A lot can happen in 2 years.

My BLS certification has run out and expired.  This means that I cannot work.  BLS is a basic CPR certification, and all nurses have to have that certification to work.

At first it pissed me off that I let it expire.  I used to be pretty good about keeping up with it.  I have to renew it every two years, so it is something which can easily be forgotten about.  But it is important to my job, and I recently had to get copies of my BLS and ACLS cards when I started my current job.  I should have known when my BLS and ACLS were about to expire.

Then I realized that I should cut myself some slack.  I have had a lot happen in the past two years.

When I renewed my ACLS and BLS cetifications, I was early in my pregnancy.  Since I got the certification I have:

• Had a baby
• gone back to work
• started a new job teaching (and then stopped teaching)
• started another new job at the ambulatory surgery center

Those are all big changes.  It is probably a minor miracle that nothing else more serious fell by the wayside.  I did remember to renew my nursing license, after all.

The unfortunate part is that the class is 5:30 on Monday, which is when the baby eats dinner and goes to sleep.  I guess that is is a small price to pay, but I am sad about missing his bedtime, even for one night.  I really like to be here for his bedtime routine. 

The silver lining is that I cannot work until I renew my BLS.  So I get to have Monday off of work. 

(Of course, my paychecks are going to look pretty sad the next time around.  But I can enjoy the time off with the baby.)

Touchy-feely Tuesday

I stuff I want to say today, but I cannot seem to figure out how to start. 
So I guess I will just bullet everything.

• Just got my car inspected, oil changed, and brakes repaired.  I needed to get all of it done.  Especially the brakes.
• FIL is thinking of buying me a new car when the new models come out in the fall.  I am thinking Hon.da Odyssey.  Those are really nice, and I totally want a minivan.  For real, there is no sarcasm there!
• Hubby has actually been able to talk about what sex we would "want" if we had another child.  I think that is progress on expanding the family.  He is still freaked out about having another one, but I am calling this progress.
• Discovered that neither of us really care about a baby's sex, as long as it is healthy.
• Baby is much better with napping now that everyone is home, and our routine seems to be settling out.  We get one nap in the morning, and a nap in the afternoon.  He really needs both still, because he is very high energy when he is awake.  He has two speeds.  Stop and go.  I am not complaining about the morning nap, as it gives me a chance to get myself together.

• I really need to comment more, and comment more regularly.  IComLeavWe is great, and I may sign up for it next time around to get me motivated.  Though I have sort of found it to be more like a job, and not as fun as I expect. That can feel like a lot of comments to leave, especially if you only have a short amount of time to blog and read blogs. I always feel rushed with IComLeavWe.  I prefer to leave thoughtful comments come out of my response to the blog and the blog post.  Maybe I am just too slow for it.
• I may try to start leaving one comment somewhere every day.  And try to explore a new blog every week.  That feels more doable for me.
• I may blog about a site I love.  It is a really great way to share pictures and stories with family and friends.

• I love the fact that my child still wants to be in the baby carrier.  I recently learned a new way to tie the mei tai, and I still use my ergo.  Carriers can be way easier than strollers!  It is a wonderful way to take everyone on a dog walk.  Though we must look sort of odd, with two great danes, and me carrying the baby on my back.
• I am so excited to be able to use the mei tai in the summer.  It is so much cooler than the heavyweight ergo.
• Maybe I should do a post on baby wearing?  What do you all think?

• I think that we are planning a trip to see MIL after Christmas.  We are debating renting a house in Yorktown or Williamsburg.  I said that I am not doing a hotel room with the baby, so renting a house seems like the best option.  We may travel at night while he is sleeping, so that we can make the trip without too much drama.  Hopefully it will all work out, and then MIL will be able to see him.  Though I am still not happy about how she has treated us.
• While we are out there, I am hoping to see my RE about starting FET using the embryos we have leftover from IVF.
• Really looking forward to our stay-cation this year.  We are taking the week off at the same time, and baby is going to day care his regular days.  I think it will be more relaxing than trying to travel anywhere.  Traveling with the baby totally stresses me out.  And having two baby free days will be bliss.

• Starting to get stuff together for an Et.sy shop.  It is slow, but it is coming together.  I want to make sure I have something to sell before trying to set up the shop.  That way I can have pictures of what I am selling.
• I will probably start by selling swaddle blankets and zippered pouches.  I may give you guys a preview of what will be there.
• I will definitely let you know when the shop opens.

• Finally starting to do WW again.  I started recording yesterday.  I am also using the behavior modification for motivation.  I actually got a sticker yesterday because I drank all my water, and I recorded all my food!  Go me!
• Realized that I am very active.  I work on my feet, walk the dogs, work out on my days off, swim with the baby.  I do not even count the housework I do!
• Also realized that I really need to eat better.  My diet is not so great.  I need more water, and less food.  It is tough being a foodie on a diet.

 That is all I can think of right now!
I hope everyone has a great week!

A boy and his dad.

I really appreciate all that Hubby does for me.  And Little Guy adores Hubby.  Right now, Little Guy prefers Hubby over mommy.  No one in this house is complaining!

