Whoa...So life got busy!

Life with a little one and teaching and 3-year review has gotten busy! However, I think I have most things back under control for now and should be able to update this blog to bring everyone back to speed and get my thoughts out of my head.

What's gone down in brief:

1) Traveled East to see family for a week in March

2) Tam went in for his 4 month check up

3) I submitted my documents for my third year review

4) Tam's first try at solid foods

5) Enjoying the warmer weather finally

6) Advising my 29 students for next terms classes

7) Tam's bathing in the full size bath tub

8) Brian has re-done the downstairs bathroom

And of course, there has been tons of photos as well! Hmmm...Start at the present and work back? Or start blogging on topics furthest back in time first? Well, here's a most recent photo of Tam to appease the masses ...

3 month old Tam & Moose

I'm a little behind on posting some recent pictures...Here is Tam on his three month anniversary.

He is getting longer and is developing way more personality. He's always ready for a smile and even giggles now.

I love this one 'cause it looks like he is telling Moose all about his latest adventures :-) Moose is such a good listener!




This one makes Tam look like he is thinking REALLY hard about holding his heavy head up...or it just makes him look like a young Albert Einstein with all that hair.

Finally purchased a carseat

We finally decided on a car seat, purchased it, and have installed it in the car. About time too, since squeaker is getting a bit long for his infant seat.

We went with the First Year's True Fit Compass. It arrived last week in a HUGE box and we immediately had Tam try it out. Remember, this was the seat that they didn't have a demo of at the store for us to look at. Anyways, here's Tam in his new royal car throne :-) He's still small enough that he needs the infant insert (the blue cushion) and small enough he doesn't need the additional head rest that attaches at the top. I really like that it has the little head bumpers for when we take all those turns around here at hyper speeds...damn Michigan Drivers with their "no fault" insurance.

The side photo here shows better how much "seat" there really is in this thing. And don't worry, his toes really aren't that pointed!

We have it in the car and it just fits in the backseat with it rear facing and there is still (barely) enough room for someone to sit back there too. I was really grateful for how easily it installed in the car with the LATCH clips. Just to be double safe, we are going to a free car seat inspection this Friday before we head out on our road trip East.

He's such a little cutie! And now we are glad his safe too. However, I will miss the convenience of the infant carrier and being able to haul him around in it easily. Now we have to hold him or have him in the chest carrier or wrap when we head outside on quick trips. Oh well...good thing I still like holding him :-)

Talk about multi-tasking

I am highly against multitasking while driving because I firmly believe that it increases the chance for accidents. However, I thought the worst was talking on the phone or putting on makeup, but this is a new one! Chalk another one up for Ohioians (right next to Joe the plumber).


Driving and Breastfeeding news story

Okay...How dumb can you be?! Yes, the baby may be crying and hungry. BUT how much of a hurry are you in to unstrap said kid, whip out boobie, and try to BREASTFEED WHILE DRIVING! The only thing I can think of is that the baby was not restrained in a car seat when she got into the car, but was on her lap. Ah, hello, illegal. So by feeding the kid, she puts it in more danger from an accident or even bad driving skills than a little hunger might have done to it.


Don't worry. I'm all for boob juice, but not while my hands are on the wheel or even while the vehicle is in motion. Pull over, then feed little one, strap back into car seat, continue driving to destination. Sheesh.

How to waste your time

Do you like riddles? Are you feeling competitive? Are you ready for a bit of harmless addiction?
Check out this link...

http://www.mcgov.co.uk/riddles/level1.html

This is going around the baby blog I list on and I just can't stop playing! It took me the longest time to get past level two. Now I'm currently stuck on number 9.

Let me know if you get it figured out before me!

:-)

Scholarship competition & insights into our youths' minds

This weekend at Aquinas we held our annual scholarship competition for incoming prospective freshmen. High winners get full tuition, room, and board here at Aquinas for the fall. The competition is all about brains with a writing component, a math component, and a "how well you function in a group" component. Faculty here at AQ help out with judging the group work test. Basically, three faculty listen to 7-8 students at a time while they discuss a problem put before them. We then are rating them not on their solution to the problem, but on how well they worked together to arrive at that solution.

This year's topic was to rank order problems facing the United States in the order that they should be addressed by our new president. 18 problems. It was VERY interesting to see how different groups worked with each other or not...of which students are total extroverts or introverts...of who tries to get everyone involved and who always talks to here their own voice.
It was also interesting to learn what are important concerns to these students and what is NOT too problematic to them. I always cringe to here "The environment isn't really a problem" or "If people were smart, they just wouldn't get sick and need health care" or "alternative fuels will put too many people in the oil industry out of work." In the end, of the 24 students I watched, I saw a handful of bright, level-headed, well spoken students that I hope come to AQ and major in Biology. And then I saw at least one ass student who bowled people over with his opinions, showed little respect to anyone (include us), and was, well, an ass. I'll lay down $20 that says he thinks he'll be a doctor and he'll show up in our introductory course next fall. Yeah.

So what do you all think should be addressed first out of this mini-list?