Time For A Vacation

A week or so ago, I took some vacation time and escaped to the lake for a few days. My parents and sisters do not live in the same place that I do, but the lake makes for a nice meeting point, as it is an equal distance from my parents' house and mine.

We went while pretty much the entire country was immersed in hell in the middle of a heat wave, so we didn't spend too much time outside. I am pale as a ghost on the fair side in terms of skin, so I usually don't go out in the sun too often. But when it feels like 107 outside, the only way to cool off is in a pool, even if it's just for a few minutes...

My mom.



One of the few pictures of me. Proof that I was actually there...



My sisters got these hideous special sunglasses. Nice, no?



My sisters and my dad.



It would probably be better if I had put in the shot of the water splashing, but oh well...it's harder than you think to keep a camera away from splashing water when the person jumping in is a grown up!

Crafty Tuesday: MORE Burp Cloths

I know, I know. It's like I never make ANYTHING else. I do -- although I will admit that I make burp cloths more often than I make anything else. It's quite relaxing actually, and one of my favorite ways to de-stress. Not to mention, I think they are super cute. And they make great baby gifts!

For more crafty goodness, see what everyone has to share at Carrie's!

Things I've Been Reading

First, let me say that I never realized how much I would love using an e-reader. I have read more books since getting my iPad six month ago than I had in the two years before that. I have always liked to read, but it is so much more convenient when I always have the book with me!

Here are some of the books I have been reading lately:

The Midwife's Confession

Look Again





Save Me (See all Thrillers Books)






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Crafty Tuesday - Baby Dresses

It turns out that even though I have been completely consumed with studying and all things board related that the world just keeps on going...who would have thought?!

It seems that everyone I know has been having babies, which of course required baby gifts! I have been quite happily making burp cloths for everyone, but then I saw someone get a gown at a shower I was attending. Super cute gift, but I almost died when I heard how much someone had paid for it.

It was adorable, but I wasn't quite sure it was that adorable. I was also pretty sure it was just a little bit of fabric and some elastic, something that I could surely figure out if I tried.

I was correct. These layette gowns are super easy to make and have been a huge hit as an addition to burp cloths as baby gifts...

To see what everyone else has been creating, visit Carrie's Crafty Tuesday!

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Bouncy

When I was little, I always thought it would be SO FUN to have a trampoline.

My parents did not really agree. Or maybe they did, but they still wouldn't let me have one.

The beauty of being a grown up is that now I can make my own decisions. That's right, I got myself a trampoline.

SO FUN!

I figured it was mostly just fabric stretched out with springs on a metal frame....how hard is that to assemble?

Answer?

Holy hell Harder than you think.

It took two of us almost six hours. In nearly 90 degree heat.

Of course the fact that a three month old and a six year old were "helping" might have made it a tad bit harder...

But still...it's so much fun, and totally worth it!

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Underestimated

I am a labor nurse.

Pregnant women show up at the hospital, sign in, are taken to a room, and then I appear. Determining whether it's time for a baby to come or not, if it is time for an epidural or not, if the baby looks okay or not....these are the decisions that people -- perfect strangers -- leave up to me. I am experienced, I am knowledgable, and I am confident when I make decisions and recommendations. I tend not to get overly excited about things going wrong...there are very few things that a little time and a few interventions can't fix. I have patients I adore, I have patients who make me crazy, and I have patients whose status cause my hair to grey...sometimes a lot. I am surrounded by coworkers who are brilliant and caring and always available to help and offer advice and assistance.

While I have been present for the deliveries of people I know, they are almost always people I have (or currently) work with. Which means that, even though they are a patient in a given situation, they still have the knowledge to understand things from the standpoint of medical personnel, even if they don't like it.

A few weeks ago, two classmates of mine had a baby. They had asked me several months ago if I would come in for their delivery, and I had agreed. Their baby was quite happy inside, so they had been scheduled as an induction. I made all the necessary arrangements and went in to work for their induction. And it taught me something very important:

It is incredibly stressful and overwhelming to take care of - and be responsible for - people that you know.

It doesn't mean I took 'better' care of them than I do my other patients, but there was definitely an added stress of feeling responsible for everything that happened. A stress that I had completely underestimated.

But after a long day and a few grey hairs for me, I think that everyone agrees that the end result was absolutely worth it. Welcome to the world, baby Sophia. You are such a lucky girl to be so loved!

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Gone In A Flash

It's the first. OF JULY. I swear that just yesterday it was May...

I never ceased to be amazed at how fast time goes -- you blink and a month has gone by...or two, in this case. Since May, I feel like I have done nothing but study. Constantly. I guess having board exams to pass will do that to a girl...

I took my first board exam last Friday. And it was...rough. An 8 hour exam is just not a fun experience. Not that anyone expects to enjoy such a thing. So now I have one more board exam to take next Friday, and then I am free or three glorious weeks of summer vacation. That I will spend working. But whatever...the idea of not studying sounds perfect right about now.

Assuming I passed, of course. But who wants to get caught up in details like that?!


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