Beer Exchange....

Today was a great lazy day....we all slept in and of course, we made our way to Costco. Um, yeah, what were we thinking? The entire parking lot was jam packed and so was the store! We had our hot dog and ran into Mitro and Landon at the same time. B enjoyed her snacking and tried green beans, hearts of palm, various cheeses, meatballs, etc. We were lured in to Mr. Yoshida Teriyaki sauce (I can only imagine how good it would be with salmon!) and meatballs to take as our appetizer for the beer exchange.

We also ventured to Dicks to return some of the Winter Classic hats I didn't want (I just kept the blue print one) and let me tell you how grumpy someone can be in a packed parking lot and busy store. He just wanted to get home because he hates the crowds!

We tried our hardest to get B to nap but really about 30 minutes was all we could get out of her daytime. The good thing was that the sun was shining and it was relatively "warm" so Erik was able to do some outdoor work and clean out the garage. After a busy day of straightening the house and finishing up wrapping all of the gifts, we had leftovers for dinner and got B to crash for a nap around 5:30. She slept until 6:45 (yay...so she wouldnt' be a crankpot for the party). We ventured to Scott and Jess's for a Beer Exchange party.

We took Dirty Blonde beer. Last year, B slept in the car seat and we had fun posing her with beer. This year, she was still good and loved playing with their dog Tucker....Tucker isn't used to kids so she was a little annoyed at B when B thought she was like a Crosby whose tail and ears she could pull so we had to pay a little closer attention to her and Tucker. We got a great selection of beer....Great Lakes, Blue Berry, home brews, etc and can't wait to sample some!

After a long day, I'm venturing to bed!!

Lazy Friday

Today, I was lucky in that the OR was pretty light. I didn't have a case until 11am so I was able to finish some of my applications and then the case was quick. So, at 1pm when I was out of the room, I got to go home for the day. Can you say "yay"!!! I love getting home early. I took a quick nap and then got B from school. It was so cute seeing her look up from the snack table and smile her big cheesy grin! So precious! Gosh, does B love to eat! She was polishing off her crackers. Then we went back to the house and sure enough, at 5pm, she was climbing into her high chair for dinner. We had a tombstone pizza.

I did have a party to go to tonight but tomorrow we have another party and really, I just don't think I can do 2 nights in a row. B (and us) value our sleep!

B went down for sleep so easily but then at like 9pm she woke back up and was hysterically crying so I went in and got her back to sleep. I think she's teething and her molars are ready to pop....I can feel the bumps on the top. Poor baby girl!

So, Erik and I cuddled on the couch downstairs with a bottle of wine and caught up on the first Penguins 24/7.

Winter Classic: 2 weeks!

Is it wrong that it's 11pm and I'm exhausted on a Friday night! Erik and I have a rule that we cannot go to sleep before 11pm on weekends so we don't feel like old people!

Long day...

Had a decent night last night. Got to catch up on work in the evening. Then had 3 epidurals to do between midnight and 3:30am in between which I had some great conversation with my attending regarding life goals. This is a huge topic of concern because I know what I want, but in the immediate future, there's no possibility because that isn't even present yet at the hospital I want to be at.

Anyway, I then proceeded with a meeting with some folks to try to sort things out. I have a lot of thinking to do this weekend/next week.....too much! Sometimes I wish it was 1907 and I couldn't vote or do anything because then I would at least know my role in life and not have so many darn decisions to make.

I was home around 1pm and took a nap before picking B up from school. In the mean time, I did drop off some of our neighborly gifts to our next door/street neighbors. Instead of baking cookies and buying some little trinket trash that will be in next summer's yard sale pile, I used some practical ideas for neighbor gifts: wrapping paper, bows, sparkly ribbon and sparkly gift tags, attached our Christmas card with a little note that said "Wrap Yourself Up in the Holiday Season." So cute!

