On the cell block

Meet Mommy, public enemy #1. Wanted for candy smuggling, toy hiding, and involuntary incarcerating a boy to his crib.



Meet Warden Sam, Mommy's worst nightmare. Only the best law enforcement can keep this Mama under wraps, and this kid's got grit and unimpeachable ethics. Don't even try to bribe him with a sucker. Look at those steely cold eyes.

"I'll never forget the day I got my first pair of underpants."

-Prairie Dawn

We've been watching this DVD lately. A lot. And while I don't think Sam's quite ready to jump into potty training (and I know I'm not!), Elmo is helping him get used to the idea.

However, I hope Sam does forget the day he gets his first pair of underpants. Because unlike Prairie Dawn's exciting excursion to an exclusive boutique where she picks out fancy panties decorated with pianos and music notes, Sam's experience will be something like this:

We went to Wal-Mart, and Mom bought an economical multipack of size 2T white Hanes.

A broken system

I've spent a fair amount of time over the last few years attending various medical society meetings. We talk about lots of things, but the overarching them usually seems to be "how to fix our broken health care system". There are many reasons the system is broken, but usually the discussion has to do with reimbursement and how there just plain is no way the current rate of growing expenses can be sustained in our society. Too many uninsured, too many frivolous lawsuits, too many primary care providers fleeing to higher-paid specialties.

This has never been so strongly impressed on me as during my current rotation. I'm doing general internal medicine (primary care) and the team I work with has traditionally made this one of the easier rotations of the year. Too easy, as it turns out, so the program director completely changed the system earlier this month (right after I started) so that I carry 3 to 4 times as many patients as the interns on the other team. I have so many patients, it turns out, that I don't have time to really spend more than a few minutes with them. I can't get to know them or follow up with them several times a day. I can't really care for them like I should. I spend my day running around frantically trying to get all the busy-work and paperwork out of the way. I dictate, review lab results, and chart my little heart out. I've got 20 years of education to be a specialized secretary, it seems. And the patients suffer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Several months ago, my cute sister-in-law, Shana, posted a faq about her gestating babies. Because I pretty much want to be just like her, I started writing up my own faq as soon as I learned I was pregnant. And then I got distracted. And hungry for pb&j. And spaghetti. And sleep. Now, months later, when I'm finally ready to hit the "publish post" button, there are only two questions left to answer.

Q: When is the baby due?
A: February 19, 2007.

Q: What does Sam say about all this?
A: "Candy?"

And there you have it, folks.

Baby photos

I had an ultrasound last week. The doctor said everything looks "nice and normal." The baby is growing fast, even though things are already a little cramped in there, as this shot demonstrates.
With all those arms and legs everywhere, it was hard to get a good view to tell the baby's gender. Luckily, the 3D shot shows the important stuff more clearly. Look closely and you can see a tiny pink bow, on her (!) head.


Pretty amazing, huh?

Chalk drawings

When Daisy stayed with me last summer, we each made a list of things we'd like to do while she was in town. The items on our indivual lists ranged from easily executed (go bowling) to overly ambitious (finish scrapbook), but we had a lot of fun doing what we could to accomplish our "goals." One item on Daisy's list was to do sidewalk chalk drawings with Sam. We bought the supplies, but Sam wasn't into the whole drawing thing at the time. And we ran out of summer too quickly.

Over the last year, however, Sam's artistic talents have blossomed. A couple weeks ago, I dug out the sidewalk chalk and let Sam have a go. He had a great time.

He colored in shapes and pointed out letters and told us what he wanted us to draw (mostly garbage cans and trucks).

He also did some origninal work of his own. I hate to brag (well, I mostly hate it), but he drew those blue lines above all by himself!

We were having so much fun that some friends from the neighborhood soon joined us. I put them right to work so I could stand around looking pregnant.

Coach kept himself busy drawing everything in the world. He's good, huh?

Thanks, Daisy, for the inspiration! Sam sure misses you! And I do to.

A Conversation

Sam has been talking for quite some time, but fully interactive conversations are still somewhat new. And surprising.

The scene: I am playing with my birthday loot (beading supplies) while Sam sits next to me chattering and sifting through his own pile of beads.

Sam: chatter chatter chatter ... thirty dollars ... chatter chatter
Boss: Thirty dollars? Where did you hear about thirty dollars?
Sam: Dad.
Sam: Dad, Sam thirty dollars.
Boss: Dad gave you thirty dollars?
Sam: Yeah.
Boss: What are you going to buy with thirty dollars?
Sam: Candy.