A Day in the Life

Just in case I ever wonder what my schedule was like when Cam was a two-year old, I decided to document a day in the life of a typical week day for me so I can look back if the need arises!



6:45am: Alarm clock goes off.
7am: Finally drag myself out of bed & get ready quickly since I shower/straighten my hair the night before. Then I make coffee for both myself & Mike. No breakfast since I eat at work.
7:30am: Cam wakes up.
7:35am: After a whopping 5 minutes of grabbing Cam's sippy cup of milk, turning on his cartoons & making sure his clothes are ready, I fly out the door after smothering him with kisses & love. Mike gives Cam his breakfast & leaves the house for daycare at 8am.
8am: Clock in to work.
8-10:30am: Screen patients to determine who is at nutritional risk or in need of my help & gather pertinent data to complete my assessments, follow-ups or educations.
10:30am-1pm: Make rounds to see my patients & touch base with staff/physicians.



1-1:30pm: Lunch time. This time varies as I may go earlier depending on my patient load.
1:30-4:30pm: Chart all of my notes.
4:30pm: Clock out of work. Some days, like today, I work later depending on how busy I am. Sometimes I stay as late as 5:30.
4:45-5:40ish: Workout. My goal is to get to the gym 3-4 days per week but that doesn't always happen.
6pm: Either myself or Mike pick Cam up.



6:15-7pm: Make/eat dinner & play with Cam. We make pretty quick meals during the week & Cam usually just eats whatever it is we make since we don't want to get into the habit of making him a special meal. Tonight I made couscous with dried cranberries, toasted pecans, fresh spinach with lemon juice & sauteed turkey sausage. Whoever isn't starting bath time with Cam cleans up the kitchen/loads the dishwasher.



7-7:15pm: Bath time! The pictures in this post happened to be from tubby time tonight. I tend to get Cam's bath started & Mike finishes it off so I can hop in the shower.
7:15-7:30ish: PJ time! As we get Cam in his pjs, he usually ends the night watching Dora.
7:30-8pm: Bed time! We both take Cam into his room to kiss him good night & tell him how much we love him. Mike leaves & I have my one-on-one time singing songs & cuddling.
8:15-11ish: This varies from day-to-day depending on my motivation level & whether or not I'm up for any cleaning. I do laundry a couple of nights a week as I blog, watch TV & browse around online. I usually end the night by reading my Kindle since it's guaranteed to help me wind down & quickly fall asleep.

So if you've ever wondered what my day looks like, and I'm sure you have, your wish has been granted! It can be a major bummer when I focus on the fact that we really only get a max of two hours with Cam each night, but I have to say that I absolutely try to make the most of every second I have with him. I am LOVING this age right now & wanting to savor every single moment since I know he won't always want to be so close & cuddly. And the fact that he's so stinking cute & says the most precious things makes me want to just take it all in & give him 100% of my attention. My favorite time of each day is 6-8pm since we're together as a family & able to enjoy each other!

Too much to do with too little time

2011 has proven to be an extremely busy, stressful & emotional year thus far. We've dealt with the loss of both of my grandmas & it seems that every weekend passes us by in a blur. As much as I love watching football on Sundays & catching up with our friends, I'm absolutely relieved that's it's over since it's taken up 50% of our weekend for about 17 weeks.

Since we both work full-time, the weekend is really the only chance to get things done around the house. I try my hardest to do chores throughout the week in order to free up our weekends, but it doesn't often work out. It's so hard for me to relax on Saturdays when I look around & see the million things that need to get done. I tell myself, Just relax & drink your coffee for a half hour & then you can get started, but the OCD nutcase in me won't let that happen! Hey, at least I recognize that I'm certifiably insane!!



I always told Mike that when we get a flat screen TV I want to paint the wall behind it an accent color. So that's just what we did the Saturday before we headed to Chicago for my grandma's funeral.



Initially I thought we'd choose more of a pumpkin type color, but after looking at a bunch of paint samples, we decided on green.



We chose a Behr color called Martini Olive; I love the color itself as well as the name!





Luckily Cam (the little stinker who has been skipping 99% of his naps) took a nice, long nap that day so we were able to finish the entire project as he slept.



And viola! Here's our Martini Olive wall!



I'm happy with the way it turned out & relived that it's one more project that can be checked off my never ending to-do list!

If I was rich, I would absolutely, positively hire someone to clean our house, do our laundry & take care of the yard. I love changing things up & decorating our house to suit our needs & making it a warm & cozy sanctuary we can come to at the end of the day, but it's not always easy when we already seem to have so much on our plates. Some days I seem to handle it all in stride, but other times I'm absolutely overwhelmed with the constant cleaning, laundry, etc that consumes most of our downtime. A magic wand would be a handy tool so if any of you find one, I'd love it for my birthday. Or even Valentine's Day since that's coming up sooner. Then I'd wave it & all would be done so I could relax & fully enjoy time with my family & friends!

