Steph and her 6 cavities!

Steph had her pediatric dental appointment today. She was hilarious - sat so perfectly - even let them take x-rays of her back teeth - both sides!

She has 6 cavities - 4 regular fillings and 2 that will be crowns - one root canal. I know shocking - but yes - they do root canals on toddlers! He ACTUALLY said her teeth were not that bad! He blamed it on the bottle to which I said that I have 4 other kids that had bottles and no cavities - to which he said that the statistic is 1 in 3 babies on bottles too long will get cavities - so...I guess the bottle coupled with her genetics (thin enamel) didn't work - it's all our fault! All of you out there with babies on bottles - stop them at one year!! Or you have a 33.3% chance of a very large dental bill.

Her "surgery" for all this will be April 16th. Unless - they get cancellations on March 5 and they call!

Stephanie at the Dentist

Steph had a dental appointment yesterday! I know - she's way too young but it was necessary. If you care to watch the video - she was so cute!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1VJzeaptFg

Steph

Robert drove by the horse stables. She lifted her head, put her nose and the air - sniffed (making the sniffing sound) and said, "I think I 'mell horse booty dad!"

Sammy and His Braces

Sammy got his braces on Thursday morning. Thursday night, one came unglued - Sammy missed a movie to go get it fixed. Of course, he didn't care about missing because he was concerned about his teeth. He brushes his teeth constantly - he is trying to be good so his name will be entered in a drawing for an ipod which he wants very badly!!! If they get good check-ups, they get entered each month - they can win an ipod or a PSP. He wants the ipod. He even put a travel toothbrush in the glovebox last night and keeps reminding me to buy travel toothpaste. He lets me know what he can and cannot eat. Today he got a bag of candy and thinks he is saving it for 2 years until they come off - He is upset that he has to give it away! He didn't get UCLA colors because he has a new type of brace that isn't colored. He was okay with that! We have to have 4 teeth pulled in a month which I'm sure he will think is cool too. He has been so good about this - he is so responsible. He cried when the brace came unglued and I had to assure him that I didn't think it was his fault.

Dani brought the camera in to take pictures. The Orthodontist asked her to make sure she got his good side. They also put Steph in the chair and pretended she got a check up - which was good because she really has one on Monday morning. They gave the three kids toothbrushes and mirrors!

Basketball

Nanno's team won the championship tonight. Not sure who was more excited - Nathaniel or Robert! This team beat us twice during the season - once by 21 points and the other time by 18 points. We beat them tonight by 12. It was close the whole game but we pulled away at the end. All the kids played great. It was so "cute" to see them jumping around at the end of the game all excited. The other team cried - which makes me sad BUT I was very excited to win! Stephanie sat on the bleachers with a pen drawing tatoos all over her body - I think Auntie Michelle gave her the pen...and probably some candy too!

My cousin Julie, her son Christian and my Aunt Johnye came for the day - cheering on the boys in their last football game, going to the football team party and then the championship basketball game. Grandma and Papa Ardo came to all the games as well. It was so nice to spend the day with Julie - it's been too long. Thanks for coming Julie!

No More Bottles

The kids and I gathered in the kitchen (Monday or Tuesday) for a "throw the bottle away" ceremony. We all kissed it and threw it in the trash...even Stephanie. We grabbed the rest of them out of the cupboard and put them in a bag. She doesn't know it but they are all on top of the fridge in the bag (yes, even right now!) I kept them just in case...not sure why I kept them but I did...probably because it was harder for me - my last baby with a bottle. I guess the next thing is potty training. She goes all the time on the potty but still wears a diaper. That's probably my fault too. She's just growing up way too fast. Not that diapers are sweet and touching or anything...

She hasn't had the bottle for 4 or 5 days. Occasionally she asks, but we remind her that we kissed it goodbye and then she asks for water or yemonade. I think I am struggling more than she is! The sad thing is that without the bottle she seems even older!

Every morning Steph comes up stairs with a HUGE smile on her face, crawls into my bed and kisses me saying in her VERY raspy voice, "good morning mommy." It is so cute. Robert gets it sometimes as many days he is gone before she is awake - but she is twice as happy when he is still there.