Then, B and I played all afternoon and evening and let me tell you, we tuckered each other out. She sat in her outside swing and I got the idea to pull her around because if you laid the back part of the swing on the ground, it made a sled looking shape for her to sit on and I just pulled her around the basement. Big....stinkin....mistake because now, she just wanted pulled and pulled and pulled and pulled. I think this was a better workout than the Shake Weight because this was pulling 24-ish pounds of kid around with friction!

This kid also loves to climb....She climbed from her little desk to the the kids chair to the top of the table (her kid size one) then I caught her as she konked her head on the other chair. Of course she was crying but at this point, it was almost 7 and this clearly was starting to be tired time so up to a bath she went. Then, she tried to climb out of the bath tub. Mama mia....I'm already trying to take bets as to when she gets her first set of stitches.

Anyway, Erik and I also had a conversation about both of our futures and goals today. A lot of important decisions will need to be made in the coming weeks....ay yai, yai, this gives me a headache thinking about it.

Christmas...

10 days away....the last 3 weeks of my favorite 3 months of the year. Fortunately for me, I think I'm well ahead of schedule.

While Erik and I always said we would only get B 3 gifts per year because that's what baby Jesus got, it's been so hard because there have been things I would have gotten her anyway but I just disguise them as Christmas.

Like I got her snowflake socks, cloth swim diapers, play doh, etc. Her major gifts are one of the battery operated quads (hey for $29, it beats the $289 Mercedes Power wheels that she wouldn't be able to reach the peddles on for the next 2 years) and the Swarovski angel crystal ornament.

Compared to last year when I was wrapping gifts on Christmas Eve, we're way ahead of schedule.....

What we have done:

• Christmas card envelopes are printed and addressed so all we had to do was stuff the envelopes
• Tree is up (Thanksgiving Saturday) and decorated
• House is decorated (I did not put bulbs on the stair garland but some little girl would have that tendency to rip off the bulbs and I didn't want to clean up glass)
  
• Christmas pictures have been taken (twice...ugh...technically 3 times because I went once at the beginning of November mainly for the wallets and some quick pictures for Baba's funeral and then the 2 photo failures courtesy of a B meltdown).
• Outdoor decorations are up.
• All lights on timers (makes life so much easier to not have to remember to turn them on or off)
• All gifts are purchased...just need a few last minute gift cards.
• Attempted to see Santa at the house in Zelienople with the resulting failure and then again at the zoo with another failure.
• All gifts are wrapped and under the tree or already at Mom and Dad's
• Christmas outfits are picked out and ready to go
• Parties are well underway
  
• Most of the house is well organized
  

What I have left on my list to do

• Maybe a trip to Phipps for at least the tree photos....I think Santa is a failure this year
• Finalize our Christmas driving plans
• Snowman ornaments and handprint ornaments
• Order Christmas cards (yikes)C
  

Ten on Tuesday

In traditional 10 on Tuesday format, here are my thoughts for the day:
1. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders by getting my book chapter done last night. Even though I didn't finish until midnight and really didn't get started until the evening, I was able to crank my butt in gear and get it done. I work best under pressure. Always have...always will. I've had months, months to get this thing done but I would write a little, maybe a paragraph, and have mental block to just not want to complete it. Likewise, anytime I wanted to start to write, it would take me 20 minutes to lay out the 15 journal articles, 2 textbooks, etc that I wanted to use as resources and no one wants to lug that around. So, even if I did get out of the OR early on some days, unless it was noon and B wouldn't be home for 3 hours, there was no way I could get everything set up and get into a mindset of writing. Hence, why it took Erik (though not by choice....we kinda fell into a jam) taking B into my parents and me having a library day to catch up on my life responsibilities like clothes and bills where I felt comfortable forcing myself to commit to the book chapter. But alas, it's done and I can move on with my life. I just have the editing remaining so hopefully it will be fairly quick in the process.

