We're Crazy About Trains

Tanner is way into anything with wheels right now. Can ya tell?

I think this one is my favorite so far.

Tanner made this one himself. I helped a little when he got stuck.

Daddy's creation.

Another Daddy creation. Tried to make a heart with an arrow through it. Aww!

I'm a Chipmunk

Well... I finally caved and got my wisdom teeth out.

A little back story first. All growing up and going the the dentist I was always told that I was just lucky and didn't seem to have wisdom teeth at tall after each x-ray. My teeth were nice and straight. Straight enough that my parents gave me the choice if I wanted braces or not in Jr. High. Of course I declined.

About 10 years ago one of my lateral incisors started to turn out giving me a very annoying snaggle tooth. I was also starting to notice pain in my jaw every now an then. I went to the dentist about 8 years ago (I know, I'm SO bad. Making up for that now) and had and x-ray. Low and behold my wisdom teeth were just starting to appear! I wasn't too happy.

Not many people have really noticed, but it really bugs me.

Over the next 8 years my snaggle tooth got worse but the pain in my jaw was bearable. It wasn't until I actually complained about it to Kollin a few months ago when we finally went to the dentist. After the x-ray we could see that all 4 of my wisdom teeth were all the way in and my bottom ones were impacted. They were pushing on my back molars and could have been causing damage but weren't sure yet.

Don't you love my tongue ring?

I want braces and to get all of the dental work that needs to be done DONE. So first, these buggers needed to come out to start the entire process.

We made the appointment to have my wisdom teeth removed at the beginning of the year once our flex spending account kicked in.

By day 6 the selling had gone down a lot. But still not completely. I was a little bummed, but was expecting it to take a while.

Almost 2 weeks after surgery I noticed one side (the side that was always bigger in the pictures) was starting to swell again. The day after that I was woken up at about 5:30am from the amount of pain I was in and the swelling was back to the size of day 2. Which was weird, since I was hardly in any pain the entire recovery time. Sure, I was uncomfortable. But I was not in unbearable pain. I don't know if I'm just stubborn, have a high pain tolerance or what, but I did not take any of the prescribed pain killers I was given and only took Ibuprofen the entire time.

I called my oral surgeon and explained what was going on and they wanted me to come in. And of course, this was the one day that Kollin took the Traverse to work since the Honda is acting up a little bit. I called him to see if he could come home early so I could go in, and since he is just amazing he was able to get home in time for me to go to my appointment.

Once there my Dr. started to dig around in my mouth and caused a lot of pain. So we decided to numb me up. Even after numbing me up it was still SO painful! I was a big girl though and didn't cry... at least at this point. Once he was done I sure felt like passing out though. He said there was a lot of food that somehow got stuck in there causing an infection. He dug it out and also got a lot of the puss out.

On the way home I broke down from the pain I was still in and cried the entire drive home. When I walked back in the house and Kollin saw me he got this look of pain on his face just seeing how much pain I was in and my tear stained face.

I wanted him to call my dad to see if I could take one of my prescribed pain killers since I had taken Ibuprofen a couple hours before. When I said that, both Kollin and my dad knew I was in an enormous amount of pain. I was given the ok to take it so I downed one pill as fast as I could and went to bed. 

Kollin took Tanner (bless him) to the grocery store to go grocery shopping and to fill my prescription for antibiotics so I could sleep. But wow. I couldn't fall asleep before that pill kicked in and I can see why people get addicted to these things! But I wasn't a fan so I was happy that this was the first time I had ever taken a prescribed pain killer, and I don't plan to again if I can help it.

I was in pain for the rest of that day but was able to manage it well with Ibuprofen. Now I am 18 days post op, and 5 days post being in more pain than labor! My face is looking better than it did on day 6 and I am in hardly any pain anymore (I only took 1 dose of Ibuprofen today opposed to every 6 hours!).

Hopefully this is the last of it and I can finally make a complete recovery.

2012 in Review

No news is good news right? This year has been so uneventful I am having trouble thinking of things to write about in this review. Which is SUCH a good thing when it comes to us. Let's go through my calendar and see what I can find....

Of course first and foremost, Tanner turned 1! It was a big deal. A big deal because there was the possibility that he could have not been with us for his 1 year birthday. First birthdays are a huge celebration and milestone in the heart world.

Doctor appointments are a big deal to us, especially cardiology appointments. Tanner had a sedated echo in April. It went so well! They were able to sedate him much easier than the last time and we received the best news possible for our situation. Dr. Minich was impressed with how Tanner was doing and told us that she didn't want to see him for an entire year! (before this we were seeing her every 6 months, so stretching it out to annual appointments was a big deal) 

We had lots of IHH events and different play dates with our heart buddies. This was a big highlight this year at least for me. I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have this support group or these families in my life now. I didn't find them until Tanner was almost a year old and I don't know how I got through that first year without them. I hope that the friendships that I am making will become life long relationships for me and Tanner as well. And hopefully we can get Kollin more involved next year! *wink wink*

Kollin and I also had our 1 year wedding anniversary. We kept saying to each other that it seems like it's been way longer than just a year. In a good way. Technically it has been 3, but it still seems even longer than that with everything that we've been through in the last little while and that it seems like we've always been together.

