A few words from Mark......

Before we get to what Mark has to say, here are a few recent pictures. The first is our new family pic. My parent's moved in a couple of weeks ago while their house is being built and we are having a great time. At least I am.....for example, today my dad cleaned windows. Yesterday my mom made dinner and then they went out to eat. I'm gonna miss them when they move out!
Here is Mark just jumping right off the steps into the deep end. (I know it says three feet but it very quickly gets deeper than that. Besides he can't even touch at three feet!) I'm accross the pool with the camera zoomed in because he has never gotten off the steps before! Mr. No Fear. Mommy about threw the camera in the water when she jumped in to get him!

Beautiful form wouldn't you say? We love the neighborhood pool - it has a beach walk-in entrance and Mark loves to run into the water and make a big splash.

Last but not least, Father's Day! We started off with our yearly tradition of Krispy Kreme donuts! Aren't they handsome?

So Mark is constantly cracking us up. And maybe some of the things he says aren't too funny if you aren't there and can't hear him say it, but I thought I would try to put down a few so I don't forget. He has said a ton of stuff that I've already forgotten! =( I've got to get better about writing it down!

1. "Gammy's not listening to my words." (with a whine)

2. John: "Mark, what is your full name?"

Mark: "Jesus."

3. While sitting on the pot looking at his wee-wee, "Look at that hot dog!"

4. While playing with Gammy's calculator on her bed in his "cave" of pillows, "I'm being serious in here."

5. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are great."

6. While driving down riverside looking at the animal statues -

Mark: "Daddy, what does the moose say?"

John: "I'm not sure buddy."

Mark: "I'm gonna haf to ask Mommy."

7. "You don't have a wee-wee Mommy?"

8. Me: "Mark, I cleaned Nemo's tank. Go see how fast he's swimming."

Mark: "He's upside-down." (He wasn't, but I about had a heart attack)

9. Me: "Who will come to your birthday party next year Mark?

Mark: "Lexi, Brenda, and Jennifer."

Me: "What will we eat?"

Mark: "Hot dogs! And pretzels."

Me: "What about cake? What kind of cake will we have?"

Mark: "Pink"

10. While reaching into any tiny crevice, he often pulls out his cupped hand and says, "Here's baby Barrett!" We find him in the craziest places like the bathtub drain, in between couch cushions, in my shoes, etc. And then we have to talk to him, feed him, read him stories, etc.

Just like Daddy

Mark Thomas not only looks just like his daddy, but he acts just like him too. He likes to do everything his daddy does from riding bikes, fixing things, and acting goofy to shoveling dog poop...not kidding, he has his own little shovel. Well here the two peas in a pod are eating cupcakes.

And here is Mark riding in the Tulsa Tough....just like daddy. It was too cute, he was in the 6 and under race. And while all the big kids with pedals clearly won the race, we proud parents are happy to report that Mark won the non-pedal division! He passed a little girl in a yellow shirt right at the line! When we caught up to him just past the finish line he was holding his little blue ribbon and WAILING. We asked what was wrong and he said, "I no wanna finish my race!" So he and John kept going down the street. I guess he pictured in his little head that when we said he was gonna race like daddy that he would get to go around and around and around. Poor buddy.

And look at these two cuties! Mark and his cousin Barrett look just like their daddys! They were both hot out at the Tulsa Tough cheering for John.

Here is a better pic of baby Barrett and his mommy, aunt Lindsay. They were true blue John supporters on that HOT day downtown watching the crits!

The End

This post isn't really about Mark. Actually its not about him at all but I'll throw a few pics of him in at the end since its his blog after all!

So I have finally reached the end of my residency training! I know, I know, its about time! And for those of you that don't know it was 4 years. Not that I'm counting or anything but thats 12 years of school since high school. Its really ironic that I chose to embark on this endeavor because I HATE school! Its not that I hate learning, I just don't get along with "homework." Anyway, all this means is that I will now exclusively work in the ER and I don't have anymore quizzes, tests, presentations, research papers, or research projects to do ever again! (Unless I decide to go to law school which I threaten John with every time he gets lippy =) ). Anyway, here is a pic from my graduation ceremony a week or two ago with John and my parents.
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And here is a pic of me and Mark. He wouldn't let me pick him up. (He exercises his independance a lot these days!) As you can tell, he didn't got to the ceremony. Instead he went over to his buddy Leyton's house and had a grand ol' time. Leyton has a cool trampoline that they got to jump on. I hope Lisa posts the pics she took because the boys even took a bath together and then went to bed in the same room! Their first sleepover!!


The next pic is just a random one of Mark I took one morning before church! He's so stylish just like his daddy!

And this last pic is just one of Mark out in the front yard. I like it because my parents have a pic of my sister and I reaching up towards a tree in the neighbors yard and thats what this pic reminds me of. I also like it because Mark is constantly out riding his bike and sometimes he ditches the bike someplace obscure and walks around with his helmet on. (He can't get it off by himself) So I laugh because I'm sure some random people driving through the neighborhood probably think, "oh...that poor child must have seizures" or maybe they think he's the type to bang his head on the wall! =) Cracks me up.