Things I never knew I needed to know.

The theme song around our house the past couple of weeks has been, "Get down, study-udy-udy." I have become (willingly, I might add) S's personal tutor. I should also add that this is at his risk because I know absolutely nothing when it comes to anatomy/physiology/medications. [*Sidenote* We joke that between the two of us, we can tell you everything that goes on in the human body. S from the cell and bigger and me from the cell and smaller.]

However I have found that I'm pretty good at making up mnemonic devices. For example:

CAT-P describes the side effects of Albuterol related to the heart (Chest Pain, Arrhythmias, Tachycardia, Palpitations...). C DAD Hurl? Side effects of Phenergan (Confusion, Drowsiness, Agitation, Dizziness, Hypotension...)

Naturally, after all of this studying I have managed to pick up a few things that are nothing but useless knowledge to me at this point, except the occasional, Quick, name the route of Epi 1:1000 challenge I throw at S when we are driving somewhere. However, the other day we were watching American Idol and there was a contestant who said she had been born with damage to the 7th Cranial Nerve. S turns to me and says, "Can you name which nerve that is?" I quickly scoured my head for Subject matter containing Cranial Nerve (imagine a rolodex) came to the mnemonic device for Cranial Nerves 4-7. Hmm, Trapping, Tripping and Falling... Falling...F... Facial! I exclaimed. To which S replied that I was correct. I haven't been that proud since tying for the top score on one of my chemistry exams senior year.

So I guess it isn't entirely useless knowledge. I can WOW (sarcasm) my coworkers (and you readers for that matter) with my newly acquired wisdom.

I'm also pretty sure that Bean's first word is going to end up being Sympathomimetic...

I can't get enough of this girl...

I couldn't decide which picture was my favorite so (lucky you) you get to see a couple!


These were taken on her blessing day early in December. I set up a mini-photo shoot before (a) she got grouchy or (b) she spit up all over her white dress. (Incidentally, both happened.)


I don't have some fabulous story about her dress (i.e., passed down through generations, spent 100 hours sewing it and did all of the trim by hand.) Nope, realized a week before that I didn't have a dress yet and found a really cute one at the distribution center. She looked like an angel. And yes, I will probably hand it down to her for her posterity :)


S bought her some "station boots" a few weeks before she was born and we were surprised to see that she actually sort of fits in them.

So then we had to put her in this get-up that I found at a local discount store. (How could I resist buying it?!) Yeah, it was still a little big on her! We'll try again in a few years. I can just imagine her running out in a rainstorm and jumping in puddles. I might have to join her.

Okay, I'm done now...