one year ago today, we went to the happiest place on earth

 

ode to a babysitter

I have to give it up for my babysitter.

She is AWESOME.

I love her.

Every mom knows how daunting it is to find a new babysitter. Especially if you don't know where to start. When my first sitter moved to Florida, I had to find someone new. I asked around but people are very reluctant to give you the name of their babysitter! I went to Craig's List and found that people who are babysitters put ads out looking for jobs! You would think it would be the other way around, but no! You would be wrong. So long story short, I sent her an email, invited her over and liked her right from the start. She began sitting for us on a semi-regular basis. Usually about once or twice a month, so Mark and I could go out on dates.

Cut to December 2005 and me with my leg all broken. I called Rachelle and asked if she would be willing to work for us on a somewhat REGULAR basis. Like, everyday. She is a college student who is studying to become a teacher, (Did I mention she wants to be a montessori teacher? Boy, she sure said all the right things during that interview) so I knew her schedule might be an issue. However, since I timed the accident so perfectly (during the holidays and in between semesters) she was willing to schedule classes around the times that I needed her. Namely between the hours of 3 and 7pm.

Since January, she has been helping out daily. She picks up the kids from school, gives them snacks and helps keep them entertained and away from the television. She shuttles me to the grocery store when I need to go and helps me prepare dinner. She is a supreme salad maker-- I hate to make salads, but love to eat them, so this is very important to me. She eats with our family almost every night and sticks around and loads the dishwasher after! Every day she asks me if there is anything I want her to do around the house. Sometimes I come up with creative projects like changing the sheets on all the beds. She happily complies. You want her too don't you? Well too bad, you can't have her. She is mine.

As my leg improves, and I am able to do more around the house I know my "need" for her will be coming to an end. I am looking forward to driving and being able to do all of the things I normally do around the house, but can't help feeling a little sad about her not being with us on a daily basis. When I became a stay-at-home-mom, I did so because I wanted to raise my kids myself, and sort of looked down my nose at a fellow SAHM who employed a nanny. Now I have seen the light! I am torn by my need to get back to normal and the thought of saying goodbye to my babysitter. I know she will still work for us if we want to go out on a date, but it's not the same. I am going to miss her.

-Sigh-

I JUST WALKED!

I have been struggling lately trying to figure out just how much I should be pushing myself as far as my recovery goes. I didn't really get any clear instructions or advice from my surgeon about progress with walking or where he expects me to be the next time I see him (March 7). I have been walking with my Darth boot for the past 2 weeks and have been dropping my crutches slowly since my last surgery. First I had both crutches, then I went to one and now I am moving around the house with just my boot on. I know that that is progress.

Right after my accident, my doctor said that I would be in a cast the first 6 weeks and then a walking cast/boot the following 6 weeks. This is what I have had in my head as a time frame. I really want to get back to driving as soon as I can. I am really wanting my life and routine to get back to normal.

So today after I got out of my bath I did the most frightening thing. I walked on my broken ankle/leg without my darth boot on. I only took a few steps, but I haven't been this proud of myself since I gave birth to my kids! It was really scary, but I did it. Granted I took a pain pill before my bath and then made about 1500 circles with my ankle while I was in the warm water, but when I got out I walked on my own two feet! WOO HOO!

I am still in the middle of this tunnel, but I am beginning to see the light at the end.....

and here they are, my clean shaven legs...

Not a particularly great shot, but you get the idea.

I am now really looking forward to getting a pedicure. 

today's tiny victory: clean shaven legs

As I have been going through this healing process, each day I try to focus on the "little victories". Things that under normal circumstances I would not think twice about, but since my accident take much more time and thought. These tiny victories have ranged from learning to walk on my crutches, to carrying 2 things at a time -- one item in each hand. (Which I accomplished yesterday).

The one luxury I have been looking forward to since this epic odyssey of mending began, was shaving my legs. I had to wait a couple of extra weeks for all of the dead skin to slough off so that I could shave my legs without adding further injury to my legs. Today was the day I had been looking forward to over the last 2 months. This is the razor that I used. I took a picture of it, but it came out really blurry. We received this in the mail as a free sample a few weeks ago. I have been saving it for this express purpose. It is the same razor I talked about in this post a while back. I still find that whole thing hilarious. Make sure you click on the onion article. It still makes me pee when I re-read it.

I am having a hard time posting another picture within this post so stay tuned for an "after" pic.

