Last Day...

Things are officially changing! Last Thursday was my last day of work....EVER! (Well, I shouldn't say that yet...since I am almost positive that I will always be the working type and/or enjoy having a job.)

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My current Full-Time position as wife and mom are are now going to get my undivided attention....for the next year, AT LEAST...(jarom...I promise, ok:)

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My students and fellow colleagues are the best! I will forever be changed by my experience here in Omaha....but more so by my time at Vatterott. I was happy and grateful for the opportunity to inflict positive change on the school, department and hopefully my students lives. They sure did change mine. My job was picture perfect....and I'm pretty sure I won't ever have one I enjoy more. It was very rewarding...and I made some amazing friends.

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When I moved to Omaha...I was quite nieve. My students changed that pretty quickly!!! Ha ha ha. They have each touched my life in their own way....and I will forever be in debt to them for opening my eyes. Unforuntalely life isn't as simple and sheltered for most... as it was for me growing up in little Brigham City, Utah. I am scared for my baby to grow up in this world....but I am up for the challenge of preparing him in the best way I can:) I have learned so much from each of my students struggles and admire how they have survived, endured, and overcome great odds. Thanks girls...I will miss you.

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We of course celebrated...every night for week. I'm the teacher...so I'm in charge....and we can do it if I say!!! ha ha. That's what I'll miss most. Jarom thinks I like being in charge.

He's kinda right:)

We ate lots of yummy food and my student Suzanne got me a YUMMY cake. We enjoyed a piece every night of my last week. We spent the week doing fun things like making Bleaching Trays for ourselves...and goofing off, like usual.

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I took some pictures so I could remember what it looked like.

Impression trays!!!

....I even made Jarom come and let me demo impressions on him, he has been a good sport for the past few years when it comes to my job...
These are a few of my favorite students. Suzanne, Jenny, Stacie, and Ashlee. They are all so brilliant and will make great dental assistants this Fall. I taught them for about 6 months...and this picture is of me instructing proper hygiene techniques! ha.

Another reason I love my job: we were always having fun and got paid to do it! That is Jill (the one on the left) she is the other Instructor...and we have worked together since Day 1. She was hired only 2 weeks after me...and we have spent MANY hours discussing, re-vamping, and stressing about the curriculum and various student issues. You would not believe the crazy things that have been thrown our way the past few years. GOOD LUCK JILL:)

Girls in the Lab...working on their bleaching trays.

My classroom.

Herman. My skeleton...whom I wish I could bring with me...but he's heavy and Jarom wouldnt' allow it. I was a tough teacher I've been told...by EVERY STUDENT I HAVE EVER HAD. I didn't think so...but I did make them do things like memorize every bone and muscle in the entire body and their function. I tried to make it fun...so I should get some credit. My Phase 1 students about a year and a half ago named him Herman Hernandez. I have no clue why???

This would be terminator...all set up for a demo of some kind.

OUR great dental opertoratories. This is where we perfrom demo's and pass-offs...and they give the students great hands on experience.

The school. oh, have I spent countless hours inside this building. It was my life throughout my entire pregnancy. I will never forget it....nor will I forget how scary it was to walk across that parking lot EVERY NIGHT at 11:00 p.m. and pray to not get mugged, killed, or kidnapped.

I will miss it. Wierd, I know.

GOODBYE VATTEROTT!

DONE!

ANNOUNCEMENT: Jarom took his LAST Final yesterday.

We (meaning myself, jaxson and jarom) are all breathing and recovering quite nicely. We seemed to have survived the 3...I mean 7 years of schooling. Now it's just the 30 page paper due May 2nd....and were home free:)

HALLELUJAH!

...QuAlity TiMe...

So, after reading about little Charlie (see previous post) I came to the realization that I don't really care if my house is that clean...or if dinner is prepared on time...or if jaxson is fully dressed, bathed and/or behaving:) I am just grateful and blessed that he is happy, healthy and loves me. Isn't being loved by your child the best feeling ever? I can't describe it.

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I kept my promise to myself and have taken WAY more time to play with him and be silly more often. We played catch...danced around the kitchen and did bubbles.

Oh - and did we do bubbles!!!

