We had a relatively uneventful (which means boring!) day today, which is not always a bad thing! I worked yesterday and I will work tomorrow so having a slow day in between is nice.
Rosalyn and I woke up this morning at 9 and ate cheese grits and bananas for breakfast. After breakfast, we played inside for a while before getting dressed for the day. (which means me struggling with a screaming, wiggly toddler for 10 minutes trying to convince her that wearing pants in public and cold weather is a necessary thing!).
After getting dressed, we got out to run a couple of errands. After being so good and cooperative, she understandably began getting a little fussy in the car. As I was singing and talking to her to cheer her up, I decided to add a "fun" errand to the list. We stopped at the doughnut shop! I know what you are thinking, bad mommy. You are probably in shock also that I actually let her have a doughnut since I am usually such a nutrition-naxi about what she eats and drinks. I am pretty serious about her nutrition, but the child never gets sugary stuff to eat so I figured one doughnut wouldn't kill her! We walked in and Rosalyn immediately started going "Mmmm-Mmmm" LOUDLY at all the pretty doughnuts lined up. Everyone in the shop was laughing at her. I let her point to the one she wanted (strawberry glazed) and payed for it. We sat down and I gave her the doughnut...she ate the whole thing! Needless to say, she was in a happier mood after that errand.
After our errands, we came home at 12 and ate lunch (pinto beans, turkey bacon, carrots, and pineapple). Rosalyn then took a nap from 12:30-2:30. I also took a nap for part of that time. When we got up, Jason was awake so we hung out with him and Rosalyn got some good quality Daddy time!
After playing and eating some yogurt for a snack, Jason went to work and Rosalyn and I went on an hour long walk around our neighborhood. We got back at 6 and played for a little while before eating supper at 6:30. I ate a lean cuisine frozen meal and she ate a little of all the following: turkey lunchmeat, cheese, corn tortilla, sweet potatoes, green beans, dried cranberries, and semisweet chocolate chips. She is in this stage of wanting lots of variety, so I put little "samples" of lots of stuff on her tray and she nibbles it all.
We finished dinner at 7, played in the playroom until 7:30, then I gave her a bath and put her in bed. She was really tired and was sound asleep by 8!
I am now watching some show on TLC, eating a snack, and playing on the computer. I will try to go to bed "early" (which means before midnight) since I have to get up at 8 to get ready for work. Aunt Marilyn, Daddy, and Papa (my dad) will take care of Rosalyn tomorrow in shifts before I get home at 9. Nana is out of town at a conference, so Papa is filling in...hopefully she will be good for him!
I will try to update tomorrow night!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
17 Months Today...
This is the best picture Miss Silly Face would allow for the occasion
Hard to believe the time has flown by so fast. In honor of her 17 month birthday, this is going to be an all-about-Rosalyn ridiculously proud mommy bragging post!
So, with the above disclaimer, feel free to skip it if you want to (but don't tell me, lol!).
This is what the princess has been up to lately~
Growth: She is about 25.5 lb (70th %) and 31 inches (40th %). She wears sizes 18 and 24 month clothes. She is in size 5 diapers.
Language: She is a chatter box these days! She has 50+ words that she uses on a regular basis, plus a whole lot more that we don't understand. She comprehends a lot more than she can say. It seems like she learns new words every day. She loves to sing also. If I tell her to "sing ABCs" she will try to sing it, making little consonant sounds. She also loves to sing and act out "Head and Shoulders," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," etc. She can point correctly to about 15 body parts. She can also follow two step commands now (ex: go to the kitchen and pick up your shoes).
Motor: She is running everywhere and does pretty well at climbing stairs. She is learning to color with crayons and paper. She can help me get her dressed (puts arms through shirt, helps put on shoes, etc). She can throw and kick a ball. She loves to dance. She has also been going to the potty occasionally, but I am not pushing the issue. She loves for me to "wear" her in the babyhawk mei tai sling when we go walking.
Playtime: She loves to read...that is all we do some days it seems! Otherwise, she can be found playing with blocks, playing dress up with hats and bracelets, or riding her Dora car or pony. She also likes to occasionally rock and feed her baby dolls.
Eating: She usually loves to eat, but has been going through some picky, refuses-to-eat stages lately. Her favorite foods are: oatmeal, applesauce, mandarin oranges, macaroni and cheese, peas, sweet potatoes, meat sticks, cheese, teddy grahams, and yogurt. If she sees a food that she thinks looks yummy, she will say loudly "Mmmm-Mmmm." The only foods we've found that she truly hates and refuses to eat are: broccoli, eggs, and peanut butter. She loves to drink milk, still warmed up of course! She is eating three meals/day + 2 snacks these days.
Sleeping: Rosalyn has always been a good sleeper, thankfully! She sleeps 11-13 hours/night from about 8 or 9 pm until about 8 or 9 am. She generally sleeps all night without a peep except for our recent teething episodes. She takes a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon from about 12 or 1 pm until about 2 or 3 pm. We do have to stick very closely to our bedtime routine or it really throws her for a loop.
Social/Emotional: She is a super attached little girl. She is also very social and loves to play with other kids. She gets SO excited when we go to church because she loves the nursery so much. It is cute to see her playing. She is quite stubborn and throws a few tantrums a day, but is a joy most of the time! We have had to begin the occasional 1-minute time out. She can give hugs and blows kisses. She definitely shows a big preference for some people. She is slowly starting to "share" a little bit when asked. However, her favorite word remains "no." She still loves her paci, although she mostly uses it at night/naptime. We are probably going to start working on taking it away in the next few months.
