12-31-09

Yesterday i had a dr. appt and ultrasound. it was confirmed through the ultrasound that baby is still a GIRL! so exciting to get to see her again on the screen. the lady that did it says baby also has hair and chubby cheeks...to cute. Baby is facing head down which can change at any time but i'm glad that it is smart enough to figure out which way is out. Then at my appt i had to drink the orange glucose drink to check my blood sugar which wasn't too bad, a little nasty by the end of it but i got through it. the worst part of the appt was the rhogam shot!!! man that stung BAD. i'm already dreading the second one. now i'm on to the every two week appts which will be nice and probably help make the rest go a little faster i hope. I am going to a breastfeeding class through creighton hospital on monday night and then ira and i are going to our birthing class (aka lamaze) on jan 16th. its an all day class that also includes a tour of the labor/delivery and postpartum areas. i really am excited about both of them.

today i put together our new stroller/car seat combo which added to the fun of it all. thankfully that stuff is pretty simple to put together. now i just need to get the base of the car seat installed and checked out and we are ready to bring her home!

as for work i only have 4 night shifts left before i go to days! yeah maybe now i will actually eat and sleep on a regular, "normal" schedule. next week is my last week on nights and NYE is my last one this week.

Friday we are heading up to my moms for xmas finally, can't wait to see my family again. unfortunately it will be a quick trip as we have to come back saturday night since i work on sunday night and need to sleep during that day. we will try to see my dad to on the way home to give him and cheryl their xmas gifts. we spent last saturday with ira's family for xmas dinner and presents. it was a good time, nice and relaxing with a full belly! i will post pictures soon of all our xmas events.

12-19-09

I will be 28 weeks on wednesday, so its kind of exciting and scary to be on the downward slope after that! We have an ultrasound and regular doctors appt on wednesday too. i also get the pleasure of drinking the orange drink for the glucose test. all in all it should be a fun day. i'm excited that xmas is finally here. its so much fun to just roam the stores with all the decorations and music playing.

Yesterday we bought a car seat/stroller combo so at least the baby has a way to get home now. We tried multiple ones out to see how they worked and how easy they were to use and decided on the one pictured below. its a grey/burnt orange color. kind of exciting as its our first major purchase for the baby.
We also had some pregnancy photos take a few weeks ago. we will be sending one out in our xmas letter. i have the letter written i just need to print it, address the envelopes and mail them out. hopefully i can get that all done this weekend!

Other from that all is going well. I feel great and am enjoying feeling the baby move all the time. Ira is still a little freaked out by the "alien" inside. i told him he needed to love the baby and talk to it or it wouldn't know who he was. so now he will just randomly shout out from across the room "daddy loves you". its too funny and only ira would come up with it. it makes me laugh.

11-21-09

For those of who haven't heard we are having a GIRL! we had an ultrasound a couple weeks ago and everything looked good and we decided to find out what it was going to be.

Right now just trying to get ready for the holidays, they are all coming so soon. It's definitely helped though to have other things going on to make the weeks go by faster. I had a doctor's appt yesterday and am starting to ask the questions about delivery and such. Found out my options for pain control: stadol IV or epidural. i need to look up stadol since i don't know much about it and have never given that pain med. asked when i should take the birthing classes and was suggested that around 32 weeks so will probably do in january or february. i think as christmas comes and goes i'm going to get a little more freaked out about the end in site!

We are planning to go to my mom's for thanksgiving weekend and seeing my dad sometime that weekend too. thanksgiving day we are going to ira's parents other from that just working and baking baby!

Our Apartment for Halloween

We decorated tonight for Halloween. We each carved a pumpkin, Ira's is the face mine is the cat. Ira put up web like stuff in the bushes and along the brick. Then a pumpkin window poster and flicker light in the porch light. We had fun tonight!

19 weeks

Today i am 19 weeks, kind of an exciting time now. I have been waiting for a sign of life in there by feeling movement but nothing yet. i hope it happens soon and can't wait to feel it. i tried finding the heartbeat with my stethoscope but still a little early i think since i couldn't hear anything except my stomach/intestines gurgling. i have a doctors appt on friday so i will get to hear the heartbeat then. we go to the doctor again a week and a half after that for an ultrasound. we have decided that we are NOT going to find out the sex. we are both excited about it being a surprise. we don't have a preferance either way. we don't have a spare bedroom so there really won't be a "baby room" until we move, which is not a big deal since i will be needed every couple hours anyhow at first.

we hope to move in april when our lease is up, which isn't the best timing since i'm due in march but what can you do. not like i planned it that way. we have known for a while that we needed more room but i like paying lower rent so whatever. we will probably try to rent a house or bigger apartment if it comes down to it. if we were rich we would buy a house but the money fairy never stops by so for now we have to deal with what we can do.