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He loves them and makes the cutest little faces. He is getting so smart and is like my little "sponge". He mimicks EVERYTHING that I do. As you can see in these first few pictures...he is getting pretty good at "blowing bubbles". He puckers his little lips and blows so hard! I love it.

The weather has been just beautiful! We have spent a lot of time outside....and had a great time on Sunday evening at Carter Lake feeding the ducks. Jaxson LOVED throwing the bread to them....and long after we were done, he was pretending to throw. I'm thinking he might be pretty good at baseball with the arm he's got!

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The other day I even got whacked upside the head with his little plastic bat. I, the unsuspecting victim, didn't realize that Jarom had been teaching him how to "swing" while I was at work in the evenings. How is he old enough to learn these things! CRAZY!

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I love that he is always waiting on the balcony to greet me! He reaches his hand through the railing and screams "HI! HI! HI!" from the 2nd floor whenever I leave or come home from work or errands. He also tries to squeeze his little (or big) head through the small spaces in the railings. I never thought I'd be so grateful for the "90th percentile NOGGIN" in my life. It WOULD NEVER FIT...so no worries. Ha!

Lastly....

little Jaxson has been quite the help with packing:) He has developed quite the technique to "scale" boxes and/or climb through rolls of bubble wrap! I found him MANY times behind the table climbing on the boxes.

I hope he survives the MANY bruises and "head bonks" he has endured throughout this move! At one point...Jarom missed him as he fell between the boxes and the dining table. He was wedged pretty good for a minute. To my defense...it couldn't have hurt him that bad...because he went back for more immediately!

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Here's to spending more QUALITY TIME with my baby!!!

It felt great.

Little Charlie...

I am sick and totally devastated right now. I can barely wipe myself up off the floor to write this. I feel like I will never stop crying and like I'm going to throw up all at the same time! While blog hopping at 1 am....like usual, I ran acrossed a blog for darling little Charlie Cooper. A perfectly happy and grinning little boy....EXACTLY like mine. Maybe that is exactly why this is effecting me so badly? I feel like I'm looking at my little jaxson when I see his pictures.

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I have spent the past hour reading his blog...and feeling the worst pain imaginable for his sweet mom. She is a strong woman...and will be so richly blessed for handling such a trial so beautifully. I guess her little Charlie had a simple ear infection. EAR INFECTION PEOPLE!!! She took him to an instacare because he was throwing up in the night...was told to give him pedialyte and was sent home. She went back...same answer...was sent home again. Like a good attentive mother...she went back a third time....only this time he ended up in ICU at primary children's hospital with bacterial meningitis. As I scrolled through the countless pictures of her baby boy (so close in age to mine) connected to handfuls of tubes and wires....I just bawled. He is so sweet..and helpless and in pain! OH MY GOSH....it is the saddest thing I have ever seen. I want to go get jaxson out of bed right now and kiss the crap out of him and hold him all night long.

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This poor little boy will never be the same. After reading I learned that he is still in the hospital after 3 months...and is in horrible pain, suffering seizures...and is now blind, partially deaf, and severely brain damaged. Can you imagine, you mothers out there? An ear infection!!! Jaxson got one last week...his first one...and I was scared. Can you imagine your perfect child getting an ear infection and only a few hours later....you will never see that personlity again? He was just learning to crawl...and you can see how fun and lively he was in his little mischevious smile! This woman is the strongest person I have ever seen....and little Charlie will be in my Prayers every single night.

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I take too much for granted. How pathetic do I feel right now? I am spending every single minute with my baby tomorrow...life goes by too quickly....and you never know how much things can change in a matter of a few hours....or days.

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Good luck Charlie. I'll pray for you.

www.charliecooperjackjack.blogspot.com

Our WeEkeNd....

We have been busy!

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Between packing boxes...Jaroms Finals.... and trying to enjoy our final weeks here in Omaha...our days have been packed! This weekend was busier than normal. I have been working a lot lately...and my Saturday was taken to attend The Nebraska Dental Conference as well. I was away from Jaxson for 8 hours straight....which was the longest I have been away since he was born. PATHETIC I know...but it was amazing how much I missed that little stinker. My friend Brittany spoiled him by taking him to the zoo and showering him in attention until I could meet up with them a few hours later. We are going to miss her.

