striving for happiness...

I cannot believe it, but I am already more than half done my placement on the maternity unit here in the city. What I also can't believe is that I have loved it so much! Being in an inner city hospital absolutely has its challenges - dealing with families living just at or below the poverty line, single mothers, very young moms and dads...etc. The toughest part yet has been seeing and working with the babies who are born to moms who used drugs during the pregnancy. These poor little babes are born already going through withdrawl symptoms. Day one for us brought a little thing who had horrible shudders go through his body every few minutes. And once he was held, they stopped - he just needed some love. All I am thinking as I see these little babies is tremendous sadness for them and their future, but then I give the best care I absolutely can. I suppose that is what being a good nurse is - being empathetic on the outside while hiding your sympathy and raw feelings on the inside. Frick, it's hard!

The best part about this placement is being able to hold brand new little babes who just entered this world. It's pretty incredible...

(I want another one...)
c.

Where did the time go? I apologize for not writing more recently, but I forget about this little thing. Anyway, check out my guest post on Rebekah's website. Leave a comment at the end and you will be entered to win something handmade by Rebekah -

I finished day two of my placement on the maternity ward at the RAH, although up until now we have just been having tons of orientation to the unit. There is so much to know about new moms and their babes that I have forgotten until now! I am so excited to have my buddy shift tomorrow and to be taking on patients starting Thursday. Oh, and I also kind of want to have another baby right now. They are so cute and little...and their little shrieks are to die for! Also, for those of you who may be having a little one in the future, I would highly suggest you have it in the new Lois Hole Hospital for Women. It is so beautiful and clean and bright. Everything you would hope a hospital would ideally be like...it's heaven.

Anyway, that's it for me. I might not be back for a while. I have a pretty significant and scary birthday coming up that I need to prepare for.

Have a good one..
c.

I can't believe we are halfway through the week already! That means that I only have two three more days off (plus the weekend) before I am back in the hospital. I am looking forward to it - it will be interesting being on a maternity ward on the other side this time (that is, being a nurse and not a patient). Part of me wishes I would have asked to do something like emergency to really get me out of my comfort zone. But that's the great thing about the field of nursing - you can get a job in almost any area you would like to!

Things around here have been pretty uneventful. This past weekend involved a lot of garage sale-ing. We managed to get some great finds, including a play pen for the little one. I debated whether to get one or not as they are so big (especially beside that stupid exersaucer), but the lady gave it to us for $15 and it looks brand new. Now when I'm cooking or cleaning I just throw the babe in there and she is good (until she rolls onto her tummy or back and can't move and start crying!) If Sal gets up in time I think we might go to the pool and take little H. swimming for the first time. I can't wait to see her in the water - she still has that reflex that causes babies to hold their breath almost as soon as water touches their face - she even does it when I take her into the shower with me...it is hilarious.

Our garden is coming along fantastically - everything is growing really well. I wish that more veggies were ready quicker so that I could cook them up and give to the baby. We have been feeding her solids for about a month now and haven't had to buy any of the canned food yet. Yayy! So far her favourites have been peas and lentils, and least favourite was chicken. Still have yet to give her fruit - I'm going to the farmer's market in Sherwood Park tonight so hopefully they have some there.

So that's my week - I will be doing a guest post on a friend's blog in the next few days so I will let you know when that happens.

c.

Have you seen that movie? I certainly never have, but that is the movie playing in our house right now. It was one of Sal's favourite movies when he was a kid!

We had a very busy day today - we started out wanting to go finish some errands and hit some garage sales, and boy did we get it all done. First off we hit this amazing estate sale pretty close by - I could have bought so much stuff. Sal doesn't like estate sales...he doesn't like the idea of buying stuff from a person who died. But I tell you, this lady had some amazing stuff - old radios, lots of old camera equipment, vintage kitchen items. You name it, it was there. I found this great cake saver/dish (something I've been looking for for a while):



I love it. Then we went to our favourite antique store and I bought this great serving dish. I really enjoy the design:



Finally, we hit a garage sale and found a high chair for Hailey - it is so cute with such a sweet design:



(Sorry for the crappy quality of the pictures). So that was our day! Tonight we are just staying in and watching movies. I finally watched 'Inglourious Basterds' - holy, did I ever enjoy that movie! Then I think we are going to catch 'Alice in Wonderland'. Good times!
Anyway, that's it for me. I can't believe that I am done school for good - yep, I passed all of my final exams and all of my courses. Now I just have two more practicums in a maternity ward and a surgical ward, and then I am officially done August 20. I cannot wait - will keep you posted as to how things go. Until then, I am off for a week.

Wanna hang out?
c.

so Megan just left, and she is going to come on here and say "Casey, why aren't you studying? You aren't prepared!" Fine, Megan, fine. Maybe I didn't know all of the answers on the flash cards, but it's all 'up here' (imagine I just pointed to my head). But I am still sitting at the table, flash cards in front of me, ready to keep going. I just had to come on and post a few things.

#1: I finished my first of three finals today - it seemed very easy, but I will let you know how I did.
#2: I'm ticked because today is the first day I actually went out and watered our garden, and now we are in the midst of a rainstorm
#3: The watering was worth it because I got to see all of the carrots and peppers that are growing, as well as the zucchini that is spreading!
#4: It was hard putting little H. down tonight - some days she just cries and cries when she is put to bed because she just doesn't want to be left alone!
#5: I need to wrap up because I am going to make some mexican hot chocolate...mmm...

Anyway, hope your night is well. Here is what was greeting me when I went upstairs a few minutes ago:





I love her - frick, look at those chubby feet...

Have a good one and enjoy the storm.
c.

