Grandpa and Grandma

After having lunch with Luke and Noah (see post below) Ryder and I made a stop at my dads offfice to say hi then to the house to say hi to my mom.

My dad works on the 12th floor of the big white building on the Right on 75south just after going under 635. He has a great view! my dad is an Avation Attorney and had tons of little airplanes all over his office and of course, Ryder wants to hold all of them. My dad held him and Ryder pointed out all the cars and the birds that flew by and flew an airplane all over the window. cute cute.

Off to the house to say hi to mom....

Picking up acorns... yay!

CRASHED after a busy day

Luke and Noah!

I used to nanny for a family in Highland park while I was in nursing school... their dad is the owner of 106.1 Kiss FM. AWESOME family. I learned a lot being with them and went through a really rough part of my life with them. They were with me through our wedding, my entire prengancy, Nursing school, some of Jeremiah's hospitalizations and just some tough times. Looking back at those times they sort of became my escape from life. Those boys sort of became like my boys/brothers b/c I was with them so so much. I just love them. They made me laugh so hard and in 2 seconds flat could make me so irritated. I started working for them about 2 months after I found out I was preggo. They got to see Ryder grow. When I got bigger they would love to feel Ryder move and would almost fight to feel. Noah, the youngest talked to Ryder through my mouth every day. It was so sweet. He would say. "Kristina, get down" so I'd go to my knees. " open your mouth" he would say so I would. He would then say very seriously " You are not an alien, you are human. This is Noah, I'm your friend. you are in your mommy's tummy here on earth. Do you know my voice? this is NOOAHHHH. OK" then he would pat my belly and run off. EVERY time I came over, that was the routine. I went back to work for them 2 weeks after Ryder was born so he basically spent the first 10 plus months over there. They were great with him. Totally protective and loved to show him off to their friends occationally calling him their "adopted" little brother. I had to explain nursing to them both too.. ugh. Luke, the oldest figured it out quickly, thought it was kind of gross but Noah, poor Noah couldn't really grasp it. Didnt understand why all Ryders wanted was milk and why he could drink form a sippy cup. He told me " When I was a baby, my mom didn't just give me milk. She had milk on one side and orange juice on the other." OHHHH I nearly peed myself when he told me that.

I really miss them. I have been keeping in touch with their mom and we decided that today, Ryder and I would suprise the boys for lunch at ST. Marks. It was so good to see them. I only got a picture of Luke and Christine (their mom) b/c I forgot I had my camera during Noahs lunch =( (the smear on Ryder's cheek is chocolate)

this is The Handy's .. my second family =) Cute aren't they??

Poo poo in the potty

Ryder pooped in the potty!!!!! I was giving Ryder a bath the other day and he stared that grunting red face i'm beginning to poop face. I was like "ohhhhh no your not, not in there!" so I quickly picked him up and sat him on the toilet. He looked at me a little scared but he continued to push then he pooped in the potty!!! A little gross but he fussed a little when it was about let go like he was afraid to not feel it or something but ohhh was I excited. I got him down and we said bye bye as it flushed. As I was drying him off I was praising him and being really happy but I dont think he realize what he did. 15 months and pooped in the potty. YAY Ryder!!!! It was totally a one time thing but still. I'm proud =)

Christmas Tree

This year, instead of doing halloween we went and got our christmas tree and put it up! It was pretty exciting. Ihave never in my life put up anything Christmas until after Thanksgiving but this year, we didn't have anywhere to put the tree but up, so thats what we did. I had to go in to work at 11pm so we shopped fast and put it up quickly. Ryder did what he could to help. It is a prelight tree so as we put it together I would say "look at the Rydes, pretty". After that, he would lean into the tree and stare really close and hard at one of the lights, so close his eyes would almost go crossed and say "pitty.... pitty". It was pretty funny. I think it turned out great. see...

"teeee"

"ights"

"pitty"

He's trying to help me "fluff" the tree

Finished product: Pretty

Any Suggestions?

