Spring Time!!!

Glorious Glorious Day!! Springtime has arrived early!!! As one who counts down the days until winter is over, I am very grateful for this gift of an early spring. 80 degrees, sunny, windows open! It's almost like summer...minus green grass and leaves on trees.

We've put away most of our winter stuff

  

And we headed outside. Mr. Independence/ButterBean won't hold my hand and has already acquired scrapes on his hand and arm. He has a great time on walks when he can see dogs, other kids, and cars. Rocks have been confused with food. I foresee many happy hours at the park this spring and summer. 

the SEE exam

I've been busy - no time for blogging! I've been out in Wisconsin for my "rural" rotation, putting in spinals, epidurals, and other blocks. I didn't think I'd like it, but it is soooo rewarding to see your patient suddenly stop feeling pain. Loved it! 

This upcoming weekend I have to take the horrible SEE (self evaluation exam). It's actually a test used to help schools know how well they have prepared their little students...buuutt, we still have to get a certain score. I'm not looking forward to it. I feel like I study study study and I retain .004% of it. No worries - 258 days until graduation.

about to close the door

The little ButterBean and I got a few quality days together when I didn't go to clinical (one day due to snow and other days when there weren't surgeries scheduled). He's jabbering away and has finally added "MAMA" to his repertoire! 

Thus far we have "mama" (usually when he's on the verge of a meltdown)

"dada" (all the time 'dadadadadadadada')

"papa" (which we interpret as both pattycake and grandpa depending on the situation) 

"byebye" (always said in a high pitch as soon as coats are put on or someone goes out the door)

ByeBye

Cupboard Dweller

ButterBean has been in his cupboard/drawer/hamper/anything emptying phase for a while now. Anything that can be opened will be opened and promptly deposited on the floor. Recently he has been bringing me item after item. His favorite thing to bring me is a box of cornbread mix from the kitchen cupboard. He is so proud of himself, marching up to me with the (now quite smooshed and crumpled) box of cornbread mix. He has now decided to make my mother's corner cupboard his hideout

  Oh, why hello! How nice of you to stop by! I'm just sorting my measuring cups. Do come in!

Little Rockstar

ButterBean got a whole lot of presents for his birthday: books, puzzles, balls, Elmo, cars, etc...One of the gifts we gave him was a drum filled with noise makers. I know, I know, what was I thinking giving a noisy child noise makers? If he's going to be making noise, it might as well be productive. Maybe he'll be a musical genius someday! Or a rock star?

Perfecting his rockstar look

Guess Whooo Turned One?

I have a one year old. He is looking at me right now waving an animal cracker. He is one. He has been for 5 days now.

On Sunday we had his party with all of our family. It was a "hoot"! HA! No really, it was owl-themed. I personally love owls and think they are beautiful animals...and so does ButterBean. Ok, so maybe I forced the love of owls on him. His favorite book really is "Goodnight Owl", though. We read it every night and he opens the flaps. He has even begun to "Whoooo" with the owl, which sounds more like "MMhhhh"

Anywhooo, I'll share some fun from our "Look whooo is turning one party"

First, of course, we sent out the invites:

Then it was PARTY TIME!

Decorations:

"We will 'owl'ways love you!"

And we had plenty of food:

Pulled turkey sandwiches, veggies, 

Pita chips with "hoooo"mus

Bird food (chex mix)

Bird branches (pretzel rods)

His 2 favorite foods: bananas and graham crackers

"Hoot"Beer 

and my favorite: the cupcakes!

all the little owl cupcakes in their pretzel nest

looking so wise!

ButterBean didn't eat much of his cupcake, but it was a good effort

As most babies do, ButterBean enjoyed playing with tissue paper and ribbons rather than the presents he received.

Hoot Hoot

He was such a cute birthday boy! The day went by really fast, I forgot to put out some of the food, and didn't take as many pictures as I should have. Oh well! We had fun!

saying bye bye to his guests

Prepared? I don't know what that means

I used to think I was a very "prepared" person. Maybe even bordering on obsessive preparation. I'm a planner, a list maker...I like to be prepared. The more I think about it though - am I ever really "prepared"? I've spent so much of my life preparing, but I never feel ready! I prepare dinner, I prepare for tests and presentations, I prepare for birthday parties. (Dinner is almost ready, I did pretty well on my test today, and I've got plenty to do before the birthday party this Sunday!)

I planned for years that I would be a nurse anesthetist but...

I wasn't prepared for how exhausting anesthesia school would be

I wasn't prepared for how humbling anesthesia school would be

I wasn't prepared for how loooong school would feel

I planned my whole life that I would be a mother but...

I wasn't prepared for how exhausting being a mother would be

I wasn't prepared for how humbling being a mother would be

I wasn't prepared for how fast and how much I could love another person

I was talking to my mom today and I said "I still can't believe he [ButterBean] is mine!" I couldn't have prepared for motherhood, no matter how many books I read, classes I took, or how much I nested. Being ButterBean's mom is better than I could have ever planned! I'll never be prepared for him to grow up!!

Last Weeks as a "Baby"

In less than 2 weeks, ButterBean will be a year old! I still call him a "baby", but I believe the correct term would be "toddler". My baby doesn't just toddle - he's basically running. His run can sometimes look like a drunk man doing the hula, but it is running nonetheless.

I definitely came to the realization that he is less baby and more toddler when we installed the front facing car seats. There he was just smiling at me when I turned around, sitting there like a big boy. I'm happy not to be lugging around that baby carseat anymore!

But, I will still call him my baby...for years to come!