)

A camera (or phone with camera) and charger (you really need to capture your baby during those first days...they change very quickly in the beginning)

Hygiene items/toiletries (make sure you have some pads and nursing pads stocked up at home for after you leave!)

A loose and comfortable going home outfit for mom (Seriously, sweatpants and a tee or sweater is all you need...I can pretty much guarantee you won't want to be going out right away anyway.)

Note: I totally didn't look this good going home. I think this girl is still pregnant in the pic, but you'll probably look like this only lumpier. 

A nursing bra or two (I love Target's comfy ones! They're great!)

Some nursing pads (in case your milk comes in while you're there. I'm sure the hospital could provide some, too, and mine didn't come in for four days or so, but when it did, I NEEDED nursing pads or I'd literally soak right through my bras and shirt...fun things to come:P)

These were the only ones I liked because of the shape and the adhesive strip.

An outfit for new baby! (I think I was worried about blowouts which is why I packed extra clothes the first time, but for the first few days your baby only poops a tiny bit usually so not to worry until your milk comes in;)

I thought this was too cute and especially for winter (which is when little boy will arrive!)

And that's like it. I packed like two or three outfits last time, three or four baby outfits just in case, diapers, wipes, my laptop, a book, a few games, and several other things that I didn't even touch while we were at the hospital. We seriously just watched TV and talked the whole time before my labor started. Besides, nurses are always coming in and out in the beginning so there are usually plenty of distractions.

I wore the hospital gown the entire time I was there because, well for one thing, you are generally bleeding pretty bad and you aren't going to want to bloody up your own clothes. You also won't want to wear anything tight (I'm sorry to be the one to tell you if you haven't heard, but you don't magically go back to your original size. You'll have a very jello-y, saggy belly for a while so don't ditch the maternity clothes yet. I had thought that somehow this wouldn't be the case for me, but your body just can't return to it's natural shape when it's been stretched out for so long).

I also didn't use any of the outfits I brought for Tenley except when we actually went home. The hospital had a few little clothing items and since the nurses dressed her in those for me the first few times, I didn't really think about changing her. I think the hospital even provided a blanket for her and we could have kept it when we left.

As far as hygiene items and toiletries go, it's definitely nice to have makeup, deodorant, a razor (I don't think I brought one the first time, but they always make me feel more clean and put together) your own toothbrush, and, for me, a contacts' case. I brought other items, but ended up just using the hospital's shampoo and things. If I had forgotten anything important, my mom or Dalin could have run to Target like a block down the road or even home, which was just 15 minutes away. I wasn't really thinking about things like that at that point

The hospital used their own diapers and wipes for Tenley and sent us home with some, so I didn't even need to pack a diaper bag. They also let me try an electric pump while I was there, gave me lanolin cream, a nipple shield and other things to help me while breastfeeding. They were so helpful and it made my experience wonderful!

I'm sure it depends on where you go, but at Orem Community (which is this very tiny hospital that I just love because it feels so private) they provided the best care I could ask for. They gave me a giant water bottle full of ice water and offered me food and drinks as much as I wanted (after giving birth that is--they aren't supposed to beforehand but luckily I wasn't hungry anyway). They even let me get three drinks in one every time (I ordered cranberry, grape, and Sprite all together which was delicious;) and weren't even mad.

Optional*: 
A soft, loose (washable...) robe (as an alternative to wearing the hospital gown the whole time--I really want one this time around so I won't feel so yucky)

Entertainment (you probably only need one thing at most...maybe your laptop to add photos over the next day or so)
Flip flops or slippers (so your bare feet don't have to touch the germy hospital or bathroom floors--I wore flip flops there since I had Tenley in the summer)
A nursing pillow if you're breastfeeding (definitely a comfort item but I used mine immediately and it helped so much)
Little gifts or treats for the nurses that help you (trust me, they do a lot for you--I'm so glad I did this for my nurses with Tenley. Think of it as a small tip for all they do, including cleaning up your blood from the floor, the bed, and anywhere else, inserting and removing the catheter, changing your bloody bedsheets, taking care of your vomit if you get sick, providing emotional support while you're in labor, helping you use the bathroom the first few times afterward, helping you get in and out of the tub, seeing you naked, and several other completely unappealing tasks. I mean, I know they're getting paid but is anyone really getting paid enough to do that stuff for a stranger?)

