Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Goodbye to Our Little...Very Little Friend


Almost two years ago we bought a Yorkie from the doctor I used to work for in Tooele. She was the cutest Yorkie we'd ever seen. Tav's dad and step-mom raise and breed Yorkies so we knew a little about them. We knew she was an extremely valuable dog. She was so little and had the teddy-bear face. She was a little princess from the word "go".
She had her first little of puppies the following August. Two girls and a boy. I had to deliver one of the girls myself because she was breech. The little boy was really tiny and weaker than the girls. Especially one of them. I kept "Mister" alive because his sisters would not allow him to get anything to eat. Ten days later, he died. One of his sisters started showing some of the same signs he had so we took her to the vet in the hopes that she would not suffer the same fate. The next morning, "Pretty" died. So that left us with one puppy. Fluffy. We decided to keep Fluffy after we got very attached to her. So these two little girls have been a lot of fun. And a lot of not so much fun. They don't potty train easily. They bark and yap at every little thing. But they're cute, y'know? So we put up with their (literal) crap. Sophi still strutted around the house like a princess and eventually she became very reliable at the potty thing. She preferred Tavis over anyone else. She stayed super little and beautiful. Anyone that ever saw her fell in love with her. She was the "poster child" for Yorkies.

She went into heat about two weeks ago. Like we always do, we sent her to Vernal to get pregnant by Tav's parents' male Yorkie. My mother-in-law called a couple days after she got there to tell me thought Sophi wasn't feeling well. On Sunday she called again to tell us she was bleeding from her rectum and that she would take her to the vet in the morning if she didn't get better. A few hours later she called to tell us she'd taken Sophi in and he said she had an ulcer. That it's very common among Yorkies because they're so small and high strung. It was probably stressed-induced. He pumped her full of anti-inflammitories and fluids. And we waited. This morning we were told that Sophi didn't make it through the night.

It's really sad! Yes, she was a pain a lot of the time. But we really loved her. Now I feel guilty for cussing her. A lot. Yes, I wanted to be rid of her. But certainly not like this! I wanted to give her to someone who would love her. I just didn't like the idea of her (and Fluffy) running around the house and peeing on the floor that my baby would soon be crawling on. Now that she's gone, I'm all sad!

So anyway. That's my little tribute to Sophi Sue. We really are going to miss her. She was such a pretty little princess.


Sophi Sue 03/06/06-11/24/08

Monday, November 24, 2008

Oh, PS...

...Harley grew his first tooth! I just found it this morning. Proving, once again, that he is the SMARTEST baby EVER!!! My sister will tell you it's because I took him to see Twilight and now he's becoming a vampire...works for me!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

The Last Six Months...With a Little Man



Today our little Harley is six months old. It amazes me that half a year has gone by already. (why can't 6 months of pregnancy go by as fast?) He has brought so much joy and excitement and a few little changes to our lives.


  • I'm a little chunkier.

  • A little less put together (I didn't know it was possible but apparently it is).

  • A little more on edge at times.

  • A little less rested.

  • I have a little more laundry. Both in quantity as well as size.

  • I'm a little less patient with Tavis.

  • I'm a little more patient with my kids.

  • I'm a little depressed.

  • I go out a little less.

  • I've been to Wal-Mart a little less (yay).

  • I've been to Babies R Us a little more (yay).

  • We have a little less money.

  • Because I want to buy him a little of everything.

  • Because he looks adorable in every little thing.

  • It's warmed up a lot and now cooled off a little.

  • There are little socks, little diapers, little clothes, little toys, little bottles, little finger-nail clippers, little brushes, little spoons, little jars of food scattered throughout my little house.

  • My little dog is loving her new little human to play with.

  • Our hearts got a little bigger to make room for this little angel.

Some things are not so little:


  • His smile.

  • His blue, blue eyes.

  • His beautiful mop of blond hair.

  • His personality.

  • He, himself, is not as little as he was 6 months ago.

  • In fact, he started out "not so little" as babies go...8 lbs 15 oz.

  • The amount of love we have for this little boy is absolutely, positively not little.


In the last six months he has grown to be extremely SMART!



  • He went from "laying like a slug" (A Christmas Story) to rolling over from his front to his back and now from his back to his front (on 11/16/08).

  • He went from smiling in his sleep to flashing the most brilliant, huge, genuine smile all the time. Even in the middle of a bawling fit (rare) he'll smile at you.

  • He went from waking up three or more times in the night to sleeping an average of 12 hours per night and taking a regular nap during the day.

  • He laughs. Which is the best sound I've heard in...well...7 years when his big sister did it for the first time.

  • He reaches for things. (and then straight to his mouth)

  • He eats solid foods.

  • He gets "plugged up" from those solid foods.

  • He brings his dad and me together in times of less-than-wedded-bliss (*gasp*) just by doing something adorable which makes us "coo" all over him and forget why we were irritated in the first place.

  • He says "bwa bwa".

  • He blows bubbles.

  • He lays on your lap and cranks his head back to look at you.

  • He sucks his thumb.

  • He loves to be sung to.

  • He still sleeps in our room.

  • He loves his brothers and sister.

  • He loves "his" puppy, Fluffy.

  • He loves his bath.

During the first couple of months of his life he was a true joy. We thoroughly enjoyed him. I wouldn't have describe it as "fun", though. Now, after six months, he is So. Much. Fun.

This is his "birth day". He was hooked up to IV's because they had a hard time keeping his blood sugar levels up. His dad will tell you it's because he was taken off the powdered raspberry-filled donut diet cold turkey. He had to be put on IV antibiotics just in case he had an infection. He wasn't able to be in my room with me the entire time we were at the hospital. He had to be in the special care nursery. Look at the bruise on his right hand where they poked him. His little feet had about 10 tiny cuts on them from all the times they checked his glucose levels :(


This is Harley today. And that is his favorite toy.

Happy half-birthday, Harley! We sure do love you little man!



BYU or Utah??

This is the first of two posts today. Last night we went to my parents' house to watch the football game with them and Jason and Alison and kids. Harley had been in his red football outfit earlier in the day but then he gagged on his fruit and completely wiped out his clothes so we put him in the next best color for the game. (Tavis and I really don't have a favorite when it comes to these two teams. If I HAD to choose I guess it would be Utah because I like the color red better than blue.)

So because Harley was in his blue and Kennedy was in her red we had to take their pictures together. These babies are so much fun. They're great toys!












Friday, November 21, 2008

Yay for BFF's!!!

Last night Tavis and I and the kids met my friends, Heidi (husband, Jason and their 3 kids) and Jacki (husband, Ryan and they left their kids at home because they (Ryan and Jacki) suck) for dinner at Joe's Crab Shack. I saw Heidi about 6 weeks ago but before that it was probably 12 or 13 years ago. And I think Jacki and I agreed that it was when our now seven-year-olds were babies that we last saw each other.
It was so much fun! It's really weird to think that we were kids together and now we're the parents. Avery and Eliza (Heidi's daughter, 6) were playing together and somehow they bonked heads/faces. According to Avery they were just walking and they bonked. Well, Eliza ended up with a real nice shiner and Avery was shiner-ish but mostly red and puffy so I'm guessing they weren't just "walking along". After many, many tears they ate their dinners and all the kids went back to playing in the play place. Avery and Eliza were BFF's by the time we left.

I know I already said this but it was so much fun! I heart those girls!
Jacki, Heidi, me

Avery and Eliza...post "walking and bonking". (Note Avery's red, right cheek and Eliza's left cheek/eye bruise) Such cute girls!!!

Ummm...kaaay...