Jason and I love that little girl more than anything in the world. She is so precious to me and I am more than blessed to be her mommy. Nothing else compares. We never knew 17 months ago when the OR nurse gave us this sweet, tiny baby girl how much our lives were about to change (for the better, of course!).
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Teething REALLY Stinks!
I am pretty sure that Rosalyn has been the fussiest she's ever been in her life over the past couple of days. She has refused to eat/drink most everything offered and we were up half the night last night with an inconsolabe, wailing baby girl. Her poor little gums are SO swollen and red...I can feel the sharp edges and pointy parts of the teeth under her gums. She has several molars coming through. Needless, to say this has not been fun (especially for her!). She is miserable...you can look at her little sad face and tell. When I ask her what hurts, she touches her cheeks and her mouth. I have been medicating her as needed, but tonight I pulled out all the stops: she got tylenol, motrin, benadryl, highlands teething tablets, and orajel. She went straight to sleep at 8 pm after her bath...I am hoping she will stay asleep for the night (unlike last night!). She really needs the rest so she can feel better.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Saturday
Today was a fun and fairly uneventful day. Rosalyn decided to wake up up much earlier than usual, but fortunately Daddio was home and volunteered to get up with her. This meant I got to sleep late--yippee! I can't remember the last time I slept past 9 am!
After waking up at an unmentionable hour (too embarrassed to write it!), Rosalyn and I got dressed to go to the 90th birthday party of my BFFs grandmother. We enjoyed seeing some friends we hadn't seen in a while.
When we got home, the three of us went to eat dinner at a BBQ place close to our house. Rosalyn ate two bites of bread, one macaroni noodle, 1 sliver of sausage, and two pinto beans. Seriously. She is in the typical toddler "feast or famine" eating mode. A typical day means picking at one meal, eating like a starving person at one meal, and totally refusing one meal. I don't worry about it. I just offer her healthy food several times a day. If she eats it, great. If she refuses, oh well. She won't starve herself!
When we got home, we played around the house for a long time. Rosalyn loves to dance to music, so I played her some songs off Napster and she entertained us. Her favorites for the night were Devil in Disguise by Elvis, Yeah by Usher, and Louisiana Saturday Night by Mel McDaniel. I am sure she will have a different musical preference next time. She is so funny!
She went to bed at 8:30 and my baby brother Jason came over to spend the night. He is 17 and Rosalyn loves to play with him. He teaches her how to kick the ball in the house, among other things. We are sitting on the couch...Husband Jason is watching HGTV and Brother Jason and I are listening to Corey Smith (one of our mutual faves) on Napster.
I am planning to try to go to bed at a reasonable hour so that I can be in a good mood tomorrow! We are planning to go to church, maybe eat with my parents, and just relax at home.
Here are a few pictures from today:
She did not want daddy to help her--I was making him hold her still so I could get a picture!
She looks so much like a toddler to me in this picture!
Baby Girl
After waking up at an unmentionable hour (too embarrassed to write it!), Rosalyn and I got dressed to go to the 90th birthday party of my BFFs grandmother. We enjoyed seeing some friends we hadn't seen in a while.
When we got home, the three of us went to eat dinner at a BBQ place close to our house. Rosalyn ate two bites of bread, one macaroni noodle, 1 sliver of sausage, and two pinto beans. Seriously. She is in the typical toddler "feast or famine" eating mode. A typical day means picking at one meal, eating like a starving person at one meal, and totally refusing one meal. I don't worry about it. I just offer her healthy food several times a day. If she eats it, great. If she refuses, oh well. She won't starve herself!
When we got home, we played around the house for a long time. Rosalyn loves to dance to music, so I played her some songs off Napster and she entertained us. Her favorites for the night were Devil in Disguise by Elvis, Yeah by Usher, and Louisiana Saturday Night by Mel McDaniel. I am sure she will have a different musical preference next time. She is so funny!
She went to bed at 8:30 and my baby brother Jason came over to spend the night. He is 17 and Rosalyn loves to play with him. He teaches her how to kick the ball in the house, among other things. We are sitting on the couch...Husband Jason is watching HGTV and Brother Jason and I are listening to Corey Smith (one of our mutual faves) on Napster.
I am planning to try to go to bed at a reasonable hour so that I can be in a good mood tomorrow! We are planning to go to church, maybe eat with my parents, and just relax at home.
Here are a few pictures from today:
She did not want daddy to help her--I was making him hold her still so I could get a picture!
She looks so much like a toddler to me in this picture!
Baby Girl
Friday, January 23, 2009
She is better...
Rosalyn woke up better today. Yay! She slept soundly all night.
She has a 100 degree temp, but otherwise playing/eating fine. We will just wait and see. I am not going to take her to the pediatrician as long as she's acting fine like now.
Not sure what we are going to do today...I really need to go to Wal-Mart to get groceries and household items, but I am not sure that I am brave enough to go with Ros!
1:15 pm
Edited to Add: I called the pediatrician's office and spoke to the nurse since R still has a temp but no other real symptoms. She spoke to Dr. Marroquin who advised me to give her tylenol/motrin (check-already doing that) and keep her hydrated (doing that also). She said to bring her in on Monday if she is not better. She said that it is probably teething since her gums are quite swollen.
