It's Friday night and Carey is on call. So I declared it movie night! AGW is vegging out on a pile of pillows on the livingroom floor and eating a huge bowl of watermelon. She is happily engrossed in a chickflick and busy bossing around and arguing with the girls on the screen. :)

The last few days have been extremely emotional for me. I'm on a mission to prepare for the arrival of Baby Hayes so I'm guessing that the hormones are in full force. I've done most everything I can in the nursery including pack his hospital bag. Now all I have to do is wait. And get Carey to put the crib together. Who knows when that will happen! :0

I've also realized that I only have a few more months with just AGW. Just a few weeks to focus all off my love, attention, and affection, on her. Today I cuddled up in bed with her for our nap. Before I dozed off I thought that there will only be a few naps left until a little cry from across the hall will pull me away from her. So as much as I'm looking forward to my sweet little boy joining our crazy life, I'm also slightly mourning the days of just us girls.

Mostly I think that I'm struggling with a particular day that is quickly approaching. Tuesday is a HUGE day for my precious little girl: her 2nd Birthday!!! I just can't believe that these two years have come and gone so fast.

Of course, there is also the fact that the reality of residency has set in for both Carey and me. The amount of time he spends at the hospital along with the tight financial squeeze has made us both slightly depressed! :) While we both knew this was coming, there was no way to prepare for it. So now we have to just hang in there for the next couple of years and enjoy all of the little things in life. Like the crazy giggles of a hyper two-year old running wildly through the house!

Alright, enough of that pity party. I'm a pregnant, hormonal, new medical spouse, and still adjusting to so much time alone in the new city. In a year I'll look back and miss something about all of this.

So below is a glimps of our life in pictures. Enjoy!

A yummy popsickle!


Daddy and AGW hard at work


AGW is trying to figure out all of these changes!


Post call cuddles


Playing


Daddy needs a helper, he eats a lot!


Pretty flowers


Today we took a trip to feed the ducks


Daddy Kisses!


cuddle buddies


Loves corn on the cob


buds


the neighbor and best friend

Nothing New

I am so grateful for the convienence of laptops and WiFi. I am blogging from a rocking chair on my front porch. AGW is eating her Gerber Meal for dinner (when Carey's on call, there's no reason to cook)and climbing up and down the front steps while jabbering away about something unknown to me. It's not too hot or humid right now, the sun is setting in front of me, and the birds are singing sweet songs throughout the neighborhood. It's a beautiful evening. I feel so blessed to have such a great front porch and be able to sit safely and enjoy it without worry.

Today has been a very easy-going day for the two of us. I sent Carey to work after a yummy big breakfast then relaxed in bed to read and have quiet time. AGW and I both slept late then she ate breakfast on the front porch while I drank my coffee. Throughout the day we played upstairs in her room, down in the basement, outside in the backyard, then we did it all over again!

Carey is on his last call of this service and will be home sometime tomorrow. While next month's rotation will be very challenging, (that's still a positive way to describe it, right? I'm trying to be very positive about the whole month in hopes of influencing Carey and easing some anxiety) at least his call schedule is much lighter. He will go in to work earlier and get off later at night, but he will sleep at home every night except Fridays. He's on call every Friday for the month. AGW may not handle this very well because he'll be gone when she gets up and going to bed when he gets home, but I'm sure the month will fly by just like the last one did. Then it will be another new schedule to adjust to.

We have no big plans for the remainder of the week. I still haven't finished the nursery or found the hardware for the crib. Poor Hayes, he may be in the pack-n-play until he's 2! :)

Happy Sunday!

Today Carey is on call, but I have a new perspective. I'll get to that later. As I write, AGW and I are camped out in the basement to avoid the heat. I opened our latest electric bill last night and just about had a heart attack. Something definitely has to change. Our thermostat will now stay put at 76, day and night. I'll also have to sacrifice looking out all of our beautiful windows during the heat of the day and keep the shades pulled down. Hopefully these two changes will make a significant difference in our next bill. I hate to wish away the summer (I think the idea of summer is the only way we'll get through the winter) but this heat is not exactly what we had in mind. Moving this far north, I never expected the heat and humidity. Who knew?

Anyway, AGW is happily playing in her basement play area with her favorite Go! Diego, Go! movie on in the background. She can usually watch the movie once a day. We don't do too much TV around here. She has plenty of push toys, babies, crayons, trains, trucks, cars, and books to entertain her down here! I am happily currled up in one of the two recliners facing her play area. It's a perfect place for me to get some work done and still interact with her. I have to thank Carey for those chairs, I've been trying to get rid of them for a year, but he just wouldn't have it! :)

Lately she has really started to piece together thoughts and sentences. She is trying each day to verbalize her world. It amazes me.

