When Daddy is Home

Yes, we're glad when Daddy is home. Glad as we can be. We clap our hands. We shout for joy. You get the idea...

We had Brad all to ourselves for a few days last week. He officially finished his second year of med school with a white coat ceremony last Thursday. It was called a "Clinical Transition Ceremony". We left the girls with some friends and braved the rush hour traffic to make it to the ceremony just in the nick of time.

It turned out to be a pretty cool evening. Basically, it got us excited for the next two years of school where Brad will actually get to practice a little of what he's learned so far.

Here is Brad in his white doctor coat with his mentor Dr. Arnold.

And here we are with our good friends the Millers. They're going to Boise for their clinical rotations while we stay here. We're really going to miss them!

Friday we went to the zoo. Leah loved playing with her Daddy and meeting the penguins.

Lainy got to be good friends with the baby gorilla and the bear.

On Saturday the constant drizzle that had been falling from the Seattle sky for two weeks finally stopped and the gorgeous warm sun showed her face. We celebrated by going to the beach.

Lainy played in the sand and surf with her Daddy.

Leah and I hung out and took a little snooze on the beach.

We had a fun weekend with Brad home!

Monday, Brad started hitting the books hard to prepare for his big test in July. Pray for him please!

Also on Monday, when asked why she peed on the floor for the first time in weeks, Lainy replied: "I just miss my Daddy so much when he's at school". Pray for us too!

Next week the girls and I are leaving Brad to his studying and flying home for a couple of weeks. Leah needs to meet her uncle, aunts, and cousins. We have a brand new little niece to meet too. We can't wait!

Rice Cereal

I just had to post these. We gave Leah rice cereal for the first time tonight. This picture sums up how she felt about it:

Ha ha ha! Oh I just love babies. Poor thing.

And a little video:

Oh we love this girl.

By the way, Brad did great on his finals. He even got honors in a few classes. Wahoo! More importantly, we survived year 2 of medical school (which is rumored to be the hardest year). Now he just has to pass the boards in July. We're excited for the next phase of Brad's education (which begins with an OBGYN rotation in August).

Final

This is Brad on Friday. It was his last day of class...ever. (The last two years of med school are clinical.)

Hooray! Congratulations to my very favorite person! Now go rock those finals!

Funnies

Funny #1
Every time I pull out the vacuum, Lainy runs to her room and puts on these:

Rainboots? And vacuums? I don't get it, but it makes me laugh.

Funny #2
Leah can really get herself bouncing in this thing:

Notice the blurry legs. I'm waiting for her to launch herself out of it sling-shot style. (And how can you not smile at that face?)

Funny #3
I was looking for my cell phone this morning. Guess where it was?

Yup. In the fridge. I'm losing my mind. (Maybe it's not so funny.)

Funny #4
Sunday afternoon I found Brad doing this:

More cute than funny, except for the fact that Leah was way more interested in the book than Lainy. Is it possible for a baby to have a longer attention span than a little girl?

Hope your lives are full of "funnies" too!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun...

...especially when Daddy is super, crazy, overwhelmingly busy. I'm talking end of the quarter plus studying for the boards kind of busy. The kind of busy that makes me feel like a single mom...sort of.

So while Brad has been having fun pouring over books and listening to lectures, the girls and I have had some fun of our own.

1.We hosted a ball for Lainy's favorite toys on our bookshelf. Tchaikovsky was kind enough to provide the music. Lainy played matchmaker and helped each couple dance. Here are a few of my favorite couples:

 

Dog and Wiseman

Cow and Sheep

Dollhouse Mommy and Baby Jesus

Joseph and Mary

2. We've watched Leah grab her toys. It sounds simple, but it has kept us all entertained. (Well, until she forgets to let go of one and hits herself in the face.)

3. We've had pedicures. Lainy discovered them with Grandma Smith over Spring Break, and has since been receiving them regularly. If I'm lucky, she'll even return the favor to me.

4. We've tried to make Leah giggle. She does it. On rare occasions. You should see what we go through to try to get that girl to laugh. We all have different approaches. Lainy tries to scare it out of her. It's not so fun for Leah, but Lainy thinks it's hilarious. (Don't worry, I've put a stop to it so we don't give the poor baby a complex.) I sing, tickle, and dance around. Brad talks in a high-pitched voice and tickles. So far, I have been the most successful at producing a giggle. Brad's approach makes her grunt and flex every muscle in her body. I guess at this point, we're all laughing much more than Leah. Oh well, we'll get her one of these days!

Yeah, we're having fun together. (Even with the great void we all feel when Brad is busy.)

(Aren't they darling?!)