Santa Clarita

The girls and I (Tracy) went to Santa Clarita for a softball tourney for Jessy. The team went undefeated on Saturday. The tourney was canceled Sunday for rain...Because they were the only team that went undefeated on Saturday they received first place! Aunt Wendy and the kids hung out with us all weekend - it was a blast. We were also able to see Rachel and Andrew on Friday at their new home which is so nice! We babysat the Ardo's on Friday night and Saturday (Scott and Patty were on an elder retreat), went to church on Sunday (Scott was AWESOME) and hung out at their house on Sunday. It was such a fun weekend. Robert stayed home with the boys as they had a basketball tourney. Nanno's team is advancing to the championship...Sammy's team had two of their main players out sick - they played well and hung with the team the whole game but ended up losing and ending the season.

Katie Pen making her bull dog face!

Wendy got to the park and said, "Tell me that is NOT your stroller!" Well - it was! I had millions of kids with me, all their jackets (it was supposed to be 54 but it was 70), food, snacks, water bottles, juice, diaper bag...toys, bikes, purse...etc!!!

Andrew posing in his backyard. Rachel- I put the pics on a CD for you!

Sammy's Birthday February 5, 2007

Sammy turned 11 years old today. I still can't believe it. He had a great day. His day of course was run by food. He had French toast for breakfast, chicken, white pasta and broccoli for lunch and steak kabobs for dinner with caesar salad. Jessy made him a cinnamon swirl birthday cake (which he picked out!). Grandma and Papa, Josh and Renee all came to dinner. We had a GREAT time. Sammy must have received 20 phone calls. Thank you everyone that called!

Posing for the typical picture! (See below!)

Blowing out the 11 candles!

Sammy is getting braces on February 15. He is actually excited. Guess what color he is getting? It should be obvious to all... if you said baby blue and yellow for UCLA - you are right. I told him that maybe royal blue would look better...but we'll see!! Please keep praying for him to grow to be a Godly young man. He continues to have a sweet prayer life (never forgetting to pray for people's salvation and people that are ill), a servant's heart and he has maintained the knowledge of where everything is in our home (as he has done since before he could speak!). He is such a joy around here. It's so much fun to watch all the kids play and giggle at night like they did when they were little. His little gut laugh is still so catchy and Jessy seems to bring it out in him just like she did when they were 2 and 3. He and Nathaniel continue to play constantly and get along so well - their friendship is sweet to watch. Dani and Stephanie continue to look up to him and he is always there to help them and get whatever they need. When it came time to share what we all love about Sammy - Stephanie yelled, "his presents!" For Steph, his presents were boring - for him thrilling - he got new Vans, some shirts and an Active hat, some money ... and the promise of Nerf Showtime Hoops. It's an electronic inside basketball game...Hopefully we will find one! Robert went to a couple stores searching but they were out of it! Tomorrow he will check Toys R Us!

Weekend Pictures

Sammy is Turning 11 on Monday!!

Some old pics of Sam. Prior to 2001 I did not have a digital camera - so they start in 2001. Wasn't he sooo cute?? I can't believe he will be 11. I was reading things I had written to him 5 years ago - things about him liking clothes, being orderly and organized, sticking up for Nanno, explaining everything he says or does, giving us play by play etc. and I laughed because he is still the same way! I love you Sammy!

5/23/2001

6 years old 5/15/02

2003 (7 years old)


2004 (8 years old)

2/2005 (9 - the candles don't add up but he is 9 here!)

November 2006 - 10 Years old...Almost 11

Tip: Use baking soda to stop Hot Grease Fires

Okay- this is long - you don't have to read it unless you want...I wanted to have it written down. Maybe you can learn from my mistakes - and before any of you get critical - realize you are thinking as you are reading this - I am in the midst of it... Oh and if you read this one go ahead and read the next one too - Papa's Sauce - it's cute about my dad and Steph.