10-3-09

I am now 16 1/2 weeks. my next appt is in 3 weeks which is just a regular check up. then 2 weeks after that we go back again for an ultrasound where we can find out the sex of the baby if we want. we have pretty much decided that we are NOT going to find out but there are 5 weeks between now and then so who knows we may change our minds. Right now just waiting to find out the results of the Quad screen which is a blood test that tests for down's syndrome and spina bifida......i hope all is well and neither is found but i did the test just in case. so right now that is all i am worried about at this point. they said no news is good news but i will probably call later this week to find out for sure just for piece of mind.

other from that we have been looking at baby stuff all the time, but haven't really bought anything. we have clothes, blankets, diaper bag, and that is about it at this point. Hoping to get some stuff for xmas so will probably register in in the next month or so. there is so much out there to choose from its crazy!

Baby Gaver!

Ira and I are expecting a baby! I'm due on March 17th. We had our first doctors appt yesterday 8-24, i'm 11 weeks along now. It was exciting for us both to hear the heartbeat and see the baby in the ultrasound. It makes it all more real now. We have know i was pregnant since july 17th but i didn't want to tell anyone until our first appt and i was closer to the end of the first trimester in case anything were to happen. So far everything looks good according to the doctor. i have blood work drawn next week and go back to the doctor in 4 weeks.

8-23-09

It's been a while since i wrote anything. Ira started student teaching a couple weeks ago and seems to be enjoying it. He is still working at Ameristar part time, so he's pretty busy. This week for about 3 days we didn't even see each other due to our schedules. The teacher that he is under was out on friday so Ira got to teach the entire day by himself, there was a sub in the room but she didn't do anything.....but still got paid to sit and watch him. It's kind of great that he got to do a day by himself already, talk about jumping right into it all.

Other from that we have just been trying to enjoy what is left of summer, although i am looking forward to fall. Its my favorite time of year! everything smells good and i love the cool, jeans/sweatshirt weather.

I have been practicing my clarinet on my off time lately. i'm thinking about taking an open audition for sioux city symphony. Part of me wants to audition and part of me doesn't due to the time commitment. i keep going back and forth and the audition is this next sunday the 30th. and of course its scheduled right in the middle of my 3 in a row at work so now i need to rearrange my schedule in a hurry. i'm just not sure its all worth it.

The other thing i have been considering lately is going to days at my work. i just feel like i sleep all the time and that i never have any free time or energy. plus on nights i don't work i end up being unable to sleep and sleeping during the day, wasting my days off. i don't know i just keep pondering all this.

stay tuned who knows what's next!

This and That

I survivied my birthday, another year has now passed and i'm officially 32 or like the cake said 29 for the 3rd time. Ira ended up throwing me a surprise birthday party which was really great. He roped my sister into the scheme as well, she was given a key and decorated the place and my friend Kristi brought the cake. Needless to say i was very surprised. Below are some pictures from it.

Then on July 4th weekend i went up to my sisters for several days since i had the time off from work. I love going to see them all up there, especially with a new baby (Elle). i then went to my dad's saturday night since i was subbing with sioux city summer band on sunday. it was nice to see everyone again in band. i miss the fun of it all every week. luckily i get to sub a couple more times this season. Ira was at home over this weekend with his son trenton. they went to rosenblatts firework show with a friend of mine from nursing school and her son. sounds like they had a good time even though they got soaked by the rain. Below is his son trenton ( i couldn't get the picture to state rotated the right way).

Anyhow its now almost the middle of july and i can't believe it. i see school supplies are already out, which is crazy since i'm not even tan hardly yet! i guess i'm just glad i'm not one of the ones having to go to school for once!!! Ira will start student teaching in august. he will be at one of the elementary schools in council bluffs for 6 weeks and then one of the preschools for 6 weeks since he will be certified in both early childhood and elementary education. He's definitely ready to be done and start being a teacher.( i think he's just tired of class, but i can't blame him).

