Just trying to catch up

AHEM!!!

So... what, it's been a little while has it not? Boy, even Katie's little nudging couldn't get us to post any quicker. But you were patient and now you have the distinct pleasure of having a long picutre-full post. I hope you enjoy it.

Christmas is over. I sure enjoyed it. Challene, Ethan, and Joshua on the other hand were sick! Ethan and Josh were just sick during the holiday proper and Challene is still getting over it! It has not been fun. Ethan sure was cute during Christmas, though. He woke up Christmas morning near 2:00 a.m. to throw up (he'd been up every couple of hours to do that) when he noticed that Santa had come. He was so excited. Later that morning when we were opening presents he kept saying, "Oh my gosh! Santa came daddy. Look what Santa brought mommy! Oh my gosh!" It really was quite adorable.

So Challene was pretty much sleeping her life away for the entire Christmas break. She was so sick. She went to the doctor recently and he said she had bronchitis. I felt somewhat slighted because I kept forgetting my stethascope at school so I couldn't hear the pathognomonic rhonchi. She was able to get her antibiotics and it seems to be helping... so far.

School started early this month. I'm in my 9th quarter right now (actually the final 2/3 of 9th quarter since I took the split). Starting 10th quarter I will be moved to the Out Patient Clinic (OPC)! That's me treating the public. This is people with actual problems. People trusting me with their conditions. I just took a two hour test-o-death on Friday to see if I qualify for entering the OPC. It was a brutal test. If it would have been multiple choice I would have aced it, but it was short answer. I hate short answer. I know the answer, but pulling it out of my head is difficult for me. So, we'll see if I need to retake the test in a few weeks when they get it graded. I'll update everyone on my classes soon. I know you're all dying to hear what I'm taking. Incidentally, I have been given the opportunity (assuming I pass my test) to enter the OPC this quarter. 5 interns from each clinician will be sent to the OPC early to help ease the patient transition from the graduating class to the new interns. There are specific requirements that have to be fulfilled to be able to go and I don't think I'm going to get them done in time. It has been a very busy quarter so far and I haven't been able to get everything done that I've wanted/needed. I'm not too bummed about it, though.

So that's an update in a nutshell. Let's move to some pictures.

Ethan's new spot for watching movies. It works for him. What I really like on this picture is Mogli's face on the tv.

Ethan has been climbing everything lately. He loves to climb now.

Cute shot of the kids. Joshy's finally getting his molars in. He's got the two on the right and he's working on the left ones. This picture is a little old so you can't see the molars.
Joshy can be so silly sometimes. He was pulling faces at me by sticking his tongue out over his top lip. He's definately got the Dalley eyes going on there too.

More of Joshy's silliness. He was scraping his face down the crib bars. I would laugh at him when he'd do it and he'd start to laugh too. He'd scrape, I'd laugh, he'd pull back and laugh at me laughing. Very comical.
I just love these pictures of him.
*Groan* He's always getting into the blinds. They're slowly getting ruined because he is constantly trying to get in there. It probably would be fine if he were just getting behind them, but he's got to pull on them and tear at them and bend them. I'll be surprised if the landlord doesn't make us pay for new blinds in my bedroom and the kitchen.
Another silly moment. Joshy does this thing that's really caught on in the family. He'll throw his head back and kind of moan so it sounds like an old man. It is hilarious. He had slid between the sofa and fireplace and was doing his moan to try to coax me into playing with him. He'll either do his moan or he'll take something of mine and run away so that I have to chase him. He's very playful. Anyway, if you can get him during the moaning (I wish I had something better to call it) and are able to nibble his chin -- he laughs his head off. He loves it.

Lately, when we're trying to put Joshy down for bed he'll try to play with us. I think he likes the one-on-one time. He actually grabs our hands and puts them on him in his ticklish spots (under the chin, ribs 8 and 9, under the arms, and just under the middle of his collar bone). He is so much fun. Everyone at church just loves the little guy. He's almost 16 months old which is to old to be with Mommy and Daddy in Sunday School, but to young for nursery so Challene and I have been staying with him in the nursery. He just beems at everyone and plays so cute. I sure love my little Joshy. Josh has taken a note from Ethan's book. He's really started to climb now. He loves to try to be like Ethan.
Mommy and Joshy eating pretzels.

This was Christmas Eve. Ethan was helping make the cookies to set out for Santa. He really got into it.

I just really liked this picture. I liked Ethan trying to do it on his own and I liked Challene coaching him through it.

More cookies. They're getting ready to bake them.
Time to make the icing.
This was a little gingerbread Christmas tree kit that we bought at the store (we're just not that confident in our gingerbread making abilities, let alone making something from it). Ethan and Challene sure had a fun time putting it togethere.

Well, I suppose that's it for now. I think we have some actual Christmas pictures in the works for a future blog. So there's something to look forward to. Until then, have a wonderful day.