She has a 100 degree temp, but otherwise playing/eating fine. We will just wait and see. I am not going to take her to the pediatrician as long as she's acting fine like now.
Not sure what we are going to do today...I really need to go to Wal-Mart to get groceries and household items, but I am not sure that I am brave enough to go with Ros!
1:15 pm
Edited to Add: I called the pediatrician's office and spoke to the nurse since R still has a temp but no other real symptoms. She spoke to Dr. Marroquin who advised me to give her tylenol/motrin (check-already doing that) and keep her hydrated (doing that also). She said to bring her in on Monday if she is not better. She said that it is probably teething since her gums are quite swollen.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sick again. Ugh.
Well, the title says it, but I hope I am wrong. Rosalyn has been a little "off" today. She woke up fine this morning, but hasn't eaten well all day. Those of you who know her well will surely recognize that as an oddity...that baby girl loves to eat! Anyway, the day went on ok. She napped well and played a lot, but remained very quiet, clingy and wouldn't eat much. We went out to eat tonight with my parents and all she would do was lay on Nana's shoulder. She wasn't even that interested in a bite of ice cream. I got her home and noticed she was burning up. Her underarm temp was 102.3 degrees (so her "real" temp was 103.3). I gave her a big dose of motrin and my mom helped me give her a bath and put her to bed. She sobbed and cried during the entire bath, but went right to sleep afterwards. She has no other symptoms. About 10 days ago, she finished a two week course of antibiotics for a sinus infection. For about a week now, she has been perfectly fine...no runny nose, no stuffy nose, no sneezing or coughing, eating and sleeping great, etc. I asked her what hurt tonight, but all she did was cry. She will usually point if something hurts. She is teething, but that shouldn't cause such high fever. I will medicate her tonight and we will see how she does overnight and in the morning. I will take her to the pedi if no improvement.
In case you are ever wondering, here are the pediatric dosages for a few common meds:
Benadryl: 0.5 milligrams/pound every 6 hours
Tylenol: 7 milligrams/pound every 4 hours
Motrin: 4.5 milligrams/pound every 6 hours
I am posting this because the package labeling usually overdoses or underdoses! Dosage should always be based on weight, not age.
Otherwise, we had a good day. I worked all day yesterday and Jason worked all night last night. When I got home at 9, my mom had cooked a yummy supper. We ate and put Ros to bed. My mom and I stayed up watching Discovery Health a while and then went to bed (she spent the night). I slept until 9 then got up with Rosalyn. We had a pretty lazy day. Jason was off today. He has to go to a class all day tomorrow in Beaumont. Tonight, we went to dinner with my parents. I ate cheese enchiladas, pretty much my entire points allowance for the day, lol! I am about to go to bed soon.
I don't have to go back to work until next Wednesday, yay! I work 2 days/week. Usually, Monday & Wednesday one week; Wednesday & Friday the next week. I like my schedule like this because I am basically totally off work every other week.
Anyway, I will update tomorrow on Rosalyn's illness.
Also, in case you didn't notice, I commented on each of your comments on my previous posts. Thanks for all of your sweet comments so far!
In case you are ever wondering, here are the pediatric dosages for a few common meds:
Benadryl: 0.5 milligrams/pound every 6 hours
Tylenol: 7 milligrams/pound every 4 hours
Motrin: 4.5 milligrams/pound every 6 hours
I am posting this because the package labeling usually overdoses or underdoses! Dosage should always be based on weight, not age.
Otherwise, we had a good day. I worked all day yesterday and Jason worked all night last night. When I got home at 9, my mom had cooked a yummy supper. We ate and put Ros to bed. My mom and I stayed up watching Discovery Health a while and then went to bed (she spent the night). I slept until 9 then got up with Rosalyn. We had a pretty lazy day. Jason was off today. He has to go to a class all day tomorrow in Beaumont. Tonight, we went to dinner with my parents. I ate cheese enchiladas, pretty much my entire points allowance for the day, lol! I am about to go to bed soon.
I don't have to go back to work until next Wednesday, yay! I work 2 days/week. Usually, Monday & Wednesday one week; Wednesday & Friday the next week. I like my schedule like this because I am basically totally off work every other week.
Anyway, I will update tomorrow on Rosalyn's illness.
Also, in case you didn't notice, I commented on each of your comments on my previous posts. Thanks for all of your sweet comments so far!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
bored!
Rosalyn just laid down for a nap and I am surfing the internet rather than doing all the hundreds of other things I should be doing! I worked yesterday (working tomorrow also) and I feel like being lazy today. I know, not a good attitude to have.
We got up at 8:45, ate breakfast (peaches, oatmeal, & milk) played and watched some of the inauguration on TV, played outside, made a birthday card for Mamaw Kelly, ate lunch (hot dog, peas, carrots, & juice) and Rosalyn went to sleep at 12:45.
I am considering taking a nap also! Jason will be home at 3:30. Not sure what we will do then. We may just stay home or perhaps get out and go somewhere.
We need to all begin praying for our new president (if you haven't already). 1 Timothy 2:1-4 tells us to pray for our leaders. I don't agree with him on a lot of things (ok, most things) and I did not vote for him, but he still deserves and needs my prayers for him and his family as they embark on this journey. I pray that Barack Obama will be healthy and remain safe from the idiots who may try to harm him or his family. I also pray that he will make wise decisions for our country. Please join me in praying for him and his family!