*Depending on your hospital (and you can ask in advance), you might need a blanket or pillow (and a change of clothes;) for your husband. Ours had an awesome little bed with blankets and pillows just for him, but it might have been a long two nights otherwise.

Do any other moms have advice on what to bring (or what you think I'm wrong about)?
What items were MUST-HAVES for you when you had your baby? (I know some people have comfort items which are necessities for them:)
Did anyone else feel like they way overpacked the first time?

Halfway There!

It's amazing how some weeks of pregnancy just fly by and how others seem to drag on forever. Overall I feel like my pregnancy has flown by so far but now that I'm at the halfway point I have a feeling things are going to slow down quite a bit. Mentally, I'm completely ready to have this baby. I wish I could just go to the hospital right now and have him rather than waiting out the next 19 or so weeks.

One of the most exciting aspects of my pregnancy this time around has been wondering and imagining what my little boy look like. I can't picture him looking different from Tenley at this point even though I know many siblings that have little to no resemblance to one another. It will be interesting to me to see how our future sons and/or daughters will differ in appearance from their siblings. I hope that they all get the big beautiful Gunnell eyes with a combination of both of our shades of blue. I also hope that one or two of them maybe stay blonde (since both Dalin's and my hair darkened over time even though we both started out blonde;). 

In a few days I'll be 21 weeks pregnant and our son will be approximately the size of a pomegranate (which just happens to be one of my favorite fruits). In discussing names, Dalin and I have decided that we might just have to wait to see his little face before we finalize his name or commit to William. Fortunately, we have a number of backup names, but still, it is strange not to know for certain like we did with Tenley almost from the beginning.

Someone asked me recently to do an update on my pregnancy, so here's a bit on that:

That's a banana, by the way. I literally own one piece of chalk and it's really hard to draw with so that's what the result was. 

Progress: I'm at 20 weeks and 5 days. I missed last week so I'm kind of catching up.

Baby's length: Between a banana and pomegranate (which is weird because to me those aren't exactly similar sizes in my mind). 

Gender: Still a boy! We've had it confirmed 3 times (not on purpose) so I feel pretty confident we're having a little Dalin:) (And thank goodness because we still solely bear the load of carrying on the Gunnell name out of like 60+ grandchildren!)

Weight gain: I know that I have gained at least 7 pounds and I presume I have gained more since then, but we actually don't own a scale so I can't tell you for sure. My belly, however, is huge so either way my overall mass has increased. It's weird--I think I'm putting on weight slower this time, but baby boy is bigger than Tenley was. So maybe he's just sucking up the nutrients better.

Cravings: Honestly, I'm not craving anything in particular at the moment. Almost anything sounds good to me if it's already prepared. Just like with Tenley, I was craving sausage and hot chocolate (not together though) during the first trimester, but at the moment I just want to eat anything that's ready to eat. In other words, my laziness has increased tenfold (though I still have to feed Dalin, Tenley, and myself regardless so I am still cooking). 

Movement: Thankfully, I feel movement all the time! Especially in the morning with this one. He has already gotten the hiccups several times and he loves kicking one side of my belly and then kicking the other shortly after. He's strong as heck. 

Other symptoms: The last few days I've experienced some round ligament pain in my sides (mostly due to stress I feel pretty sure) but other than that, I don't think I've had any symptoms that I can associate strictly with pregnancy. My skin is finally starting to look nice again and obviously I hope it stays that way! I think my belly is a little bit less sensitive this time around. With Tenley, I had to wear my pants so low because anything tight bothered me a lot, but so far I feel pretty good. 

Favorite Things: Imagining what my little boy will look like. I just can't picture anyone but a Tenley. Tenley is pretty darn cute so I would be very happy to get a boy version of her. Honestly though, I can pretty much guarantee I am going to think he's adorable no matter what so I'm not worried.

