Something Everyone over the age of 16 should know!

So the other day I had to renew my ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certification. Basically that means, BLS (Basic Life Support) aka CPR, with medication and other fun stuff (like IO-- an iv in your bone!). I really enjoyed getting to take that class actually, and it doesn't hurt that I get paid to go to it! We had one of our ER Docs going over a lot of interesting stuff-- the most interesting is that studies showed the chest compression part of ACLS is the most important! Kinda funny, because we normally go find the students or someone with little to no training to do that part! I will definitely be watching my minions closer when they are doing chest compressions.

The reason why I wanted to make a note about this, is I believe everyone over the age of 16 should take a CPR course at least once every 10 years (technically your license expires every 2 years, but I don't expect people who are not in the medical field to get it renewed that often). It is really a basic course and you don't have to be a brainiac or medically inclined to understand how to do it! Do you have 2 arms? Can you exhale? Can you speak? If you answered yes to these 3 questions, then you should take a CPR course!

Just think about it. You're in the mall when you see someone fall down. You rush over there and ask if they are ok, but they don't respond. What do you do? Call for help and stare at them? You don't see them breathing and you're not sure if they have a pulse. What do you do? It sounds scary because you don't know what to do.... but if you had taken a CPR course, you could potentially save someones life! It's a simple 3 step processes, but it works!

Another thing-- you're a mom and you lil one chokes on something. Do you know what to do? Most BLS classes will go over a choking scenario!

So, all this to say, Please take a class! It's actually pretty fun and you kinda feel like a super hero afterwards (even though it was a plastic person you just saved)! You also walk around watching everyone and thinking to yourself, "Who is going to fall down? I so know what to do!" It's even better to do it with friends!

Now I've got you thinking, call up your local Red Cross and they can hook you up with a class! It's not expensive and again, it's not rocket science! And who know what might happen if you're prepared with life saving skills!

The babies are coming! The Babies are coming!

As I'm nursing my own sweet baby, I'm scrolling through my Facebook seeing half of the posts are either "We're pregnant!" or "I'm __ weeks along" or "Meet our new baby!"

Is it just me or did everyone I know get pregnant at the same time?! I've been noticing this for a lil bit now, but it seems to keep growing! I guess I have reached the age where all my friends have babies! First we all got married, then I guess it makes sense for munchkins to follow. But it's so surreal for me!

Course now if one of my friends is pregnant, it's my job to ask them thousands of questions and give advice that they probably already know! But I did the same thing for my friends getting married!

So I guess this means instead of wedding showers, we have baby showers! But what comes after the baby wave? Toddler parties? School outings? PTA moms? Soccer/sports? Graduation parties?! Eik! I'm scaring myself thinking that far ahead!

It's safe enough to say that I'm enjoying this new phase if my life and I'm sure I will enjoy the phases to follow! For now, I'll cuddle with my lil boy and send encouragement to all my fellow moms or moms-to-be!

A Comedy of Errors

This so far is my best "I'm a new mom" story so far!

After a wonderful lunch with Alan's parents, I thought I could make a speed trip to the grocery store with Jonah while he was in a pleasant mood. So I raced down the aisles grabbing what I could and skipping what would take too long (the bread aisle was packed!). Half way through, Jonah was getting a lil fussy, so I carried him for most of the trip. It made for some awkward run-ins with people, but since he is too cute, they didn't seem to mind! After grabbing what I could, I made it to the check-out lines where everyone seemed to be taking their time and Jonah was getting more fussy. To keep him calm, I grabbed some water and put it in his bottle-- we all know how much people love a screaming baby! After filling up his bottle, I managed to spill half of the water in his car seat.

So let me recreate this picture: I'm currently trying to bounce a fussy baby on my hip, while placing groceries on the belt and doing my best to dry Jonah's car seat, when I reach for my wallet to find.... I forgot my wallet! At that moment my mom's voice popped into my head with the famous quote "The years go by so fast, but sometimes the days last forever!" I could feel the frustration come on when I thought "This is hilarious! If I was on a tv show, this moment would be the punch line!".

So, with almost a laugh, I told the clerk that I was sorry but I forgot my wallet! She did not seem to think it was as funny as I did. She proceeded to give me the rolling eyes and wonderful glare (which I would expect from someone under 30... not over 50!), followed by a "Well I don't know what we are going to do then". I just said "Well, we can either put this in a cart and I come back to pay or you can put everything up. Either way, I don't have money to pay and I'm not expecting to get anything free today." I was grateful to see the manager come up when he did and offer to do exactly what I had mention, since the clerk looked like she was about to lecture me.

With fussy baby in hand, I proudly walked out of the store with an empty cart and a wet car seat. Jonah wasn't too frilled about having a wet ride home, but he was soon put to sleep when we got home. I'm definitely going to enjoy that memory for a long time! Next time, I'll put my "I'm a new mom" shirt on... course a frantic face probably does the trick too! ;)

2 months old and loving life!

Today is Jonah's 2 month birthday! Here is a lil update:

• Weighs 10lbs 9oz, 22in tall
• Wears 0-3month clothes and size 1 diapers
• Got his 3 shots and did great!
• He is in the 25% for his height & weight (up from the 4%)
• Holds his head up for longer periods of time
• Has discovered spit bubbles!
• Likes to look at his mobile or other toys
• Recognizes and follows mommy and daddy's faces
• Drinks 4-5oz of breast milk and takes 4hr naps
• Sleeps through the night (11pm-5am)!!!

And is as handsome as ever!

Naked Baby!

What happens when you mix baby and blue paint-- not a hand print, but a cute mess!

