The Happy Extraction!

Well if you have been following the blog you will remember that Zachary has had quite a bit of dental problems. Earlier in month he had a root canal, and other areas in his mouth that cause concern.

One tooth in particular had abscessed twice this month. So we went and saw a pediatric dentist out in Boise. His immediate response was surgery! He said that he didn't have the patience to deal with Zachary. Zachary does get a bit worked up especially when he get's scared. So when we left the office we had a surgery date and time set up. The whole way home I had a feeling that this wasn't right. There had to be another way of handling the situation. So I talked it over with our family dentist Dr. Lloyd and decided to try one more time.

Zachary agreed to use the Nitrous, and he would do anything Dr. Lloyd had asked him to do. He had learned on Sunday in Primary about keeping a promise. And what it meant to keep a promise not only with yourself but with Heavenly Father. He went in with the mindset that he was going to keep his promise!!!

Dr. Lloyd got started and the tooth was long gone. The cavity had over taken the roots. He had warned me that if this was the case, the tooth would need to come out. So he told Zachary that he need to "put some pressure" on his tooth to make it feel better! And out it popped!!!! I couldn't watch because if I did I might have lost my lunch!! Zachary did AWESOME!!! And now the tooth fairy get's to make a visit!!

The happy extraction! They even gave him a little box to put it in!
It was a molar that needed to come out. Zachary is excited to have pudding for dinner!!

Who's Amy?

I totally forgot to post about our strange hospital experience when Brynley was born. First off we checked in at 11:45p on the 9th of January. It's the best time to have a baby. No one was there! We were the only ones on the floor! So after check in we head up to labor and delivery, where the coolest nurse says, "You must be the McDowell's, I heard you are some crazy Duck fans, and you have to have this baby before game time tomorrow!" Most of you remember that she was born on 1/10/11 which was the National Championship Game.

Anyway, this totally awesome nurse was only on until 8am and then we would get a whole new set of nurses. Well the next nurse was named Judy and she actually graduated from the University of Oregon back in the late 60's ( I think, seeing as how she wanted to have a conversation with me while I was in horrible pain and trying to get my epidural!) So we had a Duck fan on our side, seeing how most people here like the Boise State Donkey's!

Moving on................... as the morning went on and Brynley was getting closer someone kept calling me Amy?? Hmmmm. Maybe it was just a mistake. Again I was totally consumed in pain since the epidural didn't do it's job. Then I heard it again, "Amy, how are you doing?" Was this lady in the wrong room?? No it was our nurse Judy! She thought my name was Amy. So during the 10 minutes of pushing, she called me Amy again. So Travis was saying Ann trying to convince this lady and fellow alum that I was not Amy. Then my doctor started calling me Amy, WHAT! Then he realized what he said and corrected himself.

So after Brynley was born, Travis, Brynley and myself all got our hospital bracelets. I looked down and noticed that it said AMY McDOWELL!!! All three of them said it! Good thing my official bracelet said Ann. Or they may have not let us bring her home!!! We just laughed and put it off. Later that day Judy started calling me Ann again and all was well.


It's a story for the baby book or in my case the blog! And a fun memory was made!

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This is Brynley's new favorite past time! She love to watch the t.v! She will lay there and kick her feet and "talk" to whatever is on! Lately it's been basketball!

In other news, Brynley is now at 10lbs 2 oz!!! After a week on acid reflux meds and fatty formula along with nursing she gained a pound in one week! Then another 5 oz in 4 days!! So now she is in the 25% instead of 10th % for her age and weight!!

Things 1, 2 and 3.....

It's been a pretty crazy week!

We'll start with Thing 1. This year we signed Madison up for first and second grade girls basketball. They practice 2 days a week and have games on Saturday's. Her coaches name is Mike and there are 10 girls on the team.

Madison is pretty coordinated with both left and right hands. She has a hard time making baskets. But with a little encouragement she does great and is getting better. She is also learning what a jammed finger feels like!!
"I'm open, I'm open!!!" She yells this as she is chasing the girl with the ball!!
There she is #17! She is more of a perimeter player! She is getting more aggressive, and more willing to go after the ball!

Thing 2. We are finding out that Zachary has a pretty expensive mouth. I am so grateful for good insurance. He has had one root canal already and now he has an abscessed tooth! He's only 4 for heaven sake!! So he is on antibiotics which he hates to take 4 times a day! And we go back to see Dr. Lloyd on Monday for possibly another root canal! Yipppeeee fun! We have to give him Diazapam for anxiety. He's a trooper and does really well. I will bring the camera with me next time!!
Zach is still very much in love with his little sister!!!!

