And It's All Quiet Again...

Mom, hope you had a safe and uneventful flight back home. Please call us when you get the chance. Thanks for everything. Our home is no longer in order as we expected just minutes after your absence. Or, rather, the usual "order" has been restored. But thanks anyways for everything you always seem to do and provide for us. It is very, very quiet now at home as you can imagine. Probably also because Ethan is not feeling too well, though he is the most lively of us three (Kelly not feeling too great either, and me, well, blogging away -- really what else to do?). I've read all of Ethan's favorite books to him already and his bedtime routine is looming. Our NetFlix is in ("The Holiday) so maybe we'll watch that once Ethan is put to bed - IF he gets put to bed on his own, and IF Kelly does not fall too tired or sleepy in the process.

Calling on anyone who wants to come up and visit us? I know the Lakhanis are thinking of seeing us some time in June and our BC trip in July is but 6 weeks away. Looking forward to that (though not the flight with Noomsie!) :-P

I often wonder why we put ourselves so far away from everyone. Sigh.

OK, maybe I'll try out the treadmill for once.

Pictures: Ethan's World (And Friends)

The Thrills Of Toddlerhood

Ethan turned 20 months old on May 21st. He still has only just 8 teeth with no obvious signs his molars are coming. As a result he eats very slowly and methodically and "chews" his food with great care and attention.

Everything revolves around Ethan these days. With mom with us the past couple of weeks, I have been fetching Ethan from preschool after lunch to bring him home to be with grandma some afternoons. Grandma has enjoyed having Ethan around, and has done very well introducing him to new foods - like eggplant! (khoresh-e-bademjoon... yum!)

It hasn't been easy, however, the past week or so. Ever since I left for my conference in DC/Virginia, Kelly tells me Ethan has been very cranky and whiny. Ethan rarely eats unless held (unless seriously distracted with other things). When thirsty, he calls/cries/whines/points for his straw cup, gets a hold of it, and passes it off to Kelly for her to hold the cup to Ethan's mouth for him to sip. Talk about picky. Only a mom-held-beverage will do!

Sleep time is a whole other adventure. Ethan's been through sleep-training so many times now, and he is back to the beginning it seems. We have our night-time routine that consists of a bath, some playing, milk, reading books, reading prayers, brushing of teeth, and then goodnight kisses and off to bed. But lately, even as early (in the bedtime routine) as drinking his milk, or being offered his milk, Ethan now realizes he is soon reaching his "curfew" and anticipating the final few steps in his routine, he resists and cries and gets all upset.

Kelly has had to put him in his crib while staying in his room, and often falling asleep in Ethan's room (we have a futon mattress on the floor next to his crib). Usually it is Kelly who sleep trains Ethan (since I cannot stand to hear him cry) but we will wait until after mom's visit to re-sleep train, Ethan.

Just now the crying has started, as Kelly calls Noomsie for his "nay" (milk).

New Video: Ethan Reading

Here's a video mom took of Ethan (20 months) "reading" a brochure/manual. This is just 30 seconds long. Not sure if I can post the 3 minute version. In that longer version, Ethan stops to "catch his breath" and then continues to read "wawawawawa" ..

CRCP

I attended a conference in DC/Virginia last week for four days. The conference was for clinical research professionals - investigator sites, sponsors, CROs, and everyone else in between.

Having been "on the job" now for 7 months, it was SUCH a great learning experience. I would even go so far as to say it was the most enjoyable conference I have ever attended (granted all other conferences I have been to were academic by/in nature and enjoyable for other reasons).

I learned the ins and outs of the clinical research profession - specifically about contracting agreements/budgets for clinical trials research. The conference was set up in "tracks" with parallel sessions covering different topics: Track A - budgets, Track B - regulatory, Track C - etc .. There were many great sessions that I had wanted to attend, but they were being offered at the same time, and so I had to be very selective.

On the last day of the conference, I took a qualification exam to be a Clinical Research Contracts Professional. I just received notification that I passed my exam. The exam must have been graded on a curve, since I answered all of 8 questions (out of 20!) Actually, I answered most questions, but had to rush answering 12 of the last questions in 5 minutes. So much for pacing. It clearly showed just how much exam-writing skills I have lost since my days as a student.

Time to put all that learning to practice and build a successful (and profitable) research program.

May Is Running Away

Ok, wow, time is just going by too quickly these days ... I can hardly keep up!

Just "the other day" I was typing an entry welcoming the month of May, and now, we are a day or so shy of the half-way point for this month.

Anyways, my mom and aunt are in town and staying with us. It has been so nice having family over. Coming home to a clean house and home-cooked meals is a bonus for sure, but just to have grandma around to play and care for Ethan has been really good.

I've started doing some gardening for the season. What an enormous task it is (compared to my previous living situation with our home in Durham, NC) to take care of weeds and prepare garden beds and plant. Everything just grows so quickly - that is, everything you don't purposely grow yourself, usually characterized by thorny branches or leaves, deep root systems, a lack of aesthetic or beautiful foliage or flowers and a tendency for being invasive.

Otherwise everything else is going fine. Ethan is just developing leaps and bounds and just today "conversed" with Papa Joon for a good few minutes on the phone!! Ethan was carrying the phone and holding it up to his ears, and "talking" to his grandpa in Canada. Kelly captured it all on video, so it will be a task for this week or next to have it posted.

I have a conference in Arlington, Virginia in a few days time that I have not prepared for. I have an exam. Hahaha ... I mean, yikes! I better study.

We have lots of pictures of Mother's Day we hope to post soon too. So stay tuned!