Missing Tawna

Yesterday my sister Tawna flew back home to California after staying with us for 3 months. She came in June and we did a little touring while my youngest sister Krista was here, and then when Krista went home, we put Tawna to work. :)
She stayed so she could "nanny" for us while we got ready for the baby, and we had to get our moneys worth out of her. It was so much fun! I went to lunch with Steve a million times, I went shopping all by myself if I felt like it, I went to the Dr. about 100 times, Steve and I went away together for 3 glorious days, and I got THE BEST NAPS of my life. It was fabulous to be able to go upstairs and close the door, and sleep until I felt like I was ready to get up rather than when someone got in a fight or when the movie was over. Then of course she was here to help me get to the hospital when the baby was born and to take care of the kids so Steve could be with me for all four hours of my labor. Then after Brandon came, I would leave him home with her whenever I had to go out to get the boys or run some errands. So, he stayed nice and safe here at home. Today was the first day that I had all the boys to myself. We didn't do too bad, but an extra pair of adult hands is always helpful. And Brandon has cried more since Tawna left than he had the two weeks before. He has to wait until I am done with what I am doing now before someone comes and picks him up. Poor Kid!

{Where's Tawna?^ }

The boys enjoyed Tawna, but maybe not as much as me. They had been getting irritated that I was always going places and they were staying with Tawna. It surprises me how much children dislike a change in authority. They did OK though, and they love Tawna. I have been noticing today that their behavior to me is a little different. They are completely ignoring everything I say to them like I didn't even talk. I can't figure out if this is just a new thing, or if they were doing this to Tawna the whole 3 months and I wasn't noticing. If that is the case I feel sorry for Tawna because it is very frustrating. I will whip them back in to shape though. :)

I just have to say how much I love Tawna. She is such a neat person, and I am grateful to have her as a sister. She was also there for me when I had Jacob and had to fly across the country with the 3 boys. She came with me on the plane and stayed at Steve's parents house with me for a week and made things so much more manageable. In fact the only two times she has flown in her life have been to help me with new babies. She also has such a fun, relaxed personality that we really enjoyed having in our home. It surprised me comfortable she was with being here in Germany. She learned to drive stick shift correctly and then drove all around town, and somehow always managed to get back home. She also went to the store for me all the time, and even took a train ride 5 hours away to a friends house. The foreign country thing did not phase her a bit. Thank you Tawna for being so great!
{I think this is the only picture I took with Tawna, and I am looking really prego and not in a real picture taking kind of mood. I am so not used to having my picture taken that I don't even think about doing it, but I am regretting it now. We should have taken more pics Tawna.}