Kerfuffle of Thoughts

*Sigh* Fall is sneaking around the corner and I'm loving it! I do love all seasons, but fall has a special place in my heart... and stomach! Gotta love how pumpkins make it into every food this time of year!

Work was nice the past three days. Here are some of my favorite moments:

• A patient's kid was crying and the patient told the doctor "He must have an ear infection or tummy ache or something! Why would he be crying? He has to be sick". The doctor turned, look at the patient with a straight face and said, "I believe your child has spoil-n-itis. There is no cure for that". Love our ER docs!
• It was nice having a hand full of patients that I could joke and laugh with about things. Those always make the day more pleasant.
• On my way home from my first of three, I stopped by Starbucks to get a drink because I was so worn out and needed something to help me get home! I must have looked pitiful because they gave me the drink for free! I looked at him and said "Really?! Thank you sooo much!" Not many people can appreciate a good cup of coffee besides a nurse who just got off a crazy shift after only having 4hrs of sleep!
• I stopped to pick up some candy on my last day and was hit-on by the clerk. Nice to feel like my body is slowly returning to it's original shape and glamor! 

But the best thing that happened, was every night after work coming home to my wonderful husband and baby Jonah! I felt so loved when Jonah was being fussy, but when I picked him up, he instantly calmed down and just looked at me! That's right baby, mommy is home!

We recently took some photo's of Jonah-- Alan does such a wonderful job at taking them! Here are my favorite:

I'm already thinking of fall/october photos to take! I see pumpkins in Jonah's future!

On another note, last weekend was the Waco consignment sale and I stocked up! So we are very set on 0-3 months clothes and I'm having so much fun dressing him! I've found that I'm becoming like all those moms I used to laugh at when they would rather buy clothes for their kids than themselves... it's never depressing buying clothes for your adorable baby!

Hopefully I'll be able to start buying new clothes out of necessity because I've lost weight-- We've started on weight watchers and I'm ready to start slimming down! I want to be one of those cute outdoorsy moms that can keep up with their kids and look good doing it. It'll take some time, but hopefully by Christmas I'll be feeling more comfortable in my clothes!

Not so bad, eh?

So... I went back to work... and survived! Actually, I enjoyed being back at work more than I thought I would. It was different at first since I was going back on a day shift instead of my old night crew-- learning new faces and difference in when it's busy. The first day was hard for me emotionally, not just because I was away from my precious Jonah, but one of my patients was a teenage girl who coded and died. That's hard to deal with no matter what else is going on.
  But the next two days were really good! I felt awake during the shift and the time went by quickly. I also was able to avoid being too emotional by thinking "Only __ more hours until I see Jonah again!", which is a lot more beneficial than a pity party of "I'm not holding my son right now! WAAA!".
Course, whenever I got home, I cuddled with my lil boy for about an hour until I was falling asleep! In fact, the first night when I got home-- Alan met me at the car with him and as soon as he heard my voice, he's lil eyes got so big! I felt so loved!
My husband did a wonderful job of taking care of him and I believe he would make a great babysitter for anyone-- but he refuses to change any kids diapers besides his own kid! I'm going to have to add that to the list of things my husband is great at... right next to being a dulah!

On a boobie note-- pumping at work went great! I'm very grateful to my job for having a place to pump that's somewhat cozy and not a bathroom! There is actually a lock on the door, a glider, and some home like pics! I'm thinking though of bringing up there a bulletin board so that we can put up pics of our babies! It's more enjoyable to pump when you can see the beautiful face that you are pumping for!
Even more exciting news-- Jonah is latching on without a nipple shield!! Big accomplishment! Unfortunately, sometimes he draws blood-- ouch! So, to help mom not develop a wide range of vulgar vocabulary, the lactation nurse suggested that I pump for a little bit to help the milk let down and then put him on. She noted that I might want to get his frenulum snipped to help out.... um no! I think I would rather pump and feed than do that! So we're trying the pump and latch!
I'm really not meaning this blog to be about breast feeding... but it just happens to be a big area of my life at the moment!
Uh oh, I hear a grumble from the crib! Toodles till next time!

Back to Work

I've been excited and dreading this day since Jonah arrived. There has been a lot of mixed emotions and discussions about me going back to work.

Part of me wants to simply not go back. But that would mean debt and welfare galore even if Alan managed to hold down 2 jobs. It's easy for me to look at other moms who get to stay home and be jealous, to question why I had to have such a good job, and why things aren't different. That's when bitterness and resentment creep in and start its deadly work in my marriage. It has been difficult to keep those two at bay.

The other part of me is excited to go back to work. To be with adults and not have a baby on my hip. I have been blessed by being able to go on days and to only work 3 days a week instead of the 5 most people endure. I've even been thinking about going back to school for my masters and become a nurse practitioner in woman and child!

All these thoughts and emotions can be overwhelming at times. That and the general feelings of insufficiency of being a mom mixed with the troubles that I've had with breastfeeding. Put that in a bowl and mix it and tell me you don't feel like a crazy!

But thank God for His blessing of my husband, who keeps me sane! It really is a blessing when I think about it. I have a great job while Alan is getting started in his career, Alan is able to watch Jonah so we don't have to use daycare, I only work 3 days a week and I enjoy my job.
As Alan says, I don't need anti depression pills, I just need gospel pills! To remember this is temporary and to take joy that I can provide for my son a wonderful life. I pray that God will continue to pull out the weeds of bitterness and cultivate a beautiful spirit of joy and humility in my heart. That I will take His gospel seriously and let it take hold of my fleeting emotions. God is ever faithful, though I am ever faithless, and ever loving, even though I am prone to hate!