End of an Era

***Just a precursor, If you dont care about breastfeeding you can stop now because that is all this post is about :) ***

Well its official, we are no longer breast-feeding.  We made it 17 months and I am positive L would have liked to go longer but, we really want to expand our family and I think the continuation of breastfeeding is hindering our efforts.

This was really something that gave me a lot of anxiety, I didn't want it to be too traumatic for L, I didn't want mastitis again for the 3rd time, It seemed like such a huge transition, it was a huge part of our daily routine and process I wasn't sure how it was going to ever happen, I really had nightmares that I would be the one with the 3 yr old nursing haha!

The thought actually entered my head a several months ago when I decided I did not need to pump at work anymore, I really wanted more social time at lunch and didn't want to run away to pump LOL, once that went ok for a while I would just nurse at home when I was off work but always before bed and in the AM.  This is what I was worried about.

FInally, one day I decided we were done...or so I thought...I put L to bed that night without milk...and he went to sleep.  No crying no fuss...I was in disbelief, was this really going to be that easy??

By the next morning I was pretty engorged and sore and had a fleeting thought that this was actually over, this thing that was such a huge part of our life and such a huge bonding event in our daily life was over.  I got really sad and when L woke he was crying and I just couldn't help but to nurse him.  I just needed that one last moment. Which ended up being the next two mornings as well.

By about the third day we were done...I would be slightly sore but really could tell there wasn't much milk anymore.  L would get fussy but when he would pull on my shirt I would get him a sippy cup of warm milk and distract him with TV or something else.  It honestly went way way easier than I thought, no mastitis only a few meltdowns by L and really no other issues.

We had originally thought 18 months would be our cut off but I think once we decided we were done we were done and so we made it 17 months, I am so proud of us and can only hope that we will be blessed with more babies in the future and have once again a great breast-feeding situation.

Meet our new baby

This is my new car Cynthia...my old baby rest her soul failed us for the last time last week.  We knew she was on her last days...we had spent way too much on her healthcare the past few months and then the straw that broke the camels back was last week when Hubby was driving home and she stopped...luckily he made it to a safe spot and was ok but it caused us a major inconvenience and myself almost late to work.  We had her towed and the cost to fix her was more than she was worth so my green been was laid to rest.  She lasted us a long time and was 13 yrs old.

I was in no way expecting something so nice but after a serious re-evaluation of our finances and a great deal by one of hubby's college frat brothers we decided This beauty would be a welcome addition to the family.

I have always driven old cars that were basic and nothing to write home about.  They were paid for and got me from A to B so it was great for us in order to buy a house.  Its such a blessing and every time I drive I have to pinch myself and say a prayer of thanks to my Jesus that he blessed us with something reliable and comfortable.  

I chose to name her Cynthia :)

The Color Run::Houston

This past weekend Myself, L and some co-workers did The Color Run in Houston.  It was so much fun!! We got there early and were a little worried because there were not many other cars and we were hoping there would be more people.  Well...Many people there were!!

Thankfully we picked up our race packs the day before because the line was HUGE on race day for packet pick up!! Clearly people who have never done any kind of race before.  We donned our white and got in line for the start.  There were so many people!! Lots of people with strollers too which I had...L had to tag along as daddy had to work.  He did fairly well considering the situation.  He hates riding in the stroller if we are walking, he does great if I am running but as I was not running this race he started crying and I ended up having to carry him about half way through!

I think he just anted to get a little more color on himself than he was getting sittin in the stroller!!

This race was so much fun, I am doing it again on Saturday with my Gram in New Orleans and I cant wait!!!

Here are some pictures, some of which are borrowed from my friend.

Me an my lil man waiting to start!!

Pre-race...still clean and white!

                Cool Dude!

All the people waiting to start

 Downtown Houston in the back, photo-op mid race

Blue color bomb!!

SOOOOO many people!!!!

 Rainbow Bright!!

He really wasnt sure what was going on and why people were throwing colored powder everywhere LOL

 Cant wait to have more colorful fun this saturday with my favorite Gram!!

Show and Tell Mondays::Careers

This weeks Show and Tell Monday is about careers, I'm trying to get back into the blogging groove so what better way right!

1. Tell us what you studied in college. Is your job now related to what you studied?

I always wanted to be a nurse so what I studied in college is directly related to what I do now.  I started off as pre nursing doing my pre-req's and then transferred to nursing school. I did a 4 year bachelors program.

2. Tell us what your everyday job looks like.

I work in a Pediatric Cardiac ICU.  Its pretty tough emotionally at times but there are so many rewarding things too.  I work with some incredibly smart people and have already learned so much in the year I have been there (I previously worked in NICU).  Basically I get to work around 630pm get assignments, get report, patient care all night give report around 7 am and get home around 8 am.  Then my job as mommy begins.  No, I don't get to just go home and go to sleep most days I stay up until L goes down for a nap then I head to bed myself.  If I have to go back to work that night I have a sitter who comes to watch L while I sleep and if I am off then I just deal with about 3 hours of sleep.  Its rough but I love night shift and I love that I get to spend so much time with L and work at the same time. Plus, I only work three nights a week so its do-able

3. Do you have a picture of you at work? Show us. 

Negative Ghostwriter, I dont look so great at work and really there is nothing fashionable about scrub pants and a t-shirt.  Though I will say if you wear scrubs to work Blue Sky Scrubs are the only scrubs I wear and not only are they cute they are so comfortable, never fade, and barely wrinkle!!

4. In 10 years, what do you see yourself doing? Same thing? More? Tell us.

This is a tough one, part of me wants to go on and further my education possibly to be a Nurse Anesthetist or Nurse Practitioner, but then a part of me just likes being a bedside nurse.  Going to work and coming home and leaving work at work.  Yeah it sucks working weekends and holidays but seriously I work three days a week! Ideally I would like to go part time or come up with some ingenious idea and get rich off it and not work at all!! In 10 years who knows, I want to focus on growing my family and being there when my kids are young.  Maybe in 10 years I will be ready to go back and further my career.  Right now I just see myself doing exactly what I'm doing.

5. Tell us what you have learned, and what {if any} recommendations you may have for those looking to go into the field you are in. 

I have learned so much!! Most of what I learned was not in nursing school but in being a bedside nurse.  Some most important lessons though are to always go with your gut, check check and double check, and as a nurse you have to have a tough skin...other nurses are brutal and Dr's can be pretty tough too but really nurses are rough on other nurses you cant be too sensitive or you will be eaten alive as a new nurse!! Recommendations for others going into the field... its not just wiping butts it requires brains and nursing school isn't easy, you have to want it to get it, but if you can get through it, its so worth it.  

I love my job.  I cant imagine ever doing anything else and the amazing works of God I get to witness on a daily basis are just incredible! People always tell me how sad my job must be but really the good stuff I see far outweighs the sad stuff!  It really has taught me how precious life is...Every day is truly a gift and I will never take another moment I have with my family, friends and my son for granted!!