Weee!

Unexpected Chicago Trip

We headed up to Chicago last week for an unexpected visit for my grandma's funeral. Although the circumstances were terrible, it was nice to catch up with family & friends, play in the snow & make the most of our time there.



The weather was actually really nice which is rather different than this week after they've gotten over 20 inches of snow!



Cam had an absolute blast when we took him to play in the snow on Friday.



We were even able to walk on water since Grammy & Papa's pond was frozen solid!





And I took a moment to snow bathe which was a tad more nippy than sun bathing.



Mike was even able to eat a burrito that was nearly the size of his own head! The dietitian in me hung my head in shame as he said he wouldn't mind a second burrito after just finishing his first!



We were also able to finally meet little Ben, Mike & Jaysa's son who will be one in the next few days. Mike has known Mike since they were kids & we all met Jaysa in college.



It was great to see the peanut Adelaide again. She's such a little doll & was like a little mommy with Ben which is a good sign since she'll be a big sister this summer!



Here's Adelaide's mommy, my awesome friend Lesli who I was lucky enough to meet in college.



This sweet lil Jaysa-Bear who is the best hostess & had such a nice breakfast spread for us to munch on & catch up over. Lesli also made a yummy breakfast casserole which was so sweet. I'm so lucky to still keep in close touch with my wonderful friends from Illinois! We got together with a few other couples later that same evening & had such a great time catching up.





I re-visited the house I was born in & lived in until just before I started Kindergarten.



And this is the house I grew up in, the house that holds a million & one memories for me. I lived here from Kindergarten until I graduated high school & my parents moved to Florida.



Although it was a sad trip, we were able to celebrate my Grandma Schuth's life on Thursday & Friday. I'll miss her always, but she'll be in my heart forever.

Goodbye, Grandma

Saturday night my beloved Grandma Schuth passed away. It still hasn't truly sunk in that I'll never be able to hug her, laugh with her or enjoy our talks again while my time in this world continues. My heart is feeling empty at that thought & I can't stop the tears when I think about it. I have dreaded this moment for a really long time. Even when my grandma was younger, I couldn't bear to think about life without her.



My faith brings me comfort during this time, knowing that I'll one day reunite with my grandma & never have to be without her again makes it feel less painful.



And knowing that she's back with my grandpa, the man she was so devoted to, also brings me happiness. My grandpa passed away when my dad was only a teenager & my grandma was left to finish raising the last of her eight children who remained at home. She never even considered the idea of ever dating another man again, saying, I met the man of my dreams & no one will ever live up to him.



She's also back in the arms of her son & my Uncle George who passed away when I was little.



And I am so thankful that my son was able to meet this amazing woman, the woman who played such a huge role in my life. I will never ever forget my grandma & all that she's done for me & all the wonderful memories I will cherish forever. The times we worked together at my mom & dad's business & laughed so hard we nearly peed in our pants. She'd push me around my parent's huge shop in the grocery cart we borrowed from the store across the street. And as I became an adult, I'd go to her house straight from work on Thursdays & take a long weekend to go shopping & have a sleep over. It was so great to relax & enjoy our evening together, watching the shows my grandma loved. Then in the morning my grandma would always tip toe in my room & wake me up & make sure I had the breakfast I wanted. She was always such a wonderful hostess when I'd spend time at her house. My favorite times were just sitting on her porch & talking. Though there was such an age difference between us, we had an unbelievable amount in common. It's just too hard to imagine never having another moment with her again. For now, anyway.



So let's all just remember to cherish the moments we have with our loved ones because we never know when there will be no more. I'm dreading the days to come & getting through Thursday & Friday. It's going to be so hard to see my grandma with no life in her. To see her yet not be able to talk to her. But I do know she'll be there in spirit & she'll realize just how many people love her & will miss her so. I'm just so thankful that Mike & Cameron are coming with me; their support will help get me through. And of course my immensely large family will all reunite & be there because of the one woman who was responsible for creating all of those lives.

Grandma, you have no idea how much you will be missed. I'll continue to talk to you in my prayers because I know you'll be listening. You are the best and I love you with all of my heart & I always will. Say hi to Grandpa for me!

Finally, the Weekend is Here!