Thing 3. Miss Brynley Grace is having a hard time gaining weight. We had her 2 month appointment last week and she only weighed 8lb 15 oz!! No joke! And I had just fed her, so take away a few of those ounces! Dr. Miller put her on Prevacid for acid reflux. After about two does of that she was a happy baby!!!! We went shopping all day on Saturday and she was a perfect baby! Night and day difference! She is still having a formula bottle after she nurses. And we now mix 5oz of water to 3 scoops of formula. It makes it a higher calorie count. We have a weight check on Friday to see if this new combo works!


My mom was here for the weekend and we had a great time! Thanks Nana for coming! We miss you!

Blessing Day!

Today was Brynley's blessing. Madison and Zachary have been looking forward to this day for a long time! Brynley wore the same dress as Madison and her blanket was made by someone in the ward as a gift.

Yesterday (Saturday), I had asked our good friend Beth to take some pictures of Brynley in her blessing dress and a few other ones just for fun. Brynley was cooperative most of the time. It was a fun afternoon and we got some pretty cute pictures. Beth I think we will have to do this again if you are up to it!! Especially when she stays awake longer and smiles more!!

So here are a few of my favorites! Thanks again Beth!


This was at the end!!! She was a trooper the whole time! I may be a little bias,
but I think I have the cutest baby ever!!!

Lazy Blogger!

I didn't realize that it had been forever since I posted. I guess life got busy! Brynley is now 7 weeks old! I can't believe that she will be 2 months next week! She has gained some weight. We are guessing that she is up around 9lbs............ maybe!

Madison started city league basketball! She has practice 2 days a week and games on Saturdays. It's 1st and 2nd grade girls, and let's just say that she is not the only spazy one!! She is actually doing really well. Travis has volunteered as assistant coach, it's fun to watch him encourage the girls! (Pictures to come!)

Zachary went to the dentist for the first time. He has/had 6 cavities. Two were fixed yesterday, one of them was a baby root canal. He did really good, he even took a 45 minute nap! Since Zachary was a little nervous at his new patient check the Dentist prescribed Diazapam, which is for anxiety. We were there for close to 2 hours! Thanks Dr. Lloyd, for making Zachary's first experience an enjoyable one!

I took these of Brynley this morning while she was relaxing in the swing.

This is almost a smile! She smiles for Travis all the time. I have only seen one or two! He prides himself on that!!

She loves to look out the window.

The Last 2 Weeks!

Well the last two weeks have been somewhat eventful. I was just getting over being sick with mastitis, when Madison, Zachary and myself all got head colds. I however lovingly passed it on to Brynley. It's just a yucky nose right now and a little cough. Let's hope it doesn't turn into something else.
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Both Travis and I noticed that Brynley was looking a little thin. Weird to say I know but something didn't look right. She was extremely fussy, and wouldn't let us put her down. I thought it was something that I had eaten and it made her belly hurt. Or maybe that Dr. Pepper I drank didn't agree with her. We stared crossing things off the list, and we still couldn't figure it out.

So this is what we did for 2 weeks! I wore Brynley in the front carrier! I did dishes, made dinner and folded laundry all while she just hung out!

Well come to find out, we or rather I was starving her. She lost almost a whole pound over those two weeks! She was just flat out hungry! I was nursing her every 3 hours and I thought she was getting enough.
So we headed to the doctors office and she was down to 7lb 10oz from 8lb 8oz! So the doctor suggested we supplement. I had a freezer full of milk, so now after she nurses she eats a 2-3 oz bottle! She is now full and content and happy!
Doesn't she look happy and content?!?!

Right before we headed out the door to Church!

Well I guess that is all for now! Hope you all had a good Valentine's Day!!!

Easy Bake and Brynley

Madison got an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas this year from her Great-Grandma. I had one when I was about the same age and I remember that it was a lot of fun!
After weeks for putting it off, and many question of "Can we do Easy Bake now??" I decided to finally open the box and give it a go!


Mixing up the cake!

The "oven" came with a yellow cake mix, chocolate frosting mix and a sugar cookie mix. So we mixed up the yellow cake mix, followed the directions and was not very impressed! Madison was over joyed that she got to eat her creation! Travis quickly reminded us that you can't cook stuff with a light bulb then laughed at us!

Madison and I had fun and that's all that matters!

I think she was more excited about the pan pusher than anything!

Now for more pictures of Brynley!! She is now 3 weeks old and getting more and more cute! She was taking her morning nap and looked all warm and fluffy! So of course I had to take a picture! Isn't she just adorable?

We love this little bug so much, and we are so glad that she is part of
our family!