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We spent a good few hours exploring the zoo...and the weather was beautiful! I love the Omaha zoo. We then came home and spent a few hours with dad at the Park:) I was so happy Jarom took a break from studying... because spending time with my boys is my favorite thing to do.

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This weekend Jaxson had his "first experience" feeding himself with a spoon. I knew the time had come for him to learn.... since he has been super whiney at mealtimes and always slaps the spoon! If I let him do it himself...he is so happy and usually eats more...so I figured what the heck!

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I have no idea why they decide one day to be independant!?! I would be fine with it and all....if it were at age 10 or something...but 13 months is pushin it for me!!!

who likes it in a bowl anyways????
This rocks!
He is such a cheeseball

It was funny to watch...and I am glad he enjoyed himself.

Heaven knows I don't have the patience to let that happen everyday!

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The next pictures are at the park! Yesterday was Earth Day! No, I did not know that before we went to the park...I am not that strange or organized, we just lucked out I guess! The park was packed..complete with a live band, food booths and a whole carnival like atmosphere. I had a good few hours with my family. Nights like that are my very favorite.

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Thanks honey, for taking time to make our day. Both Jaxson and I love you for it...and think you are a great dad!

Checking out the playground.

My little 13 month old could run circles around a 5 year old anyday, I swear?

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And to think...Jarom thought I was going to be one of those super cautious moms that are so protective they "HINDER" their children from learning new things. Ha! Look at him now Jarom....he is afraid of nothing! (The giant blue bruise on his forehead...which I thought for a minute could be a concussion, totally proves it!) He climbs the entire playground...goes down the slides...and would rather walk by my side at the zoo (and can keep up pretty good too) than ever be pushed in a stroller! He is so active. I had at leat 10 people stop me, betwen the zoo and park yesterday, and tell me how little he looked for what he was doing! It's pretty funny...and keeps me pretty busy.

Another hilarious thing we learned about our little boy yesterday was that he is deathly afraid of grass and sand!?! Wierd...yes, I know!

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He was so funny...Jarom and I could not stop laughing!!! I guess he really hasn't played on the grass much because everytime he would fall while walking...he would freak out. He would try his darndest to get up without using his hands...because HE WAS NOT going to let his hands touch that grass. The same went for the sand. He usually will not sit still for longer than a few minutes...but if he fell on the grass or sand we knew he would be sitting there for a while...too pissed off to move! Hilarous...I promise.

Dad...being a good sport....and making Jaxson's day. This kid loves his dad.

I had to throw this in. Can you believe this face???? I get this all the time....when he is trying to explain what he wants and I instead, ignore him, laugh at him, or in this case try to take pictures. This was also his reaction on one of the many time he fell on the grass and refused to touch it in order to get up!

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He is crazy....but we love him:)

Jarom says he gets this face from me. I look very similar when I am angry and/or yelling I guess:)

when you give a kid a cookie....

Have any of you read the book "When you give a mouse a cookie..."

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Sunday evening at my house reminded of that book! It was quite eventful and entertaining...ENJOY the moments of it I was quick enough to capture.

Sunday evening approximately 6:00 p.m. : Everything was fine...Jaxson was his energetic self and seeming to be FINALLY getting over his nasty virus. He was running obnoxiously around his room and tearing all of his clothes out of the dresser. The norm.

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Since Finals week is quickly approaching (my husband is 1 final and two papers away from graduation:) he is very busy and is studying more than the usual. This has not helped considering Jaxson has recently become VERY attached to him...so much so, that I sometimes can't help but feel totally devastated at how much he DOES NOT want to be with me and HOW MUCH he wants to be with his dad! Every time Jarom puts his shoes and hat on (prepping to leave the house)....Jaxson cries, screams rather, and begs at his feet to go with him.

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It is so sad. The following pictures prove it....

"please dad...don't leave me here with her!"

"TAKE ME WITH YOU!"
It, of course, breaks Jarom's heart and makes him feel like a million bucks all at the same time! Jaxson then insists on putting his hat on...in order to look just like Jarom. WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT ANNOUNCEMENT: My child's first word. "HAT". That's right.....his first word was hat...HE LOVES HIS HATS! He can now say three words : Hat, Hi, and DA DA for his dad.
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I am devastated. WAHHHH!!!! Poor me.

He puts his hat on...hoping that this will convince his dad he ready to go...and completely unwilling to be left behind.