On a lighter note about the new president, I really enjoyed reading the inaugural luncheon menu and recipes: http://inaugural.senate.gov/documents/doc-2009-recipes.pdf
The cinnamon apple sponge cake looks delish. I don't even want to know how many WW points that would be!
Speaking of Weight Watchers, Sunday was 2 weeks since I started and I've lost 6 lb! Yay! I am closer to my goal!
I think I will go take a little siesta now.
We got up at 8:45, ate breakfast (peaches, oatmeal, & milk) played and watched some of the inauguration on TV, played outside, made a birthday card for Mamaw Kelly, ate lunch (hot dog, peas, carrots, & juice) and Rosalyn went to sleep at 12:45.
I am considering taking a nap also! Jason will be home at 3:30. Not sure what we will do then. We may just stay home or perhaps get out and go somewhere.
We need to all begin praying for our new president (if you haven't already). 1 Timothy 2:1-4 tells us to pray for our leaders. I don't agree with him on a lot of things (ok, most things) and I did not vote for him, but he still deserves and needs my prayers for him and his family as they embark on this journey. I pray that Barack Obama will be healthy and remain safe from the idiots who may try to harm him or his family. I also pray that he will make wise decisions for our country. Please join me in praying for him and his family!
On a lighter note about the new president, I really enjoyed reading the inaugural luncheon menu and recipes: http://inaugural.senate.gov/documents/doc-2009-recipes.pdf
The cinnamon apple sponge cake looks delish. I don't even want to know how many WW points that would be!
Speaking of Weight Watchers, Sunday was 2 weeks since I started and I've lost 6 lb! Yay! I am closer to my goal!
I think I will go take a little siesta now.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sunday Funday
Today was a GREAT day!
Pictures first...
Bird Watching
One Year Ago Today...
Rosalyn's dinner when I first gave it to her along with a sippy of milk. In case you are wondering, it is chicken nuggets, cheese, bread, peas, grapes, chocolate chips, and ketchup. Yum!
On the go, as always!
Pictures first...
Bird Watching
Roger and Rosalyn were both quite interested in the flock of blackbirds that landed in our back yard this afternoon.
One Year Ago Today...
Amazing what a difference a year makes!
I Guess She Really WAS Hungry!
I Guess She Really WAS Hungry!
Rosalyn's dinner when I first gave it to her along with a sippy of milk. In case you are wondering, it is chicken nuggets, cheese, bread, peas, grapes, chocolate chips, and ketchup. Yum!
Exactly 17 minutes later. The milk was gone also.
A Few More Photos From Today...
A Few More Photos From Today...
On the go, as always!
Pushing her duck around the kitchen in a shopping cart.
Rocking her baby. Obviously, her maternal skills are still developing...I bet she's glad I've never rocked her like that!
Pushing her tractor and making the vroom vroom sound!
Helping load the dishwasher which really = unload the dirty dishes as quickly as possible onto the floor. Not much help actually.
We had a great day today...not that we did anything that exciting, it was just nice to chill out at home.
We had a great day today...not that we did anything that exciting, it was just nice to chill out at home.
This morning Rosalyn and I went to church. I really enjoyed the service and the message presented. Rosalyn really enjoyed the nursery! Her teacher told me she is the sweetest, funniest baby ever..I agree, but then I am a little partial! My mom went with us which made me very happy. It was so nice to have her join us.
After church, we came home and I fed Ros lunch and put her down for a 2.5 hour nap. My mom and I ate lunch (grilled chicken sandwiches from our local sandwich place) and visited a while.
After she went home, I rested a bit before Rosalyn woke up from her nap. By the time she woke up Jason was also awake. He fed her a snack and played with her outside while I took a nice hour long walk alone! I always enjoy having that silent time to pray and think.
When I got home, they were waiting for me in the front yard so we played a while and then went in for dinner (see above!). After dinner, we played some more and then put the babygirl to bed at 8. She was so tired that she fell asleep with me putting her pajamas on!
After eating some soup for supper, I checked email and played on the internet a while. I am about to go take a hot bath and go to bed a little early tonight (11 is quite early for me!). I am sleepy and I have to work tomorrow. Rosalyn will be with Jason all day...they should get some quality daddy-babygirl time!
Hope you enjoyed all the pictures!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Meat Loaf & Mashed Potatoes---Weight Watchers Style!
Tonight, we had a yummy dinner that was also healthy! We had meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole. The recipes were reworked a bit to make them lower in fat and calories.
Each recipe is to serve 6 (generous portions; could probably serve 8)
Meatloaf:
2 lb lean beef
1 cup breadcrumbs
3/4 cup egg beaters (the original kind)
3/4 cup salsa
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Press mixture into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until done.
For last 5 minutes of baking, spread top of meatloaf with an additional 1/4 cup salsa.
7 WW points per serving
Mashed Potatoes:
2.5 lb potatoes, washed and cubed (you can also peel them, but I leave the skin on)
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Boil potatoes until they are tender.
Drain very well.
Mix potatoes with chicken broth and S&P until they are very smooth (I use a mixer).