2. As for the work under pressure, I've always worked best under pressure. It's October and I still don't have my personal statement done....no problem, just crank it out at 2am the night before it's due. Haven't studied for exams....no problem, I'll open a book at 10pm the night before and start reading. I never really studied. Never really learned how to pace myself because I could always get by with last minute deadlines. It actually stresses me to think about getting something done early but I keep ignoring that "you have a book chapter, case report, poster, etc to write that's due next month, week, tomorrow" until it's the wire. My life would be so much less stressed if people gave me deadlines 2 weeks before they were due. And technically, regarding the chapter, it was due in August. However, I "knew" the final book didn't have to be to the publisher until January. So, it wasn't until the powers that be put a little bug in my ear to get working.

3. I miss my B. She's been out of town since yesterday and the house is eerily quiet (and clean, but hey, if I get a smile from seeing B destroy things, then I'll take disarray over spotless any day). Man do I miss that girl! Her little giggles, her "stinky toes," her constant hunger and desire to eat anything and everything, her little moans and grunts.

4. B has had me a little worried. She's "almost" 14 months and hasn't talked. Not one word. No mama, dada, Crosby, ball, etc. However, she signs "more," she points to what she wants and grunts and doesn't get frustrated. She follows commands like "get mommy's socks" and brings them over and puts them on my feet (though she has yet to get the concept of the hole in the sock. She just drops them on my feet). She goes straight to her high chair (even if we're upstairs...she just slides down the steps in lightning speed and goes straight to her high chair and lifts up the tray) when we say breakfast, dinner, lunch, snack, etc. She gives Crosby hugs and kisses when we ask. She follows along songs like "wheels on the bus" and "if you're happy and you know it" and rolls her arms or claps accordingly. She stacks those rings on a peg and attempts to stack blocks. She's starting to use utensils. She makes good eye contact and smiles constantly at people (except if we're at Portrait innovations where she's cried hysterically the last 2 times). I know she's far developed in her fine and gross motor skills, receptive language, etc. It's just her expressive language has me concerned because it's like she has no interest in talking. So, I called Community Resources for Butler County to have a referral done. I figure the least that will happen is an evaluation to say "she's fine" because having worked with kids across the spectrum, I know she's not exhibiting other signs or symptoms of spectral disorders, except for the not talking. Who knows? Like everything else in life (B's induction day, work, etc), if you schedule it, the opposite will happen.

5. Snow....seriously, I love the snow! It makes for such a beautiful backdrop in life. What I don't like: cold. In fact, I hate it. I was outside for like 5 minutes walking to my difficult airway course and about froze everything off on my body. Definitely not a day to wear earrings because I swear it transmitted freezing cold temperatures to my ears. I love the snow...I loathe the cold. I just wish it wasn't 11 degrees and something less bitter like 29 degrees.

6. Today was a perfect day to have a difficult airway course. I was in a very big, very long case surgically. However, anesthetically, once the large IV and a-line were in, my job was pretty much to keep the patient chill as there wasn't a lot of blood loss or other things to do. So, I was never happier when someone came in at 12:15 to send me to the Advanced Difficulty Airway Management (ADAM) course at the WISER center.

7. Love when the attendings at WISER are chill because we were done at 2:15 pm. Enough said! The only thing that stunk was that my ID was in the Mercedes so I had to pay $5 at Magee to park. Boo!

8. I swung by Target on the way home and picked up the next size up in a Penguins jersey for B. Yay! Have I mentioned how much I love my little girl! And I still made it home for 3:30pm. So wonderful!

9. I spent the late afternoon catching up on important housework such as putting away clothes that were washed the day before and straightening up the house. Not to mention that I threw away 52 receipts that had been piled in my purse. Also found in my purse: 5 diapers, sippy cup, snack cup, random change, random craisins, and a puzzle piece. Yep, b/c in the middle of the OR, I put together puzzles.....rather, I think some little suspect put it in there.