6-17-09

Well the inevitable is still approaching.

i work tonight and tomorrow night (wed and thur nights) and then have off until tuesday next week..yeah! this means i have the entire weekend off with Ira which is nice. he took sunday off for fathers day so we actually get to spend 3 days together or something like that since i'm sure i will need a nap on friday when i get off work. we are planning on going down to his brothers in blair on sunday and hopefully we can go to the zoo this weekend since we haven't gone yet this year. we have trenton this weekend so it would be a good time to go and it is suppose to be nice out! next week on tuesday i have "graduation" from my orientation program at creighton. we have a whole ceremony and everything. Then that means i'm on my own after that which is okay cause i'm ready or as ready as i'm going to be at this point in my career.

summer band has also started in sioux city. i am going to sub a couple weekends this summer only due to work. but everyone should go out to the concerts if they can, its a great time and FREE. email me if you need info on it.

babies

Well i have come to the conclusion that my ovaries and uterus must be depressed and need to see a shrink. all around me babies have been born the last month or so. i swear everyone was pregnant at the same time and all i kept thinking was its not fair. i told myself i wouldn't talk about this subject to anyone including my family but i'm tired of holding it in for so long and i'm frustrated. people that i know just breathed the word baby once and got pregnant and then here i am doing the baby seance every hour and nothing. i have put it off for so long to have a career and now i wish i would have just done it early on. i was ready then just selfish i guess, i had goals i wanted to achieve first. i realize part of the problem is me, i mean after 10 years of marriage/being together the newness has worn off. the idea of sex everynight for like a week makes me tired and my husband feel used :) anyhow my next yearly appt is next month and i've decided i'm going to get tested for fertility and request some meds to help out. i discussed this with my doctor a couple years ago and she was willing to try meds if i wanted at that time. i'm just scared at the idea that something might be wrong, i don't think i could fathom not being about to concieve and would definitely need counselling. i'm sorry family that you have to find out this way but its not a subject i like to talk about out loud. i'm sure alot of this is stemming from the fact that i'm two weeks away from my next birthday (32) and i ain't getting any younger. by the time it happens i will have to see like 10 doctors because i'm old and high risk! LOL. anyhow if you've had trouble like me feel free to comment, if you are one that just breathes it please don't....

Working nights and new baby.

Well i have to say i'm enjoying working nights! its a little slower paced, there aren't 500 doctors running around that i don't know who they are, i don't have to figure out who to call because there are only like 3 choices, and the best part is the mentality of the night staff that everyone is there to help you. during the day its so busy that its every man/woman for themselves and at night its not, its a group effort. I love that! and it makes me more relaxed. i definitely feel like i'm ready to be on my own and on days i never felt like that even after weeks and weeks of working days. its such a different animal working during the day.

I now have a new niece named Elle she was born on May 28th and she is beautiful. Ira and i went up to sioux falls on thursday and friday last week to see her. It was so exciting to finally meet her, i can't wait to see her grow and find out who she looks like. below is a picture of big brother jakob and baby elle. i will upload more pictures soon.

Ramblings....

Well, the inevitable is now upon me...working nights. starting this sunday night i will officially be working nights here on out. prior to now i was okay with this transition but as it has gotten closer i'm not as sure as i was before. i have emailed the ladies on my floor that i will be working with for advice on sleeping, eating times, and whether to work 3 in a row or space them out. i still have 6 weeks left of orientation so i will be able to test the 3 in a row theory, but need to put in for the next schedule soon. i am trying to come to grips with how much my life will change and i think that up until now i've just pushed it aside. but now here it is staring me in the face....mocking me:)

my next dilemma is whether i will be able to play in sioux city summer band this season. i have to decide by tomorrow and i'm just not sure if i will be able to swing it so i am considering opting out this season until i get a better grasp of my schedule. right now i'm still at the mercy of my preceptor's schedule and have yet to find my place. i really hate to not play though since it's one of my few connections still to music and i love seeing everyone each week. maybe i can just sub this year. still i'm kind of bummed about the whole thing.

i still have days where i wonder if i will ever love nursing like i do music. the verdict is out still and only time will tell i guess. i have days where i feel good about things and days that i want to cry. i hate that i'm so emotional about being a nurse...its so unlike me! i hate that it makes me feel weak and incompetent some days, i'm a strong person thats always been able to take care of anything. now i just feel like.....a failure who's not good enough. i know this is not what you want to hear from your nurse but this is exactly why new nurses struggle so much that first year. its not that i'm not able to care for people, its that i don't know all the answers and get flustered when everything happens at once. who comes first when all 4-6 patients of yours have issues at the same time...and prioritizing is not that simple when they all need you NOW. as you can tell i'm a little emotional right now, as they say "this too will pass". Whatever....

This and that.

Well its been 2 months since i started working as a nurse and getting paid for it. its crazy some days to think this is really my career....if you would have asked me if i would have ever been a nurse when i was 18 i would have said never. who knew! i do like my job and like most some days are better than others. I think the most frustrating thing is the patient load and when everyone needs something at the same time and it is all equal in importance. its hard for me to prioritize who go help first. I will start working nights the week of May 10th, i've heard nights are a little more relaxed and i'm definitely hoping thats the case. at least i won't have to deal with timing insulin with meals (especially when all your patients need it...of course at the same time!) and deal with getting/helping people with meals, most baths are done during the day so i can eliminate that job too. some times all the little things during the day take the most time. another good thing is that there is a set call list for doctors at night instead of having to go to the chart and play guess which doctor i need to call or whos going to pawn me off on another doctor to call for that problem. All in all i like my job like i said some days i leave relax and others like a whirlwind.

other from work i don't do much else except the occassional outing. I subbed with the Sioux city symphony 2 weeks ago which was great! We did a choral piece called "Carmina Burana" which i loved. That kind of playing is my favorite, i love choral works and would love to play professionally for an opera all the time!

