My, How Time Flies!

Are there seriously twenty four hours in a day? It seems my days are getting shorter and shorter. All of a sudden I have a baby and not a newborn!

Joey hit his four month mark this last week. It has really snuck up on both of us. Todd and I were both discussing how fast time flies when your kids are little. We were watching Katie ride her big bike with training wheels and commenting on how it seemed like she was just learning how to ride her little "toot toot" fire engine a few weeks ago. Sometimes I really wish you could freeze your kids. On their good days of course. And yet, I love watching them discover knew things and seeing how their little brains work it all out.

Anyway, we are thrilled that summer has finally begun. We've pulled out the sunscreen and bathing suits for sprinklers. A true sign that summer is here!

Here are a few Joey's four month stats:

*13lbs 8.8 0z and 24.5 inches long

*He sounds like a teradactyl when he talks

*He still spits at least 4-5 times a day

* The blowout diapers have increased

*He has a favorite blanket

*Sucks his thumb

* Sleeps through the night

* Eats 5-6 times a day

*Is as stinkin' cute as ever!!!!

He loves to play in his exersaucer. I think Katie would like to get in it and play too! She always over with him trying to teach him how to play with everything. He just looks at her and smiles his drooly smile!

And, here is the famous pout caught on film. He has done this exact face since he was five days old. Todd and I think it is so funny that lately Katie tries to make him pout just to see us smile and laugh. We've had to talk about how it's not very nice to try and make brother sad.

You want me to do WHAT?!??

I think this Mother's Day will definitely go down in history. Unfortunately, not for all the sentimental reasons that most of us would take note of. How about I start with the word, "I was on call for the day at the hospital".

The greatest part of the day 6:30am to 1:30 pm. I slept in and was able to clean the ENTIRE house including some deep cleaning. Now you may ask yourself, why does that make a good mother's day morning? Well, it was uninterrupted cleaning. That's right! No children and no husband. (No offense guys) I couldn't believe how much I accomplished. A clean house was definitely a gift to me.

My sweet husband called twice to make sure I wasn't having any breakdowns due to spending mother's day alone. How nice of him to make sure I was ok. I love him! I have to admit around 1100, while hooked to the milk machine, I did wallow in some self pity for a moment or two. I mean who really wants to spend mother's day away from your kids and husband?

Well, things started to get interesting around 1:30. I headed into work and recovered one patient, no biggy. The next wouldn't be out for at least an hour or so, so I settled in with my wonderful computer education modules. About 15 minutes later the phone rang and it was the OR nurse asking me to come to the OR immediately. Ok, not so normal. I suited up and headed in to find only the nurse and a very large patient under anesthesia strapped to the table. She explained they were about to start surgery when there was an emergency in the Peds ICU and the doctors had to leave immediately and that she needed to go too. I was supposed to stay there with the patient and make sure nothing happened until another anesthesia doc could come in. Hopefully, within the next thirty minutes. I thought, the next 30 minutes! You've got to be kidding. I'm certainly no anesthesiologist and that dude on the table is huge! So, with my deer in headlights look I tried to calmly ask, "So, what do I do if this very large patient wakes up?" Fortunately, she said he was being gassed which = sleep! I'm thinking hooray! Please don't decide to drop your heart rate or blood pressure until that doc can get here. So, there I am with my cute tech Ashley staring at this patient and attempting to chart his vitals on the Dr's sheet.

Just as I was getting comfortable in comes a new surgeon. The trauma surgeon. Apparently, he had been called for a trauma in the ER, but since this patient was already here on the table asleep he figured he should preform this surgery before he started the trauma. One problem though, there is no OR team yet. They are on there way, but live about 40 minutes away. When he realizes this he asks if either of us know how to "scrub in". I replied with a very QUICK NOOO. To which he replies that's ok you may have to learn because I need to get to the next surgery. WHAT!!! By this point we had flagged down another anesthesiologist, one nurse and one scrub tech. So, that meant I was well on my way to being involved with this surgery. Not Good!

Let me just make a quick side note about me in nursing school during an OR clinical. Me + hat + mask + gown + gloves + hot lamps = lightheaded potentially passed out nurse! Trust me, I know my limits. So, I decide to try and stall.

Me: Sir, my husband is on trauma call at the "U" and will be done in five minutes. Why don't I page him to come help you?

Dr: Hmmmmm, so he's a resident?

Me: Yes, orthopedics.

Dr: Hmmmmmm.

