Knock Out

It was awful. In fact I am still a little shaken up about it and my poor baby. June knocked out a tooth. Here is the story. 

June was begging us all morning to go to the park. We were already running around like mad people, trying to get Owen's passport finished up so that we can possibly cross the boarder to Canada this Christmas. She was super bugged that she had to be in the car and not go to the park. 

After getting told no over and over again at each Post office to get Owen's passport submitted today, we finally gave up and headed home. I remembered that we needed milk and that we would need to stop on the way home. 

Dan, being the most amazing father ever, offered to take June to the park while I run to the store, and then come back and pick them up. June got so excited with the word park that we really didn't have a choice. So I dropped them off and headed to the store. 

I came back and sat and watched my daughter and her daddy play all around the playground. June is getting so adventurous, but man she is such a clumsy little thing and is falling over all the time. So after watching them for a bit, I hop out of the car to go tell them it's time to go. June is up on the playground and see's me. She gets a huge grin on her face, goes to take a step and completely misses, smashing her face into the next step. I ran and grabbed her. There was a lot of blood, but we didn't really think anything  of it, since mouth injuries, even the tiniest cut, bleeds non stop. So we examined her, but she wouldn't let us see... It wasn't until she opened her mouth super wide to let out a massive scream, that I saw the gaping hole on the left side of her mouth....

Her tooth was knocked out. 

Dan went back and found the small little tooth laying on the step. the whole entire tooth came out. It was sheer panic and I felt sick to my stomach. I couldn't even imagine what she was feeling. Dan was our rock! We drove home and called my sister immediately, she is a dental assistant... really learning that there is nothing we can do for her little tooth. She told us to try and see if we could get the Dentist to look at it to make sure nothing else was damaged. 

I was so beyond grateful for the Dentist to see her on a Saturday. Oh man, he was amazing and so patient with June. He could see the ghost white faces we had, and was very calming. He didn't even charge us for the visit. It really helped. 

 I was so sick because It looked like we were going to lose the main front tooth too. Thankfully, that tooth seemed pretty solid when examined, and we haven't lost it yet. We have to go in on Monday to June's pediatric Dentist and get it x-rayed to make sure it's not fractured... So we could still possibly lose it. And back to being sick to my stomach. There is also the concern that her canine tooth was jammed back up into her gums and therefore damaging her permanent tooth.... We will find out more on Monday. 

Then we learned, that there is still a chunk of tooth in her gums where the tooth broke out. So that could lead to infection and we would have to get that removed. It made for a very long Saturday. Dan and our friend Jared gave June a blessing, and that helped, oh so much. It helped calm me down as well. 

June didn't seem to be too bothered by it. We were told it's more traumatic for the parents than it is for the child. I felt awful. I seriously thought I was going to throw-up at the dentist's office. 

So now June has a pretty little gap between her front tooth and canine. Her eye tooth is the one knocked out. She will have that gapping smile for the next 5 years until her permanent tooth decides to come in. 

The tooth fairy is coming to our house extra early! 

*NOTE: So for the rest of the day we snuggled and watched movies. I was still feeling pretty sick about the whole thing, and Dan was leaving to go to a Maverick's basketball game with some buddies... A couple hours before he had to leave, I pretty much curled up in a ball and fell asleep with pure worrisome for June. Dan took over and got June a soft dinner to not hurt her too much, and took care of Owen. He cleaned the house and made sure everything was in tip-top shape before he left. Then came and woke me up. What an incredible man. I cannot believe he is mine and that I get him forever. Luck. 

The little lady is now drugged up and fast asleep. We will see what tomorrow and Monday brings. 

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was nothing short of amazing! 

It's a wonderful thing to gather together with friends, stuff your face full of delicious food, and constantly think of what we are grateful for. I know that we should be doing that on a regular basis, but at least we have a month that kind of forces us to think of all the blessings we have, and at least we have a time where we can really focus on those blessings. 

Holidays can be tough when you aren't able to travel home, or don't live close to family. But those who live far from home know how friends truly become your family and it makes the holidays so special. We have been so blessed with the friends we have here in Dallas. It made for a fantastic Thanksgiving having my beautiful friends in my house, laughing and filling our house full of chit chat and little children giggles. 

