10 Months Old

Anna Scott turned 10 months old on March 10th.  I can't believe how quickly the time is passing.  Before we know it, she'll be 1 year old.  At 10 months, Anna Scott is busier than ever.  She is so interested in her surroundings.  She doesn't miss a thing.  She plays very well on her own, and I just love to watch her, especially when she talks to her toys.   She has started nodding her head "yes," and I can't figure out why.  She does it mostly when watching her videos and talking to her toys (like they are talking back to her and she is nodding).  All I can do is watch and laugh.  :)  Last night, she was looking at the fan (as she is still fascinated by it), but it wasn't moving.  She started talking to the fan and motioned for it to start spinning.  We thought it was just coincidence, but she did it several times.  

She has started to imitate us a little more.  When I feed her, I give her a bite and say "so good, so good, so good," to which she will reply, "so good, so good, so good."  She says that a lot (not just when eating), so I am not sure what she thinks it means, but she must like the way it sounds.  :)  She can say dada, nana, mama, and baba, but only when she wants to.   She can also wave "hi" and "bye," but only when she wants to.  And, she gives the sweetest kisses, but only when she wants to.  Do you see a pattern?!  :)  When we say, "Give me some lovin,"  she leans her head in to ours and smiles.  So sweet.    

She loves to make a spitting sound.  It's not very nice, but it is pretty funny.  She also loves to make a humming sound while we flip her lips with our fingers.  After we stop, she will try to do it herself.  That is one of her favorite "tricks" right now.  She still has 4 teeth.  As far as I know, there are no new ones breaking through.  She has been sick for the first time this month.  She had a little 4 day virus that started on Sunday.  This week was not too busy for us, so she and I were able to stay home and try to get well.  She is better now, thank goodness.  It broke my heart to know she was feeling bad.  She has also had her first couple of goose eggs this month (both on her forehead). Poor baby!

She has now learned that when she "accidentally" drops something, we will pick it up.  That has become a fun game, especially at the dinner table.  She loves to perform and smiles when she knows we are watching.  If we laugh, she laughs back.  She has found her hair bow and has pulled it out a couple of times (while looking at us like, "I know I am not supposed to be doing this") but she is usually good about leaving it in.  Slowly but surely, I think she's beginning to understand the word "No." 

"Out of sight" no longer equals "out of mind," and she will often cry when I leave the room (if it's just the two of us).  She has started to want Scott and me over others - especially strangers - a little more than before, but I am not complaining.  She loves doing anything outside (watching cars, strolling, swinging - you name it), loves bath time, music, and her Baby Einstein/Praise Baby videos.  Those are her favorite hobbies.  :)  She also loves to play in her crib and read her animal book.  She is crawling like a pro and pulling to stand.  The world is her playground.  She is still taking 4-5 bottles a day, drinks water from her sippy cup, and is eating table foods.  She takes two 1-2 hour naps a day and sleeps 9 or 10 hours a night. 

Anna Scott went to her friend McNeill's first birthday party on March 10th.  It was an Easter/Bunny themed party, and Anna Scott was a little bunny herself.  It was such a sweet party and we had a great time.

Like I said, the world is her playground...

Bath time is so much fun!

Modeling her new swimsuit...

Anna Scott is a good little mommy...

I told her she used to be as little as that baby doll but that she is a big baby girl now.  :) 

Anna Scott meets brand new Amelia Joy...

Now, this little bunny is ready for her first Easter!

It's a Match!

As you can tell from the photo above, Match Day was an exciting day for me.  I matched into Diagnostic Radiology at Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham.  My residency is 5 years long - the first year being a pre-lim/transitional year and then 4 years of radiology.  I will be doing my first year (transitional year) at Baptist as well.  I prayed for God to place us where we would be used for His glory and to make us at peace with His perfect plan.  I am thankful to be staying home, as I feel it is best for our family.  With that said, I now have a new home away from home.  Allison's soon-to-be husband, Alan matched into Emergency Medicine at University Medical Center in Jackson, MS.  They are excited about this journey and what God has in store for them.  It looks like I'll be singing "We're going to Jackson" a lot over the next few years!  We can't go too long without seeing Allison and Alan.

I would like to say a special "thank you" to my family.  There is no way I could have gotten through medical school without my husband, Scott.  Some say medical school becomes harder with the responsibility of marriage.  For me, it would have been impossible without it.  I can't begin to recall the numerous ways in which Scott has made this experience smooth sailing.  All I can say is that he is much of the reason I am where I am today.

My parents and sister have been a tower of support, strength, comfort, and love during my medical school experience.  I hit sinking sand several times during medical school (as everyone does), and without them, I would have surely sunk.  My dad is the role model that led me to choose the medical field, and my mom is the role model that led me to choose a medical specialty that will allow me to have a family and spend the most time with my children.  I have always wanted the best of both worlds... to be a good physician and integral part of the healthcare team, like my father, and to be a mom who is always there, like my mother.  They have made this possible for me, and I owe so much of my success to them.  

So thankful my sweet grandmother was there for Match Day.  I can't think of a special event in my entire life when she wasn't right beside me.  What a blessing she is to me and our whole family!  I know Papa was there in spirit and he is so proud.  I love and miss him every day.

Here are some pictures from this long-awaited day...

Announcing my match from the podium 

Signing my name on the map near Birmingham

Lunch celebration at Brio...

 A mouthful of cake!  :)

 Residency begins July 1, 2012.  I am looking forward to this new chapter in my life.