Anesthesiologist: We're ready, let's go.

Dr: All right, suit up Melissa.

Me: CRAP!

So, for the next thirty minutes there I am doing what I thinkk is a "resident's job". Following and mimicking exactly what this surgeon is doing (with my left hand no less) and praying I don't pass out, grab something I'm not supposed to or poke something I'm not supposed to. I felt like I was on this show!

Well, after several layers of fat, 4 layers of muscle (apparently this is not the norm) and the smell of burning flesh I was still going strong. Well, the next few things I had to do required me to lean forward quite a bit so I was right under the wonderful heat light/lamp. Next thing I know the light headedness started to kick in. I calmly handed my tools to the tech and said I needed to sit down. Both the surgeon and anesthesia doc get nervous I'm going to pass out into the sterile field and kick me out! All I can say is I tried to get out of it earlier.

Todd is never going to let me live it down either. Funny thing is, he showed up about 5 minutes into the surgery and didn't say anything because he didn't want to "steal my thunder". My thunder, are you kidding me! At least I got to see a very very very large appendix!

Motherhood

Over the past few months I have had some of those "mommy" moments that have truly humbled me. You know those ones where you are standing there while everything else is going on around you and you think to yourself, this is my life. And, then you ask, is this where I pictured myself to be when I was planning my future as a child, teen and adult? I really don't remember exactly how I pictured it all, but I think I've come pretty close to where I thought I wanted to be. I can honestly say that I am TRULY happy with my life.

I look at my daughter and son and I have all kinds of emotions. Emotions that instill joy right to my core and emotions that make me almost ill with fear. I go to bed thinking about them, I dream about them and I wake up thinking about them. I pray for them and for myself as their mother in hopes that I can help them be the people they are meant to be. Good people. People who love and want to serve other people. People who love their Father in Heaven.

I am grateful these little people start out at just that, little people. They are so forgiving of their inexperienced mother. A mother who sometimes isn't quite as patient with the 100 why's as she ought to be. A mother who might not always have the energy or desire to play restaurant, puzzles and princess one more time. A mother who sometimes raises her voice in frustration when she has asked ten times for her to pick up her toys or put on her shoes when we're in a hurry. Thankfully, in her eyes I am her "person". The one she looks to. The one who she wants to laugh at all her jokes even when they don't make sense. The one she tells her secrets and troubles to. The one she so easily forgives. The one who keeps her safe and can make things better. I am grateful and humbled that I am that person. I always want to be that person for her. And I am so grateful for Joey. He's the one who smiles at me regardless of what I do. He looks at me like I am his world and he is mine. He can make my mood soar with his little shy flirty grin. I love how he lets me squish kisses into his chubby cheeks and how he tries to kiss back with his slobbery open mouth!

Really, honestly, is there anything better in this world than being a mother?

I am grateful to a mother who has gone through all these same emotions for me. I am grateful for the things she taught and retaught again and again. I am only beginning to understand the millions of sacrifices that she glady made for me. Because I know I will gladly make them for my own babies. There really are no words to describe the value I place on my mother and her friendship. I love you mom!

Not the best quality picture. Sorry!

P.S. Congrats mom on your graduation! I am so proud of you! You are truly my hero!

Why?

Why, I ask you, is this whole swimsuit thing such a nightmare?!!! I am currently swimsuitless! (Is that even a word?) I have once again begun the hopeless search of a modest comfortable swimsuit. You know, the one that isn't riding up or the one you are checking to make sure "no one" is escaping while you chase your children around the pool or beach. Well, I am in need of one by the end of May. I would make one if I could, but have you seen the swimwear section in the fabric store? YUCK!!

So, for example, take this polka dot suit. She makes it look very cute. It appears to cover all those important places, is a "family friendly" suit and isn't too terrible looking. But, on further examination the fabric is very thin, not lined or padded for "the girls" and it costs an arm and a leg. Talk about making me CRAZY!

I suppose I could just show up to the pool in one of these baby's. I'm sure I would get a few looks. I mean look at what it does for their legs! YIKES. Do they even make these anymore?

So, the quest continues. Any helpful sites or stores would be great. I have heard good things about MODBE in Orem, so I'm headed there next week some time. If anyone else struggles with this whole thing, please share. Maybe we can help each other. I'll let you know if I have any success. . . .

In the meantime, wouldn't it be great if our legs and buttocks were still considered cute if they looked like this?! (Someday this little guy is going to kill me, but I couldn't resist!!)