Yesterday we went to the local transportation museum, and they had free train rides.  We rode in the caboose, and I think Little Guy and Hubby really enjoyed it.  I managed to catch a pic of them in the back of the caboose.  They both look like they are having a great time.

Just had to share the pic with you all!
I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Oh Happy Day!

Hubby comes home today!  And it is Friday!  And we have a sitter for our date night on Saturday!

Things are looking up.

I really missed Hubby while he was gone.  I think Little Guy missed Hubby, too.

The only wrinkle in the happiness is that Hubby was up all night last night, and traveling all day today.  Which means that he is going to be exhausted when he gets home.  Hopefully, we will be able to put the baby to bed and get Hubby to bed soon after Hubby gets home, so that Saturday can be a good day with everyone.

But overall, I have a fairly good feeling about today, despite the hot weather.

I get my husband back!

Happy day!

Touchy-feely Tuesday

Finally doing one on time this week!

Hubby is out of town this week, and I have a friend staying with me to help with the baby.  It is so nice to have an extra set of hands!  Really helps save my sanity.  (Hubby should be back on Friday by dinner, so he is really only gone for a few days.)

Little Guy really still needs the morning nap.  He can skip it occasionally, but he does so much better on the 2-3-4 schedule.  He is not feeling that great right now, as he has a cold and is doing a little teething.  So his sleep is still out of whack.  And probably will be for a while.

My college reunion was fantastic.  Though I was the only science person there.  It was great seeing other people from my class.  I probably ought to think about actually giving money to the college, and not just showing up for reunion.  It is sort of cool living right around the corner from my alma mater.  I keep thinking I should try to get over there more often.

At this point, I am trying to recover from staying out too late at reunion.  Getting my house back in order, attempting to catch up on sleep, and get over this small cold I picked up from somewhere.  I have a couple of mother's group activities I want to do this month, which should be fun.  I will probably also try to meet my local classmate this month. 

Right now, I think I am doing all right and holding it together. 

Friday!

I am exhausted after working two days in a row.  That is not something I want to do on a regular basis.  It does not help that I have a sore throat and feel the start of a cold.  I really hope I am not coming down with something.  I started taking vitamin C and I am drinking echinacea tea.  Hoping that will keep away the worst of it.

The other reason I am hoping that I am not coming down with a cold is that my college reunion is this weekend.  I am really only going today and tomorrow, and I do not have to travel anywhere because I live right around the corner.  But I want to be able to enjoy seeing my classmates.  Keeping fingers crossed that this cold will not get too bad.

I am trying to get the baby down for a nap before I start my day.  So far, he is doing a lot of playing and not a lot of sleeping.  I will give it another 15 minutes, but I think we are not going to get a nap in this morning.  At least I tried.  I suspect that he will nap very well this afternoon because there is no nap this morning.  Sigh.  Really beginning to hate the nap battles.  He is not crying yet, but he could use a nap and he will not take one.  The jumping up and down in the crib does not bode well for a nap.

If he does not nap, I think I can make it to the gym this morning.  At least that is something.

Touchy-Feely Tuesday, on a Wednesday

Because I have been distracted by psychic detective romance novels.  Sad, but true.  I just want to read and not think about stuff.

That does not mean that nothing is happening, it just means that I need an escape, at least temporarily.

I had a nice Memorial Day weekend.  I did not do much, and we tried to stay out of the heat as much as possible.  This becomes difficult with a toddler who wants to be outside all the damn time.  Then he gets cranky because he is too hot.  I have not figured out a solution to this. 

My college reunion is next weekend.  I am pretty excited to see some of my college classmates.  I think  it will be a great time.  Hubby and my mother are doing childcare for me for the weekend.  I figure it will all work out in the end, as he is going out of town for most of the week next week.

Thinking about starting an et.sy shop, now that I have more time.  I think I may do baby swaddling blankets and zippered pouches/pod bags.  Both of these things I had a hard time finding, and both of these things I really needed. 

I have been doing really crappy with drinking water and recording food.  Behavior modification has not worked, because I have not used it.  I really need to get off my but and do something.  I have the stickers, I really ought to use them.

I may join the mother's group I have been looking at.  I want to go to a business meeting before I truly commit.  I have only been to one event, but it feels right.  We will see if I feel the same way after the business meeting.

Hubby and I have been scheduling our arguments.  What that means is that we have a time once a week where we are allowed to voice our grievances.  When we start to argue, we are allowed to just walk away. 

During our scheduled "argument," we use a "talking stick" to determine who has the floor.  The person with the talking stick is allowed to finish talking, and is not interrupted.  Then the talking stick is passed, and the other person can respond, without interruptions. 

Another piece of advice was not to schedule the "arguments" after 8 PM.  No one has the energy to really talk and actively listen after 8 PM.

So far it has worked.  We are able to talk about our grievances without the emotion of the moment.   We are able to put off the argument because we know we have time to hash it out later.  Which actually is rather nice.

Anyway, that is what is going on in my little corner of the world.  I hope everyone is having a great week!