The photo above is a picture of my legs after not shaving them for 91/2 weeks. EEEEWWWW! Believe me they were much more gross in person. Also take note of the loss of muscle in my right calf as opposed to my left. Pretty weird.

It's a boy (again)

I got to go to a birth last night!

This is the client that was to be my first "repeat". I was to have my first prenatal visit with her on the day that I broke my leg. Doulicia went in my place and agreed to take her on and cover me since I wouldn't be able to attend her with a broken leg.

However, the invitation had been extended, that if the timing was right and I was able, I could still attend the birth. Last night the stars aligned and I was proud to witness the birth of their second son.

Around 4:30 Doulica called to say that she had just gotten the call that N's water had broken she thought she would be going to the hospital soon and wanted to know if I felt like coming along. Honestly at the time I had been taking a nap as I had't really felt well all day. I told her to call me back and "keep me in the loop."

She phoned back a couple hours later saying she was going to go home and grab her knitting and wanted to know if I wanted to come along then. I told her to swing by and get me after she got her knitting. I grabbed my knitting too as well as my sudoko book. I figured this might be a long one with all the knitting going on.

We arrived around 8:30 to find her in the bathtub. Her partner came out and announced that she was "thinking about the epidural." We went in and found her to be very chatty. Uh oh, I thought, better grab that knitting. But after about 20 minutes in the tub she stopped talking during a contraction and had to concentrate through it. Ok I thought, a little progress. I hobbled out of the bathroom and tried to find a comfortable chair (!) in which to park myself. N came out not long after and I noticed a marked change about her. She was no longer chatty and couldn't quite figure out how to get comfortable. She walked around the room for a while until she got cold. We got her into a gown and I suggested she try to sit on the ball and lean on the bed. She did that for maybe 4 minutes. She said the contractions were coming closer and stronger and she thought she might want to be checked. (Her water broke around 3pm and they didn't check her in triage. This was to be her first cervical check.) The Dr. was called in and found her to be 5-6 and 100% effaced. A few minutes later (really it was only a few) she started saying "I can't do it" and was getting really overwhelmed by the intensity of the contractions. The Dr. was still in the room and there was talk about getting an epidural. The Dr. countered with "how 'bout this, I will come back in 10 minutes and we will check you again, and then you can decide what you want to do about pain control." N (sort of) agreed but countered back with "how about 5 minutes". She checked her again and found her to be at 9cm!
This was about 5-6 minutes after the first check! A couple of HUGE contractions later and she was fully dilated.

She pushed for about 10 minutes and her baby boy was born!

I was so excited to be a part of this birth. I have this philosophy that things always work out. And this time they totally did. From the time that we arrived until the time the baby was born was about an hour! I was home before 11pm! I am truly grateful to this couple who invited me back and to doulicia for providing me a ride!

the one where I promise a post

I have a bunch of ideas of things I want to post. I just can't seem to get them organized into a cohesive list. Or as my friend Seth would say "I can't get my poop in a group."

I am thinking about my/our client who was due yesterday. I was supposed to go to this birth. It was to be my first "repeat" client. Doulica will be attending her. I may go to the birth anyway if the timing works out. The couple was hoping for things to be "just like last time". I have news for them, it most definitely will not be just like last time. Because IT NEVER IS! All births are different no matter what. I hope I can go and at least sit in the corner and try to be a calming presence. Even though I can't walk, I can still hold the space.

Brooke had a good week at school and as a reward we are going to watch Wallace and Grommit and the Curse of the Wererabbit. I will be making popcorn and I will be using real butter.

Happy Friday!

kid hands

At least they didn't scan their butts.

the post that will make you hungry

Today is the last day scheduled for us to receive a meal from our luscious food caravan. It had been an absolute dream to not have to worry about making dinner for the family for the past 7 weeks.

Right after my sledding accident, our friends and family sprang into action and started providing us with food. Andrew's first-grade montessori class assembled a lasagne and cookies for us while I was still in the hospital. Susie P. sent home a tray of BBQ beef and a salad. My in-laws came up for Christmas and cooked our traditional standing rib roast dinner. I normally make creme brulee for dessert at Christmas, but my MIL tackled that as well.

