Updates

Weekend:
- Four kids in a bathbub + one parent is daring.

- Minnesota is lovely when spring finally hits (solid 70s for the past few days)
- Running a 9 mile run without sunscreen when one got fried at the zoo the day before isn't smart
- I love garage sales around here. Tons of nice kids clothes and toys for cheap. It's like a shopping-lover's paradise.
- I stink at golfing. Driving the cart is the best part. But it's still fun to go with your hubby even if you score double par.
- Guitar Hero completely rocks. Even better with two guitars.

Luke:

- Enjoyed "watering" Evie in the bathtub
- Can sing all the words to "I have a family here on earth" (his favorite kids' primary song). In front of the primary. In lieu of one minute of a two-minute talk. He was sosososo proud of himself. And we were pretty proud of him too.
- Was caught saying this, to his four-year-old cousin, with vinyl tunnel pointing straight down a four foot drop onto corner of wooden toy box: "Hey, Kevin! Get over here! Dive head-first down this!"

Evie:
- Hung out like this (see above) at the zoo all afternoon.
- Had her 15 month check up today and weighs in at a solid 21 lbs 11 oz. That's 25th % folks. And 10th % for height. And 75% for head.
- Added "tank - oo" (thank you), "ah don" (all done) and "wing eee" (spring me! i.e. get me out of the high chair!) to her repertoire of words

Problem

Dear Mommy,

I do not have enough hair for pigtails.

You keep trying anyway.

I think you might have a problem.

Love,

Evie

A few good ideas

It's going to be kind of a big summer around here, I guess. I don't really like to think about part of it. I'm graduating from residency (yay! ecstatic to be thinking about that part). And then in July, I'm turning the big 3-0. Eeek. I'm a little more freaked out about this than I thought I'd be.

Anyway, Ken has been looking for some gift ideas so I thought I'd pass some along. From the jewelry department, anyway. I've been wanting something silver that I could wear more frequently than really fancy jewelry. And that would last a long time. I've been really loving flower designs for some reason. And I love etsy. Here are some of my favorites:

This is my absolute favorite. From Sundance.

.I LOVE this design. And it comes in a set! From Sunset Road.

From Iacua /Etsy

I like the pearl in this one from Etsy

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to everyone -- my wonderful Mom included. And a happy birthday to my sweet, patient husband.

Ken was great. He is really so, so thoughtful. He got up early and made me my favorite breakfast -- a puffed lemon and apple pancake from our Williams and Sonoma cookbook (yumyumyum). It really did look like this. And taste as good as it looks.


He also surprised me with jewelry (always a favorite -- some great earrings and a new bracelet watch), let me sleep the afternoon away, then cooked grilled salmon for dinner. Lovely.

A few thoughts from a recent talk by Elder Ballard (one of the apostles for our church) on mothers. Like a lot of people, I think this talk really touched me.

"Recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction."

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. . . What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."

15 Months (a few pics)

Some 15 month shots from a gorgeous sunny day in the front yard

Trendsetter #2

Plaid Madras shorts - $8
Green and white striped T - $3
The same Lightening McQueen clogs he's been wearing for the past 2 weeks straight - $10
Bike helmet and ratty-but-working bike - garage sale find
Lightening McQueen sunglasses - thanks Aunt Kendra!

Having a 4 year old who gets himself dressed: Priceless

The (sur)Real Life

I think the first thing people ask when they find out what I do is this: "Is it just like this?"

To which I usually respond with "Nononononono!"
I love Grey's anatomy. But ER drives me a little crazy. People never code as often as they do in those shows. No one ever says "STAT!" And med students never, ever do that much. And they don't show the people with fevers and sore throats and chest pain and all the other stuff that makes up 90% of my day.

But my last 2 shifts were straight out of the TV show. Seriously.

- 3 stabbings to the box (chest)

- 2 gun shot wounds to the box (chest).

- One ED delivery (baby). We try to never do this -- there is almost no one we can't get to Labor and Delivery fast enought

- 3 fast hurry-up-about-to-code trauma chest tubes (including one which put out almost a liter of blood and went straight up to the OR after the tube clotted. these garden hose tubes don't clot).

- 2 ED thoracotomies. I.e. split the chest open and hope you find something bleeding you can stop quickly because the person just lost their pulse. We do these approximately once a year because there a only a few reasons to do it. We had two back to back tonight, 20 min apart, we had to call up to the OR for some extra equipment. And we got one back.

- then, breathe, and back the the elderly gentleman who needs to be sedated so we can fix and splint his leg, admit the patient with a stroke and admit the patient and calm down the really anxious gentleman in the back.

Which explains why I'm blogging at 230 am because I am wired. I love my job.

15 months

15 months. Already.

I can't believe how fast it's gone. I love this age. We've really seeing how much personality she has lately.

If Evie could talk, I know this is what she'd say:

-- I love to talk. Mostly I love the sound of my own voice. And, let's be honest, you have to be loud to get a word in edgewise in this house. I've mastered "peeeze" (please), "uh-oh skettee-oh" (uh oh, spaghettios), "bye guys," and "hi." But mostly I just babble.

-- I will have nothing to do with boys. See how disinterested I look while getting whacked on the head by my parents' friend? My daddy says he's very proud.

-- I spend (a little) more time doing this. It's because I know what I want and I won't tolerate not getting it.

-- I will not walk. I could, if I wanted to. I can cruise, climb up and down the stairs, walk holding onto Mommy or with my walking toy. But I absolutely refuse to walk.

-- I am a happy, lovey-dovey sort of girl. I love to have people look at me (and I'm so darn cute!). I love to snuggle and be held and have my family around. I am happiest when I am curled up in someone's arms. And a bottle of milk doesn't hurt either.

Trendsetter

Minnesota Wild Hat: $7
Still-too-big but way-too-cool-not-to-wear Harley Davidson denim jacket: ?? Gift from Grandma!
Way-too-small pajama shorts: $1 off ebay
Red Polo shirt: $3
Lightening McQueen fake plastic crocs: $10

An outfit only a boy could love: Priceless

**it was not anywhere close to shorts weather that day. It was barely 50 degrees. But yet he wore it for a solid 1 1/2 hours, on a bike ride, and throwing frisbees in the street.