Maternity Clothes: Of course! Like anyone who tries them, I love maternity clothes. Mine are nice and snug on my belly, but still really loose around my thighs (which I'm not complaining about--I'd like my thighs to stay small, but it does make my pants much baggier than they would otherwise be). I love maternity dresses and shirts, but I'm still pretty much wearing my normal shirts. They're all big on me ordinarily anyway so now most of them are just right.

Looking Forward to: Giving birth! It's such an amazing experience, but most of all I just want him to be here already! This morning, I had Tenley feel him moving in my belly because he was stretching out quite a bit. She looked at me after she felt him like, "Is that you doing that?" I wish I could get her to understand it's her little bro whose waiting to meet her!

Other News: I'm definitely past the halfway point! My doctor won't let me go past my due date and may induce me at 39 weeks, so unless little son comes early, we can pretty much choose his due date in between 39 and 40 weeks. He's due the 6th (my sister Cassie's birthday) and Dalin's birthday is the 5th so we may choose one of those, or we might (if I have my way;) push for February 1st so I can still get my February baby and not have to wait a moment longer;)

Watching: (Because my TV-watching habits are absolutely pregnancy-related:) Land Girls on Netflix (which has also made me feel a little better about the name William and even the nickname Billy since I like the Billy on the show). I also like Four Weddings on TLC.

That's supposed to be a pomegranate but it could be an onion.

Photos from 21 weeks taken this morning. I've got a lot of schoolwork to do and an exam to take at some point this week, so I can't promise I'll post a lot the rest of the week but I'll make an effort. Let me know if there is anything in particular you want me to talk about or share with you.

(I realized just now that the title of this post goes two ways...I'm halfway through my pregnancy and we're halfway through the week. Hopefully both continue to fly by--I'm ready for October!)

Happy halfway day! ;)

To Lose a Little One

As many of you may have heard or seen, this past Thursday morning, my 3-month old niece, Brooklyn passed away from what is suspected to be SIDS. It has been terribly difficult the last few days for the whole family and especially for Brooklyn's parents, Dalin's sister and her husband. I have never had such a horrible day in my life and can't even imagine the pain that Shaina and Layton endured and are still enduring.

We received the nightmarish call in the early morning and jumped out of bed to hurry to the hospital. We were crying instantly and as you can imagine, just in utter shock. Brooklyn was one of the last ones on our mind when Dalin took the call (we knew something was wrong from the number of times Dalin's dad had tried to reach us).

Being at the hospital was just horrible. I couldn't bear to see little Brooklyn at first, fearing I would be too overwhelmed. Shaina and Layton were there with a few family members and friends and everyone was just sobbing and holding each other. They held their daughter as long as they were able. The staff at the hospital were the one bright spot. They were so loving and sensitive and tried to give us all every freedom to let us grieve. Saying goodbye to Brooklyn was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. As Layton carried his sweet daughter from person to person, I decided I needed to take that chance to say goodbye to my little niece in this life. I kissed the soft brown hair over her forehead and at that moment, I just died inside thinking about what Shaina and Layton had to be feeling. Seeing them say goodbye to their daughter was the most heartbreaking thing I've ever seen. It was one of those moments that just replays in your head over and over, and I have had to repeatedly push the memory away to keep from losing it.

I have never really had to grieve for a family member before. When my great grandmother died, I was sad, but also relieved in a way because she was in her late-90's and had been in a great amount of pain for a while. She also had been away from her husband for more than twenty years and I knew she just wanted to be reunited with him. When my grandpa passed away a few months later, I didn't even really get to grieve. My family was back east and it didn't feel real that he had died. In some ways, I still haven't grasped it. I had lived away from him for a few years and it just felt like he was still in New Hampshire, going about his routine. Not only that, but my grandpa had two forms of cancer and was deteriorating quickly in the last few months of his life. We knew the end was coming and that he would be at peace when he passed.

But to lose a family member who is so very young, healthy, and to lose her so suddenly, is just terrible. In some ways, the fact that she had three months with her most loving father and mother is comforting because they had that time to create memories with her and love her, but in other ways, it is also more painful since they really got to know her personality and fall in love with her as a little person and now they have lost that. I have no idea what I would be feeling if I were in Shaina's position but thinking about it now, I do not think I would know what to do. To lose a child is horrible at any age or stage of life, but to lose your first child seems simply unbearable.

