Braedn's birthday

Boy did we have a big day for Braedn's birthday. We started out at breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa. Braedn even got a hot fudge sundae and a candle to blow out. Good that we did that first thing since we didn't get another chance, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Then we went to Boondocks. One of those places where you can play games, play minature golf, ride in go-carts, etc... Braedn is tall enough that he could do everything, either by himself or with

one of us. So we got done playing games and winning tickets and we went out to ride the little boats. Basically you float around (it has a little motor) and shoot water at the other people. Braedn totally freaked out and hated it.

(Dad in the go carts - Braedn was too scared to go with him)

They also had a play area for the kids. After spending a few hours there (I actually could have spent a few more for once), we went home to open presents and put Thayne down for a nap.

Naturally he had to go try out his new toys, here he is with some of them:

(The slide GG got him)

(Bubble wand and water gun from Mamaw and Granddad - Braedn is shooting the bubbles)

(Slip and Slide - also from Mamaw and Granddad)

After Thayne woke up we went to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner. Braedn had asked specifically for shrimp for his birthday dinner. Well, it was all too much. He couldn't sit still (from the excitement or exhaustion?) and fell and split his lip open. So I sat in the car with him and Thayne while Chris, Grandma and Grandpa finished dinner. We ate his chocolate cake later at home...

(Before the fall)

(Thayne and Mommy at dinner - he actually was much better behaved)

Last, but certainly not least, the bike he got from Gramps and Grams. Here's a pic and a video of his first ride.

And I can't resist. A picture of my mom playing at our little park with Braedn the day before his birthday:

Hope you felt like you were with us, a little bit.

Love,

Kary

I knew it would be hard to keep up with the blog sometimes, but I had no idea that I wouldn't have the time or energy to post at all this semester.


I can sum up the semester in 3 words (however, I will elaborate later on)
TIRED
STAPH
REAL NURSING


Since January, I started my third semester of nursing which included my first clinical. I was expecting a boring semester. We start our clinicals in long-term care and from what I hear most students end up doing a lot of CNA work. Since I'm a CNA for a living, I was not very excited. But I lucked out. I had the opportunity to work in an adult disabilities area (think advanced multiple sclerosis, etc.) and there were so many cool skills to do. I put in catheters, dealt with feeding tubes and tracheotomies. Stuff I never expected to be able to do this semester. The facility and staff were great as well. So I had a much better experience than I expected. The last three weeks I spent in and around the operating room. Which is a cool experience, but pretty boring. Definately not the spot for me. (Not to mention standing in one place for hours KILLS my back.)

My clinicals started at 5:45 AM on Wednesday and making the switch between graveyards and early mornings was not fun. I was seriously tired the first half of the semester, but finally caught up towards the end, or my body finally got used to it. Sure would be nice if I had a 2-year old that didn't think that the right time to wake up every day is around 6:20AM.

Staph. First of all I took microbiology this semester. Definately the hardest class I've taken yet. Secondly I got to live microbiology dealing with Braedn this semester. He got this recurrent staph infection that just wouldn't go away. We ended up in surgery and the emergency room twice. Finally saw the infectious disease specialist. I hope he's done with it, but I really think we're just keeping it at bay (still has suspect spots on his body at times, but no big infections.) By the way, it is not MRSA. Thank goodness for that.


Outside of that, we are all fine. Getting geared up for Braedn's 4th birthday. Hard to believe...


I'll try to be better. Here are the layouts I was able to complete these past four months. Pretty paltry for me as well.


Take care. And leave me a comment OK? Hi works.


-Kary

Silly Braedn - I put this one on his B-day invites



Finally got halloween scraped:

The lyrics in the white of the poem are from Braedn's favorite song at the moment. Love this pic too.


You can't really tell, but he is KISSING the worm. My child. The one who will run shrieking away if he sees one little ant.

Can you tell that I took this on St. Patrick's Day?

As you can tell, we finally got snow in Boise this winter and Braedn had a ball in it.

Another snow pic.

Finally wrote down my experience with Braedn's pregnancy and birth.

Chris thinks this is absolutely horrible (the outfit)

Scrapped an old one for a challenge

Paige and Braedn. Making out. Hysterical.

Another funny period in Braedn's life.

Thayne playing in the jumpy thing the night we picked pumpkins.

On Thayne's 2nd birthday:

In his big boy bed

Also out picking pumpkins. Chris made fun of me about the title. "Why didn't you just say knee high to a pumpkin pie? Pumpkins don't have thighs"

LOVE this photo. So Thayne. (But in the hat Chris bought me for Christmas)

Thayne in the rain

At Paige Stewart's 4th birthday party

Funniest sayings. Can you read them?

Had to celebrate leap day!

My night owl and early bird!

Love this quote

The rest of this pic is hilarious - will show from another angle soon

Seriously how he woke me up everyday for a while: