virtual void pop() {
    // we make a container, we put the start node in, and it's children's
    // and siblings
    std::deque<Node *> dq;
    // case for when it's only one item
    if (root->child == nullptr) {
      // delete the root, and make it null ptr
      delete root;
      root = nullptr;
    }
    // case for when it's a parent, and a child only
    else if (root->child->sibling == nullptr) {
      // now we delete the root, and make it null ptr
      dq.push_back(root->child);
      root->child->previous = nullptr;
      root = dq.front();
      dq.pop_front();
    }
    // normal case when there are multiple childrens
    else {
      root->child->previous = nullptr;

      dq.push_back(root->child);
      // we add all the siblings
      while (dq.back()->sibling != nullptr) {
        dq.push_back(dq.back()->sibling);
      }
      // now break all the links so we can remeld
      for (unsigned int i = 0; i < dq.size(); ++i) {
        dq[i]->sibling = nullptr;
        dq[i]->previous = nullptr;
      }

      // make root the front, popfront, meld the next, pop front, and continue
      while (dq.size() > 1) {
        root = dq.front();
        dq.pop_front();
        meld(dq.front());
        dq.pop_front();
        // then we push this value to the back
        dq.push_back(root);
      }
    }

    // decrease size when we pop
    sizeVars--;
  }