10. On another note, I must constantly watch the garbage can. B has this tendency to put stuff in there (almost an iphone one day....she had the lid up with the phone in hand). She threw away several bows when I was wrapping gifts. She also throws away her dirty diapers (don't ask me how she figured that one out....all of a sudden one day, she took her dirty diaper and went to the trash and put it in....I love watching life through the eyes of a child because they are just little sponges that suck up everything around them which makes me be on extra good behavior) which I thought was a great thing until now she throws everything in there.

So, there ya have it! 10 on Tuesday

Getting back on the blog....

Blogging has taken a back burner to life for a while, but now, I'm committed to getting back on the blog.

First things first....I have this huge project (a book chapter) hanging over my head. The project is already late...by a few months, but it's because it requires a significant effort and it's not the type of project, at least in my style of writing, that I can write 20 minutes a day on. It requires that I sit and focus for several hours at a time to write. I could see if I was an expert in this field...I could probably crank out a chapter in no time flat. However, this requires effort. Lots and lots of effort! Now, with a 13-month old at home and prior rotations that were 5 days per week, where can I find the time for that? In all fairness too, most of the other people already had most of their chapter written...they just had to update with some new photos, information, etc whereas my chapter is from scratch and it's not like I'm describing the steps for a process.

I must say...I love my daughter and my husband to the extreme. They are around what my world revolves. However, last night at 6pm when they left, I had a beaming smile on my face (that, after I wiped the look of disgust at what Brooklyn could destroy in 1 hour). I went to Old Navy to pick up camis for Lauren, stopped by Target to get neighbor gifts, and then came home to straighten up the kitchen/living room that Brooklyn had destroyed. I also managed to squeeze in some time to straighten up my cake decorating supplies and whipped out the tackle box to organize all of my random supplies. Let me just say that it's so much easier to find what you're looking for when everything is in a place.

I then retreated to bed to catch up on the DVR and prepare my to do list for today and tomorrow....though I know what the biggest item is on the list today.

While it's not quite December 31st, I'm getting sad to see 2010 is coming to a close as this has been a fantabulous year. October -December, by far, hands down, are my favorite months of the year. I love the holidays, the fact that people have generally been happier, and that there's so much festivity going on.

I hope B has a fun day at grandmama J's house today!!!

Christmas Cards...Oh Christmas Cards....how pretty they make our family

I love Christmas cards....just like our wedding invitations, I can spend hours crafting the P-E-R-F-E-C-T card that reflects us as a family. I love Shutterfly and we use that as our sharesite at ligda.shutterfly.com and if you know us, you know the password (or you can email us for the password and we'd be happy to give it to you). Seriously, B's entire life is on the sharesite and it's convenient to have all your photos in one location for uploading for times like this when you want to pull upon her messiest food experience for coming up with Christmas card designs and inspiration. While I think there are other cheaper sites out there for ordering photos, Shutterfly is always running a special and I like the convenience and ease of use and the quality of the products.

Since we use it as our upload and share site, we use it for all sorts of publishing needs. For the past year, I've ordered almost all birthday, Mother's/Father's, special occasion cards from Shutterfly because I'd rather spend $2 for a card of B stuffing her face with cake from Shutterfly than some meaningless card that will be recycled into the next Starbucks coffee holder. In fact, I love giving grandparents, aunts/uncles, great grandparents, parents, etc these personalized cards, most of which have included pictures of B in some form or another.

We have even gotten folks calendars in the past with pictures of B and Crosby and one special one came in March where Lauren announced her pregnancy.

However, the project I'm most excited about is the A to Z book! Since B is on the verge of this language explosion (we hope), I can't wait to read the book to her! It contains photos of the important people in her life and I'm so excited to see her little face smile at Daddy, Mommy, Roo Roo, Grandma, Pap, Aunt Lauren, Uncle Nate, Aunt Heidi, etc.

Click here to view this photo book larger