Shortly after the new year, the food train started making regular stops at our house. This list of people was put together by Doulicia through the miracle of the internet. A few quick clicks of the mouse, and friends started arriving with food! Here is a (somewhat) complete list of what we have received over the past month:

Chicken Pot pie , salad and chocolate chip cookies from Lisa A. (a former client)
Ravioli and meatballs, salad and apple pie from Julia G.
Homemade mac with 3 cheeses and salad from Nikki K. (former doula client)
BBQ ribs, baked beans, coleslaw and cornbread from my girl Jere R.
Pork Roast, green beans, baked potatoes and salad from Diane M.
Roast Chicken and a delicious artichoke,spinach/rice casserole and pie from Mary T.
Spaghetti pie, salad and carrot cake from Beth P.
Soup and homemade bread from Doulicia.
Chicken Satay (with an awesome peanut sauce!) fried rice and pudding from Joan L.
Chicken in white wine sauce, salad and strawberries from Leah T.
Rigatoni casserole, salad and bread from Bev D.
Veggie lasagne, salad and bread from our friends Irfan and Stacey.
Homemade mac and cheese from my very first doula client Susan F.

Doesn't that all sound so yummy?! I am a little sad to see the food train leave the station for the last time, but I am so grateful to all of our friends who have contributed. Everything was delicious and healthy and we appreciated it so much! It has also been a really good lesson for my kids. They are aware that we as human beings need to take care of each other. They have witnessed the kindness of others and I hope that they will learn from the experience. I will make sure that we "pay it forward" so they understand that although we are on the receiving end right now, we also need to be on the giving end in the future.

cupcake

Happy Birthday baby girl. 

holy crap, i've been tagged

Wow, I just got tagged by Hannah at Millner's Dream for a meme. Not sure where the name meme came from but I will happily play along. I just hope I can get all of my links to work.

Four Jobs I Have Had:

Mom - The job I currently hold

Properties Designer for the Performance Network

Theatre Apprentice and later Education Outreach Coordinator for The Purple Rose

Deck hand at Sheplers Mackinaw Island Ferry for 2 outrageous summers in the early 1990's.


Four Movies I could watch over and over:

I am Trying To Break Your Heart - The Wilco Documentary

Raising Arizona - An alltime classic

16 Candles -- A John Hughes Masterpiece

The Big Lebowski - Hilarious on so many levels. "The dude abides.."


Four Places I have lived:

Detroit, Michigan (15 years)

Indian River, Michigan (3 years and summers during college)

Adrian, Michigan (4 years for college)

Ann Arbor, Michigan (going on 14 years. I was recently notified of my status as a "townie")


Four Places I have vacationed:

Kauai, Hawaii 1996 for our honeymoon.

London and Paris - Summer 2002

St. Kitts -- January 1999 to celebrate Nini's 80th birthday

Florida -- Winter 2005. Boca Raton to visit friends, and a trip to see The Mouse.


Four TV shows I watch:

Project Runway (which I have already discussed)

The Office (The British version, although I like the American version too. Steve Carell is hilarious!)

The Sopranos (New Season starts March 12!)

Grey's Anatomy (I am becoming a fan!)


Four Websites I visit daily:

Doulicia

Via Chicago (a Wilco fan site. I am a notorious lurker)

Very Mom (Very witty)

Savage Chickens (for my daily dose of chicken humor)


Four favorite foods (but there are really so many more than four...)

Bi Bim Bop from Kosmopolitan in Kerrytown!

Chipati from Pizza House

Sabor Latino -- Mark is such a regular here, they drop off an iced tea before he even sits down.

This meal that I had in Miami (Cuban food)


Four Places I would rather be:

On my feet walking around like normal

someplace warm

Zingerman's Deli having a bowl of soup and a sandwich

At PT working on getting my ankle back to normal. (This will start sometime soon)


3 People I am tagging.

Doulicia (because she doesn't have enough on her plate...)

K at Name the Blog

Ahava at This Path

These are the three people that have actually been brave enough at one time or another to leave a comment on my blog. Thanks for that! More people should speak up!

the screw is out and i'm on my feet

Yesterday I had my third, and (hopefully) last surgery. It was a pretty quick one. They knocked me out and took out a very large screw. I woke up and viola! I am walking -- although still with the help of crutches. My ankle is very stiff and yes, painful but it is progress. Today I am wearing a pair of jeans for the first time in 6.5 weeks! Baby steps people, baby steps.

I go for a post-op with my surgeon next week. Tomorrow I get to take off the dressings and take a shower. Up until now I have been taking baths. I am also looking forward to shaving my legs! I will save that little tidbit for a later post.

I have to admit, when I started this blog I sort of intended it to have a doula slant to it. However, in light of recent events it is all about my broken leg/ankle. I apologize to all those doulas and potential doulas who found me via Doulicia's and Milliner's Dream. I promise that as soon as I start attending births again, I will write about it.