Funny of the day

I could probably change this blog into a "funny Jack quote of the day" blog and have enough to fill each day with laughter.  I love my little, intelligent, and inquisitive boy.  He sure makes for some good smiles.
Tonight on the drive home from dinner with our friends Matt and Lacey (in the dark mind you) he yelled, "It's a taxi!  A black taxi!"  Matt said, "You don't want to take those kind of taxis."  I realized he saw a police car and thought it was a black taxi. Too funny...
Until next time...

Time seriously flies...even if it's not all fun!

I CANNOT believe it has been been almost 2 months since my last post!  Oops...I am determined to get this updated today and it's now 950pm and the day is almost over. 
A lot has been going on in the past 2 months so I'll try to keep it to the highlights...

* I am now finished with both Pediatrics and OB rotations for nursing clinicals.  Both were great experiences and both are areas I could see a future in.  But, my pediatrics rotation really "sealed the deal" for me.  I have wanted to be in pediatrics for as long as I can remember and I'm excited to say that this is what I want to do.  I'm hopeful to find employment at Children's Mercy after graduation, but I know that it is difficult to get a job there.  My goal is to keep doing well in school and working hard and I know that it will work out the way that it is supposed to.



Our Service Project at Franklin Elementary: Handwashing Techniques with kiddos.  Teaching kids is a fun part of nursing school!

* On October 1st we took Jack to his first Arrowhead experience for the annual NW vs Pitt State game.  He did awesome!  Seriously I love portable dvd players because he was able to sit and watch CARS while mommy and daddy enjoyed the tailgate with our friends.  He also chowed down on tailgate food like a champ!  During the game he was cheering "defense" and "Go Bearacts" like he's been doing it for years.  Unfortunately the Bearcats lost the game, but it was still a fun day.

Our Bearcat family



Annual Arrowhead is not complete without this photo!

 * We returned to Carolyn's Pumpkin patch this year for what seems to be turning into another annual outing.  We now have 3 years of pictures at the patch.  It's fun to see how much Jack has changed.  He loved the animals, watching the pig races, and eating pumpkin donuts.  This year we were able to go with Jack's buddy Owen and his parents. 

These are 2 cuties, if I do say so myself

2011 Carolyn's Pumpkin Patch

* We took our family pictures in early October at William Jewell's (my school) campus.  It was a nice afternoon...and let me just say we've had a BEAUTIFUL fall!  The leaves were turned, Jack was cooperative, and I'm so happy with the results.  Clicks by Charity, Charity Trotter shot them and you should definitely check her out on Facebook!

* Halloween was just this past weekend and we had a lot of fun.  I'd say this year Jack really knew what was going on.  He was dressed up as Lightning McQueen's Pit Crew member ($5 on the last Just Between Friends sale!).  We went out with Owen, Hudson, Brynley, and Laini and the kiddos had so much fun.  We were complimented multiple times on our polite children.  And I have to say that our little people were very friendly.  They all said please and thank you at every house.  Watching Jack's methodical way of picking his one piece of candy was crackin' me up.  He'd say, "Hmm (and think for a few seconds)...I'll take this one!"  He was very excited and he got quite the loot.  Mommy is not looking forward to eating all the stuff Jack "can't eat".  :) 

* We also helped celebrate my Grandma Skoch's 81st birthday this last weekend in Seneca, KS.  We surprised her at Valentino's for dinner and took her to play Bingo.  Her face was priceless and she said her favorite phrase, "Oh, for-evermore!" when she walked through the door.  I'm thankful for that time with her and for us to see some of our extended family. 
So...those are the "big" events.  Sprinkle in a baby reveal party for our friend's, Maria and Sheldon Cook, the birth of my friend Alessia's daughter Laini, a roadtrip to Hastings with the little guy, and alot of studying and working. 

Will leave you with a recent "funny" from Jack:
Last night in church for All Saints Day, I whispered, "Ok Jack, lets go up (for Communion) to see Fr. Rogers."  He said, "Nooooo".  I said, "Yes, he will give you a blessing!"  And Jack softly replied, "And he will give you a chip?"  :)  I couldn't contain my laughter.  His innonence warms my heart...I suppose the communion wafer does kind of resemble a potato chip. 