Last night we had the new general surgery residents over for a cookout. We bought way too much food and way too much beer, but that's never a bad thing! We all had a great time and it a good way for the group to share how each rotation is going. Each one is on a different service, working with different people, and at different hospitals. I was busy keeping up with AGW but I worked really hard to memorize which rotations sounded the most challenging and which ones would provide a much-needed break. Unfortunately, it looks like next month (which starts at 6 a.m. this Friday)will be one of the most difficult rotations Carey will have to face. He is already starting to let the anxiety get to him, so please include him in your prayers. He will be on the transplant service and taking care of some of the most serious patients in the entire hospital. After a transplant, a person has all kinds of medications and complications and caring for so many of them on your own is extremely overwhelming to a new resident. Rumor has it that the team that he will be joining isn't exactly the most helpful, supportive, or encouraging. Basically, we are trying to mentally prepare for a rotation of even longer hours, more difficult cases, no teamwork, and threats of being fired on a weekly basis. I'm just glad it's not me staring this one in the face.

lake, Cash

Yesterday when Carey got off of his long shift he felt good enough (not great though) to head to the lake. We loaded up the dogs, AGW, and all of our gear and spent a few hours in the water. I've decided that we have to do these little things, even for just an hour or two, to remain sane. It's easy to just sit at home and not do anything but rest. I'm not good at that and AGW shouldn't have to miss out on all of the simple and fun things in life because of her daddy's schedule. So, as often as we can, we get out and experience the city. Tomorrow we are going to have this group of new residents over for a little cookout. I decided that if we keep waiting until the house is finished, we'll never have anyone over. Even though the bathroom is multicolored, only 1 wall in the bedroom is painted, and AGW's room STILL needs another coat on the trim, we will show our home off with pride. Besides, I'll soon be stuck inside and will be forced to tackle those projects! So today I'll be busy cleaning and preparing a menu for our new friends. Hopefully tomorrow won't be as hot as today and we'll be able to enjoy our friends in our backyard. We came home to a package on the doorstep. I said "oohh Aisley! Did you get a birthday present from Pops?" She excitedly respond "Yes! A book!" "That must be a big book" I questioned and she explained "Yep! A Bible!!!". How funny is she? :) Poor Cash got into something last week. I'm pretty sure that whatever it was, it won! He is all better now!

1st hospital dinner date

This morning at 5:30 I got a call from Carey explaining that he had left his phone at the house. I tried to listen to his directions to the hospital, but realized later in the afternoon that I had slept since then. Twice actually. But AGW and I loaded up in hopes of making it to the hospital and somehow magically wondering into the place only to find Carey available for dinner. I had hope, but it wasn't very high. I didn't actually mention any of this to AGW. I was afraid of getting her hopes up too and there is no reasoning with a 2 year old missing her daddy. Thankfully, OnStar got us to the hospital with no problems at all. Finding Carey's truck was a little more difficult, but after several loops through the parking garage we found the physician's parking. There it was in his very own "RESERVED for Physicians Only" spot. How exciting!

When we arrived I explained that we are going to the hospital to put Daddy's phone in his truck. AGW said "Oooh, yah. Cash.. Is.. Sick." She thought this because Cash had to go to the hospital last week when he was sick. I'm proud that she made that connection. When I told her that Cash isn't sick, she thought out loud "Momma... ok. Aizey... ok." Then stated "Ooohh, Daddy sick." Again, I was proud that she was thinking through it all. When I mentioned that Daddy works at the hospital, it all clicked!

After we parked and placed the phone in the truck I wondered how the heck we go about finding a new resident without a cell phone in an unknown hospital. I tend to be a little shy but found the courage to call the medical student who had let Carey borrow his phone earlier in the morning. Richard was very friendly and laughed "Well of course you're Carey's wife!". He was referring to the heavy accent :)He was no longer at the hospital but suggested that Carey would probably be found on 5-South. Great. What is 5-south and how do I get there? If I just show up, will I get Carey in trouble? This was my biggest fear.

Still, I didn't drive all of that way to just turn around and go home. With a tiny hand in mine, we ventured into the first elevator we could find and wondered around the hospital until we found ourselves in the south wing and on the 5th floor. As AGW and I stepped out of the elevator we passed Carey's chief resident. I felt so guilty for being there and so fortunate that he didn't recognize me. That chance encounter was enough to scare me out of really searching for him. I just refused to get him in trouble! I looked down the two halls nearest to the elevator and thought about sitting in the waiting area for a few minutes to see if he walked by. That's when I remembered that children aren't welcome in all areas of the hospital. Another reason to not risk getting him in trouble. I quickly turned around and headed back to the elevator. Just before the doors opened, a familiar face rounded the corner. Magically, there he was! He was just as surprised to see us as we were to see him! It turns out that he was in the restroom that we had just walked by and when he exited, he heard a little "yep! yep!". Out of curiosity, Carey thought he'd check to see who that little voice belonged to.Luckily the elevators were slow and we didn't miss him!