I was there for Brooklyn's birth and I remember being stunned by how beautiful a newborn she was. Her hair has always been so long and so soft. She smiled at only a few days old and has smiled ever since. She was just a little angel on earth and now she will truly be an angel throughout Shaina and Layton's life and throughout their future children's lives. A quote that has been a true comfort to me personally was shared with me by my Aunt Laur who also lost her first little baby girl years ago. The quote is by Joseph Smith, who lost six children of his own at birth or around a year of age: "The Lord takes many away, even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth."

Brooklyn was truly too perfect to live in this world of challenges. The only other thing that has kept me strong in the last day has been the knowledge that Shaina and Layton will see their sweet baby again. They will be with her in her perfect form and have the opportunity to raise her without trials or challenges. Because they made the choice to be sealed to one another for eternity, all of their children will be automatically sealed to them forever. Brooklyn included. That little angel girl is dearly missed on this earth, but also being loved dearly where she is now. I know that. She is happy, healthy, safe, and as beautiful as ever. I am so thankful for the knowledge the gospel of Jesus Christ gives me and it has allowed me to stay positive throughout this experience. I am sure the immense love we all have for Brooklyn will be emphasized at her funeral which will take place in Lehi on this Monday, the 22nd. I am certain it will be a beautiful service for a beautiful baby.

If you are in a position to donate even $5 or $10, please consider donating to the memorial fund set up to help pay for sweet Brooklyn's birth and funeral expenses. It makes me so sad that these two events are so tragically close together. You can check out the fund that has been set up for their family right here...every little bit will be so appreciated:

Brooklyn's Memorial Fund

All I have to say is that families are forever. They are. I'm so glad for that.

Have you or someone close to you ever lost a child before? If so, do you have any comfort to offer my brother and sister?

With a heart full of hope,

Flashback Three Weeks Ago & Update on a Rough Day

I miss Fort Foster just a little bit. But I'm more excited for fall right now. Still, it is fun to look back at some photos from our two-week trip to New Hampshire and dream about all the fun things we were able to do. Here are a few little gems from that trip that I haven't posted yet. 

The first several photographs are from visiting Boston with my family. The boys (Dalin, Payson, and Donovan) were at Fenway watching a Red Sox game at the time so they aren't in any. I met up with my best friend Megan and we had so much fun just walking around together and catching up for a few hours. 

Megan saying hello to Tenley in person (for the first time since she was two weeks old)

Just chatting and catching up. We look so serious:P

She's a little bit cute.

Trying "lobster tails" from Mike's Pastry in Boston for the first time. I loved the cream, but I'm more of an ice cream kind of person, not as much a pastry person. However, it was good and everyone loved them. 

Modeling the lobster tail I guess.

Hello Boston, and bright city lights

Snuggling with Uncle Donovan at Nana and Grandpa Searle's house

Love this pic of her looking at him

Hello belly! This was 16 weeks. 

I love watching her play. She's so perfect.

She looks reluctant, but she's actually trying to run into the water.

She had no problem going right in. 

We thought it was the cutest thing ever

I love this. She's casting the waves away.

Getting her hands dirty

Her struggle to maintain her balance is always adorable

Our little climber

Check out that strawberry blond hair in the sunlight!

The barnacles didn't phase her one bit

My sweet girl

Silhouettes

Momma and baby smooch

She's trying to take her onesie off (this was at Clark's)

That little beauty...

Riding the bear at Clark's

I hope you enjoyed those as much as I did. Looking at pictures of Tenley and New Hampshire always make me happy:)

This day with Tenley has actually been pretty good with three minor setbacks. For one, Tenley woke up unfortunately early and walked right into our bedroom (the cons of using a toddler bed...) and I lacked the patience I had meant to have with her. I was just really, really tired (she did the same thing the night before, too) and was frustrated that she had interrupted my sleep multiple times. I made some crispy bacon (it has to be super crispy for me to eat it) and hashbrowns (which it turns out are ridiculously easy to make! I just grated a peeled potato and cooked it in the bacon fat and lightly salted them and they were delicious!) for the three of us, then Tenley and I dropped Dalin off at class.

