thoughts on a sunday

Three things.  First, this is quite possibly the only picture we will ever see of Brian doing his job, because lets be honest, who takes pictures during surgeries?  Second, I'll tell you who.  The CRNA Brian worked with this day had never used an iphone and was completely fascinated with Brian's, and consequently snapped this picture during one of their cases.  And third, this here mask is called a duck-bill mask, which I think is appropriately named.  Brian prefers them over the other varieties.  Now we all know.

• This week Brian started his rotation in Newport, OR- a little beach town on the coast.  He likes the hospital a lot, and really likes the three CRNA's that work there.  It's a much different atmosphere than OHSU or Kaiser Interstate, which is where he came from.  Small town, small hospital and really relaxed people.  I think it will be a great month for him.
  
• One thing that I was really worried about with Brian being gone was the night.  I am really used to having him gone in the day, and most days not even talking to him on the phone.  So having him gone during the day is no problem.  But nights.  I still have a baby that wakes up twice at night (yes, she's totally annoying and reverted back to being a newborn at night) and have two wanderers that may or may not get out of bed on any given night.  But that's not even that big of a deal because usually Brian just sleeps right through everything.  Bless him, but he's not much help during the midnight hours.  But what was really worrying me was just like emergency stuff happening at night.  Sickness.  Fires.  Injuries.  Seizures.  Asthma.  You know, stuff like that.  It's hard to imagine what to do if there were to be some kind of problem at three in the morning and there's no one there to talk about it with.    

• So on Wednesday morning when McKay woke up with the stomach flu I was a little annoyed.  But that usually only lasts twelve to twenty-four hours, so I prepared to deal with it.  What I wasn't prepared for was thinking my son was going to die from this illness.  Not really, but a little bit.  He threw up for a full twenty-four hours and could not even sit up the whole day.  At one point I loaded us all into the car to get crackers, soda and a red box at Seven Eleven (so I could just leave the kids in the car) and poor little boy threw up on the way home.  

• On day two I thought he'd improve but he was almost worse.  Not throwing up anymore, but a lifeless little pile of boy on the couch.  He slept from eight in the morning until four thirty that afternoon.  All day.  I was worried.  But by five o'clock he was wolfing down soda and saltines, claiming they were the BEST crackers in the world, and was shocked when after only a couple hours I told him it was time for bed.  Shortest day ever.  But he went to sleep.

• The following morning a little voice woke me up at six am, saying, "I have three things to tell you.  First, I want waffles for breakfast.  Second, I want mac and cheese for lunch.  And third, I want enchiladas for dinner."  He was quite excited to be eating again.  

• I kept having thoughts like why is this happening?  This was my biggest concern coming to pass on the first day!  My sister and Brian both said that maybe it was good that it happened so that I would know that I could handle it, right off.  I got annoyed at that thought at first, but now that it's all said and done, I think maybe they're right.  This week has got to be better than last week, right?  

• On a related note, the night McKay was sick I had a sudden urge to make whoopie pies.  I've never even made whoopie pies before.  And there I was just whipping away in the kitchen making them for no reason at all.  It surprised me.   They were just okay.  At least Ellery and I thought so.  

• This is pretty much all thoughts about the stomach flu.  Sorry.  Lets move on.

• Layla growls.  A lot.  Like a little animal.  

• This week we got a new little baby niece named Olive.  From what I've seen she is adorable.  I can't wait to hold her someday...

• On Monday we went on a little hike/walk on a beautiful trail in the hills of Portland.  Layla did great in the backpack for the first time.  It was so nice to get out and enjoy the gorgeous green trees and fresh air.  I have about a billion pictures, but later. . .

• I can finally fit into my regular jeans again.  I don't know how this could be since this last week I pretty much ate potato chips, toast, and chocolate chips all week.  We never even buy potato chips but for some reason we had them and I sure ate them.  I eat like a bird when Brian's not around because I hate preparing food for just myself.  I do have kids, I know, but without another adult around to cook for, I find myself giving them quesadillas, chicken nuggets or pancakes.  I need to be better.  

• I think every kid we know has a birthday in January.  It seems like someones' having a birthday party every week.  I've been using Ellery's best friend's birthday party all month.  "You can't do that today,but you can go to Kenna's party!"  It works every time.  I don't know what I'm going to do when it's over.  

• Having Brian gone all week was not fun, but we sure enjoyed the weekend together.  We had a late night on Friday.  We went to Red Robin for dinner, stopped at the grocery store to pick up treats and then watched Despicable Me at home.  The kids were actually quite grumpy the next morning, but it was worth it.  Saturday morning all five of us piled in to our bed and just stayed there for awhile, which was quite nice.  Then off to OMSI where we watch the IMAX movie Alaska which gave me a headache.  And Layla pooped right after it started and I had to change her on my lap, hoping no one would notice.  But I did learn that whales travel over 4000 miles from Hawaii every year just to hang out in Alaska for a few months and eat.  Anyway, we had a great weekend.   

• Layla poops almost every time Brian is holding her at church.  You know how babies just let it go and it's kinda loud but they don't even care.  Yeah, she does that.  And he gets a bit embarrassed.  I think she might do it on purpose.  

• I love Oregon this week.  We are being blessed with fantastic weather.  Everybody's January should look like this.

• Today we went on a walk.  We fed the ducks by our house, and after awhile the ducks were joined by a nutria, which is kind of like a beaver without the tail.  He wanted some bread too.   He would try to bite the ducks if they got too close, and had horrible vision when it came to finding the bread that we threw his way.  It was quite exciting. 

Happy.  Sunday.