In the Navy!

For those of my loyal readers that don't know, over the course of the past five weeks I have enjoyed an all-expense paid vacation in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island. It was quite the experience! I awoke every day at the luxuriously late hour of 5:30 am to a screaming Senior Chief Petty Officer who enjoyed torturing new Naval officers. I then conducted physical training in goose poop encrusted fields, attended mind numbing classes, and attempted to save the USS Buttercup from our clumsy ship saving efforts! Overall, my experience at Officer Development School was a blast, and it was well worth the wait. At the end of the ordeal, I marched my company onto the field and graduated in a uniform that can make the nerdiest of us look hot! I was even able to wear a sword for the ceremony. The only thing that would have made it better was if they had announced my entrance with the phrase, "Future Surgeon General, arriving"! I guess I'll just have to wait until I'm actually appointed for that ;)

This is a picture of me immediately following the presentation of the Leadership Award. I must say that I cut a rather dashing figure!

My beautiful wife made it to my graduation. She wanted me to let everyone know that the sun was in her eyes. I like to think that she was so overwhelmed by my good looks that she couldn't look at me anymore!

My good friends from medical school, David, Jana, and Breyton Badger, also made it up to see me graduate. I'm currently trying to convince David that he should sign up and get a sweet uniform as well. Come on, David; you know you want to!

Your So Vain... You Probably Thing This Song is About You

I never thought of myself as a vain person. Even when in high school my sisters sang the "your so vain" song to me. I have recently come to the realization that I am vain. When I started receiving requests to see pictures showing my belly. I thought it would be no big deal. I love to look at my belly in the mirror, and to feel little Andy move around and I want to share that with my family and friends.

I do my best to look like a cute pregnant lady, and I think I am doing an okay job when I look in the mirror. Yet it never fails that when I look at myself in pictures I can't help feeling like I am not doing a good job. It maybe because I have gained about 12 pounds, which does not seem like very much but if it is true that the camera puts on 10 pounds that makes me look like I've gained 22 pounds. Now maybe I am holding on to that false mirror image of myself but I would really like to believe that I am not as big as I look in pictures. Even thought I know that I am pregnant and I am suppose to look big it has taken me a while to take a picture that I at least feel somewhat okay in. So I am sorry it took me so long to post a picture, but what can I say...I am vain, and I am working to overcome it.

The Ever Changing Facial Hair

Patrick spent most of his first year of medical school with his stunning goatee. As finals came to an end he promptly shaved the goatee and moved on to his next look...the ruggedly handsome mountain man(see picture below).

The Mountain man look was only a step to his next adventure. Shortly after arriving in California Patrick shaved his whiskers in to the Wastache. For those of you who have never seen a Wastache before there is a good reason, few can pull it off. I maybe bias but I think Patrick is one who can, even if it is a little silly. (Patrick insisted that we go to old Sacramento just to have this picture done. The Wastache doesn't look so silly with old western clothing on and a gun in your hand.)
Now that Patrick is in the Navy the Wastache is gone and according to Patrick so is his hair. I have not received a picture of this new look, but rest assure that as soon as I do I will post it. Patrick buzzed with out facial hair...I am not sure what to think.

It's a...

I would like to officially apologize for the time delay involved in posting this blog. As many of you know, Julie and I left 'da Bronx on July 1st and drove to Idaho the next day. During our trip to Newark's Liberty International Airport, one of us (who will remain nameless to protect his fragile ego), left one of his bags on the New Jersey Transit train. This bag contained my laptop, digital camera, and checkbook. Needless to say, much time was spent ensuring that the money in our checking account remained ours. Additionally, the lack of a computer has made it difficult to blog. However, after a highly successful family reunion in Idaho, we are now safely ensconced at Julie's parents in Elk Grove and are free to begin blogging once again.

So, to move on to the reason for this post. After tallying up the votes, 45% of those polled felt that we are having a boy (including Julie), 40% believed that we are having a girl (including the author), and 15% felt that we were getting both! After an exciting sonogram that had our baby hopping around all over the place (I would post a new picture of the baby, but those were in the infamous bag) we discovered that 45% of the respondents were correct! The baby is a boy. We're both so excited that we can barely stand it. Stay tuned for more updates and an exciting picture of my new facial hair.

Time On My Hands!

At approximately 11:30 a.m. on June 4 the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Class of 2011 laid down their well-worn pencils, shelved their extensively highlighted textbooks, and began caffeine detoxification programs in preparation for the last "free" summer of our lives. In true overachieving medical student fashion most of my classmates have committed to research projects during the next few months (China, Primary Children's, and NYU, to name a few). I, however, refused to spend my vacation locked away in a dark, dank research lab (actually, due to the vagaries of scheduling my Navy officer training, I was unable to firmly commit to any projects and was out of luck by the time I finally knew my summer schedule). I have therefore found myself with more time on my hands than I know what to do with. The first week-and-a-half has been rather slow. I just can't seem to fill the day, even though I sleep until 10 o'clock every morning and play video games for hours. So, what does a prospective Navy officer with nothing to occupy him do to while away the time? Why, build a model of the U.S.S. Constitution, of course! It is very complicated and time consuming; the perfect remedy for a pair of idle hands. The best part about it is that when all is said and done, I'll be the captain of my very own sail boat! Can it get any better than this?




P.S. - For those of you that want to see my cute, pregnant wife, rest assured that I have heard your pleas and will grant your request once she starts showing. It's just not that exciting to stare at a flat belly!

Hot As Hades!

It's been awhile since I last posted, and, since I have quite a bit of time on my hands now that the first year of medical school is behind me, I felt that it was time for a short, sweet post about what's been on my mind. It all BOILS down to this; it's freakin' hot here! For the past two days the temperatures have approached or exceeded 100 degrees. They won't even let the school children go outside to play. Every time I step outside, I feel like I'm swimming in a thick, hot haze. Only 21 more days until Julie and I are in California, where...it will be just as hot! When will it be winter again?

If At First You Don't Succeed...

...try, try again! As many of you already know, Julie and I have been trying to have a baby for over a year. Well, despite some bumps along the way, we can proudly proclaim that we are going to have a bright, fuzzy blob thing! We had the first ultrasound in mid-April. Initially, we thought that it resembled the creature from the Black Lagoon; after all, it had flippers.

The strong heartbeat reassured us, however, and we began to look forward to the first trimester check in mid-May. Julie's second ultrasound was today, and we can proudly say that the little parasite is developing normally and is due on November 23.

Julie is still quite sick in the mornings (and sometimes in the evenings), but we're so excited that we (meaning Pat) hardly care! Anyway, we are now taking guesses as to the sex of the baby...give us your opinion and we'll see who's right!