pregnancy : the bump

Careful.  You might need a microscope to see this thing.  

Seriously... I feel huge... because I have gotten bigger than I have ever been in my life.  

But no one that meets me can tell I'm pregnant... I attribute that to them seeing me from the front at first.  One of the surgery attendings actually said I must be "birthing a rabbit" when I said I was 20 weeks last week at the dinner we went to.  Everyone is shocked.  

All I know is, last week at my doctor's appointment, he is developing normally and not being affected by my own lack of growth.  So I'm not complaining!  It has also (so far) meant not needing to buy very many new clothes.  Most of my summer shirts are stretchy enough to still fit.

  

I'm not incredibly happy with any of these pictures... but I'm learning :).  I think the switch to yellow makes it easier to see, and I might have figured out the camera settings.  Thanks to Kyle for putting up with weekly picture day.  You can also see the change in wall color best between weeks 19 and 21.  It will eventually make it onto the blog.  Along with the few other small changes we have made so far.

Its amazing how much seeing him on the ultrasound last week has changed things.  Before that, in my mind I think I was just like... yeah something is growing in me that is making me uncomfortable and bigger.

Now its real.  There is a little boy growing in me.  I am going to have a son.  My mind is in nesting mode.  My body isn't... but my mind is definitely dreaming.  Lack of progress is being attributed to terrible weather, needing to finish unpacking before I do anything else, and mentally adjusting to Kyle being gone all the time.  But mostly unpacking.  All I want to do is just throw all the boxes into the car and drop them at Goodwill.  Where am I going to put it all?!?!?!?!?!?!  It has to get done though.  The unpacked boxes are keeping me from trying out new hobbies, restarting old ones, and working on the baby room (all of the boxes are stored there).  

Enjoy your weekends everyone.  I haven't forgotten that I still need to show the bedroom and master bath for the final room-by-room post... that is the only reason I haven't started showing the improvements we have made.  

I have issues finishing things.  Seriously.

Medical Monday : and so it begins

I completely meant to write a real post specifically for this Medical Monday...  However we were a bit busy the past several days.  Mostly just enjoying each other's company, soaking in the last moments of life before residency.

There were some moments of normalcy... Kyle mowed the lawn for me this weekend, we bought tile for the coffee bar at Home Depot...  but the rest of time was spent either relaxing or getting to know the other residents.

I must say, with each event that passed over the past few days, our desire to be here, for him to be in this program has just been more and more confirmed as the right thing.  So how about a list?

• the first day of orientation, the entire group had a program-led moment of prayer.  Not just the typical generic religious moment... they said "Jesus" and everything.  
• Kyle noticed another staff member walking around with a badge that said "I will pray with you if you ask" (or something to that effect).
• the upper level residents are all GOOD friends.
• the attendings hang out in their spare time, and were all very welcoming at the get together last week.
• doctors take each other home when someone is too tired to make it alone.
• every time Kyle took a tour of a different area of the hospital, everyone... and I mean everyone... has sincerely expressed their desire to help the new interns in any way possible.
• (as mentioned before) the hospital orientation leader was fine with Kyle leaving in the middle of the day to be with me for the ultrasound last week.
• the other interns are awesome.  They are all REALLY excited for the "first baby of the group".  And want to get me a puppy since Kyle won't let me (lol :-P)

So the first day of residency... the day I have been so nervous about... how'd it go?  

For him, it began at 3am (in the hospital about 3:45).  Was somewhat uneventful but good.  He checked out around 5pm and was home before 6pm in time for dinner.  So his 14 hour day wasn't bad, and we had enough time to eat and catch up on a few shows before his 8:30pm bedtime.

For me, though I had difficulty falling back to sleep after he got up, sleeping through the first 4 hours of his first day (I got up around 8) really made the day feel like a normal business day.  I got some chores done, ran some errands and relaxed a bit.  I survived.

I hope everyone else had a pretty good first day whether you are a new PGY1, or beginning your final year of residency.

No matter what, we can all celebrate another successful Medical Monday!

"one less lonely child"

Before I force myself to get to work on the house today, I wanted to stop in and let you guys know about an awesome thing happening... My good friend Julia (BlackTag Diaries) and her husband Lance have accepted a referral for their adoption.  They are beginning to fundraise to bring home their beautiful little girl from Uganda ASAP.  

Some things about Julia... girl has talent.  I have always looked forward to her perfectly wrapped and personalized presents, handmade cards, and she is pretty awesome behind a camera... but for this adoption, she is bringing back an old hobby... jewelry making.  She has re-opened her Etsy shop BlackTag Studio, and all proceeds will go toward bringing their precious Gift home.

Not only is her beautiful jewelry being sold, but her father has donated some of his AMAZING handcrafted woodwork; bowls and ink pens.  You have to see this for yourself. 

Please go check out her shop and support this.  They have wanted so long to be parents and it is finally going to be a reality... once the funds are raised.  I can't wait until they have her in their arms.