Gretchen Updates

Gretchen is just getting to be SO big!! Seriously I can't believe how big she is. She seems to be doing so much. I'm not sure if it's because for the last year I've basically been gone, with school and work and everything that I haven't noticed a lot of the changes with the other kids and now that I'm home and she's changing the fastest that I'm noticing everything or what the deal is but she's getting so big so quick.

Did that make sense??

Anyway, Gretchen is now almost 15 lbs according to our scale at home with me weighing myself with her and then without her. She rolled over for the first time from her back to her belly on Saturday, December 29th when she was about 3 1/2 months old. This is the quickest of any of my babies to do this. She now coo's all the time too. We joke around that she talks more than Annabelle (who still only says about 10 words, and yes I'm still very worried about this). 

She is so alert all the time. She really focuses on things now. She can track you all around the room. Her whole face lights up when she sees or hears someone she knows. If Nick has been gone to work all day and he comes into the room, she just smiles and looks for him. She starting laughing yesterday, December 30th for the first time.

I hate that I'm going back to school in just a week because I know I'm going to be missing so much more!

But that's what's been going on with Gretchen!

What a BIG girl!! :)

Work Updates

I'm no longer just a Unit Secretary! I'm now a Student Nurse Technician!

Which means I get to work directly with patients! Woohoo! This means a lot to me because it feels more like being a nurse. Last week was my first week as a SNT and I got to do 2 blood draws (1 I got, 1 I didn't, but in my defense, the one I didn't get I was in the vein, the patient just freaked out and begged me to quit. I would've gotten it if she let me). And I got to start an IV.

I get to do vitals during the day and just be in patients rooms all day. It feels so much better than sitting at the desk all day and working on their charts or stuff like that. It makes me feel that the end is in sight and I really can't wait to be a nurse and graduate.

Only a few months to go!!!! WOOHOO!!!

Dominick's Christmas Show

Dominick was in his Christmas Holiday show on Dec. 6th. Yes it's been that long since I've blogged...Sorry!!!

It was the cutest darn thing I've ever seen. I loved it. Absolutely loved it. They all got up and sang their little songs and it was so adorable. We sat in the very back because we had both girls with us and wanted to be able to make a quick get-away if Annabelle was a terror but that wasn't necessary because everyone had kids there and basically all the kids were terrors!

My mom came to help and to watch Dom and he was so excited. When his group was up, we stood up to take pictures and record his class singing. I stopped recording in between each song but I wish I didn't because in between the two songs he yelled "That's my Mommy!!" and I didn't get it on camera!

I'll see if I can upload his class singing; I know I can upload the pictures I took.

 Dommie reading in his classroom before heading down for the show

 His class lining up to sing. He's in the middle, the second row from the top. He's wearing a white sweater vest. He's the cute one. ;-)

Just another view. 

 

After getting off the slide at McDonald's where we went for dinner to celebrate how good he did. 

Sorry for the shaking!! I took the video with my regular camera! 

All in all it was a great night and Dom had a great time. We are really happy with his school and he loves it. This was a great start to an amazing holiday season!

Too long

It's been way too long, but again, there's no way to catch up tonight. I'll try tomorrow, but that will be tough since I'll be home with all three kiddos tomorrow.

So instead I'll just mention the most important thing right now, Gretchen rolled over for the first time yesterday!! Yay!! :) She's getting to be SO big!

I'll try to post within the next few days to catch up on everything.

Christmas
Cousins Holiday Party
Gretchen's Newest things
Dom's school Christmas show
My work
My school
My hospital stays, etc
Addie's Scare on Christmas

So much to discuss! I'll try tomorrow, I promise!!

Catch up?

There's no way to fully catch up since my last post. Too much has happened. But I'll glaze over the basics.

First, I went back to the hospital. I got home from the hospital on that Monday. Had a rough Tuesday, an ok Wednesday, a great Thanksgiving, a rough Friday, a bad Saturday and was back in the hospital on Sunday at 2 am. Again, I did a million tests, and again I left with no real answers. The only thing that was interesting is that a spinal tap made me feel better. I was at the hospital from Sunday, very early AM until Tuesday at 6:30 in the evening. It was another long stay. And the worst part was I missed Gretchen's baptism!!! :( And I've still only seen 3 pictures. Nick's sister texted me 3 pictures, which were great, but those are the only pictures I've seen.

Second, Thanksgiving was amazing. We went to my Dad's side in the morning and my Mom's side in the evening. We were going to celebrate with Nick's family in conjunction with Gretchen's baptism, but I missed that. I'm sure it was amazing though as well. And that was the one day I felt good enough to eat!

Third, Gretchen is baptized! Yay Gretch! A big girl! And Dominick completely ripped up her baptismal certificate because he's very into ripping these days. So I have to get her a new one, but that's ok.

Fourth, I went back to work and I love it! I missed it so much!!!

Fifth, Annabelle and Gretchen are at a new sitter's. The old sitter, Stella, didn't have an open spot for Gretchen and it seemed crazy to send the girls to two separate places. So both girls are going to Karen's. And they love it! And I love that Karen charges by the day and not the week. So I stay home with the girls on the days I'm not working. So it's cheaper (although a little more stressful), but totally worth it. I think it's harder work than my work but I love spending time with my girls!

I think that's about it!

I'll try to be better on here, but it's tough. I'm getting ready for bed at 8 with the kids and exhausted by 9:30. But I'll try to get on here more!