3 WW per serving
Green Bean Casserole:
28 oz can cut green beans, drained well
1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup fat free milk
1 cup canned "fried" onions, divided
salt and pepper to taste
Mix together beans, soup, milk, 3/4 cup onions, and S&P in a 8x8 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
For last 5 minutes of baking, sprinkle top with remaining onions.
2 WW points per serving
Anyway, we had a good day today! Jason and I ate dinner at 4:30 before he went to work and enjoyed actually talking to each other in person. We hadn't seen each other since Thursday due to our work schedules.
After he left, Rosalyn and I walked nearly 3 miles (well, she didn't walk...that would take forever). I pushed her in the stroller. I usually carry her on my back in my BabyHawk (http://www.babyhawk.com/ ), but thankfully she has been more agreeable to the stroller lately. I love carrying her and I am a huge advocate of "babywearing" as a form of attachment, but she does get a little heavy on a nearly hour long walk! I "wear" her a lot at home and when we are out and about.
After our walk, my mom and dad stopped by to eat and hang out with Rosalyn and me for a while. She loves Nana and Pop so much and gets so excited when they come over! They stayed to help me get her in bed at 8 and then my mom and I made a Starbuck's run. I got an tall iced "skinny" vanilla latte (only 2 WW points!).
It was really nice to just be "lazy" today. I am looking forward to going to church tomorrow.
Each recipe is to serve 6 (generous portions; could probably serve 8)
Meatloaf:
2 lb lean beef
1 cup breadcrumbs
3/4 cup egg beaters (the original kind)
3/4 cup salsa
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Press mixture into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until done.
For last 5 minutes of baking, spread top of meatloaf with an additional 1/4 cup salsa.
7 WW points per serving
Mashed Potatoes:
2.5 lb potatoes, washed and cubed (you can also peel them, but I leave the skin on)
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Boil potatoes until they are tender.
Drain very well.
Mix potatoes with chicken broth and S&P until they are very smooth (I use a mixer).
3 WW per serving
Green Bean Casserole:
28 oz can cut green beans, drained well
1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup fat free milk
1 cup canned "fried" onions, divided
salt and pepper to taste
Mix together beans, soup, milk, 3/4 cup onions, and S&P in a 8x8 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
For last 5 minutes of baking, sprinkle top with remaining onions.
2 WW points per serving
Anyway, we had a good day today! Jason and I ate dinner at 4:30 before he went to work and enjoyed actually talking to each other in person. We hadn't seen each other since Thursday due to our work schedules.
After he left, Rosalyn and I walked nearly 3 miles (well, she didn't walk...that would take forever). I pushed her in the stroller. I usually carry her on my back in my BabyHawk (http://www.babyhawk.com/ ), but thankfully she has been more agreeable to the stroller lately. I love carrying her and I am a huge advocate of "babywearing" as a form of attachment, but she does get a little heavy on a nearly hour long walk! I "wear" her a lot at home and when we are out and about.
After our walk, my mom and dad stopped by to eat and hang out with Rosalyn and me for a while. She loves Nana and Pop so much and gets so excited when they come over! They stayed to help me get her in bed at 8 and then my mom and I made a Starbuck's run. I got an tall iced "skinny" vanilla latte (only 2 WW points!).
It was really nice to just be "lazy" today. I am looking forward to going to church tomorrow.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Sleepy...and info on my job!
I am so tired! I worked 9a-9p today in the Out Patient Surgery Department (OPDS).
About my Job:
I am fairly certain that all my readers (probably 4 total, lol) know I am nurse.
OPDS is where you get ready for surgery--get your IV, sign paperwork, etc. It is also where you get ready to go home from day surgery--drink sprite/eat crackers, make sure you can pee, learn how to change your bandage or walk on crutches, etc. Overall, not a bad place to work but it can be busy sometimes. It is usually 1 nurse:2 patients. The good thing is that the patients are always stable. However, sometimes I get bored there!
I was hired to basically "float" between there and the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU aka the "Recovery Room").
PACU is where everyone (back surgery, cesarean, lung surgery, whatever...) comes after surgery. You stay in PACU until you are stable (breathing well, waking up, heart rate and blood pressure good, etc.) and pain is under control. We give tons and tons of IV pain medication in the PACU, obviously. Normally, patients are there about 1 hour. Often, they don't even remember being there at all! I really enjoy working there. It is a more controlled environment in one sense (usually 1:1 nursing care, patients on monitors and in bed, open unit, etc.), but at the same time you have to be on your toes because anything can go wrong at any time. In PACU, you literally sit next to your patient on your computer charting while monitoring vital signs continuously (unless you are standing by your patient making them breathe or giving medications or whatever else they need). It is also busy, but the kind of "busy" I prefer.
I love PACU (it is much closer to my ICU beginning), but I guess OPDS isn't awful. I usually work 10 hours shifts, but today I worked 12 hours. I almost always work in PACU, but occasionally (about once every 4-5 weeks) there will be a need in OPDS so I am "rerouted" over there!
When you only work 2 days/week, you can't complain, so I won't!
OK, back to the rest of the blog:
I got home and put Rosalyn to bed, ate two bean burritos with red salsa (only 10 points!), and now I am about to take a long, hot bath and go to sleep! I hope my sweet girl decides to sleep late in the morning :)
I will post again tomorrow. Not sure about what since we don't have any exciting weekend plans!
