'Spring' Break

Spring Break was much needed for all of us. Liam and I enjoyed spending the days together and we had Daddy take a day off of work to come have some fun with us! So, on Tuesday, St. Patty's Day, we headed to Truckee for some sledding. We first had a mission to find a Shamrock shake, but darn that McDonald's was not doing that promo this year! So, we settled for Strawberry. This was Liam's first shake (at least I think so... GG? Nana? Titi?) and he LOVED it. Sledding was a HUGE success. We found a good little spot and had sooo much fun. It was great to be able to relax and have lots of fun together without having to think too much about homework(although maybe I should have been. oh well!)

Liam's first time-- BIG smiles!

He did so well pulling his little 'sled' back up to dad.

Wes and I had to get in on the fun too!

Just cute.

Having fun!

We decided it was time to stop when Liam started jumping off of the sled halfway down the hill. Little Daredevil.

"Catch me, Dad!"

All done and happy as can be. :)

One more of my inventive child, talking to Boots, Benny, Tico, Dora and Isa on the way home. :) Nice germs on the face. Oh well, such is the germy life of a little boy.

Even though our Spring break wasn't all too springy(well some days were...), we had a wonderful time! Now back to the grind. :)

Level II Clinical- Part I

Bottom row from the back, Kim M., Danelle K., Amanda M., Nikki D.

Top row from the back, Justin J., Michelle K, me, Wendy and her adorable little boy

I had a really awesome clinical experience for the first half of this semester. For some reason, I hadn't been looking that forward to it, probably because I am so excited for the second half of the semester doing Labor and Delivery, but I had a *great* clinical experience.

First, we have an awesome group. Everyone is so considerate and cheers you on when you get to do a new skill (Justin was great helping me do my first NG tube!). We have all loved sharing our experiences together and learning from each other. It truly makes all the difference.

One of the biggest reasons for such a great experience has been our instructor, Wendy. She's an amazing person and nurse. She has been able to get us to really think and use our assessment skills to the best of our abilities and beyond. She has done so much in her time as a nurse and I've truly been blessed to have her as a model of what a truly excellent nurse is. She is definitely the kind of nurse I want to be: compassionate, caring, smart, kind, and a person with true integrity.

I have loved the floor experiences we got to have as well. My favorite was oncology. I thought it would be too difficult and sad, but it was great to help make someone's day a little better and I learned so much from the great nurses on the floor. We also got to shadow a radiology nurse practitioner and watch cerebral angiograms, a speech pathologist and help with swallow studies, and a wound care nurse, which helped me feel more comfortable with ostomy care. I also experienced Neuroscience which I liked as well, but have come to the realization that it's not for me. I had a more difficult time dealing with the stroke patients, but I learned so much about how vital the nursing care is to those patients.

So, even though that may not mean a whole lot to anyone reading this, I wanted to document it before we move on to L&D, seeing as I use this as sort of a journal. I'm sooo excited for what is to come this next part of the semester and hopefully I'll be able to carry the things I've learned so far this semester into my care in L&D.

Future Cartoonist

Liam has been really into drawing lately. He's also been really interested in trying to write letters or draw specific things. Generally, he tells me he drew something, say a monkey or giraffe, and it looks nothing like what he told me. Well, yesterday I just glanced at his easel and he had drawn two little faces under his attempt at his name. I guess I realize that it wasn't a fluke because there were two very distinct happy faces. I am probably just a biased mom, but I was so impressed-- maybe just because it's so different from his normal scribbles and imaginary drawings. haha.

I had to take a picture of it. I just can't believe how quickly my baby is growing. It seems like just yesterday he couldn't even hold a pen and now he's drawing faces and writing his name! Maybe he'll be a talented artist like his daddy-- he sure didn't get the drawing genes from his momma! Wes actually used to want to be a cartoonist when he was growing up, which I personally thought was kind of funny. Hey, ya never know!

You can see his name a little better in this picture. He started with the first 'L' but I guess he didn't like it, so it now has two 'L's the 'M' is up a little higher in purple. A work in progress, but he is obsessed with trying. I hope he doesn't end up being an 'over-perfectionist' or a 'type double A' as they refer to us in nursing school, like his mom.