One of the hardest parts about exam week is dealing with my awful procrastinating. Especially now that Sal and I have cable - I don't know how we lived without it for so long. If I watched documentary channels like the National Geographic channel or Discovery channel then maybe it would be different. I would be learning as I stare at the tv. But no - I love shows like this, or reruns of this or this! Oh, and don't get me started on the World Cup. I don't know what it is about those men running up and down the field, but I can't get enough of it! I could literally sit down and watch hours of those games.
And if I can build up the willpower to turn off the tv, I still have internet access on my laptop and start rifling through all of my favourite craft websites. I'm so excited to start sewing once I'm finished my last exam on Thursday. I have a whole list of things I need to make:
-another sleep sac for Hailey...the one I showed here is too small. She is so long!!
-dark curtains for the window by her crib
-start working on block one of this quilt. So cute!
-finish my placemats..will show pictures


So that's it for me for now...I am off to do more studying now that Hailey is down for bed. So have a good night - oh I forgot! I want to know what you are watching lately (especially now that it's rerun season!

c.

Oh man - I have failed already in my blog attempts. This week was crazy in terms of school (almost finished), Hailey (onto carrots and peas now!), and the garage sale! Yes, I am participating in my very first sale here at my place. My friend Tiffany and I are having a joint garage sale and of course, Sal and I were scouring the house last night for the last items I could sell. Surprisingly, I have more clothes than I thought I would. Especially those clothes that don't fit you now but that you hold onto because you think one day you will fit into again! Yep - I am getting rid of them!

I can't believe it, but I am finished classes next Thursday - absolutely no more school, no more teachers, no more papers, no more care plans!! The downside? I have three finals between Wednesday and Thursday which I have barely started to study for. That's the problem with classes winding down at the end of the semester - the drive and motivation to study completely disappears. After tomorrow's garage sale I will be bunkering down and starting to study non-stop...

...at least I will try...

c.

Man, I am so glad it is the weekend! I only had two hours of class today, but it was still an early start at 8:00am. We had a guest speaker who works for an organization that runs a day home for palliative clients. I love that she said that they aim to maintain quality, not quantity of life. She said that once the individuals accept that they do have a chronic and/or fatal condition, so many of them aim to live their best and most happy life (yes, that's sort of a play on Oprah's mantra...stupid Oprah...). Very inspiring...

Since this last semester of school started in May, I have not had much desire to sew. I have so many projects in mind, but I just can't find my sewing mojo. I think part of it has to do with the fact that poor little Diesel (my sewing machine) had to be shipped off to Vancouver to fix its struts or engine or motor. Finally got the call yesterday that it is finally ready. FINALLY!! Now, all I want to do is sew. My problem is that I start so many projects because I love cutting out the pieces, ironing them, and stacking everything in neat little piles. Once I get going, though, my ADD kicks in and I have no interest in finishing them. I have started one little project for the little one - my next WIP to finish:





Once I get it finished I will post some pictures.

So...what are you doing this weekend?

Those of you that know me really well probably know that it takes a lot for me to get bent out of shape. I mean, it really takes a lot for me to have a bad day. I don't know why, but today was one of those days. I was right pissed off driving to school, and it was for no reason. Now, when I got to school and found out that we suddenly owe another $800 for the next two months of placements? I felt like I shouldn't have been around other people. And then I had to go sit in my doctor's office (no nasty comments from you, Tracey!) for 1.5 hours to find out that my post-pregnancy-now-breastfeeding hormones are taking a nasty (and itchy!) toll on my already tired body!

I cannot tell you how excited I am to be so close to being done school - I mean, I almost get giddy at the thought of not having to sit in a classroom or write papers about leadership! I am looking forward to July and August as I will be in my last two placements: In July I will be at the Royal Alex in the maternity ward, and in August I am on a gynecology surgical unit. I'm telling you - I am going to be a va-jay-jay superstar at the end of the summer!

Another little tidbit of excitement around here is our new camera:



This was my birthday gift to Sal this year (but I am not-so-secretly enjoying it too!) It is so nice having a beautiful camera that takes beautiful pictures again. I promise I will not get caught in the rain again!! It takes such great photos of the little one which makes it worth the extra cost!

So while I bitch and moan about being in school all day, sitting in doctors offices, reading horribly boring textbooks, it's this little one that makes it all worth it. It is for her that I am embarking on this new career - kind of makes me want to do my best to provide the best life for her that I can!



Hailey's first time having vegetables...I think she liked the sweet potatos?!

Anyway, I hope you had a better day than me!
c.

p.s. Tracey - you can just do an internet search for 'blogger templates'. I found this one for you: SCRAPPY!

Yes, believe it or not, here I am posting on blogger!

You may have noticed some new features, especially the new layout. I like it, but am still trying to find the perfect one. I can't believe Tracey's new blogs! You are a machine, my friend!

Now I know I have said MANY times in the past that "I am going to start writing again!", but this time I am actually going to try and keep up. Especially since we are all so busy with work, school, kids (yeah, crazy, I know!). Now we can sort of keep up with each other! So let me know how you are doing, and I will let you know how I am. Here is a quick update:
-I am going to be done school at the end of August - yes, completely finished, and I can't wait to start making some money. We are sick of being a single income family!
-little H is 6 months old already - I will post some pics when I get around to it.
-Sal is still working for the city, and enjoying it (most of the time...)
-we were just in Moose Jaw visiting my grandma (yep - slapping grandma!) who broke her hip and had to have surgery. she is recovering well, but it will be a long process!

ummm...I think that's it for now. If I forget to write here soon, please remind me!

ciao.