Saturday, October 5, 2013

Marshall Minnesota (An update in words)

For those who actually look at my blog and know I don't do it very well, here is an update for you.

Reid is finally done with is in class work for school. In the lottery that the school has for where each student will spend their third year of med school, we were assigned to Marshall Minnesota. We would have liked to stay in Des Moines Iowa, but we are very happy to be here. We moved 3 days before Jonas' birthday, and a week after Reid had a hernia surgery. Our contract at our apartment was up and it gave us 3 full weeks to get situated in our new place before Reid started his rotations. 
We really like our little place. It looks little on the outside, but there is more room in the house than I know what to do with.
With the rotation site we were assigned, it was a year long site. The week before Reid starts his rotation, he is given his schedule with which doctor he will be with and was told, "as you know, the last half of this year's rotation will be in Willmar, MN". We didn't know that, they didn't know Reid had a family to take with him. He could just commute, but it is an hour and a half drive away and since we only have the one car, the kids and I would be stuck at home all day every day. Luckily, we hadn't actually signed a new contract with our landlord and we were able to arrange it so that we will be moving to Willmar after Christmas. (as to where, I have no idea) 
Anyway, Reid's rotations look like this (the italicized are not confirmed, but I think that mainly goes to being confirmed with a specific dr):

Pediatrics
Family Medicine
OB/GYN (now)
Internal Medicine
General Surgery
Family Medicine -1 week
Holiday Break (MOVE)

Willmar:
Family Medicine -3 weeks
Emergency Medicine
Psychiatry
Oncology
Nephrology
Dermatology
Ophthalmology

Testing at DMU

Reid has really liked the doctors he has worked with, and the specialties. Going into the rotations he was planning on specializing in family practice but after a few weeks, he has realized how much he loves being with the kids and is now planning on specializing in pediatrics.
Being in such a small city (14,000) has been really nice, but bad for these rotations. Nice because there aren't very many people here, not a whole lot to do so Reid gets to come home every day for lunch, spends the whole evening with us every night. It's bad because there are things Reid is missing, things he isn't able to see because there aren't very many people here. He is already in his second week of his OB/GYN rotation and hasn't seen any babies being born. I've heard of other people in his class that on their second day, got to help deliver a baby. So it has it's ups and downs. Reid's doctor right now has been really great at teaching Reid in this specialty. (Today Oct. 5th, Reid got to help in a C-Section, so he finally saw a baby being born! -only exciting to us girls, ha)
We have had lots of fun. We were told about an event that was held at a local park that you could get a free meal and pony rides and bounce house, we so went to that! We have lots of parks around here that we went/go to for play groups. There was a (BBQ) Smoke Fest held at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU), the college here in town and they played movies on the "big screen" at the stadium. We saw one of our favorites, Wreck-it Ralph! We've been to garage sales, bike rides, the library and the YMCA. The clinic Reid is at has paid for our membership to the Y, (trying to get us to come back) and we got there just about every week day. Abigail has been taking swimming lessons, only has one left, and she loves it. She has also been doing gymnastics once a week. I'm pretty sure she likes that one too. Jonas just started swimming lessons this past week also and he LOVES it too.
We took a small trip back home and went to Como Zoo. And another trip back home for the Minnesota State Fair.
This year we are trying to do preschool at home, nothing super formal or strenuous. I have decided to do it 3 days a week and Abigail asks me to do preschool every day. We are trying to read a lot. We started the Chronicles of Narnia; we just finished the first book The Magician's Nephew, and are already plowing through The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I am really glad that she likes the books. This is the first time we have ready anything that wasn't picture book, so I am really happy she likes it so much.
I think that gets everything caught up. Hopefully I will be better at blogging. :)




Marshall MN (Picture update!!)

Okay, so these are totally out of order, sorry.

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 First day of swimming lessons
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 Free swim at the Y, she loves the water slide!
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 Laying with the kitties @ grandma's house
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 backyard swimming fun
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 first bonfire -we were happy!
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free dinner at the park! 
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 @ the Lyon County Fair, Abigail won a little chair from the lumberjack show

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 state fair ride with grandma
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 happy to be on the carousel
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 she didn't like it at first though
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 I love her face, she really wanted off (I don't think the ride even started yet)

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 @ Como Zoo with Amanda 
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 @ the state fair with great aunt susie
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 caught a bullhead at the Gander Mnt booth @ the State fair
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 obligatory zoo picture
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 loves (watch the Sparky show)
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 family photo
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 Preschool!

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FREE pony rides (this goes with the free dinner above ↑)

Monday, September 9, 2013

By Abigail

A master piece by Abigail:

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In case the original ever gets lost, I still have a back up (with a few notes) :)

Monday, July 8, 2013

12 months

Weight:
Height:
(Not gonna lie, the measurements were a month late, after moving and getting new insurance, we just couldn't get into the doctor on time)

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What happened this month:

  • started WALKING!!
  • got his 4th tooth
  • went to the Blank Park Zoo with Aunt Jayne
  • learned to say "apple"
  • got his 5th tooth
  • went swimming in the pool lots
  • met Sean and Lia for the first time (new aunt and uncle)
  • played with Nana and Papa
  • celebrated Aunt Kristin's birthday
  • packed up the apartment
  • went to the West Des Moines 4th of July parade
  • watched fireworks
  • drove 5 hours to our new home in Marshall, MN
  • ate his very own cake!
 
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 cute cold boy after swimming!
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 Happy birthday Kristin!
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 Lia and Jonas at the parade
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 Sean, Emma, Kristin, Cole
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 Happy 4th with Papa

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Our home for 6 months!
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yummy!
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Saturday, June 8, 2013

11 months

Weight: 21 pounds 10 ounces
Height: 29 inches


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What happened this month:

  • tried turkey, broccoli, chicken, pineapple (he didn't like the meat)
  • got his 3rd tooth
  • said "bye bye" out loud and with a wave
  • played with grandpa lots
  • meet his Newest cousin a few hours after he was born
  • played with 2 of his cousins (and sister)
  • played with grandma
  • said "up"
  • got to stay at his cousins house for 3 weeks
  • took another 16 hour drive back home
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 meeting baby Owen
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 Uncle Jon
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 Playing Peek-a-Boo with Grandpa
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loves swinging
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Jon, Ash, and Owen
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Grandpa with the grandkids
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matching PJs!!!
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Grandma with the grandkids!

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

10 months

Weight: 21 pounds .04 ounces
Height: 29 inches

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This month Jonas....:


  • tried: wheat cereal, spinach, corn, kiwi, blue berries, avocado and zucchini and liked most of them :)
  • Learned to sign "PLEASE"
  • FaceTimed with Aunt Lia on her birthday
  • learned to play "Peek-a-Boo" (he does the actions now, even by himself :) )
  • finally learned to suck the food out of the pouches of baby food (thank goodness, those things are life savers!)
  • went to the Iowa State Capitol
  • rode a city bus for the first time
  • went to the sculpture garden in Downtown Des Moines 
  • "enjoyed" a 16 hour drive to Utah with mom, Abigail, and Grandpa
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 yummy
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 still getting the hang of standing on his own
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 what a cute face
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crooked but still pretty :)