so. Its after 100am. nope, I'm not at work. UGGGGGHHHH! I just cant sleep. I can't even really blame my body for this, I think it's doing pretty good trying to keep up with my crazy new cycles. Although right now, it thinks that I should be awake even though I am telling it, its wrong. I am so desperately tired and very much so want to be asleep like Jeremiah, Ryder and Buddy but, here I sit. I laid in bed for quite some time tossing and turning, listening to Buddy snore and Jeremiah sleeping while periodically checking the clock hoping that it would reveal that I accidentally fell asleep but... no such luck. I decided to get up so as to not wake J by my tossing and turning and occasional sighs of frustration. (I've been wanting to put more pictures up but I'm having issues with the camera. It takes pictures fine but wont put them on the computer.)
I remember when I was younger and still in middle school and high school waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or something and hearing my mom's radio on or stumbling across her in the living room. When I would ask her the next morning why she was still up she would always say that her body was tired but her mind would never slow down. I never understood that until recently. It could be perfect sleeping conditions but the minute I lay down its like chaos in my brain. Does this make any sense? Does this happen to anyone else? any solutions? I start thinking about work and get myself all stressed out and worried, then while continuing to play out bad scenarios I wonder to Ryder and If I'm being a good mom and raising him like I should, then to buddy and the lack of attention he has been getting, then to Jeremiah and how I could be a better wife and support him and how much I miss him and I hate debt then back to work, then to what to get ppl for Christmas then to my bad eating habits and lack of exercise, then about one of my dear Friends over seas, etc... you see the trend. It just never stops and there is always something to think about. Ive tried counting, reading, praying, guided imagery, watching a movie or TV etc. Sometimes one of them will work but now that I'm on nights... really its so hit or miss. I really don't want to revert to taking sleeping pills but I'm almost out of options. SUGGESTIONS??? I sort of miss being in the dorms b/c there was always someone up that I could go hang out with until I thought I could fall asleep. So anyway, this is where I'm at now.... help

RYDER'S VIDEO!
I tried to post this on here but the file was too big or something so here is the you tube link. It Ryder talking on our balcony. Please ignore my ramblings throughout... I Had been up for 36 hours on only 4 hours of sleep. What do you think? he's big isn't he? Oh and sorry for the boxy look, not sure what that's about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqTAWd5xPzo

I cant post a blog without some sort of picture so here are some older ones...

Our first picture as a couple =)

Just having fun!

sleepless nights

I am slowly making the transition into the night shift. Its been good I think. The night shift and the day shift are seriously as different as night and day. Day shift was just so chaotic.. in a controlled sense but there was ALWAYS something going on and everyone always had a patient or 2. For those who don't completely understand nursing... one patient in labor and delivery is a full load and 2 is just insane!!! On med/surg floors most nurses have anywhere from 4 to 7 or so patients which is also a lot but L&D is different. We are basically and ICU for pregnant women. Regular ICU nurses only have 1 maybe 2 patients too b/c the acuity of the patients requires so much more attention and anything can change in the blink of an eye... Like L&D. Everyone on the night shift has just been amazing. They all have been telling me stories that are awesome and others scare the crap out of me, then they tell me not to quit and to give it at least 1 year to BEGIN to feel comfortable. AHHHHHH 1 YEAR!!! seems like forever. (insert prayer here!)
I have been privileged to so far to have excellent mentors to follow and also, interesting cases. I've had the crazy pts who I really don't know how they managed to get pregnant (very uneducated to put it nicely.. follow??) , then there are just the crazy patients who always have crazy family members ready to fight with anything, those who have 100 million questions that always get repeated over and over again, ages 12- 45, the non English speaking in which my charades gets fine tuned, the 450lbs plus, pretty much you name it, I've had it. The other night my preceptor helped me delivery my first baby (meaning the doctor didn't make it in time so "delivery by RN") that was exciting. anyway, I have so many stories I wish I could share but b/c of privacy issues, I cant. Overall, its a pretty exciting job that is still very overwhelming to say the least. My whole biological rhythm is off and I'm trying to get into a cycle but its hard. staying awake all night then trying to sleep all day an still be awake enough to play with Ryder. I constantly feel like I'm in a daze which isn't so fun, but... God is good and I have a great job.

Pumpkin patch .. better luck next time

Today Ryder and I, along with my dear friend Lauren and her 2 boys decided we would go on a little outing... to see the pumpkins. We went to Owens farm in Richardson. Over all, it was fun I guess. I got more pictures of the top of Ryder's head than I wanted. A 14 month old doesnt understand how to sit for 2 seconds and look at a camera, not to mention the fact that it takes forever for my camera to take a picture. We did manage to get a few cute ones though. It was also a lot colder than we expected so the noses were definitly running along with Ryder's 2 feet.... wore me out!!! and I think that every school in the area decided today was their day to come see pumkins too. arg. We'll try again next year. But I think he had a good time and thats what I wanted.

On our way...

the pictures I got a lot of: top of the head.

The goat was a big hit. He kept saying "boody" thinking of Buddy our dog.

best bud's

VIDEO: small clip of today. as you will notice, the pumpkins are just too exciting to look at mommy, who is desparately trying to get a good picture.