Other than this there really hasn't been that much that happened this year. Isn't that great?!? I am looking forward to new adventures with my little family. We are going to be moving soon and hopefully there will be more little Starks on the way soon!

Happy New Year!

Christmas!

Christmas day was a success at the Stark house! We went to Great Grandma Norman's as well as Great Grandma and Grandpa Richens'. It was all so fun! I am not bothering to rearrange the pictures. My patience is gone when it has to do with this blog today. Either way, enjoy!

Opening LOL Elmo. I think this is his favorite so far.

Daddy scored

Tanner playing with some of his presents

 Playing the with train at Great Grandma and Grandpa Richens'

Tanner got Daddy and awesome skeleton tie

 As I mentioned before. LOL Elmo. Total hit.

Being a good boy by actually holding still and showing me another present he got

Getting awesome presents from Grandma Stark

This one is another favorite

We are ALL loving this trike from Great Grandma and Grandpa Richens

My new jacket from my boys

Getting ready to attack the presents

Perfect Kodak moment playing with the train at Great Grandma and Grandpa Richens'

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was pretty fun. Kollin got off work around 1:30 which was so nice!

We went to Grandma of the Great Cannon's house for the annual Christmas Eve family party. There were a bunch of us there but not everyone (there are over 100 of us now so I don't think that will ever happen again).

We did our family programs which mostly were just updates on what is going on with family and a few musical numbers.

Playing in one of Grandma of the Great Cannon's chairs

Then we had the traditional Nativity Scene with the younger kids. I tried to get Tanner into it as a shepherd, but he wasn't having it.

Grandma gave her Christmas Memory then everyone opened their gifts from her. 

 Tanner got this little toy what you flip a switch or press a button and an animal pops up (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, they're everywhere). As soon as he got it unwrapped cousin Megan's little Elliot (about 4 weeks younger than Tanner) came running over and started playing with it with him. It was so cute!

After that we went to Grandma and Grandpa Cannon's house for more partying. 

Aunt Bippy tried to get a picture with all the nephews

Here's one that worked a little better.

Playing with trains with Andrew and Wayne

We had homemade pizza, did a white elephant and opened our presents from them. At the white elephant I got a box full of quarters ($10 worth) and Kollin got the movie Elf. We were happy with both since we can use the quarters at the grocery store! Whenever we go grocery shopping Tanner has just about had it by the time we get to check out. So I take him to the little arcade and let him ride the fire truck. Yay for quarters!

All the girls got pretty aprons

Then we went home and got to bed probably around 10:30. Tanner did so well the entire day though. What a trooper!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

December Mish Mash

This next week is going to be pretty crazy and I'm sure I'm going to take a ton of pictures.
So here is what has happened so far in December while I have time to relax and do this!

We went to the George Q Cannon Christmas party.
Tanner was such a turd almost the entire time. At the beginning there wasn't anything we could do to keep him from throwing a fit. He wouldn't eat dinner (he ate shortly before), and wouldn't even take a cookie when I tried to pacify him. I finally just let him run around in the hallways. Which made for a really fun time for mom and dad.
Once the program was starting he still wasn't having it. So I let him run around as long as he wasn't running to the front of the room where people were speaking.

Then it was time for Santa! All of the little kids get to go up and ring bells while everyone sings Jingle Bells so Santa can hear us and come.
Tanner was able to go up this year and ring a bell. When Santa came Ho-Ho-Hoing into the room I had tears in my eyes to see that Tanner was able to participate in this. As you can see in the video he didn't know what was going on, but I'm sure he'll catch on in years to come!

and of course the dreaded Santa with the toddler picture

We went to go see the Live Nativity in Bonneville Glen.

My dad came with us and we were able to pet the animals.

I hadn't been to this in years and it was so fun to be able to share it with my little family and for my dad to be there with us.

Aunt Carler threw a Clark cousin family dinner at her house.

She has been doing these monthly for a while but this was the first one we've been able to go to lately.

It was so much fun to see a bunch of our Clark cousins that we don't see very often.

The kids also loved watching Cinderella and eating grapes.

I became an aunt again!

Clark and Megan had their little girl.

Isabel Alice

She is a beautiful tiny little thing.

This is the first granddaughter on my side of the family, so we will all be tightly wound around her little fingers!

We went to Hire's and Temple Square with my family.

Libby was in town (and will be here until Christmas day) so it was great to be able to see her and little Wayne.

Libby was holding Wayne behind Becky and he was not happy about it

It was a very cold night but I think we were well prepared. At least for Tanner.

He was bundled up pretty well and never seemed to complain about the cold. His only complaint was wanting to get out of the stroller (of course).

sitting with cousin Wayne in the JSMB

I know this picture is really dark, but I just love how Tanner is just peaking over the bottom of the picture

Kollin on the other hand got super cold. He was going to bring a beanie to keep his ears warm, but in the end thought he'd be ok. Not so much. Oh well! At least we learned for next year!

And then here are some random tid pits from this month...

following Daddy around grocery shopping

snuggle time. this is the monkey he got at the George Q Cannon party from Santa (thanks Grandpa Stark!)

Twirling

the classic baby bum in the air sleeping

Helping to put away laundry