I love this boy! 

Until next time...

BIG MILESTONE!

I meant to post this last week, but today is better than never...we are officially DONE with diapers!  Ahh-- that feels AMAZING!  In fact, I have a whole package of size 6 diapers if anyone needs any!  :)  When I picked Jack up from daycare on Friday, I had a note in his cubby that said he's been dry at nap time for 2 weeks and accident free- so they sent home the remainder of the diapers.  And we've gone 1 whole week without a diaper at home during nights!  We're so proud of our big guy. 
A big milestone for mommy- we're already 2 weeks into our fall semester.  This means we're under 8 months now until graduation!  Our current classes are Family Centered Nursing (OB, pediatrics, and gerontology), Nursing Research, and Psychiatric Nursing.  I think it's going to be a fun semester!  I start my pediatrics rotation in clinical next Tuesday.  I'm so excited.  We went to orientation at Children's Mercy today and I just love the environment.  I could see myself going to work there everyday and being happy.  We'll just see what happens when patient care starts...
Hope this finds you well!
Until next time...

Oh Jack...

Seriously my child could have his own stand up show.  :)  At least, I'd buy a ticket...
* I got a gift card to DQ from my Aunt Lisa for a study break, which was perfect timing before finals started.  So I told Jack we were going to Dairy Queen for dessert.  His eyes lit up and he said, "We're going to Dairy MCQUEEN!?"  Everything is CARS related these days :)
* On Thursday last week we got a potty report from school on which his teacher wrote..."Jack informed me that the poop on his underwear was from farting."  :)  I about died laughing and you can guarantee that's going in his baby book. 
Until next time...

"Elmo-ha"

This past weekend we took a mini-vacation to Omaha, or as Jack called it, "Elmo-ha".  I found a coupon for 2 nights stay at the Coco Key Water Resort/Ramada Inn, food voucher, and arcade voucher all for $144, and I couldn't pass it up.  Reid's family had talked about taking a trip over spring break last year, but it didn't happen, so this was the perfect opportunity to do it, seeing that I'm on break from school.  So, Judy (Reid's mom), Scott and Tes and all 5 kiddos, and Reid and Jack and I loaded up Sunday morning and made the long detour drive to Omaha.  Since I-29 is closed, it ended up taking 4 hours and we were really glad to be there.  The fun started right away as we changed into our suits and spent the afternoon at the pool.  There were tons of slides and a lazy river.  Jack was really brave (and had a lifejacket for help) and went down all the slides that he was tall enough to go on.  He loved it and DID NOT want to go in for the evening.  But, we got to have lots of good family time around the dinner/breakfast table and the food from the restaurant was awesome. The arcade was loads of fun, too.  We got a $30 voucher with our coupons and that ended up being 140 tokens to spend!  It took us 2 hours to go through it between myself, Reid, and Jack all playing games.  We ended up winning close to 400 tickets and got some fun little prizes for the ride home.  We also spent a day at the Henry Doorly Zoo.  Jack was so interactive with the animals this year.  He absolutely loved running around with the "big kids".  He got even got to pet some goats.  

I was very pleased with our stay and hopefully we'll get to return again in the future.  Here are a few pictures from the weekend.  

Jack and Ella at the zoo.  Big grins are definitely in the Kirby gene: 

Family photo opp:

All the kiddos (minus Ella) at the entrance of the zoo.  Jack wanted to play on the lions all day:

On our way home to KC, we made a detour to Seneca, KS to visit my grandmothers Sharon and Eleanor.  I was so happy we went and they were both very surprised to see us.  Jack entertained them with singing and it was just really nice to visit for a bit.  We don't get to see them hardly at all and I know they enjoyed seeing their great grandson. 

Jack, Great Grandma Bredemeier, Scooby the puppy and mommy:

Jack, Mommy, and Great Grandma Skoch.  She couldn't believe how talkative and smiley he was:

This trip was just what I needed after a hard semester.  I'm so thankful for my husband's family.  Jack is lucky to have 2 wonderful families to grow up in.  We are so blessed. 

Until next time...

Some funnies...

