Happy Birthday!

Today is my baby's 25th birthday! It is hard for me to believe that I have a child that is 25 years old. 25 is like an adult - able to make one's own decisions and live one's own life. Where did the time go?

I can remember giving birth to Jon like it was yesterday. I remember his cute little face and chubby thighs. How he had jaundice really bad and had to be hospitalized. But then he came home and we got in to our routine and I found out what true love was...

I remember how kind and caring he has always been even as a little boy. His kindergarten teacher still asks me about him and always says what a neat kid he was.

I remember the time he crashed in to a light pole while riding his bike because he was looking the other way - and the next day was photo day at school.

I remember him playing basketball, soccer and baseball before he fell in love with blading. I remember the time he was a goalie on his soccer team...but still scored a goal. I think everyone was so shocked that he left the net that they didn't know to stop him...!

I remember the broken bones - a broken collar bone from tripping over the dog and two broken arm bones from skating.

I remember the face plant and breaking off of his front teeth...needing stitches to his face and an emergency trip to the dentist late on a Saturday night.

I remember how he always wanted to take care of me and be the man of the house since I was a single mom...helping to care for his sisters too.

I could go on and on - for I just can't believe that I have been lucky enough to know Jon for the past 25 years. What an awesome experience it has been. He has grown in to a wonderful young man and I am proud to be his mom.

Happy Birthday Son!

He may be grown...but a kid still lives inside him and I don't think he will ever give up those blades!

And of course little Lilly needs to get in her words today too :)

Shot time

Today was shot time in our world. First off was little Sydney - she got 3 shots and a nasal dose of medication and lots of treats. She didn't even seem to care about the shots - just kept wagging her little tail and eating up those treats. She has put on 4 pounds since being sick - she is now up to 10.5 lbs. The vet gave her a clean bill of health. :)

We took her out on her first adventure outdoors after her doctor's visit. She seemed to have a good time but really needs to learn how to walk on a leash! Then she came home and took a nap.Silly dog!!

Then on to Lilly - I was just looking on her blog and she also got shots today - but she got 5 plus her oral polio.

Now I am not against vaccines - I've seen the effects of diseases on the human body and spirit. But I do have some great reservations about giving babies 5 shots in one day...and this is not to make you moms out there feel bad...but I think the vaccine schedule needs to be changed. It needs to be stretched out. Needs to be a bit more flexible. It takes a persistent, loud and probably obnoxious parent to buck the system and who wants to be that parent? Don't the parents feelings count in raising and trying to do what is best for our children? Thanks to modern medicine for doing a good job and eradicating many diseases but I still think we may need to look at how we are going about that process...

Just random food for thought.

Kim is such a good mommy - look how these two lovingly gaze at each other. Can't you just hear those baby coos?Daddy giving comfort...I couldn't post the screaming photo - you'll have to go to Kim's site to see that one. Makes me want to cry right along with her.Love you little baby! Sending big hugs your way.

fun times

I know it is a job...but sometimes you meet people and you just click with them...then it turns in to more fun than just a job. You become part of the family, not just the nurse for the day. Like the patient who was a Biola grad (where Erika goes) and her husband was a Long Beach state grad (where Michelle is going to go)...we had lots to talk about. I had done their previous delivery so it felt right to be doing this delivery too. She literally laughed the baby out - I never did have her push and the doctor barely made it in to the room. The dad said he would have needed to call a "condition H" for HELP! if I hadn't been standing right in the room watching it all.
Then the other family - the big one with visitors everywhere. They were all so funny and they are opening a restaurant in downtown Fullerton in a couple of months. I want to say it will be called "Rory's" but don't quote me on that...and a perk of my job...I get to go for dinner as a family member :) Oh - and the fried zuchinni that they brought me from Dukes was a yummy snack. I think we talked about food all day during that delivery.

I don't think I could ever go back to a management job - I just love the patient contact too much for that. There is just something to be said about being with a family and experiencing such a special moment with them. I believe in family and want to provide family centered care and hopefully get families off to a good start. This is the part of my job that makes me say, "I love my job".
And since no post is complete without a picture and since I'm writing about family....here's a picture of Michelle trying to manage both babies in our family at one time!