So I just got home from seeing Twilight. It was really good. Not great. My biggest fear (ya, that's right...I FEARED) was that Edward wasn't going to be as H-O-T in the movie as he is in my brain. Mostly because I never thought Cedric Diggory was all that cute. However, he did live up to his hottness. So that was a relief. I just felt like the movie was choppy and kind of all over the place. I know they can't stick right, exactly to the book's storyline, but I wish they would have made it an hour longer and gone into more detail. I just felt like they tried to cram way too much into two hours. Besides, TRUE Edward fans would not have minded ONE LITTLE BIT if it went on for another hour.
Just wanna thank my friend Kristin for thinking of me when she got the opp to get tickets! I for sure want to see it again.
Oh, and PS...Harley was, of course, PERFECT during the movie.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

100 Things...Revised

OK, my sisters reminded me of a few things that I've actually done and Tavis reminded me of one thing that I said I'd done but it turns out I haven't.

I've visited Idaho, which is where my dad's family is from. And I've been to Spring City, UT. which is where my mom's family is from. I was thinking more along the lines of Denmark, etc. Also, I've met Vincent D'Onofrio ( Mystic Pizza, Men in Black, The Break-Up, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent).

I thought I tried caviar on our cruise but it turns out it was escargot (sp?) (snails). Now that I remember that caviar is the fish egg thing, I'm pretty sure I won't be trying it.

K, so that's it. Now I don't feel like a big, fat liar. Just big and fat.

Monday, November 10, 2008

100 Things

I have to preface this by saying that I "stole" it from my friend Jacki's blog. My answers are in RED.
100 Things to Do--48 out of 100...Things I've done and Been to
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (d0es karaoke count?)
11. Bungee jumped (are you freakin' kidding me??)
12. Visited Paris (Talouse, France not Paris)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (lame, huh?)
27. Run a Marathon (5k)
28. Ridden in a gondola
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (Oh, how I miss the first 2 years Tavis and I were together!)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (I went rockclimbing but I didn't actually rock climb. The guys we were with did, though!)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching (One of the funnes things I've EVER done!!! In Cabo with Jason and Alison.)
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (I tried. They won't let me.)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (Cabbage Patch Doll)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (Both collar bones BEFORE I was even born! OK, well it was WHILE I was being born, but ya...)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible (& Book of Mormon)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating eewww...
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (I worked at a hospital and a Dr.'s office so maybe I had a hand in saving someone?)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Jeff Hornacek)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Now I tag LAUREL!!!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Holy Cow This is so Cool!! Hayden Will LOVE This!

OK, go to this blog and look at the youtube thing she has on there. It's so dang cool! Even if you're not a Star Wars fan you can still appreciate it. I can't wait to show it to Hayden because he LOVES all the shows that are mentioned.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Reasons We're "Scre..." In a Bad Way...

...according to my children:
  • There will now be mandatory summer school.
  • There will be two hours added to the school day and while we're still on the subject of school...
  • It will now be held on Saturdays. (So far I'm failing to see any problems.)
  • Barack Obama is going to blow up Japan.
  • He's going to kill babies. (I'm guessing this has something to do with "pro-choice" stance of Democrats)
  • He was adopted by aliens.
  • He's going to paint the white house black.
  • He's going to enslave all the white people.

Seriously, where do they come up with all this? I would just like to clarify, again, that the opinions expressed here are those of my children and not necessarily those of the author. I needed to get them down before I forgot how crazy they are!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Politics. Seven-year-old-style

So Avery came home today with a sticker on her shirt saying "I voted". I asked her who she voted for.
She said, "I don't remember his name."
I said, "John McCain?"
She said, "no. Not him"
I said, "Barack (sp? Is it bad that I'm really not sure how to spell his name??) Obama?"
She said, "is that the one with the little bit of brown skin?"
"Yes."
"Ya. That's who I voted for. Only me and one other kid voted for him."

Why am I not surprise that she voted AGAINST the grain? Freakin' love that girl!

It's Like Christmas Morning

So I found a new blog and I'm way past excited about it. She's only done one post but she really sounds like she's going to be good! So go read it!

PS I promise, promise, promise it's not me. Trust me. I'm not this clever!

I'm going to learn how to link one of these days but until I get it figured out I'll give you the addy:

thebackorderedlife dot blogspot dot com

K, run along and read it.
OMG!!! I think I figured it out!!!