About my Job:
I am fairly certain that all my readers (probably 4 total, lol) know I am nurse.
OPDS is where you get ready for surgery--get your IV, sign paperwork, etc. It is also where you get ready to go home from day surgery--drink sprite/eat crackers, make sure you can pee, learn how to change your bandage or walk on crutches, etc. Overall, not a bad place to work but it can be busy sometimes. It is usually 1 nurse:2 patients. The good thing is that the patients are always stable. However, sometimes I get bored there!
I was hired to basically "float" between there and the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU aka the "Recovery Room").
PACU is where everyone (back surgery, cesarean, lung surgery, whatever...) comes after surgery. You stay in PACU until you are stable (breathing well, waking up, heart rate and blood pressure good, etc.) and pain is under control. We give tons and tons of IV pain medication in the PACU, obviously. Normally, patients are there about 1 hour. Often, they don't even remember being there at all! I really enjoy working there. It is a more controlled environment in one sense (usually 1:1 nursing care, patients on monitors and in bed, open unit, etc.), but at the same time you have to be on your toes because anything can go wrong at any time. In PACU, you literally sit next to your patient on your computer charting while monitoring vital signs continuously (unless you are standing by your patient making them breathe or giving medications or whatever else they need). It is also busy, but the kind of "busy" I prefer.
I love PACU (it is much closer to my ICU beginning), but I guess OPDS isn't awful. I usually work 10 hours shifts, but today I worked 12 hours. I almost always work in PACU, but occasionally (about once every 4-5 weeks) there will be a need in OPDS so I am "rerouted" over there!
When you only work 2 days/week, you can't complain, so I won't!
OK, back to the rest of the blog:
I got home and put Rosalyn to bed, ate two bean burritos with red salsa (only 10 points!), and now I am about to take a long, hot bath and go to sleep! I hope my sweet girl decides to sleep late in the morning :)
I will post again tomorrow. Not sure about what since we don't have any exciting weekend plans!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
A Chipped Front Tooth and an Eye Appointment...
Well, the title shares our news for the day...
Last night, Rosalyn fell in the bathtub and chipped her right front tooth (see below). I apologize for the bad cell phone quality picture. She was crying and trying to get out of the tub to chase after Nana (my mom). In the process, she slipped right out of my hands and busted her lip, bit her tongue, bruised her chin, and chipped the tooth. It was NOT a fun night, needless to say. This morning, the gum around the tooth looked really bruised. I did call the pediatric dentist office here in town, but they assured me that it was probably ok and to bring her in if it only if it changed colors or seemed to be really bothering her. I guess we will wait and see.
In other news, we spent several hours at the Texas Children's eye clinic this afternoon. We have noticed that Rosalyn's eyes still cross in occasionally when she is sleepy or concentrating. It is not very frequent or noticeable, but we still wanted to get it checked out. The doctor told us that her eyes appear very normal (besides being far-sighted) on extensive exam, so we should just watch and wait. She has a wide nasal bridge and epicanthal folds (inner eye corners) so this can contribute to cross eyed appearance. We are glad all is well.
I have to work tomorrow (9 am-8:30 pm). Rosalyn will be shuffled between Aunt Marilyn (8:30 to 2ish), Daddy (2ish to 5ish), and Nana (5ish to 9). She loves the extra TLC from Aunt Marilyn and Nana! I am sure that Papa and Uncle "Jash" (my brother Jason) will also help babysit tomorrow night.
Also, for those who may be wondering, we haven't had any more bad nights!
I will try to post again tomorrow night.
Last night, Rosalyn fell in the bathtub and chipped her right front tooth (see below). I apologize for the bad cell phone quality picture. She was crying and trying to get out of the tub to chase after Nana (my mom). In the process, she slipped right out of my hands and busted her lip, bit her tongue, bruised her chin, and chipped the tooth. It was NOT a fun night, needless to say. This morning, the gum around the tooth looked really bruised. I did call the pediatric dentist office here in town, but they assured me that it was probably ok and to bring her in if it only if it changed colors or seemed to be really bothering her. I guess we will wait and see.
In other news, we spent several hours at the Texas Children's eye clinic this afternoon. We have noticed that Rosalyn's eyes still cross in occasionally when she is sleepy or concentrating. It is not very frequent or noticeable, but we still wanted to get it checked out. The doctor told us that her eyes appear very normal (besides being far-sighted) on extensive exam, so we should just watch and wait. She has a wide nasal bridge and epicanthal folds (inner eye corners) so this can contribute to cross eyed appearance. We are glad all is well.
I have to work tomorrow (9 am-8:30 pm). Rosalyn will be shuffled between Aunt Marilyn (8:30 to 2ish), Daddy (2ish to 5ish), and Nana (5ish to 9). She loves the extra TLC from Aunt Marilyn and Nana! I am sure that Papa and Uncle "Jash" (my brother Jason) will also help babysit tomorrow night.
Also, for those who may be wondering, we haven't had any more bad nights!
I will try to post again tomorrow night.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Hoping that tonight isn't like last night....
It is 8 pm and Rosalyn is fast asleep in her bed after going through our usual sleepy time routine. We usually have absolutely no issues with bedtime, naptime, or sleeping in general. I believe it is a combination of her personality and our parenting style when it comes to sleep, but regardless of that Rosalyn has always been a good sleeper.
However, this was not the case last night.
