I Got a JOB!!!

Yeah! After about 3 months of searching, I have a job - actually 2 jobs.

I accepted a part time night shift position at Franklin Square in the Mother/Baby unit, and I also accepted a zero hours (as needed) position at GBMC in Lactation and the Nursery. I was kind of biting my nails hoping that both would work out because both are excellent opportunities and was blessed that two offers came through. Night shift isn't easy, but I'm hoping that only having 2 12 hour nights/week will be doable. That leaves one shift/week at GBMC, and I can do that on any shift for which they have a need. I'm going to have to keep one big calendar, so we'll all know where I am on any given day or night. Hopefully it won't be too confusing :)

Anyway, thought I'd share the good news. Please keep us in your prayers as we transition into my new work schedule and as Darin continues to look for work in this crazy market. Now - on to the much neglected mountain of paperwork that has accumulated as we both concentrated 100% of our efforts on looking for jobs ("pile" could never accurately describe it).

My Baby Cole & his first tooth!

Cole has been working on this little tooth for a few days now, and we can finally see it!

Most of the time he just runs his tongue along the tooth, but tonight I managed to get a photo of it... Yeahhh!

He wasn't too cranky when the tooth was working its way through - just a little orajel and some tylenol did the trick.

Here's one of Cole running his tongue over the tooth

And here it is ... the edge of a nice new tooth. We even went out and bought a toothbrush which Cole thinks is pretty neat.

Traditions

Today we rolled our Fat Tuesday dinner & Dad's birthday celebration into one.

It's our family's tradition to eat an enormous homemade macaroni dinner with "gravy" (italian sausage, my Mom's awesome meatballs, and pepperoni in tomato sauce) for Fat Tuesday every year. I have made it each year when we lived in TN and in TX, and we would invite friends over to eat with us. It was truly awesome to enjoy it with the family again. It didn't really hit me until Samuel was asking to help my Mom hand roll the pasta (see below), and she had him pull up a chair. She was so patient in showing him what to do, and when he wasn't acting like a goofball and trying to make snakes out of the dough - he was actually making some pasta. My Mom said, "Samuel, I remember making this with MY Grandma when I was little like you.". OK so maybe I'm a little emotional, but I teared up. That's what it's all about. It's like a piece of my Mom's heritage passed to Samuel. I love that.

So here they are - making pasta

The boys in their Mardi Gras garb

We couldn't get Cole to go for a mask, but he loved the beads!

My sister Almarie & brother in law Scott

The birthday boy (My Dad), Grandma (his Mom), & Darin

It's funny - Darin totally gives Grandma a hard time, and she LOVES it. He always jokes with her about her sneaking drinks, etc. (She doesn't drink alcohol). Of course she thought these two were too much. I treasure being able to see her and having Sam know her. A few weeks ago when we were together, she sat at the kitchen table and played play doh with him. It was pretty cool.

Wish you could have been here too Kar & Rob - miss you.

Friends & Babies

I got together with the girls today - trying to get some time in before Dawn delivers. She's due to have her first baby in a few weeks, and I'm so excited to be able to share motherhood with more of my girlfriends. Dawn and I met on CVSD at Union Memorial in 2000 and have been friends ever since. She actually was with me on one of my drives to California. Anna Lisa (forgive me if I have misspelled it :)) started working in CCRU with Sharon and Dawn after we moved to TN. She is due to have her first baby within days of Dawn's due date. Fun times!!

Sharon, Riley, & Michelle

Riley Emilio

He was two weeks old yesterday

And he looks a lot like his Daddy - Kevin

What a beautiful family