Daddy's Boy

They do this every night before Caden goes to bed.

108 days

108 days until............................................ I graduate from Physical Therapy School!! 

Is that crazy or what?!? It's been a long road people.  5 years of college to get my bachelors degree, semesters of taking pre-requisite classes for PT programs, years of working as a physical therapy tech for minimal pay to get experience hours built up, applications sent to PT schools followed by rejection letters, interviews gone bad due to my uncontrollable need to be completely honest, more application process followed by an acceptance letter, 2 years of physical therapy classes including cadaver dissections and labs practicing PT on classmates (getting to know each other too well in the process) and 1 year of clinical rotations.  Not to mention getting engaged, planning a wedding in 2 months, tying the knot, experiencing pregnancy while living 160 miles away from my husband and, and have a baby during one of those years. 

Yes, it's been 8 long and crazy years.  Graduating from PT school has been something I have been working on for so long now that it has always seemed to be more of a distant idea rather than something that would actually happen, but it is... on May 21st!

Okay, so I'm not exactly finished in 108 days.  After I had Caden, I skipped the first 8 week clinical so I could stay home with him.  I'll be making that clinical up in June and July so I won't actually get my diploma until after that.

AANNDD then I still have to pass the national physical therapy liscensure exam.  So it's possible to have my doctorate degree in physical therapy but be completely useless until I pass that 5 hour exam.  Guess I really should be spending this time studying rather than blogging.  

108 days!

Caden--6 months

Caden at 6 months old

• Length: 27 1/4 inches (73%)
• Weight: 17 lbs 4 oz (40%)
• Head Circumference: 18 inches (93%)
• Goes to bed around 8:30pm and wakes up at about 6:45am (such a good sleeper!)
• Sitting independently (started around 5 months) and reaching for EVERYTHING in sight and knocking them over.
• Saying Da-Da-Da and doing LOTS of babbling.  The ladies at daycare tell us he's going to get hoarse from all the talking he does.
• Loves his bath
• Prefers momma when sleepy or sick but prefers daddy to play (he loves to be tossed up in the air and the free falling feeling)
• Usually only cries when he is hungry or sleepy
• Will not eat peas.
• Likes sucking on pickles and orange slices
• Laughs almost every time I say "bless you"
• Has crazy hair--It is getting longer and blonder, but still sticks up straight.
• Still has my chubby cheeks but I see so much of Cody in his eyes

He's been pretty sick (off and on) over the last couple of months.  He had RSV/bronchiolitis which we think eventually turned into a bacterial infection followed by stomach issues with vomiting and multiple colds.  His fever got up to 106 and he had a febrile seizure.  Poor boy was a trooper through it all.  He's been back to his normal happy self lately.  He still has occasional issues with wheezing so we still do breathing treatments when needed (the doctor said it could be asthma--which is pretty common with my family--but they can't actually diagnose that for another couple of years).

Words cannot describe how much we love this boy.

Things have changed

Just a few short years ago, I saw these people just about every weekend, if not at some point every day.  We lived the lives of college students. We attended classes during the day, went to our part time jobs afterwards and spent our weekends in the depot district of Lubbock.  Almost every Friday night we were at Wild West attending a 'Texas country' concert and dancing the night away until the bar closed.  Saturdays weren't quite as predictable but usually consisted of time spent with friends and laughing about the night before. 

The time came when we all graduated and got "real" jobs (except me who is STILL working on my doctorate degree).  Everyone began to move away from each other and begin their next phase in life. 

Last month we were at our friends wedding.  It had been a very long time since all of us were together at the same place at the same time.  As I looked around, it became apparent to me how much things have changed.  Almost all of us were now married and with kids.  The friends I used to watch take shots and play air guitar were now holding babies and wiping noses.  Needless to say, this time when we were all together I ended up with less pictures like this:

And a few more like this:

We sure had a good time in college, but I don't really miss it because i'm having an even better time with my new little family.  We are just going to have to plan a time for all of our college friends to get together once at year.  Maybe a river trip? 

Nothing like the smell of cow poop.