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house with a total of 8 adults and 7 children. If you know my house, you know it's not very big, it was a full house. I was worried all week that we weren't going to have enough room, and plus cooking food that I haven't really cooked before for that many people. I called my sister Brooke like a hundred times making sure I did everything right. It turned out great and I wouldn't of had it any other way. It was so fun. We all pitched in to make a major Thanksgiving feast. More food than we initially thought, but it was all so good and it made for a few days of constantly stuffing our faces with left overs. 

Makenna, Me, and Amanda. Love these girlies! 

We had so much food we had to pull an extra table out just to hold it all. We didn't skimp out on anything! 

The delicious turkey! Sean and Makenna were up at 4am cooking this bad bird. It was well worth it! SO GOOD! 

The cookers. We were laughing because even though I had everyone over to our house, Sean and Makenna ended up having all the huge responsibility of the dinner! It was a good thing, because let's be honest, we all know I am no cook, and I am ok with that. It all worked out for the best. 

 An adorable little Fam! LOVE THEM!

I didn't even have to wash my dishes! Haha I am still not sure how that happened, but they took over and we got the kitchen cleaned up in no time, while all the boys watched the kids.... and a little football. 

So I realized at the end of the night that I didn't take a single picture of my fam or my children. June was already in bed and Owen was in an induced milk coma, so It's sad, but no 2013 Thanksgiving pics for the Lancaster's. I just got all excited about everyone being there, timing the food just right to have it all warm, and keeping a one month old fed and a 2 year old happy. It just slipped away from me.

Later that night, we put the kids to bed and Makenna and me headed out to do a little Black Friday shopping! We both scored big time and I am almost done with June's Christmas. All done in one day. (Or night). It was fun and I was so glad to get out for a bit with a friend and catch up, without nagging children.

Honestly it was one of my favorite Thanksgivings. I just have so much to be grateful for and this year, with two children, a warm home, and an incredibly loving husband, it feels overwhelming with all the blessings. I know that my Heavenly Father has blessed me in abundance that I don't even think it's fair to list things, just because I can't get them all, and He has granted me to have so much.

Now it't time for more focus on family  and excitement with Christmas. To focus on our Saviors birth, and to take part in all the glorious festivities that go on this time of year. I love that I can sit and blog in the quite with Christmas music FINALLY playing in our home. I absolutely love this time of year and that includes Thanksgiving. So excited for what's to come this holiday season.

Owen at One Month

Dear Owen, 

    I can't believe that you are already a month old! It was like a blink of an eye! 

So here you are my big boy at one month old. No really, you are a big boy! Don't worry, you are adorable and handsome as ever.

      You at one month is probably like most babies, but I want to make sure to document everything that I can of your life! You are such a good baby. You make me fall more and more in love with you everyday! I can't help but kiss those chubby cheeks and I have such a hard time putting you down. 

    Owen, you are such a good little baby. You have managed to put yourself on a little schedule that goes right  along with your sister's schedule, which definitiely helps me out! You are eating about every 2 to 3 hours. You are starting to be more awake during the day, and thankfully at night you wake up, eat, and then go right back down! That is all a mother could ask for at this age! You have a fussy time around 5:00 in the evening, right as daddy gets home, but he seems to always be able to calm you down. 

      I am starting to learn your little quirks and what seems to make you happy. You love to lay on the ground and just stare at the fan. That can keep you happy for quite a while. Same with the bouncer. As long as that thing is bouncing you are happy. You are not a fan of the swing. You will sit in it for just a bit, but you get tired of it quickly, or sometimes you don't want to sit in it at all. The ground seems to really be your friend at this stage because you love tummy time. I think that it sometimes calms your burbling belly. It can calm you right down to lay on your tummy. Same goes with the bath. You could just be having a rough day and a bath will calm you right down. I love your baths. I love how clean and fresh you are, and you LOVE to be extra cuddly after a bath. It's my favorite. 

     You are taking a bottle, when you have no other choice, and you will take a pacifier if you are starving and I just can't feed you at that moment. You will not take one to sooth yourself though. 

       You are sleeping in mom and dad's room, and are sleeping as well as a newborn can. You wake up and eat about every 2 hours sometimes 3. After you eat you go right back to sleep. You sooth yourself to sleep, which is very nice, since I know I can lay you down, even if you are awake and you will eventually fall asleep. 

       Owen, you honestly melt my heart every time I look at you. I can't believe that you are already a month old, and how much I already love you. Your sister is slowly starting to like you more and more. She still wont hold you, but she is more than happy to give you kisses and help snap up your clothes. She loves to dress you. I can't wait to watch you two grow up together. 