Jason and I went to bed at 11 pm. We were cozy and sound asleep at 1:30 am when out of nowhere, Rosalyn starts screaming at the top of her lungs. We bolted up and sat there for a minute discussing what we should do. This is not a common scenario at our house so we were at a loss for ideas. In fact, I cannot recall the last time she woke up in the middle of the night. After a minute or so of debating aloud, we decided we would definitely have to go in...
He ran to the kitchen and heated up a milk sippy (yes, my 16 month old still drinks warm milk) as quickly as possible while I tiptoed into her dark room and attempted to shush/rock her back to sleep while doing all the usual checks (dry diaper, no fever, plenty of pacis in the bed, etc.). She didn't mind the checks, but was utterly uninterested in the going back to sleep part. I also gave her another rub down of orajel on her swollen gums just for good measure. When Jason arrived with the sippy--after nearly tripping in the dark hallway on a well placed toy--she happily slurped the milk down. But then, rather than go back to sleep, she wanted to get up and play! She kept jabbering in a foreign language and trying to get down out of my arms. So I put her in her crib and left the room. And she screamed. And screamed some more. She was using her maddest voice. We are very anti "crying it out" but we weren't sure what to do since it was now 2 am and we don't want her to get the impression that this kind of game is ok. We tried going in every 3-5 minutes to quietly comfort her and lay her back down, but this did not work.
Finally at 2:30, I went in to her room for good. I sat in the rocker like a stone and let her get down and play in the dark. I did not say a word to her the entire time. She played (in the silent dark) for two whole hours. She doesn't even have any toys or books in her nursery, but she somehow amused herself with the laundry basket and dresser drawer handles. Finally, three hours after first waking, she crawled right up in my lap and fell asleep in about 30 seconds as if nothing had ever happened. I laid her back in her crib at 4:30 am and she slept without a peep until 10:30 am.
I am praying that this scenario does not play out again at our house tonight.
According to my dad (aka "Pop" to Rosalyn) we should have just gotten the precious baby darling out of bed and played with her, watched cartoons, and fed her yummy snacks. I told him that we will call him the next time this happens and he can drive the 15 miles to our house and entertain the little princess while we sleep! The sad (and sweet) thing is that he really would. :)
I will update tomorrow. I suppose I should go to bed now, just in case.
However, this was not the case last night.
Jason and I went to bed at 11 pm. We were cozy and sound asleep at 1:30 am when out of nowhere, Rosalyn starts screaming at the top of her lungs. We bolted up and sat there for a minute discussing what we should do. This is not a common scenario at our house so we were at a loss for ideas. In fact, I cannot recall the last time she woke up in the middle of the night. After a minute or so of debating aloud, we decided we would definitely have to go in...
He ran to the kitchen and heated up a milk sippy (yes, my 16 month old still drinks warm milk) as quickly as possible while I tiptoed into her dark room and attempted to shush/rock her back to sleep while doing all the usual checks (dry diaper, no fever, plenty of pacis in the bed, etc.). She didn't mind the checks, but was utterly uninterested in the going back to sleep part. I also gave her another rub down of orajel on her swollen gums just for good measure. When Jason arrived with the sippy--after nearly tripping in the dark hallway on a well placed toy--she happily slurped the milk down. But then, rather than go back to sleep, she wanted to get up and play! She kept jabbering in a foreign language and trying to get down out of my arms. So I put her in her crib and left the room. And she screamed. And screamed some more. She was using her maddest voice. We are very anti "crying it out" but we weren't sure what to do since it was now 2 am and we don't want her to get the impression that this kind of game is ok. We tried going in every 3-5 minutes to quietly comfort her and lay her back down, but this did not work.
Finally at 2:30, I went in to her room for good. I sat in the rocker like a stone and let her get down and play in the dark. I did not say a word to her the entire time. She played (in the silent dark) for two whole hours. She doesn't even have any toys or books in her nursery, but she somehow amused herself with the laundry basket and dresser drawer handles. Finally, three hours after first waking, she crawled right up in my lap and fell asleep in about 30 seconds as if nothing had ever happened. I laid her back in her crib at 4:30 am and she slept without a peep until 10:30 am.
I am praying that this scenario does not play out again at our house tonight.
According to my dad (aka "Pop" to Rosalyn) we should have just gotten the precious baby darling out of bed and played with her, watched cartoons, and fed her yummy snacks. I told him that we will call him the next time this happens and he can drive the 15 miles to our house and entertain the little princess while we sleep! The sad (and sweet) thing is that he really would. :)
I will update tomorrow. I suppose I should go to bed now, just in case.
Monday, January 12, 2009
A New Rug!
This afternoon, we went to Pier 1 and purchased a new rug for the living room. It looks so much better than the bare floor! It also prevents Rosalyn from rearranging the living room furniture by pushing it all over the place...this has been a favorite activity for her. After Pier 1, we went to Wal-Mart to buy groceries for the week. Rosalyn acted like a crazy person the entire time, but we managed to get everything we needed (except sweet potatoes...they looked yucky, so we'll get those later). On the way home, we stopped at Taco Bell. I got a regular soft taco, a spicy chicken soft taco, and pintos & cheese...only 11 WW points :) It is 8 pm now and the baby girl is in the bed fast asleep! Tonight when I was running her bath water, Jason went into the living room to find her since she wasn't coming to the bathroom like usual. When he rounded the corner, she jumped out and screeched at him trying to "scare" him. She giggled and then ran away...little stinker!