At home, I was super motivated to get a lot accomplished. It being Monday, I wanted to do our laundry for the week so I wouldn't have to think about it. Being pregnant and 5'0" and not very strong, (and our laundry building being quite far away from our building), doing laundry is really a chore. So I planned it all out. I pulled our Jeep stroller (minus the car seat) out of the trunk so I could push our big laundry bin on top instead of carrying it. Then I sat Tenley in the bottom basket so she could come along (otherwise she would have yelled from our balcony the whole time). In the laundry building, I loaded the laundry, repeatedly glancing at Tenley to make sure she was sitting down, when suddenly I heard a "clunk." It is like, the worst sound a mother could hear. I turned and saw Tenley had climbed out of the basket and fell onto the tile floor landing on her forehead. I immediately scooped her up into my arms and hurried to the little bathroom in the laundry building to put some cold water on a paper towel to soothe her head which had already formed a little purple egg. She stopped crying pretty quickly (until I kept putting the cold wet towel on her head) but I still felt horrible and sick inside. As I walked back to the apartment, holding her tight, I started to feel nauseous thinking about the bump on her head. I barely got up to our second floor apartment and as soon as I was inside, I set Tenley down, grabbed some little ice packs and my phone to call my mom. We sat in the rocking chair and I iced her head (she was completely calm and happy because I gave her her sippy cup) and called my mom. As soon as she answered, I began crying. I told her what happened and how awful I felt. Tenley, meanwhile, just looked at me calmly wondering why I was crying.

Check out that bump. It's like the size of a quarter and more purple than red in person. She doesn't even realize it's there. 

After talking to my mom, I felt a lot better. Tenley was behaving normally, I was able to ice her head for about twenty minutes (off and on as she kept moving her head), and she had only cried for about a minute after the fall. I had been scared she could have a concussion, but decided probably not after watching her go completely back to normal back in the apartment. I, on the other hand, cried a lot longer than she did because I felt so terrible. It was only the second or third time this pregnancy that I felt like my hormones took over and I couldn't stop crying. I am pretty sure I cried more often while pregnant with Tenley. Disney movies made me cry--mostly ones that had to do with babies, children, or parents (like when Rapunzel is reunited with her parents...that scene really got me). But my mom made me feel a lot better and I was able to continue with my day.

I made Tenley an extra special lunch and gave her lots of chocolate almond milk. We read and played with toys, and napped in the rocking chair (well Tenley napped...on me), she "helped" me fold laundry, we played outside on the grass and playground, and she took a nice bath out on our back porch before bed (and she played with water toys and splashed for a while).

The third rough thing, was putting Tenley to bed. I am tired of her getting out of bed when she isn't supposed to (and Dalin is tired of listening to me deal with her in the morning), so we decided we need to re-train her to go to bed on her own for a few nights. So she's back in the pack 'n play. And...she wasn't a fan which was really a bummer because we used to put her down and she would immediately roll over and fall asleep. Unfortunately, tonight I had to let her cry it out...this usually lasts like fifteen to twenty minutes, but I swear it had to be like forty minutes tonight. I almost caved and went to get her but I knew I'd regret it. Instead I tried to watch TV to distract me as I paced the floor and she screamed. When she was finally quiet, I went to check on her and I didn't like the location of her face, so I tried to shift her and she woke up. I was like oh no, what have I done...but after rocking her on my shoulder for a few minutes and humming another song to her, I was able to lay her down and she didn't make a peep.

So now I'm just trying to motivate myself to finish folding clothes (remember, Olivia, if you don't do it now, it will sit out all week and Tenley will mess up the piles every chance she gets) and pick up. I made the bed after washing our sheets (who else loves the feeling of clean sheets?) and now our bed looks so inviting, I just want to hop in it.

Anyway, this post has gone on a lot longer than I intended and I really need to finish up some tasks before bed, so...until tomorrow.

Goodnight!