I have to say that my first 3 day stretch of night shift has really been an eye opener for me. I thought for sure I could get used to working at night when there aren’t any doctors coming and going, except for deliveries. Not alot of medications to pass or people to discharge home. It’s definitely slower than day shift. And compared to the surgical unit, it’s like time comes to a dead stop. The people I work with are great and all this down time allows for us to really get to know one another. But not getting the normal sleep I’m used to is killing me! I was so bored last night I actually pulled out the ultrasound machine and did an ultrasound on myself. The baby was sucking it’s thumb and kicking and punching me. It’s great to see it move around and know it’s healthy. I have to admit, I was trying to see if I could see the sex of the baby but I’m not great at running the machine on myself.
If you’ve read Erik’s blog today, you already know that Texas is experiencing a cold front! This morning when I got off work it was in the 70’s and by the time I woke up it was 43 and dropping. Everyone around here is freaking out, staying this is a winter storm. Hello? Have you people never heard of blizzards and ice storms? This is definitely not a winter storm! Cold, yes. But certainly not to be confused with a good old fashioned Iowa winter.
Tonight is my night to get caught up on all my TV shows that I’ve taped up until tonight for the week. I know I won’t get to all of them but I have until Monday to get caught up for the week. I can’t wait to curl up in a blanket on the couch after the kids goto bed and vege out! Grey’s Anatomy night! Could life getting any sweeter?
Friday night Erik’s mom and Steve are taking the grandkids to Veggie Tales Live-the Christmas show. Which means one thing…MOVIE NIGHT for Erik and Belinda! YIPPEE!
This Saturday is the last day of soccer for this season! Although it will be cold out, I can sit through it as long as I know I’ll never have to see or talk to Jaelyn’s coach again. He’s a jerk. They have team parties at noon. Avery at CiCi’s pizza and Jaelyn as some bumper car place. I’m taking A to CiCi’s and Erik’s going with Jaelyn since they don’t let the kids get in the cars without parents. Like he will fit! But I certainly can’t being pregnant and I don’t think I can stand 2 hours with that over bearing coach. He actually told us that we won’t get the trophies or the team photos that WE paid for if we didn’t come to this stupid party. I’ll just be glad when this season over.
I had to work on Thanksgiving this year which was ok as I got time and a half in pay. But the other great thing was that we celebrated at Erik’s mom’s on Saturday. There was so much food there! 17 people total and 2 dogs (ours had to stay home). I made my aunt Paula’s sweet potato recipe that I absolutely LOVE! And Erik even tried it again this year and for the first time enjoyed it. He’s not a sweet potato person at all usually. I also made bacon wrapped water chestnuts in homemade bbq sauce. I had them at work on Thanksgiving day as another nurse brought them. They were so tasty. So I made them and do you know, I never even ate one of mine yesterday! No room after all the other yummy stuff! Today after Braden and I took our Sunday afternoon nap and Erik watched football, we put up the Christmas tree. Last year we bought a new tree that is prelit, in hopes of saving hours of frustration. BUT it still took the both of us about a half an hour to figure out that the plugs are color coded and that’s how the whole tree lights up. We put lights out on the front bushes again this year too. I just wanted to keep the decorations on the downlow this year so we did the tree, hung stockings, did lights on the bushes and that’s it. I still have like 2 rubbermaid containers full of things to set out but I’m just not in the spirit of Christmas yet. I guess that is a huge downer of living in the south during the winter holidays if it takes you snow to get in the spirit of the holidays.
I start night shift tomorrow night. I’m not sure how it’s going to work because I’m keeping Braden with me tomorrow and just relying on a 2 hour nap to get me through until Tuesday morning when I will have the house to myself and the bed to myself to sleep the day away. I guess they now hired a night nurse from Arkansas that is starting on Dec 4th so once she wraps up orientation, I get to go back to day shift. I’m so thankful for that! We’ll just see if my boss remembers that she promised it to me. I’ve gone back and forth so many times since taking this job that I don’t know what shift I’m officially working.
I have an OB appt this Friday. We should be able to schedule our big ultrasound sometime before Christmas and will know if we are having a boy or a girl with that ultrasound if the baby cooperates. I’m definitely feeling better but now just getting rounder. Eating is easier for me and I only throw up if I smell something that sets me off, like certain soaps or hairspray. I haven’t gotten a ton of maternity clothes this time yet but a few outfits that I did get happened to get washed with a ball point pen so they are just my lounge around the house clothes. I may have to just settle for the next 5 months of wearing scrubs. They are comfortable, I’ll give it that.
Kids go back to school after being off for an entire week! I hear next year they are starting later in August and going into June. I guess the parents can vote on which calendar year they want. This would cut down on the week of vacation at Thanksgiving and the 2 weeks at Christmas, and even the week for Spring break. I personally would like to see the week at Thanksgiving go, only having the day after for a vacation day like we had as kids. I think a week for Christmas though is too short. Maybe they could do a week and a half like we had? I know part of the battle is keeping the kids in school when it’s so blastin’ hot outside in May and June.
We went driving around the neighborhoods last night to see the Christmas lights and Braden was freaking out! He was in awe and was so excited! It was fun. KSBJ is in full Christmas mode from now until Christmas, playing only Christmas songs so if your office needs that, tune into www.ksbj.org and listen online!
