Introducing. . .

Everyone, I'd like you to meet miss Scout October Bybee. She was born January 19, 2012. She weighed in at a whopping 6 lbs 6 oz and was 19 inches long. The girls love her to pieces. She's a sweetheart.

Baby # 3

By the way, baby # 3 is a GIRL!!! Another girl. So much drama headed our way. Yippee!

Ruby goes to Preschool!

Today was Ruby's first day of preschool. We are so excited for this school year. Ruby is so ready to learn and can already count to about 50! She misses a few numbers here and there, but she gets the idea. Anyway, here's some pictures of her first day of preschool.

First Grade

Today was the first day of First Grade for Molly. She was so excited. We had a pose-a-thon in new school clothes. Ruby had to get in on the action. She will be starting pre-school this fall. Big things happening at the Bybee house!

A special kind of anniversary

Today is monumental. I grew up just a little bit. First, I deleted a voicemail that has been saved and re-saved since May 11, 2010. Second, I threw away a one year old sucker I have been carrying around in my purse.

Weird, you might say.

One year ago today Molly was diagnosed with Diabetes. That was one of the hardest days of my life. I know a lot of people with Diabetes. I know what it does to you. I know what it does to your life especially as you grow up, have children, become geriatric. Not good. I couldn't believe it was happening to us. But we couldn't have prevented it. It happened. The voicemail that I deleted was from Molly's wonderful pediatrician. I had called him the night before and left a message saying how much Molly was sleeping, peeing, and drinking. He called me the second he got in the office the next morning and left a message at 7 am saying, in his Dustin Hoffman voice, "Natalie, this concerns me. Bring her in right away. Don't call and schedule an appointment. Just take her to the lab, then wait in my office until we get the reults." I knew it was Diabetes. I has just studied the onset of Type 1 Diabetes in my Pathophysiology class. But I couldn't face it. Not yet. I was sitting in the parking lot of the grocery store listening to the message, but I couldn't bring myself to face it. So I went grocery shopping. We needed food, right? I saved the message. Over and over for 1 year. Every time the voicemail lady wanted me to erase it I saved it. Today I deleted it. Might seem like it's not that big of a deal, but it's huge to me.

The blood test results a couple hours later confirmed it. The girl in the lab didn't really know what we were having her blood tested for. She gave me a sucker to give to Molly. I kept that sucker in my purse until today.

Her blood sugar was 692. Up in the Dr.'s office he says "Drive to Primary Children's Emergency Room. Here's a note that will explain it to them. Looks like she might have Diabetes." Awesome. We'll just head to Primary Children's then. That's how I was planning to spend today.

I know, I'm kinda sarcastic. But it's just a defense mechanism used to cover up my real feelings for being so totally scared out of my mind for what was about to happen to my child. Scary.

Voicemail- deleted. Sucker- in the garbage. I can move on now. I will no longer mourn for our carefree, pre-Diabetes life. Molly isn't "sick." It was always, "Yeah, we used to do that before Molly got sick." What? She's not sick. We are just acting in a new capacity now. Marc and I are now Molly's pancreas. We don't have a sick child, we just took on another full-time job. Pancreas. I can be a Pancreas.

The thought still crosses my mind at least once a day that I wish it were me and not her, but that's not going to happen. I'm moving on.

Peace. Out.

Happy Birthday Ruby!

Ruby is 3! She seems so much older than that. We had a really fun Rapunzel birthday party with her cousins. She acts so big, and has the vocabulary of a small adult. She is the most caring little girl I've ever met. She makes up for all the compassion that I lack. Happy Birthday Roob!

Weight 31 lbs 55%

Height 37 in 69%

The last few months

Life is a whirlwind. The only way I know to handle it is to go with the flow and don't get hit by a truck. Here's what we've been up to the last few months:

Shooting guns with Grandpa in Flaming Gorge.
Cousin Lucy came to visit. Ruby broke her leg. Sad.
Lots of this. . . Then this happened. . . It snowed a little so this happened. . . Took off the first cast and put this one on. Ruby was a Christmas TreeMerry Christmas!

Spiders are just Roly Polies wearing costumes

Ruby: I'm scared of spiders

Molly: Don't worry. Spiders are just silly Roly Polies wearing spider costumes
Ruby: Oh. I'm scared of spiders.

Happy Birthday Molly!

Here's some old news! Molly is 5. Holy Moly. She is so funny and seems so grown up. She has had quite the year. She started Kindergarten where she is learning Chinese, was diagnosed with Diabetes (and is ROCKING it by the way), and learned how to ride a two-wheel bike. It's great to be 5!

First day of Kindergarten pictures. She is so excited to eat school lunch.



Modeling with Ruby

We put together a team for the JDRF 5K to find a cure for Diabetes. Here is Molly standing behind her poster along the walk route.

Molly wanted a Zoo party with a Baby Zuri cake. Here is my valiant effort.

We love Molly.

Height: 44 inches 83%

Weight: 40 lbs 56%

Island Park

Our annual Jensen reunion took place in Island Park this year. We spent a day in Jellystone, went tubing, and got really dirty. The weather was perfect and the kids had so much fun.

On our way to go tubing in Warm River. Yeah, Warm River- not so warm.

Ruby and Grandpa

Molly, Grandma, and Grandpa at Old Faithful

All the Jensen Grandkids, and Marc. We had a 10 month old, a one year old, a two year old, a three year old, a four year old, two five year olds, and a nine year old. Why would we willingly go camping? Crazy.

Hey Rub!

Help us find a cure for Diabetes!

Dear Friends,

On May 11, 2010 our little four year old, Molly Strawberry, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Unfortunately for Molly and many other children who have Diabetes, there was nothing that could have prevented it, but we can be part of finding the cure. Prior to Molly being diagnosed we knew little about Diabetes. Like many people, we have friends who have it but we never realized the extent to which it changes your life. Molly endures finger pokes up to seven times a day and insulin shots every morning and before every meal. She is an inspiration to all who meet her, especially her family.

Our journey began when we noticed Molly was drinking a lot more water than usual and taking more and more trips to the bathroom, sometimes not making it there in time. While out on a hike Molly complained of being tired, which is unusual for her because she loves hiking and has tons of energy. Mother's Day night was the day that we decided something was seriously wrong. Molly went to the bathroom four times in one hour and still work up at midnight to go again. We called her pediatrician, who told us to bring her in as soon as possible. He felt that he knew what was wrong, but wanted to do a blood glucose test to make sure. Upon receiving the blood glucose test results he sent us immediately to the Emergency Room at Primary Children's Medical Center. After a few hours of more tests we were informed that Molly indeed had Juvenile Diabetes. We spent the next three days in the hospital learning how to count carbohydrates, poke fingers for a blood sample, inject insulin, and how to take care of high and low blood sugar. In the short time since Molly was diagnosed we have been looking for ways to become more involved.

We are writing this letter to inform all of our friends and family that we have created a team for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk to Cure Diabetes. We are hoping to raise $500.00 to help find the cure for Diabetes. You can make a donation or join our team and walk with us Saturday, August 21 at Wheeler Farm by visiting http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmID=87706545. Please help us be a part of finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

Thank you for your support,

Team Molly Strawberry