Christmas Morning

Christmas started for me at work. Where we still tried to have a bit of fun "Delivering Christmas Joy"

Then it was time to head home for Christmas morning!

Santa dropped off Katheryn's gifts as requested

And for Nick

Katheryn was very excited to see that Santa had come!

Katheryn emptied out under the tree for everyone.

We took some time in the middle of the wrapping paper mess for some cuddles and pictures

A quick kiss under the mistletoe

And wishing everyone a Merry Christmas

Then it was time for me to go to bed...

Christmas at Grandma Ridding's involved family, more presents and swimming!

The kids got lots of presents, toys, games, books and clothes.
Katheryn's favorite present was her go-go puppy and Monster High books.
Nick's favorite was his Lego's and his Ninja Turtle 'spiders'

Christmas for me was really busy, splitting family time with work and sleep time. For the kids it was fun and visiting family. I'm looking forward to finishing these last few shifts of the year and then taking time for family.

Change

Change is good.
Hopefully.

Because change is going to be coming to our household.
I'm starting a new job.Which is very exciting.
The kids are excited, Kyle is excited. I'm nervous.

I love being a nurse. I am a labour and delivery nurse, and I love what I do.
But I also love to teach.
The opportunity came up for a position in my hospital to be a nurse educator on my unit (otherwise known as clinical practice leader in hospital-talk). Covering a maternity leave for 1 year. I applied, and I got it.
The kids are very excited that I will be taking a day job, no weekends, no nights.
Especially since in the last 3 weeks I have hardly been home. Between nights, and various hospital activities I haven't been spending much time at home.

Not that this new job is going to be easy. I'm used to leaving work at work. I haven't actually started yet, but I know that there will be work I'll be taking home.

Shift work has some definite negatives that I will not miss. But also some benefits; working 12 hour shifts means that you only do 7 shifts in 2 weeks, which gives you time off during the week to do therapy, shopping, errands.
We are currently trying to transition what we have to do, what we need to do into the time available.

I have been telling everyone who is trying to schedule appointments with us, that I will have to get back to them because I have no idea what my schedule will be. Kyle is helping to take over appointments as well, but I will fully admit that I like to know first-hand what is going on.

So Change is coming to the Ridding house.
It will be great. I start on Tuesday

When mom's away...

I returned to work this week. To celebrate mommy's return to the workforce, Nickolas decided to accomplish some work of his own!

Army crawling!!!

Way to go Nick!

(you don't have to listen - it's just background talking in the video)

  

So I stay home with him for the whole year! Then the one day I'm not there! BANG! What a show-off! At least I don't have any concerns about him adjusting! I adjusted very well also. Back to 12 hour shifts and commuting (yuck!), but also to being a nurse and having co-workers, adult time and some outside responsibility. It helps that I love what I do - labour and delivery. I can also appreciate the time I have at home more.

To top off our busy week, yesterday I went to the college and talked to 2 classes of PSW students about our life with spina bifida. Complete with a little education, alot of personal experiences, 2 children who were there in person and lots of pictures. I took alot of info from my education modules that I did in June (spina bifida awareness month in Canada and moved to a separate blog) I think it was a very good success.

Our Redefining spina bifida t-shirts came in, and that was what Nickolas, Katheryn and I wore to the class. When we are talking about spina bifida and how we coped and went through so far in our journey I don't know what is more fitting than:

Strength

Courage

Endurance

Fear

Patience

Love

Trust

Hope

Not wanting to leave maternity leave...

August has come and gone. That means that ... gulp ... fall is right around the corner. Fall means thinking about going back to work. I have never been so glad and thankful for the one year maternity leave. I’m not back until November 11 – it just seems to be creeping up that much faster. I said I wouldn't think about what I wanted to do until summer was over. September (to me) means summer is over - you wouldn't know it from our heatwave though.

While it will be nice to have some more adult human contact, I’m not that excited to go back to work. Then we’ll have to juggle the physio, doctor appointments, tests and my work schedule. And then there is the question of part time or full time? Going back to the hospital only, or apply to a college/university?

I just don’t know.

So far all the extra appointments hasn’t affected our lives that much. I just have to talk to Jenn (Katheryn’s daycare) about changing dates or times. No big deal (Jenn is an absolute Godsend!!!). But when I’m back to work I can’t just say yes I’ll take that first date. And I can’t get a consistent day off every week.

And we are doing physio once a week, OT might be in the future soon, hearing screening and whatever therapy might come from that, paediatrician appointments, urology tests, SB clinics and the SB group (something I am NOT giving up when I go back to work). Then we need to add Katheryn’s speech therapy as well. That seems like a lot, and it is not all the time, but these are just the appointments I keep thinking of when I imagine going back to work full time – and jamming all of those into my free time. Not to mention working on physio, speech and playtime at home.

No wonder I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed when I think about work!!!

I guess that is just the story of going back to work with 2 kids.

Talking about 2 kids....