New job!

So..... I FINALLY GOT A JOB!!!!

It's FINALLY a job where I am using my degree and my knowledge and my skills!

It feels really good.

So, I was talking with my friend Chelsea on December 30th, and she mentioned that her brother in law works at Logan River Academy and they are looking to hire a new therapist.  So I emailed him my resume the morning of the 31st and I got a phone call that afternoon for an interview on January 1st!

The night of the 1st, I got a phone call offering me the job! I am working with another therapist in the girls program. We are building it up, revamping it, and strengthening it in hopes to get new female students! Because there aren't very many girls yet, I am only working about 10-15 hours a week, but it will eventually turn into full time once we get more female students in the program!

Logan River Academy is a treatment center/boarding school for teenagers who have troubles and issues that are too difficult for the parents to deal with. So the students live there, go to school there, and do activities there. In addition, my part comes in--they get weekly individual, group, and family therapy too! That's what I do with them :)

I have been really nervous about using my degree ever since I graduated. I've been dealing with a huge fear of inadequacy. I've been worried about getting a job with my degree because I kept wondering "What if i'm not good at what I spent all this time and effort learning?" I've also been extremely nervous to get a "day job" where I might have to find a babysitter for Kaiser. I hate the idea of leaving him with someone who isn't me or Scott during the day.

I am incredibly lucky to have this opportunity. I am really enjoying it, and feel like I am getting good experience. I'm so grateful that it just happened to fall in my lap, because I honestly don't know how long it would have taken me to get to the point where I was secure enough to get a therapy job. It's been nice to have things work out!

6 and 7 MONTH UPDATE!!

I kinda dropped the ball on doing Kaiser's 6 month update last month--so why not just combined them?

Kaiser turned 6 months on January 1st! I know I say it all the time but I can't believe how fast the time has gone! 

He had his 6 month doctor's appointment on January 6th.

Here's his stats:

Height: 26 1/2 inches -- 50th percentile

Weight: 17 pounds 10 ounces -- 50th percentile

Head: 45 cm -- 75th percentile

He took his shots like a champ! Cried for a second and went back to normal the rest of the day! We took a before and after photo again but the after photo is blurry, so here is him just being his happy old self :)

He is growing so quickly! Yet he is staying within the average percentiles for growth. We've been blessed to have him be so healthy and happy! He is seriously the happiest baby I know of...We love him!

KAISER'S FIRSTS:

* First word: "mama." I can't remember when it was--may have been before 6 months :( He said "dada" shortly after

* First cold: November 24th. It may have had something to do with flying home from CA. That's what people tell us anyways :)

* First tooth: January 16th. It was his front bottom right tooth. His second tooth came in January 26th and it was his bottom left tooth

* First time crawling forward: January 27th! Just before 7 months. That's right--my baby can crawl!

OTHER FUN THINGS ABOUT KAISER:

* He is saying ma-ma, da-da, dad, fa-fa, ba-ba, bob, na-na and possibly a few other things I can't spell :)
* He is constantly talking and/or yelling. He is such a jibber jabber boy
* Mimics us when we talk, or make certain noises
* Scooted backward for a while before crawling forward
* Can go from bum to tummy and crawling in a matter of seconds. He is just about able to sit on his bum from crawling, but not quite there yet.
* He sits up like a pro

* He LOVES to touch everything--he is extremely curious towards everything around him. It's so fun to see his brain working
* He fake coughs and fake cries. I can't help but laugh when he does it
* He loves his oatmeal, and basically any fruit--especially bananas. He hasn't quite taken a liking to vegetables. He will do okay to eat sweet potatoes, peas, and the corn and sweet potato mix

* He likes to eat yogurt bites, and cereal puffs. He also wants to eat what the big people are eating, and he is getting better at not gagging/choking on stuff

* When he is sitting down, he looks up at what he can hold onto to stand up. He is doing good at pulling himself up onto things

* He can sit up in a shopping cart and thinks he is so big and cool when he does it
* He loves sitting up in the tub on the bath mat grandma and grandpa gave him. He loves the tub still and is obsessed with splashing. Everything is super wet by the time he's done
* He loves to stand up
* He is still obsessed with jumping, whether he is in his jumper, in your arms, or practicing standing (until he starts jumping that is..)

* He loves to wrestle on the bed
* He is a social bug-he will still go to anyone
* He is super ticklish under his ribs and on his back
* He loves to stand up (with help of course)... then he starts jumping:)

* He can pull himself up onto his feet when holding my hands

* Loves peek-a-boo

* When we hold him up in the air, he kicks his arms and legs so hard like he's swimming

* Blows lots of raspberries/gurgles

* Getting better at picking small stuff up with his fingers

* He can now fall asleep on his own for naps

* He still has to be swaddled in his burrito wrap to go to sleep (or papoose, as grandpa Perkes calls it:))

* He loves books (to chew on for now.. hopefully to read later!)

* He still loves Baby Einstein

* He wears some 3-6 month clothes, and is transitioning into 6-9 month.

Since I'm so late on updating, I will just post some of Kaiser's 6 month photos that Chelsea took! He is growing like a weed!

There is one thing he doesn't like....and that's photos! (and green beans, squash, any of the meat based baby foods, and holding still while he gets his bum changed...)  But he especially doesn't seem to like his photo taken... Which is fine for him, but it makes momma kinda sad! But we were still able to get some really cute ones after some effort--obviously, because I can't seem to narrow them down to just a few. Geeze...

He has been such a blessing in our lives. I love to watch how his little mind works. Seriously, he learns so many new things every day. I love his little personality--he is the sweetest, funnest, happiest little boy we could have ever dreamed of!