It's been an extremely stressful & emotionally exhausting week so I'm thankful that it's Saturday & I have the next two days to spend with my family! With all the uncertainty of what to expect with my grandma's recovery, I've been remembering all the things I do have to be thankful for. I'm up early today since Cam decided to wake up this morning, climb out of his crib & find that he was scared senseless when he found himself completely alone in the center of our living room. Mike was gone, taking his mom to the airport so I got him back to bed & have been unable to sleep since. I've been laying in bed, thinking of all the many things I have to be thankful for, some little, some big. Most of all, I'm thankful for my family. Cam & Mike are everything to me & I'm so lucky to have those two wonderful men in my life. I'm also lucky to have siblings & parents that are always there for me. It's a great feeling to know that someone has my back no matter what. I'm thankful for my friends, both near & far. Losing my grandma & having my other grandma extremely ill has made me thankful for the friends that I have. I've gotten sympathy cards in the mail as well as texts/e-mails after my grandma passed away & knowing people are keeping me & my family in their thoughts & prayers warms my heart. I've also appreciated the distraction of having my friends near, allowing me to laugh & relax for a minute, giving my brain a rest from all the stress. I'm thankful for my house & the comfort & coziness of it. And I'm loving our new flat screen TV! I don't think I'll ever take it for granted & stop appreciating just how beautiful the picture is. We'll be painting the wall behind our TV today, so I'll be thankful for the new change & fresh look.

I'm also thankful that I now live in Florida which allows us to spend our downtime outside in the middle of January. It's awesome that Cam can go to the park & run & play when it's winter. I'm thankful for my pets who give us plenty of comedic relief. I'm thankful for our dishwasher, that frees up so much of our time & for my morning coffee which eases me into the day. I'm thankful for good food & wine, whether we're cooking at home or dining out. There are so many things I have to be thankful for! I'm thankful to have had such amazing grandparents as I grew up & became an adult. And I'll continue to pray for my grandma & that no matter what ends up happening, she has no suffering. I'll also pray that as Cam transitions to a toddler bed, which will likely happen this weekend, he continues to be a good sleeper & cooperates by staying in bed. I think it's going to be a rocky start & I imagine he'll get out of a bed a gazillion times for the first few nights, at least.

So through all the stress, I'll continue to remember all of the the things that still make me happy.

Praying for Grandma

Yesterday after I finished my lunch at work, I noticed that I'd missed a call from my dad. After listening to his voice message, my heart absolutely sank as he told me it was important that I call him back right away. I immediately knew he was going to have bad news about my Grandma Schuth since she had only been discharged from the hospital a few days earlier because of pneumonia & anemia. I called him back & my fears were confirmed.



As my Uncle Keith visited my gram at her assisted living facility yesterday, she suddenly collapsed. My precious, wonderful, amazing grandma had to be resuscitated in the ambulance on the way to the ER. The rest of the day was an emotional blur as I continued to receive bits and pieces of updates from my family in Illinois.



Before going to bed last night, I fell to my knees, prayed to God & talked to my grandma. I asked God that no matter what his plan may be, that my grandma please be comfortable. I talked to my grandma & reminded her of how much I love her & that even though I may be over a thousand miles away, I was right there with her. My gram & I have always had an amazingly close & connected relationship. We've always just gotten each other.

I awoke this morning with a splitting headache, puffy eyes & a weight on my chest, unsure of what news would be coming our way. My dad flew to Chicago this morning so I knew he'd be reporting back as soon as he could. My cousin has also kept me updated which I greatly appreciate & fortunately we have been blessed with positive news thus far. My grandma is still on a ventilator, breathing on her own at times & given a rest at other times with the help of the vent. She is responding to pain & able to move around & squeeze my family member's hands, but overall, she's still unresponsive & basically in a coma. Since her heart did stop working at one point, cutting blood flow off to her brain, the doctors can't yet tell us exactly what to expect. So far things are looking positive, but only time will truly tell.



I am cautiously hopeful at this time; feeling blessed to hear positive updates while knowing that my grandma is not out of the woods. My main concern is my grandma's comfort. Of course I want nothing more in this world than to see my grandma fully recover & bounce back from this, but that's in God's hands. Whatever He decides, I just hope she'll never have to suffer. My heart is feeling heavy & broken as I type this & I have a million thoughts & emotions swirling through my head. I am confident that my grandma knows how much I adore her, but the greedy part in me just wants to be able to hug & kiss her again & to see her sweet smile. I'm praying that God keeps giving me & my family strength as we face each hour of each day & I pray that He is with my grandma. My thoughts & prayers are also with my Aunt Bernice who is mentally handicapped & has always lived with my grandma. I pray that God be with her, no matter what the outcome. I'm absolutely terrified of what the days ahead may bring, but I will continue to pray & keep my grandma close to my heart where she has always been.