Well tonight I almost lit myself on fire and the house. I put oil in a pan to fry my shells for my favorite dinner - tacos. I left, got distracted, robert called..blah blah blah. I walked out and the house was filled with smoke. The pan was only left for a few minutes but I left it already heating and on too big of a burner for the size of the pan. The kids were watching tv and didn't notice the smoke. I ran to the kitchen - well the pan was smoking at this point - it was sooo hot. I didn't touch it because I have never seen anything so hot. As I'm looking at it, it ignites and flames are going up about 1 1/2 feet. I had to move it or it would have burned up my microwave above the stove. When I moved it, the flames start flying as high as 3 feet up which scared me so I walked across the kitchen and set it on the counter. Jessy suggests water - I say, "NO WAY" knowing what would happen = all this time my house is filling up with gray and black smoke. I look up and realize that it's going to make my ceiling black and give us all firemen lungs so I decide to take it outside. I tried to think of a way to put it out and couldn't think of ONE way to stop it - I know that in a fire you smother it but somehow the hot grease seemed different. I kept thinking that anything I put on it would catch fire. Now I have a few ideas - like a cookie sheet! But at the time...I couldn't think of how to put it out. I even thought I should take a picture before I move it (which is so typical of me to want to capture the moment and not live the moment...not that you would want to live this moment...you picture loving people know what I mean) but decided it was too serious (the flames had settled but were still about 1 1/2 feet up up in the air) and the house was looking like the inside of the chimney when Robert starts a fire and the smoke comes out the wrong way. Robert calls in the meantime. Dani is on the phone and Steph starts crawling up on the barstools, jessy and sammy are airing out the house or trying to. I panic - yell at Dani to get off the phone and get Steph out of here - Dani is saying to Robert, "Dad - there is a big fire!" I think she even told him, "Mom is on fire!" He is hearing me say, "hang up dani and get her out the front door NOW." Sammy calls Greg (our fireman neighbor) who is NOT home but Gina gets on the phone with him. I decide that the smoke is getting worse and that I need to get this thing outside - not realizing that by moving I will fan the flames - I put back on the potholder, pick up the pan and the flames start going higher - literally over 3 feet in the air. I walk to to door and notice that my potholder on my hand has now caught fire and the flames are coming up my arm. You won't believe this - but I was calm!! I know - that is shocking. Even when Jessy told Robert the story later I heard her say, "Dad, mom was so calm. She wasn't screaming or panicked at all when the fire was getting her!" I'm still shocked at that. At this point my arm looks like it's on fire and I started wondering what I was going to do if my sweater ignited or my hair. There is a dead tree by my door - which I didn't think about when I headed that way - (I had brought it in to get it out of the freeze or it would die) - well I think the tree is alive but all the leaves are brown (I know it's a song). It seems like the fire looked at it and starting leaping higher - literally like it was hungry. I don't know if I was more afraid of the tree catching or the fact that the flames seemed hungry for my hair and were still trying to come up my arm! I couldn't put it down so I made a quick move out the door, dropped oil all over the rug, burning it (no melting it) and got the pan outside - I kept thinking that this thing has got to stop but it didn't. I really have no idea why my hair or the tree did not catch on fire. Well - outside there were things all around it which I was kicking away. Gina suggested throwing flour on it - well I had to throw it as it was still burning so it actually ignited more and then it worked, and it calmed down. We then threw a cookie sheet on it which was also Gina's suggestion. Not sure where my brain was at the time. Well actually I think it was thinking how to avoid disaster in case my hair and the tree caught fire at the same time and would my kids know to stay away from me? And how was I going to put me out? In all honesty - I must have had divine help because it doesn't make sense to me that the tree didn't catch and my sleeve was not burned at all. Needless to say - I am more afraid of it now than when it happened which is often the case - which is probably why I am not in bed right now! I am so thankful no one got hurt and and that my hair, my alive dead tree and curtains didn't catch on fire. I'm thankful Gina was home even though she couldn't get to me, it was a comfort and she was able to help me get it out. I'm also so thankful for my children. All this time Jessy and Sammy were opening windows and Nathaniel and Daniele had Stephanie sitting outside the front door. The kids were amazing. They didn't panic or cry - maybe they didn't know how dangerous fire is? I am going to talk with my kids about fire-safety - that is usually not a homeschool topic but it now will be! So...If you ever have a hot grease fire, put baking soda on it, don't move it, don't put water on it, don't carry it near flammable things and have a working fire extinguisher in the kitchen. It also helps to live next to a fireman and his wife :O)

I just looked up what to do on the web. Here's what I found:

Never, never put water on a grease fire! Water will splatter the grease and dramatically increase the size of the fire. (See I knew that!) You will easily get burned! NEVER try to carry a flaming grease fire outside. It will quickly be too hot to carry and you will certainly spread the fire over the entire area. OOPS!!!!