We were able to walk down and grab dinner in the cafeteria. It was such a priviledge to steal some of his time. After dinner in a courtyard, Carey showed us the surgery call room. It's nothing like what you see on Grey's Anatomy. I wasn't impressed by any means, but at least he has his own room to rest. The bed wasn't made, there was a a pair of slacks and a shirt thrown over the back of a chair, 2 pairs of shoes, (belonging to 2 different people) and other belongs that weren't Careys. He explained that usually housekeeping has made rounds and the bed is fresh, but the belongings have always been there and just stay. After about 5 minutes his pager went off. That was at exactly 7 p.m., the typical time when nurses start pages. This time it was the E.R. paging and Carey need to go consult with someone who had come in. On the way down to our car we stopped in the Surgery Lounge. It had a refridgerator, kitchenett, nice couch, big screen T.V., and cubical to finish paperwork. The cabinet was covered in Cambell's Soup To Go, oatmeal, cookies, and other free snacks. There was also a big beverage cooler filled with all kinds of juices and pepsi products. The surgeons also have a fance machine that makes all kinds of lattes, mochas, and flavored tea. This made me feel like he wasn't so deprived when he was stuck up there for a 36 hour shift!

Tonight I'm relaxing in bed listening to the rain after a very amazing day. AGW and I started out our day with a few hours at the gym. This has become a treasure for me and such a privilege. The daycare is only open from 8:45-10:45 so that helps ensure that we start our day early instead of sleeping until 11 (she takes after her daddy and loves to sleep! Of course, I do too!). The greatest benefit to my gym membership is that it serves as my "alone time". I've never believed in spending this much time working out but lately my views have changed. I cherish each moment that I'm sweating it out on the treadmill or lifting weights. I usually just blank out and think of nothing at all, listen to my choice of music, or I can actually watch T.V. (we don't have a single channel at home). Even though I don't speak to anyone at the gym this is my time with adults. It's so nice. The best part is that after my 2 hours away from agw I'm so eager and excited to spend the rest of the day with her! The daycare is great for her too. She's become very co dependant and needs time away from me. The gym has a big playplace (like you would see at McDonald's), a play kitchen, every toy imaginable, and a T.V. AGW is usually the 1st one there and the last to leave and they probably think I'm using them as a daycare, but I'm getting every penny out of that gym! The ladies both love AGW and say that she is good at helping with the younger kids and at cleaning up! She's such a sweetie!

After the gym today we walked 2 blocks to the park. She is starting to feel a little more comfortable there and will run around and play by herself for a few minutes at a time. She is still very shy and reserved and has no interest in playing with other kids. We spent over an hour there today because it was nice and cool and finally not humid. We got a very special surprise when at 1:00 Carey came to the park. He was actually given the afternoon to get work done at home! AGW was beyond excited and really didn't let him get too much done though. Our afternoon was so nice just having him around!

Playing Catch Up

It's been awhile. I know. I tell myself everyday that I'll blog when AGW goes to bed. Then by the time things finally settle down, I'm too exhausted to think. Let me see if I can summarize the last few weeks:

A few days after my mom went back home I got the call that my sweet grandmother Jenny, had gone to meet Jesus. It wasn't a surprise and is a blessing for her. Jenny had been a warrior the last few years and surpassed all expectations with her stamina and desire to live even through the pain. Although I miss her thoughtfulness and sense of humor, I remind myself that she is happily singing and praising in heaven.

AGW and I went home for a few days and visited as many people as possible. It was during this week that I truly realized that I'm pregnant. I was beyond exhausted and just couldn't keep up! So to those that I missed, believe me, I am aware that I missed you and thought of you often. Does it help that I still feel guilty? :)

AGW was amazing on the way to and from Lubbock. Each way we visited 3 different airports and somehow managed to make all connections with very little time between flights. She was very patient and obedient and never fussed at all. The portable DVD player helped entertainer as well as other kiddos on the flight.

I'm very certain that all of the flying was much harder on me than her. It was the last trip where she could be considered a lap child and I was excited about not having to pay for 2 seats. I didn't realize when booking though, that I no longer have a lap. Being 7 months pregnant with a 23 month old squashed between my huge belly and the tray table was not very pleasant. Through repeated kicks and jabs, Hayes made sure to let me know that he was not a happy camper. I felt like I already needed to separate the two of them!