HAT! HAT! HAT! That's all I hear these days...and it is simply adorable. He will stand outside my closet door and beg to go in. When I open the door he runs in, reaches up to the shelf with the hats and cries "HAT HAT HAT" until you let him wear one. It is so strange to have your little baby old enough AND smart enough to understand things like this! I also have loved learning what he likes and doesn't. He has such a fun personality...and I just know we'll be best buds.

His dad snuck out....without him. This is when it hit the fan.....:)

This is Jaxson head-banging the ground in front of the Door. He was not happy that his dad left him home...I didn't think I was that bad?

Throwing a complete and utter meltdown fit....and throwing his toys at me.

"I WANT MY DAD!"

The poor thing:) I, of course, decided that a homemade batch of chocolate chip cookies would make him feel better...because that is exactly what brings ME comfort on sad days:) I whipped up a batch...and handed him a warm one. Things got better....for a minute.YUMMY!

Followed was gulping, quite loudly, 2 sippy cups full of milk. It was hilarious.

Ya know on Napolean Dynamite when Napolean has been practicing his dance moves and is all sweaty? He goes into the kitchen and gets a bottle of Gatorade. He quickly cocks his head all the way back and starts gulping....HA HA HA. That is my favorite part of the whole movie...and that is totally what Jaxson was doing. PRICELESS:)

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This is when I smiled with joy and felt like I had finally fixed all this worries and was mother of year! Only to realize....that the book "when you a give a mouse a cookie..." is SO TRUE! They never can have just one!

HOLY CRAP.

Our meltdowns started all over.

Except this time it wasn't for dad...it was for his 4th cookie!

After so long.....

I gave in....and prayed that my weakness wouldn't come back to bite me at 2:00 a.m. when my child spent the entire night vomiting from too much sugar intake!

VICTORY! Sweet Victory:)

What a spoiled little stinker!

"154" Baby....

Two words: I WON! ha ha ha.

I love bowling...but I don't get to go as often as I'd like!!! A few weekends ago we had a night out for dinner, bowling and Dairy Queen, 3 of my favorite things:)

I also got to go with some of my favorite people....my family and good friends Brittany and Bryce! We will sure miss them...and enjoyed spending time together.

We went to a real "classy joint" as Jarom likes to call it....Wild Cat Lanes!!!

It's just perfect....clouded with smoke, $1.25 a game, filled with rednecks...hard to beat let me tell ya.

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If almost every bowling alley on earth wasn't exactly the same...I'd say that I was going to miss it:) Jarom is getting tired of me saying, "oh Jar, I am totally going to miss that!" "Oh Jar, We need to do this and that...before we leave!"
I always love to see Jaxson exploring new things. He had so much fun...and was running wild the entire time. Here he is selecting a ball....
Exploring some more....he wanted to run down the lane and it was a workout keeping him from doing so:)

Jarom took this shot of me totally "killing" everybody with my skills. I used to be pretty good...but after taking a 2 year break...I'll need to brush up a bit!
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I tried to hook our friends by suggesting that the losing couple had to treat the other couple to ice-cream afterwards! They didn't bite....I think they were scared!!!!

ha ha ha....

My wierd child. He totally understands what he wants and what he's means.

THE PROBLEM: We Don't!

I do have to say that it's darling just the same.

We are lucky to have friends that love and spoil Jaxson as much as we do. Since we haven't lived close to family for his entire little life...it has been a real blessing to me to have such great friends that adore him. It means a lot...and I will miss them. Have I said that??? I was so sad that he wouldn't get to see his aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. But our friends have become our family...and it makes all the difference.

~ THE FAMILY~

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I did want to mention...that a few days before I

completely slaughtered my husband bowling,

we were on a walk. During this walk, we strolled past a strip-mall which included a little family- owned bowling shop. As we walked by, I pushed my nose up against the window and begged Jarom, from the sidewalk, to buy me the cutest pink bowling shoes I'd ever seen, bag (that is on wheels might I add), my own hand-fitted ball...the works!!! He didn't think I was funny. But honestly, I would totally join a bowling league. It's on my "to-do" list before I die. Have any of you seen "the Break-up"? I love that they are in a bowling league...with team shirts! I can totally see me and Jarom doing that!

Anyone interested???

ha:)