Papa's Sauce

A friend told me to put a drop of Tabasco on Steph's tongue whenever she sticks her tongue out.. So...I warned her! A little while later she stuck her tongue out at me. I went to the cupboard, pulled out the bottle and showed it to her - she smiled really big and said, "OOOHHH, Papa's sauce!" She was really excited about it until I put it on her tongue...She hated it - fortunately. We used it two times today. Hopefully she will stop sticking her tongue out.

When Nathaniel was little, I did the same thing (probably because he said something he shouldn't have because he didn't stick out his tongue)...anyway, when I put it on his tongue, he said, "MMMMMMMMMMM!" as if it was the greatest thing ever - typical Ardavanis!

Sammy falling backwards in the Pit

Stephanie

Steph has been sticking out her tongue when given instruction. Michelle caught her yesterday and steph proceeded to act like she was just wagging it bag and forth. Is that smart or what? Last night she stuck out her tongue at Robert two times. I am having trouble not laughing! She was sitting under my legs as I was standing in the kitchen. He instructed her somehow and she popped her head around my leg and stuck her tongue out!! I have to hide my face because it's really funny but soooo bad!!! Pray for us ... and her!!! I am taking her to the doctor today as she is still sick and coughing and today she seems worse.

Well- just got back from the doctor. She has a double ear infection and pink eye. No wonder she was so ornery! She was very friendly in the doctor's office. Wanted to say hi to everyone. She went and sat by a girl on the ground and the little girl gave her a dirty look and moved. Steph just sat there - I always wonder what she is thinking - I'm sure with her personality she is thinking, "I wonder what's wrong with her?"

In the picture she is actually sitting in the dryer. I was folding laundry and turned around and there she was! I know bad parenting to let her be in there, but it made for a cute picture.

More Disneyland Pics - Yes - we go a lot!

Dani and Steph meeting Cinderella

We had Dani's face painted. She waited in line and met 6 princesses.

Jessy and Cruella!

We met Rachel and her friend Miranda with their babies - it was super fun. Andrew (Rachel's son) is so cute and funny. My kids loved being with him! I didn't get a good picture of him - you can check out her blog at: http://carpediem141.blogspot.com/

Dani stealing Mom's coke

Nanno playing basketball

Just thought you might want to see Nanno's socks!

Steph and the May Pole

A May Pole was brought out at the Princess Party at Disneyland. The children were supposed to take the ribbons and walk nicely around the pole. Steph grabbed the ribbons and thought, "HHMMMM what can I do with this?"

"I think I'll grab four or five, back way up, and pick up my feet like Tarzan and swing toward the pole!"
Cinderella: "No, No honey ... !"

I didn't stop her because I was taking the pictures! She did it a few times before Cinderella stopped her!

Disneyland - AGAIN!

Ellie and Steph meeting Pooh. They also met Eyeore, Pluto and Buzz Lightyear.

Nathaniel, Preston and Blake

Jessy and Kaitlyn


Taken after Roaring Rapids at Cal. Adventure

We went with the Guyles, Dempseys and Millers We had a blast!

Disneyland Pics

Nathaniel embarressed to be taking a picture with a pirate but doing it for Mom anyway!

Auntie Michelle and the little girls.

Dani and Steph!

Waving at Mommy!

Sammy, Steph and Jonny with a Pirate who signed his name as an X and two skulls!

We went to Disneyland today and bought passes - thanks Papa Harry. It was fun to watch Stephanie's face full of wonder and excitement. She was afraid on Pirates at first but got over it. She LOVED Buzz Lightyear, It's a Small World and the merry-go-round. We walked right past the merry-go-round and she started screaming and looked in shock that we were not going on it! It was also a blast to watch the joy on the other kids faces as they enjoyed Steph.