Happy New Year!!!

Is anyone still there???

First off, to anyone who reads this blog occasionally, I'm sorry for the darkness...but if there is one disadvantage to doing a mostly online educational program, it is that the last thing you really want to do when you are done schooling for the day or charting for the day at work is get on a computer for recreation. 

In brief... We are all alive and well and still sooooo very happy that we have a child to share our little adventure of a life. Happy New Year, and we hope your holidays were amazing!

Director's Cut:

I seriously didn't think it had been 6 months....oh where has the time gone?...Well, I'll tell you...

July was a bit of a whirlwind as I was only home for 1 week of it between vacation (cue sad violins) and what I like to call nurse practitioner camp, but what Frontier Nursing University [Best read with uppity Haaaarvard voice] would like for me to call Clinical Bound.  It was scary, exciting and also the most fun camp-like experience where they threaten to kick you out of the program 3 of the first 5 days...I was very fortunate to have gotten to experience this with, well to steal from my study buddy, Dan, "My Team".   

Your future healthcare team.

These four people are absolutely amazing, and somehow, we all worked it out to be able to go to our clinical bound at the same time...so they all came to my house since I live the closest to school by a little (They are from Jordan, Alaska, Texas, and Florida).  We have been through thick and thin, illness and strife, and even prodromal labor pains together.  We had SOOO much fun together from the moment Dan landed at the airport to dropping Holly off the next week. We all did really well on our assessments. I mean, I did lose a point because I didn't introduce myself to my patient, but that wasn't on the rubric...and as an introvert, basic social skills are not always innate to me.  Thank goodness for BJ... For the record, I have never once forgotten to tell the patient who I am since starting clinicals, so at least I am very trainable...

Then I moved back in with my parents to do my first two rotations for grad school in my hometown.  It has been great so far. I have a month left and then I will "move back in" with my husband in late January.  Matt has been coming with me for most of the week and we split custody every other Wednesday which makes for all sorts of interesting story lines for people staring at us during our rendezvous at random fastfood parking  lots.  'Look at her just hand her baby over like it's nothing!' 'They're still wearing their wedding bands.'  'OMG they kissed!' 'They're having an affair with their exes!' These are what I imagine people thinking as they stare at us...I also have a terrible Teen Mom habit...

BJ is basically working two full time jobs to makeup for my slackerhood/graduate student thing.  He's been a total champ.  I keep writing that I don't deserve him, and I truly mean that.  I don't know what I did right, but BJ is all of those right things in one human.  He is teaching classes at a couple of different colleges/universities on top of his full time job. He's such a good guy...well, he did make me watch the extended version of Lord of the Rings Trilogy back-to-back-to-back once, but he's pretty much an all-around good guy.

As for the star of our little 6 person and critter show, Matt is just the bee's knees.  He started school, and he has learned many things like washing his hands, drama, art, groupthink (cry when someone else starts crying cuz their mom dropped them off) all sorts of noises, but Ga-ga also helps with that.  He is in a Montessori class for 2 year-olds, and we think he has a great time.  He's the youngest and one of the smallest in his class. I would love to be a fly on the wall, because I imagine it's like herding cats, but his teachers love him and we love his teachers.  I did, however, find out that he will have to repeat the 2 year old class next year, so...basically...Matt flunked 2 year old Montessori school, which is supposed to be impossible...but then again, we weren't supposed to have kids, either...so there you go! 

He is still jibber-jabbering with a few more words thrown in that may have some similarity to a Latin word here or there.  I was always kinda annoyed by the parents that are like "my child talks so much as has so many words!" and the kid is like 'wah wah bwha, shis ba'. And they respond, "Why yes, Johnny, we can go to the art museum on this fine Sunday." And I'm like 'you just made that up.'  But now, I am starting to see that I have learned some Matthewese... Like Oc-POH, is octopus, clearly.  Shish is fish...wauer is water, who-zat is Who's that? And also, he seems to have a Boston accent which is pretty disturbing to my southern ear. Car is "Kaw" I think he's doing well for first born boy.  There are words he refuses to say...Like most P words such as please and pumpkin...yet he says poopy, and pee pee...While not a P word, he also says stinky pretty clearly.  So foul mouth and bathroom humor, here we come!

Which brings me to the topic of toilet training...BWAHAHAHAHAHA....he's gonna go to kindergarten in diapers...Honestly, he doesn't give a damn at this point.   There are physical signs he's ready (dry naps and such), but mentally, honey badger don't care. He can sit on his potty for 2 seconds, and he can flush for you..., well, if you pee fast enough...It's quite frustrating to him that it takes us so long.  My peers sing the praises of the naked weekend, and I have thought about doing the naked weekend.  I just don't quite see how this magical naked weekend is so magical for a boy, as it doesn't run down his legs and he doesn't have to clean it up... So honestly, we will just keep introducing the idea of going to the potty and hope that something sticks, eventually...ideally on this side of kindergarten.  

He's a mess.  After watching him try to ride his ride-on down stairs, or off the Fisher Price trampoline Santa got him, I have concerns.  If he's advanced in any one area, it's his gross motor skills. (I've seen his artwork, and fine motor is not really his thing.)  He's been jumping off the ground for three months and can balance on one foot for a few seconds. He's been running since about 3 weeks after he started walking consistently.  He hangs and does toes to the bar trying to turn upside down. He somersaults without hands...cuz who needs those...He loves to be upside down, and he loves to jump and "race".  He also loves his iPad, so there's that. (It's a hand-me-down iPad2...as in the 2012 model...as in you aren't making me feel guilty for judging me, because I already feel guilty....His Grammy did it!)  Anyway, so far I'm not too concerned with the amount of time, because it doesn't hold a charge very long (hehehe) and he goes back to doing the above things frequently.  It's definitely a wonder at how quickly things like "screen time" become a thing...sheesh...I mean the kid still can't even speak English, yet...or go to the bathroom by himself...GAH!

The holidays were magical with our nearly two year old...He recognized all the "Ho-hos" in decorations...(that's Santa for the perverted among you) and also like "Froshy the No-man". (That's Frosty the Snowman, clearly...also clearly is that all no-mans are Froshy).  Overall, he got way too much and he loved being with his people. This week will be a rough transition, but he usually adapts pretty quickly.  I got lucky like that.

Matt Facts:

Height:  32.75"

Weight:  23.5 lbs" give or take a dump...

Teeth: 16

Skills: Jib-jabbing, running, jumping, blowing strawberries, flirting, driving his Thomas the train backwards, brushing his teeth, car noises, tractor noises, farm animal noises, and being adorable.

Object of affection: He sleeps with his V-tech flashlight ...kinda sensible...I'll give him that...

Bane of his existence:  Rubber squeaky pig toy for dogs, Fisher Price Dragon, and getting dressed or undressed intermittently...also bananas occasionally, too

Favorite food:  Instant Carnation Breakfast Drink and ketchup, but not together...well, not yet, anway. 

Peace, Love, and Crickets,

Mary Katherine