I have many memories as a kid of going out to the farm with my dad or grandaddy.  We would call up the cows, feed them (only after my failed attempts to get them to eat cubes from my hand), I would sit in their lap in the drivers seat and "drive" down the dirt road while we went to check on things, and end the trip by throwing rocks in the tank.  It may not sound like a big deal to most, but these are some of my most cherished memories.  Crazy as it may sound, I love the smell of cow poop because of the memories attached to it.

Last week, Caden made his first trip to the same place with his Pop (my dad).

Of course he drove us through the pasture. :)

And he helped Pop check on the cows.

He played with Bailey.

 And he and Pop had a discussion about Caden starting to help out on the tractor in about 12 years.

And who knows, maybe one day he will love the smell of cow poop.

Caden's 1st Christmas

Well we had a much better Christmas than last year (last year we were snowed in and I didn't see Cody for 5 days when we had the blizzard).  I've always loved this time of year but it's so much better now that Caden is in the picture!  Here are a few  several pictures...

Caden and Uncle Caleb



Christmas presents

His expressions make me laugh

Caden and cousin Kache

Caden and Pawpaw

With Krista

with his Poppy

All the stockings at Cody's grandparents--notice the 8 that had to be moved up to the wreath??  Maybe someday I'll have that many hanging in my house!

Caden and Cody's aunt Delesa

Cory, Kache, Tamie, Krista, Caleb, and Callan

Me and Caden opening his presents

He figured out how to sit independently on Christmas day!

Caden and his Nonny!

2 of Cody's brothers, Caleb and Callan

Cody, Mimi, and Caden

Caden napping on Uncle Callan

Cory, Tamie & Kache

The boys with their uncle

Nonnie & Poppy with their grandsons

Krista, Caden, Kache, and Caleb

Yay Caden!!

Caden wearing his new Harley shirt from Blake

Sammy Nixon and Caden--it's almost like his first grandchild.

Caden and Phil

Leanne put him to sleep.

Cousins

Kache Coltharp 9 months and Caden Coltharp 4 months 

Their expressions in this one cracks me up.

Well I am halfway through my first clinical rotation.  So far it's been a pretty good one.  I started out a little bored because I was just observing more than anything.  Now i'm actually getting to do evaluations and treatments--just under supervision. 

I've seen a lot of patients with vertigo (sense of spinning).  I've enjoyed treating that because vertigo can be such a debilitating state to be in and sometimes can be treated in just one visit with one simple treatment.  Because they come in feeling so awful and leave feeling maybe 85% better--they tend to think I'm amazing when in reality it was just an easy fix. 

Other than that I have been working with some kiddos (19months to 10 years), some spinal cord injuries, strokes, and traumatic brain injuries.  These have been some of the most rewarding cases to work with.  It breaks my heart to see how much lives can change in an unexpected instant.  For example, car accidents, or falls off a porch, horse, or out of the back of a truck.  Everyday I am reminded as to how important it is to appreciate the little things in life.  It's hard to imagine losing your ability to walk, talk, eat, smile, shake a hand, etc. and having to learn it again or learn how to utilize the limited function you do have. I have met some of the most phenomenal people!!!  It occassionally brings me to tears to talk with them and see what they have been through, how far they have come and how strong hearted they are. 

Working with people you hardly know and needing to get so "up close and personal" is not always the most plesant experience.  However, I did figure out I have an incredible ability to hold back from gagging.

Tiny Marine

Caden on Veteran's Day with Cody's dog tags and cami's.  He's so lucky to have such a great daddy to be his hero!  Thinking of all those past/present who have sacrificed so much so that we may have all those things we take for granted.

Unidentified Halloween Infant

So what was Cade man for his first Halloween???  I honestly don't know... maybe a vampire?  maybe a bat?  a few people called him kitty (fyi I would NOT intentionally dress my son up as a "kitty"---something a little more tough like a lion maybe but no kitty for this boy), I even heard he looked like a polar bear with purple ears.  Truth be told, it was the quick, easy, and $15 costume from Target and who really cares what it is... he's still adorable! 

So what do you do in Seymour, America after eating a hamburger with the fire dept and taking the unidentified halloween infant to see family?!?!?!?!? 

Ping pong tournament--of course.