I might be prejudiced

I might be prejudiced...but I think that Lilly is one cute baby!And her parents aren't bad either :)

she's well!

I've never bought a dog in my whole life...I believe in rescuing and love mutt dogs more than pure breds...and I don't quite understand people who spend a ton of money on their pets...so the one time that I purchase a dog...it gets sick with Parvo virus!!

Little Sydney spent last week in the hospital. It was both frustrating and scary. Frustrating for I didn't really want to spend my tax return on vet bills and scary for we had already fallen in love with our puppy. When I came home from work and found her so lethargic, I just knew it was bad. We rushed her to the emergency vet where they admitted her and gave her IV fluids and lots of medications. They only gave her a 50% chance of making it...I even had to sign a "no code" sheet on her...but after a week in the hospital she pulled through and was able to come home.

She is getting back to her normal puppy goofiness and is eating well and starting to put back on some of the weight that she lost. One more week and she will be off home confinement and be able to go on walks and out to the Lazy Dog Cafe. We are so happy to have her around.

But - never again will I ever purchase a dog!! Lucky for us the pet store reimbursed us - so now we think of Sydney as a rescued puppy!

20 Years

20 Years at the same place of employment...When I say 20 years it seems so long - like it is a life time yet having lived through it - it just seems like it was a short time ago that I started working at St. Joseph Hospital. Who would have ever thought that I would still be there 20 years later.

20 years is enough time for

technology to rapidly change - who had cell phones/email / ipods 20 years ago??

babies to be born and grow up

grandchildren to be born

my own children to get through high school

marriages,divorces,death

parents to age

my own body to age - UGH!

I could go on and on but you get my drift. I guess you could say that I don't like change. But I definitely do not feel stagnant. I still like my job and find challenges in it. Plus I have the been able to make the best friends ever working there - from co-workers to patients that I have taken care of. And what an awesome thing to see a baby born then be able to watch it grow up. I've run in to kids at track meets whom I have delivered and that is sort of cool :)

So- St Joseph honors it's employees every year with a really nice banquet. This year's was at the DoubleTree Hotel in Orange and it was quite a night. The longest employee honored this year has been at St Joes for 45 years! Below are a few pics from the night:

A group of L&D employees

Caroline Price and I - we've both been at SJH 20 years

Katy Firmes - our secretary - 40 years with SJH!!

Laura Derr and I - we went to nursing school together years ago

Me receiving my award from the big man on campus - Larry Ainsworth

Crazy times

What a crazy weekend. First of all I had to work all weekend and Sunday was quite busy with 10 deliveries. I guess I need to put aside my pre-concieved notions that Sunday's are nice to work. It is just another day!

Friday night I had my 20 year anniversary dinner with St. Joseph - I'll write more about this as soon as I have photos to blog.

Then our little puppy ended up with Parvo virus and is quite ill. She spent the weekend at the emergency vet hospital and today was trandferred to our own vet where she remains on IV fluids and IV medications. We are hoping she pulls thru - poor little girl. Michelle is so sad and I just can't believe that I am having to spend the kind of money they charge for dog care. But we already fell in love with her so are doing what needs to be done for now. We also had to bleach every piece of linen in the house, bleach the back patio and garage,clean her little house,bleach all of the floors that we could and I brought home some industrial strength antibacteria wipes from the hospital to clean the carpets and sofas. It has been a ton of work! My house has never been this clean.

On a good note - Erika ran her first steeple chase race. I really wanted to watch but I wasn't able to go. She is running again this weekend in Irvine so I am hoping to get there. She made the Biola news - check it out

It's track season

Yeah...it is time for fun in the sun watching kids run! Nothing like sitting in the stands cheering for your children while you talk with friends,eat snacks, whoop and holler and just enjoy a day out. Plus my hair gets blonder from the sun exposure :)
Michelle is running the 4x100 (so far they've won all of their races)She is on the varsity squad for El Modena and she also runs the 100m, and 200m.

Sprint fast Michelle!

Look who snuck in to the stands....

On a side note - Erika is also running outdoor track now for Biola. They just returned from indoor nationals in Tennessee and their next meet is Friday in L.A. where Erika will be running the steeple chase - how fun is that!! Hopefully we can get some good pictures of her.