          I love you very much bud. I am so happy that you have made us a family of four! 

                                           Love you son!

                                                        Love, Mom

I Love to See the Temple

There is no place better than the Temple. No matter what Temple you go to, you always have the same feeling of a calm, happy peace. We decided to take June and Owen to go walk around the Temple grounds for a special Tuesday night Family Home Evening.  FHE usually is held on a Monday, but the Temple is closed, well because of Family Home Evening, so we waited until Tuesday to go. 

It was so fun to be there, and to feel that happy calm feeling, and to be there as a family. We bundled up, since it was a bit chilly and walked around the temple grounds. 

Owen was there too, he was just all bundled up, keeping warm in his little cocoon of blankets.  

June wanted to go inside so bad, but we weren't in church clothes, and the visitors Center was closed.

After walking around and around, we decided to call it a night since it was getting a little too cold out. We went and had dinner, then headed home. It was a simple, but a really fun FHE. I loved talking about the Temple with June, and explaining that someday she can go there. It was fun to reminisce with Dan about our wedding day and talk about the future as we hope our children will follow in our footsteps. I love the Temple and what it truly stands for and how we know that Families are Forever because of this beautiful place. 

Football for the Family

So here we are, living in Texas, one of the biggest football States in America, and we just went to our first college football game as a family EVER. It's a little pathetic that Dan went to Baylor University for two years and we never went to a football game, and now we have lived in Dallas for almost three years and we haven't gone to a Cowboys game. The lack of the Cowboy games are because of the cost and most games are played on Sunday... AND I'm not a huge Cowboys fan to begin with, but the stadium where they play is HUGE and we have always wanted to go and see it on the inside, but the opportunity just never came up. 

Well this past Saturday, opportunity came knocking, when Baylor was going to be playing Texas Tech at the Cowboys stadium. We could hit two birds with one stone, so why not go, right?!? We went back and forth, debating whether we should go. We weren't sure about bringing a 3 week old, and paying for an extra seat for June really put us over how much we wanted to pay for the game, but we just kept telling ourselves that this was the perfect time to go! So we attempted our first big outing with two kids.

We than learned that we cannot bring in ANY bags with us, except for a gallon ziplock bag. We had to stuff everything, including diapers, snacks, a bottle, wipes, burp clothes, etc. All those things you need for two kids. I hesitated, but we made it work. 

We laughed at ourselves the whole game. We could not believe that we were here and handling two little ones. A little toddler who needed to go potty over and over again, meaning we had to climb a lot of stair cases over and over again.... and a brand new baby, who is just learning to take a bottle, so he wasn't all that pleased with the situation. It was pretty comical, but it's about still doing fun things and not letting anything slow us down. 

It actually ended up being a really fun night. Once June got settled, and Owen fell asleep, we were able to enjoy the game and the food. 

This picture is weak... Sorry. I tried taking it while walking and it just sucks. My bad. It was so fun being in that stadium. IT IS MASSIVE and it was fun to be watching Baylor, who is rocking it this year! UNDEFEATED! 

 June plugged her ears probably 90 percent of the game. It honestly wasn't even that loud. She just wouldn't unplug them. 

June did great at the game. We knew she would, since we go to baseball games all the time and this is really similar. We are kicking ourselves though, for purchasing her a seat. She is still under the weight limit to be forced into buying a seat, but we thought she would want her own. We thought wrong. She sat on our laps the entire time. Though it was nice to have an extra seat next to us. 

If she wanted to eat anything, we had to feed it to her. At one point she would give Dan's leg a little kick each time she wanted more popcorn. Silly lady. 

Owen was a champ! He did so good for his first sporting event. He mostly just slept the whole time, which we expected, but even when he was awake he wasn't fussing, more just staring at the bright lights. 

 Right before half time I went to go change his bum. They had no place to change a baby's bottom, which I kinda get, but the Baseball stadium had changing tables so I just assumed the Cowboys stadium would too. No. I didn't have my diaper bag either, which has a built in changing table, so here I am changing his bum on my lap, in a bathroom stall. You do what you gotta do. 

The second half of the game went a lot smoother. Juney Finally unplugged her ears, and kept yelling "Sic 'em Bears". People around us were loving it! 

She is such my happy little thing. 