On saturday we took trenton to the IMAX to see Under the Sea 3D, it was great and the first time i have ever seen a movie there. My mom gave it as a birthday gift for trenton and we just finally had time to go. I definitely want to go again.

For easter i went to my mom's since my grandparents were coming and my sisters were there too. it was nice to see my grandparents since its been quite some time since i have seen them last. they live 5 hours from me so its difficult to find enough time to go up there and if i do go i like to stop and see my other side relatives in wagner, SD so i need time to do it all. i brought my camera to take pictures but of course when i got it out up there my battery was dead and i didn't have the charger with me....yes i was a little irritated.

other from that just waiting for my new niece to be born the end of may....can't wait to have another baby in the family!

New Car

Well since i finally was getting a paycheck that was more than 50 cents, i decided it was time for a new car. The ford escort has been fine but its time for a grown up car that i'm not embarrassed to drive. So a couple weeks ago we went to a dealer in council bluffs and bought a 2008 Hyundai Sonata. Its my first car not bought by my dad so i feel pretty grown up (although it was nice having the free cars too! thanks dad!).

This is my old car, i was huggin it goodbye.

This is the new car, all shiny!

I'm finally working.

Well i finally started my job at creighton hospital on monday february 16th. we had orientation all that week pluss the following monday. It all went well, typical orientation information some interesting alot boring. then on Wednesday i started working on my unit/floor for my first 12hr shift and i worked Thursday as well. The crappy part about it all was that i started getting sick on monday and by wed. felt like crap so both my days on my floor i had to were a mask to protect my patients and everyone else. breathing in your own hot air for 12hrs is not my idea of a good time. needless to say i have 3 days off in a row now (friday, sat, sun). I went to the dr. on tues to get a strep test done and it came back neg and they just sent me home to suck it up, then i ended up going back to the dr. on friday and finally got some drugs that i hope will get rid of whatever it is i got. i'm not even sure who i got it from since i haven't been around anyone that is sick. Now today (sat) my voice is gone but at least i feel some what better and can breath out of my nose again instead of just my mouth! So for a first couple weeks its not started out so good.

I go back to work on monday. creighton has a program for new graduate nurses that i am in. it is to help new nurses transition into actual working so its a combination of classes on monday and tuesday with then real working on two other days during the week. The goal is to help retain new nurses since the first year can be very stressful. I think it will be a really great program for me. instead of just learning out of a book like you do on school and then never really seeing it or doing it here we will be learning about things and actually doing them at the same time. so i think it will be more hands on....i will keep you all posted on how its going.

other from that i am just trying to get better. i got my first paycheck on friday, except i was to sick to pick it up so i'm going to try to go get it today. i did direct deposit but it takes a couple pay periods for it to kick in. so now i just have to figure out where to go get it at.

Together again

This past weekend i went to my high school friend, Dawn's, sons 5th Birthday party. We commemorated the occasion with a picture.

From L to R: Dawn, Me, Lisa, Kristi

We were all friends in high school and have had a lot of great times together over the years.

lately....

Well i start working at Creighton hospital in omaha on Feb 16th. i'm excited to finally get going with this whole thing. i went and got a massage this morning as a present to myself for passing my nursing exam. it was great, i wish i could get one every day.

i'm hope to get my music and nursing books that i don't want anymore sold on amazon sometime this week. i have them all out i just need to post them now. i just want to get rid of crap at this point that i keep hauling around but never look at. anyone need the norton scores or some minitature scores, plus lots of other music books let me know.

i have contemplated selling some of my cd's too but just can't decide if i really want to part with them or not. i need to sell some of my orchestral clarinet parts too if anyone wants to buy them. pretty much if you are in need of something clarinet call me and i will sell it to you.

i'm on facebook so if we haven't found each other look me up and add me as a friend. its always fun to keep in touch with people. otherwise i'm just working part-time at childrens billing until i start at creighton and then hope to just stay on as casual...real casual, in case they need me or i can help in any way. i have loved my time at childrens and hate to break ties with them.

NCLEX results

Well i just took my nursing test on Thursday and i just found out this morning my quick results and

I Passed!

I am so excited and can't wait to start working.