PS- Easels are the greatest toy! Liam *loves* his and plays with it everyday.

Springtime Joy!

We are so happy to see the first signs of spring. I always love it when those first little daffodils bloom. Liam was pretty happy this year as well! It gives us hope that Spring is on its way(even though we know in Nevada that can mean a few more snowstorms still--but, still, it's on its way.)

Scripture Power!

One of our New Year's Resolutions as a family was to be better at reading our scriptures together. I'm pretty impressed-- we've actually been doing pretty well. :) Liam is also starting to enjoy it as well. He says in his naughtiest little voice, "Laman and Lemuel are NNNNAAAUGHTTY!" Now, he pretends often that he is reading to us and then makes sure to ask us "What did we read about, Mom/Dad?" Last week(maybe it was the week before?) Wes found him waiting for us to be ready for church reading his scriptures and singing the primary song "Scripture Power!" It was pretty darn cute. :)

Create

This is a really beautiful, inspiring video that I stumbled upon. The person talking is one of our church leaders, Dieter Uchtdorf, from Germany. However, this message is beautiful for anyone yearning to create anything! I hope you enjoy this and that it inspires and moves you as it did me.

Baseball!

Liam has been very into baseball and basketball lately. He loves to play both with his baby-sitter's son, Samuel. He got a HUGE pencil for Christmas that he had been using as a baseball bat, but was thrilled when he could upgrade to an actual baseball bat that Nana and Papa got him for Valentine's Day. He loves it and plays with it about a million times a day. Some days he is much better than others. He definitely is a great baseball pitcher, but it's hit or miss, literally, on batting. This particular day that I decided to get my camera out, was a day that he wasn't so good with the batting. I think he forgot how to even hold the bat. He has since gotten much better. His Titi tried to help him out, but it just got progressively worse. It did make for some pretty hilarious pictures, not to mention another infamous "Liam outfit" (monkey pajamas, a "Go Green" t-shirt and cowboy boots...).

Batter UP!

Titi trying to help the poor kid out.

"Like this Mom?"
"No, sweetie. It's not a fly swatter."

And the best photo yet....

I don't think I could even make up anything funnier than this picture. The cowboy boots just really top it off (they are even on the wrong feet).

Linus

All of the sudden, Liam has turned into Linus. He has never cared about blankets, stuffed animals, etc, before but suddenly, he is obsessed! In his bed he now has to have his frog blanket, his polka dot blanket, his yellow care bear blanket, his star blanket, and his dinosaur blanket. Also in attendance before bed, must be Bob/George the monkey, Milo the bear and 'sheep.'

Here is Liam in all of his blanket glory 'sleeping.'

Psych! Giggle Monster faking sleep!

But, his current absolute favorite blanket, which sealed his nickname of Linus, is his obsession with his "Blue Care Bear Blanket" that Grandma made him before he was born. This blanket has to go to his baby-sitter's, Nana's, etc. He loves this blanket and also like to wear it as a cape at times. I don't even think he's ever seen a Care Bear show, so it's interesting that he has latched on to this specific one. It's not especially manly either, but his is secure in his masculinity.

I love this photo because this a 'normal' Liam outfit. SuperWhy shirt and cape, Diego unders, and croc socks with no pants. (by the way, he's doing GREAT with potty training lately. Hooray!)

Chinchilla Homework

The good thing for Liam about having a mom who is a student is that he sees good(well mostly good. :P) study habits at work. He often tells us when he is coloring or looking at books that he is doing his homework or studying things. Most of my homework is on the computer so he associates the computer with homework.

Like with his train creation, he also has created his own computer consisting of two books (see photo below) and then he sits and types and 'plays computer.' It's pretty cute.

Well, yesterday he took this to a new level and decided that he was doing homework, but not only was he doing homework, he told us, word for word, that he was "doing my chinchilla report." Apparently after seeing chinchillas on "Go, Diego, Go!" he is now obsessed with them. I also was impressed that he thought through the whole process of doing a report about them.

I guess I should really ask him to tell me his report on them. I wouldn't be surprised if I learned something new-- seems to be the trend with him lately. We are constantly surprised by him and the things that he comes up with! Let's just hope he keeps the homework enthusiasm when he is actually required to do it.