All in all, it honestly was worth all the hassle. It was fun to watch Baylor kick Texas Tech's trash and land another win.

Was it easy?! Heck no. It would have been so much easier just staying home, and watching the game on TV.  But then we would have missed out. And we want to keep having these experiences, It was great, and Dan and I had a good laugh over the whole thing. I truly love my family and though it is a hassle to keep up the momentum of going on adventures, I wouldn't change a thing, it's what being a mother is all about!

I forgot...

• How small newborns are
• How many diapers you go through in a day
• How often they eat
• How painful nursing is at first (thank goodness that phase is over)
• How when nursing, they start to choke and you have milk spraying all over their face
• How you feel like you're covered in milk all the time 
• How often you change clothes because of blowouts and spit up 
• How as a mother you don't mind the smell of their blowouts or spit up 
• How fast they grow 
• How holding them while sleeping is so peaceful and therapeutic 
• How you feel so unproductive because you can't seem to lay them down 
• How excited you get when they sleep one extra hour longer than expected 
• How Functional you are with just a couple of hours sleep 
• How you can just stare at them forever
• How each noise while their sleeping makes you get out of bed to check on them
• How they aren't making any noise while sleeping makes you get out of bed to check on them
• How frustrated such a small little thing can make you
• How you can be so in love with them for only being in your life for such a short time 

But I won't forget how grateful, blessed and in love I am with my newborn. 

Nana, Papa, & Paternity Leave

The past 2 weeks have been surreal. 

From the moment that I picked my parents up from the airport, it seems like I haven't had to worry about a thing. Yes, even though I did have a baby, it was kind of a mini vacation from responsibility. 

The day after my parents arrived, Dan started Paternity leave, and had two weeks off! A lot happened over the course of two weeks, and so I thought I better get all these pictures on the blog. 

The moment we saw my parents, June was pretty glued to Nana's hip. Her and my mom have a special little relationship, and I love it. As you know from my previous post, June was well taken care of by my parents, and not just while we were in the hospital. 

Here is what happened over the past two weeks. 

Enjoying the beautiful Texas weather before we headed to the hospital

From the moment June woke up, They were up and active. My parents would send me pictures through the day of their activities... It was great to see June so happy and knowing she wasn't too sad that we weren't there. 

I, for some reason, lost the pictures of June at our Ward Trunk or Treat. They dressed her up and brought her to the hospital for us to see her and then they were off to our ward Halloween Party. 

They bought June a Doc McStuffins ride around car for her birthday, which has a little compartment in the seat and makes all sorts of Doc McStuffins sounds. June loves hiding all of Ranger's toys in there. She hasn't taken a break from riding it since they gave it to her. 

We came home on a Saturday, and my parents thought we would want some quite time, and adjust being home with Owen, so they took June down to "Boo at the Zoo". June looked like she loved it, and I'm happy she was getting to do some halloween activities. 

Over the next few days we did a lot of sleeping and laying around. 

Giving Owen his first bath. Bathing a newborn is always fun and tricky. June wanted to be all apart of the action. she was giving Owen a good scrub down, and his umbilical cord really bugged her. She kept telling us to take it off, and that it was poop. We had fun bathing him as a little family. 

We spent an evening carving pumpkins and cooking the seeds. Well my mom cooked the seeds.
  She has always been a multitasker, rocking Owen and cleaning the junk off of the pumpkin seeds.

One of my favorite pictures. June is just so happy, and she looks so grown up and this pictures just melts my heart. 

It took June time to warm up to Owen. In the hospital, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him, but as time has gone on, she has gotten more and more attached to him. She really is so gentle with him, and is always trying to bounce him in the bouncer, which sometimes she launches him, but for the most part she does great being around him.

The last day that my parents were here, My mom and dad spent the morning packing and getting as much love as they could from June and Owen. 

We went to Owen's Doctor appointment before my parents left. June stayed at the house with them, so we were able to not have to worry about 2 kids at the doctors office. 

Little Boys are great at peeing...especially all over you. I have been peed on more times these past two weeks than I ever have been with June. As soon as I got him undressed to go get weighed, the little man peed out, and somehow managed to pee out the sides all over me. Leaving me with two nice wet marks on my pants. Good thing I am madly in love with this little boy. 