You may have read on Facebook the funny things that Jack has been saying.  However, I need to document them (before I forget them!) so that he can see them some year down the road.  Our little guy is quite wordy these days and honestly, I just don't know where he gets half of it! 
**The other night at dinner he ate his bread and looked at Reid and asked for more bread.  Reid said, "No, eat your spaghetti."  Jack looked at me and said, "He told me no! (with tears in his eyes)"  I said, "Well, then no more bread.  Eat your spaghetti."  Well he sat up really straight and said, "It's my life!" 
**I kissed Reid one evening in the kitchen and Jack looks up at us and said, "What is this game?!  Why are you doing this game?"
**Jack was home with Reid while I was studying at school this past weekend.  Apparently Jack didn't like the way something smelled.  He told Reid, "You're stinky."  Reid said, "no I'm not.  What smells?"  Jack replied, "Your booty."  (Ha!)
**I asked Jack about having chicken nuggets and fries for dinner the other day.  He replied, "Yep, that'd be great.  That'd be really great."  :)
**"You're driving me bonkers."  --To me the other morning while I was trying to get us ready for the day. 
**"There's a storm coming.  We have to run and hide!"  --while the storm was approaching a few days ago. 
**"Mommy, I pooped in the potty and it was BIG!"  --my new favorite saying, because it means he actually went in the potty!

Hope you've had a good laugh.  We certainly have!
Until next time...

Somebody Pinch Me!!

Ok- I can't put this off any longer!  I have been wanting to write an update for like 10 days, but I've been SO incredibly busy.  And Jack just walked through the door from school with another great "potty report card" from school, so I have to share...we're POTTY TRAINING!  Wow...I did not think this day would come!  It definitely has been up and down, but for the most part he's doing really great!  The hardest part, which I figured, would be going #2, but I think he's doing better!  He even went #2 at school today!  It's the best feeling when he comes home in the same outfit that he left in!  :)  He usually brings home his report card FULL of "potty" checkboxes filled and it makes my heart leap with pride!  He's waking up in the morning and at nap time dry.  This past weekend he had 2 outings with no accidents...it just seems like a dream!
We're doing a potty chart at home.  I made a CARS themed chart complete with fans in the stand to cheer him on!  He gets a sticker for every time he goes and he only has about 5 spots left until he gets to go to the toy store and get a new CARS figurine!  It's great motivation and fun for us to look at his progress.  He likes to count all the stickers he has. 

Another big milestone, another that I thought would never come, is that Jack no longer uses a pacifier.  About 3-4 weeks ago he just randomly stopped using it!  Reid told him it was "missing" one night and we've barely heard a peep about it since.  I'm thankful he didn't make much of a fuss...I that it would be much more difficult to get rid of. 

I can't believe how big my little man is getting.  He's still WAY into CARS, the movie.  We even got to see CARS 2 in the theatre with my whole family.  And then of course "Grandma Ginny" spoiled him with 3 new CARS figurines.  My favorite thing is to watch him have conversations with the cars.  He's so imaginative. 

Here's my big boy-- he's getting taller by the minute!

 This was funny- he was making faces at himself in the mirror before bath time. :)

Not a lot going on, besides school. This semester has been fairly rough.  I'm anxious for 10 day break starting Aug 13!  Only 2.5 weeks to go...so we're in the home stretch for this semester.  This fall we'll be having OB/Peds, Gerontology (Elderly), and Mental Health.  I'm looking forward to all of those rotations...maybe one of them is my calling!?  I did get to spend a day at KU Med yesterday, in the Operating Room.  And while you may not think it's cool/glamorous...I got to insert my first catheter before he had surgery.  He was already knocked out by anesthesia, so it took away my nerves.  The surgery was cool- they took a sarcoma out of this man's back...along with it 2 pieces of ribs!  It was pretty intense, but very awesome.  Maybe the OR is my future home??  I'm looking forward to all the possibilities. 

On that note...I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you for supporting me through this journey.  I realize I'm missing a lot of events and special occasions this year and I appreciate your understanding and patience.  I miss my "freedom" and all of my friends and family.  I can't wait to celebrate with you all when this is done.  :)
I think that's about it for now...hope this finds you well...

Until next time...