We got in on a Monday evening about 8:30. Carey was on call so I knew I would be coming home to an "empty" house. Emma, Cash, and Texas hardly leave this house empty. Walking through the front door is like trying to get through a crowd of people when you've been gone a week. That night was pretty tough. I never sleep well when Carey's on call but that night Cash made sure to let me know something was wrong. I couldn't figure out why he was so itchy or why he kept pacing the floor. He would get up on the bed then right back down over and over again. I let him out, I fed him, I loved on him, nothing worked. At some point very early I just passed out and didn't hear him anymore. Carey got to come home about 10:00 the next morning and that's when I finally noticed that poor Cash was covered in huge hives. When I saw that his eyes where swollen shut I began panicking. In no time at all I had Carey right back out the door and on the way to the vet. Great Danes have such terrible health issues and although Dr. Watson assured me that it was some kind of allergic reaction, I feared that it would affect his long-term health. Luckily, the vet gave him a dose of steroids and benadryl and by the end of the next day Cash was back to his old self. We don't have a clue what he got into and just hope he learned a lesson.

Wednesday AGW and I made it back into the gym (remember they have a supervised daycare which allows for great social interaction for AGW) and then we intruded on a local apartment complex's pool for a few hours.

Thursday Carey was on call again and I try to keep AGW really busy on those days. We went to the gym, played at the park, worked in the garden, and ran around with the puppies. Anything to ensure that at bedtime she is wiped out and doesn't fuss for her daddy too much. Night is the hardest for all of us.

Carey had to stay late on Friday even though he was post-call. In a perfect world he would come home around 10:00 a.m. and sleep heavily for several hours before I finally drag him out of bed to spend time with us. But on this day I received a text around 9:30 saying that he was going in to operate and it would be awhile before he left. Poor guy. Later that afternoon he walked in looking like a zombie and sounding like one too. After a 3 hour nap I was able to drag him out of bed and convince him to go to the lake for just an hour or two. It was worth the shortened nap to spend a beautiful evening in the warm waters of a local lake with his girls. We had a blast and AGW is very much like her Momma and loves the water.









Saturday Carey got the day off and we enjoyed a morning jog at our favorite park. It has a nice 2 mile running track through tall wild flowers, trees, and brush, perfect for bird watching and escaping the city. There is also a great playground for AGW and a very popular dog park for the puppies. It's the perfect way to spend a Saturday morning outdoors. We also spent a few hours getting things on the walls (finally!) and decorating the house a little more. This is an on-going process for me!

Today is Sunday but it seems like Monday to me. Carey left at 5:30 this morning and I did my best to entertain AGW all day. We are working on colors, shapes, counting, jumping, and building with blocks. We also took each dog for a walk (separately so that I can handle a dog in one hand and pull a wagon with the other) and AGW and I went for a little stroll to see the stop sign at the end of the block this evening. I love walking hand-in-hand with her and learning about how she sees the world.We spend the day talking to each other (I usually have no idea what we're talking about!) and going in and out to the backyard, then up and down the steps to her room. It's no wonder I'm exhausted at the end of the day!

Let's see... what else?

I can't find the hardware to put the crib together and it's driving me insane. Seriously. Other than that, I have all of the necessities ready for the arrival of Hayes Lane in a few months. I still have to decorate but at least he has clothes to wear and a playpen to sleep in.

Oh, this next part is just an FYI to those medical spouses who read the blog just to see how we survive. The 1st paycheck came in a few days ago. Get ready to take a major pay cut. Those student loans that we lived on gave us the life of luxury compared to how we are living now. A few months ago I tried several paycheck calculators to try to get an estimate of how much we would actually be making (they work in all of the local taxes) but we still fell $400 short of the monthly budget I created. Welcome to the life of coupon cutting and penny pinching!!!

Ok, so I'm kind of pathetic. I'm at home by myself watching the 1st season of Grey's Anatomy. It makes me feel like maybe I know what is going on with Carey. Realistically though, I should probably be watching Scrubs.

Anyways... where did I leave off?

Last weekend was fabulous. My mom came to visit and get me back on track. We enjoyed a riverboat up the Ohio River, a Reds game, and actually got some work done in the basement and Baby Hayes' room. Really, that's an understatement. My mom worked in the nursery for 21 hours straight. I think she actually figured that her bed was so uncomfortable that she wouldn't sleep anyways. The problem was that the room was covered in paneling that needed priming and a ceiling that was brown and peach. Ugh. So she painted and painted and painted. Now the room has a white ceiling, white trim, and beautiful gray walls. The perfect palette for a vintage music nursery. Today while Carey was at work I decided to finish the job and tear out the carpet. Now we have beautiful hardwood floors to work with too! Pictures when I finish.









I have also been busy scouting out new parks, river hideouts, and hiking trails with AGW. It's safe to say that we are getting plenty of vitamin D and exercise!









AGW fell last night and busted her lip and chin pretty good. Poor baby! And as usual, the rest of the gang is doing well and loving the great outdoors!

So... I didn't get to finish posting yesterday, but I will later today-promise!!!