It was really hard to see them go. June and I went and dropped them off at the airport and said our goodbyes. Like I said REALLY HARD! My parents did so much for us the week that they were here, that I honestly don't know how I will ever be able to repay them. Between my mom keeping us stuffed full of delicious food, and keeping my house clean, to my dad playing mister fix it with Dan, and doing a bunch of house repairs that have been on our list forever! That includes fixing our fence!! They made having a newborn in the house so much easier. June was always dressed and fed and playing some crazy game my dad made up. She stayed happy and that was my biggest concern. It was so nice to come home from the hospital to a warm clean home that smelled like fresh rolls. I truly have amazing parents and I am so grateful that they made the trip to come meet their grandson and babysit June. I love them dearly and June and Owen are so lucky to have them as their Nana and Papa. 

After many tears were shed, and a hundred goodbyes, June and I came home, and it was just the four of us, plus Range. It really helped knowing that Dan was still going to be with me for the next week, and help me adjust all that much more to two kids. 

The next week was so much fun. It isn't everyday that your hubs gets two weeks off without going somewhere, so we really enjoyed just spending time in our home, and running small simple errands that we could take a newborn along. Here is the thing with Dan and I. And not to get all sappy and mushy, but we genuinely like to do everything together. I mean I won't even go to Costco without him, because we have way more fun when we are together. So we spent 99% of the time together. It was great and June was in Heaven having her Daddy around all day. 

With a newborn, you are limited to what and where you can go, and it can get a little hard staying inside all day everyday. You start to get a little stir crazy and wanting to get out. We definitiely didn't want June to feel cooped up, so we took her to the play place a couple of times through out the week.

We also made a few trips to the Library. Really any place that Owen would stay warm and covered up.

Halloween night was really fun. We lit our pumpkins outside and got ready to go trick or treating. It was fun getting June and Owen all dressed up. June went as TinkerBell and Owen went as Peter Pan.  With Owen strapped to my chest and wrapped in a bunch of blankets we headed out the door. I was sweating so bad from all of the blankets and body heat, but he stayed all nice and toasty. We went around the block and hit up every house we could. June was ADORABLE!! She would go up say "Trick or Treat" and then say "Thank you" without even being told to say it. People were loving her!

We spent a lot of time walking the trails and going to the park. Daddy and June went up and down the slide countless times.

Patiently waiting for dinner.

The pile next to her is cornflakes. There is one cupboard that she is allowed to get into that has a box of Cornflakes that is open. She can help herself as much as she wants to that box. She will just grab a little handful at a time and snack on those for a while. It's great and it's something she can't get full on, or that's bad for her. 

Loved when the umbilical cord fell off! It's so gross and it's nice to not have to be so gentle when changing his diaper, and to be able to give him full baths. Plus we got to start tummy time! June always wants to take part in tummy time. 

 

We had our usual movie nights. Our favorite night of the week! This past Friday was Monster's University! It's super duper cute and I recommend watching it. 

Of course we have some quite time with June's I-pad. 

This was not staged and we didn't prompt her to go lay by him, she just went and laid next to him and started holding his hand. I about died of a a heart melting moment! I lOVE THESE TWO! 

More of our entertainment. Who could catch the sock first when Daddy dropped it. This came lasted a while. 

Dan's friends from work got this awesome dinosaur cave that has a bunch of stuffed dinosaurs in it. June and Daddy had fun pulling all of them out and lining them up. (Yes, that is a picture of June, in Owen's room. haha, just haven't gotten it replaced yet!) 

June has really stepped it up in the imagination department. She has TinkerBell doing all sorts of tricks!

All good things must come to an end, and that includes Paternity leave. Dan went back to work on Thursday and we now have managed 2 full days of being back to normal life. Things are going rather well. We have gotten out of the house quite a few times, and I am grateful for that, for the sake of my sanity. We have managed to still have somewhat of a routine and keep some balance in the home. It feels good to get back to normal life. Owen hasn't thrown to much of a kink in things, but he's a newborn and sleeps the majority of the time, so things aren't too tough.

I am even still getting some one on one time with this little cutie. I'm not sure how long it will last, so I am taking full advantage while I can. We are loving all of our holiday crafts and are getting really excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

June gave Owen this little teddy bear, and she is always giving it to him. If it ever falls on the floor, she runs and picks it up, gives it a hug, and then gives it back to Owen. I'm not sure where she learned it from, but she always wants Owen to have it. I simply love it. 

Life is so good and I am so grateful for that.