The first picture is of our cat, Roger. He is happy that Rosalyn is in the bed...he can have 12 hours of not having to fear for his life. She constantly pokes, prods, and chases him.
Our new rug...ignore the computer cord and the grumpy looking husband in the background!
The first picture is of our cat, Roger. He is happy that Rosalyn is in the bed...he can have 12 hours of not having to fear for his life. She constantly pokes, prods, and chases him.
Our new rug...ignore the computer cord and the grumpy looking husband in the background!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Dinner with the Grandparents
Rosalyn looking at a book with Great Grandma Kelly
Being Silly in the Car
Being Silly in the Car
This afternoon the three of us went to Jason's grandparents house to visit and eat dinner. We had grilled shrimp, sausage, grilled veggies, and pear bread. It was delicious and I definitely exceeded my weight watchers points for the day. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day :) We really enjoyed our visit. Rosalyn always enjoys all the TLC as well.
Being Lazy...
Jason and I are sitting on the couch watching Rosalyn do "Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes" with her reading video: http://www.yourbabycanread.com/ She loves that song and does pretty well with the body motions! It is cute to watch her. She slept until 9:30 which was nice. We skipped church (again!) this morning because we are all still fighting a cold. Hopefully we will all be better by next Sunday.
If you have time, go check out this site:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6204791.html
It is a Houston Chronicle article about our friends, Nate and Tami, and their premature baby, Cayden.
If you have time, go check out this site:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6204791.html
It is a Houston Chronicle article about our friends, Nate and Tami, and their premature baby, Cayden.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
First Blog
A few pictures from this week...
Hopefully I can keep up with this blog! I think it will be a fun & easy way to share a little bit of our lives with our family and friends.
Rosalyn has been a little busy-body today. She is recovering from a nasty cold turned sinus infection and is finally getting her energy and appetite back. Tonight for dinner she ate 2 chicken nuggets (with ketchup of course), 1/4 cup of peas, and 1/4 cup of mac + cheese. She also drank about 4 oz of milk and had a small bowl of chocolate pudding for dessert. That is a lot for one little girl!
We went on a walk today, but had to go home after only one mile because she kept trying to crawl out of the stroller! She is usually really calm and chilled out, but not today. I was just walking along and looked down to realize she was hanging half way out, trying to touch the stroller wheel. She usually sits there content to bark at the dogs we pass and say "hi" to every person she sees, near or far.
She is all about books! We have read so many books the past few days that we aren't sure if our hoarse voices are from that or the cold she gave us. Her favorite (as anyone who is with her for anytime at all knows) is "Good Morning, Good Night." We have to hide it every day (usually by noon) to save our sanity. Here is a link so that you can see what you're missing if you don't have your own personal copy:
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Morning-Night-Teresa-Imperato/dp/1581172796
She was so sleepy tonight that she was in bed sound asleep by 7:30. After her bath, she said "nigh-nigh" and let me rock her to sleep. Hopefully she will sleep until at least 8:30 in the morning!
Jason's schedule changed, so now he is home with me more on the weekends. It is a good thing, but will take some getting used to, lol! We were rather boring tonight...he watched football and I played on the internet! Maybe we can start having date nights regularly. The really good thing about his new schedule is that he is off every single Sunday, so we can start going to church together!
Oh well, I should try to go to sleep now so that I can be in a good mood when baby girl wakes me up in the morning! This blog is already driving me crazy because I can't the pictures and words all ligned up and spaced like I want!
Rosalyn has been a little busy-body today. She is recovering from a nasty cold turned sinus infection and is finally getting her energy and appetite back. Tonight for dinner she ate 2 chicken nuggets (with ketchup of course), 1/4 cup of peas, and 1/4 cup of mac + cheese. She also drank about 4 oz of milk and had a small bowl of chocolate pudding for dessert. That is a lot for one little girl!
We went on a walk today, but had to go home after only one mile because she kept trying to crawl out of the stroller! She is usually really calm and chilled out, but not today. I was just walking along and looked down to realize she was hanging half way out, trying to touch the stroller wheel. She usually sits there content to bark at the dogs we pass and say "hi" to every person she sees, near or far.
She is all about books! We have read so many books the past few days that we aren't sure if our hoarse voices are from that or the cold she gave us. Her favorite (as anyone who is with her for anytime at all knows) is "Good Morning, Good Night." We have to hide it every day (usually by noon) to save our sanity. Here is a link so that you can see what you're missing if you don't have your own personal copy:
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Morning-Night-Teresa-Imperato/dp/1581172796
She was so sleepy tonight that she was in bed sound asleep by 7:30. After her bath, she said "nigh-nigh" and let me rock her to sleep. Hopefully she will sleep until at least 8:30 in the morning!
Jason's schedule changed, so now he is home with me more on the weekends. It is a good thing, but will take some getting used to, lol! We were rather boring tonight...he watched football and I played on the internet! Maybe we can start having date nights regularly. The really good thing about his new schedule is that he is off every single Sunday, so we can start going to church together!
Oh well, I should try to go to sleep now so that I can be in a good mood when baby girl wakes me up in the morning! This blog is already driving me crazy because I can't the pictures and words all ligned up and spaced like I want!
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