Our Little Princess

The other day, don't ask me which... they all seem to blur together, we came in to the NICU to find Claire in this princess outfit. We thought it was so fitting; we were just disappointed it wasn't our outfit. Our little girl seemed to like the outfit as well, as you can see by that sly little smile. The funniest part... to me... is that when we started taking pictures of her she was in a white hat and Ari took it off to put on the purple and white hat. I knew I was rubbing off on him! The other pictures in the slideshow are an assortment of cute shots we have taken. I especially enjoy the ones in the 80's purple outfit. Ari and I laughed so hard when they put that one on her. We kept singing our favorite 80's songs to Claire all day. What a great era. I have now brought in a basket of Claire's clothes and accessories so hopefully the nurses will start putting her in the cute things we have accumulated for her.

Christmas

Claire definitely had a wonderful Christmas! She was in her big girl bed, got to wear her Christmas outfit again, and got SO MANY gifts. I think she enjoys all the books she got the most because it gives her an opportunity to hear daddy's voice, which she loves. When I am the narrator, I don't get the same gummy grins as daddy. The nurses all say that Claire has the most decorated space of all the NICU babies... well, what else would you expect? Her decorations include a 2 foot tree complete with ornaments, a candy cane garland, a stocking, a Santa Claus name tag, and a menorah. You can only imagine how the nursery will turn out, if her little NICU pod is about 4 ft X 4 ft!

Claire's First Big Girl Bed

A day before Christmas our big girl got herself a big girl bed. That's right, we hit 1500 grams (actually she was 1496) and we were sprung from our isolette. Do you want to know what the best part of the new bed is? Now we can hold her WHENEVER we want... just like real parents! I think mommy, daddy, and Claire are enjoying more cuddle time. This also means we get to dress her. The girl already has more clothes than mommy. I know, that is hard to imagine! ***Note: babies are supposed to always sleep on their backs but preemies keep their airways open better on their tummies and they are on monitors so a little tummy time is okay.

Claire's First Hanukkah

Alright all, I am sorry to subject you to this, but you have to deal with the ramblings and writings for the first time of me, Ari. Things have been going all too well, and Claire is enjoying life... or at least I am enjoying cuddling her, and she has no choice. It has been a big week. Claire got her first MENORAH. Grandma and Grandpa Leib were only too anxious to buy this for our new little one and I have say that we ALL love it. It is quite user friendly and kid safe. Look how excited little Claire looks. I am actually restraining her in this picture. Unfortunately, hanukkah harry was a little bit late (snow storm/cold front out of Alaska and all) and we missed the first day of hanukkah, but what can you do?

Claire still got a present on the first day; she got a book called Mr. Tickle. SHE LOVED IT (especially as narrated by me myself and I)!!! I don't know how many of you are familiar with the "Mr. and Mrs." books but Jen and I loved them as children and they really are funny. There have been countless other presents arriving daily from all around the nation, and a grateful Claire thanks you. This kid is already spoiled rotten and she has not even left the hospital. I will just throw out a blanket "thank you SO much" for the time being to everyone for all their gifts, thoughts, prayers and support.

Lets just say that the month of December is not going to be a cheap one for dear old dad: a.k.a. "the hanukkah man, santa clause, daddy, and birthday-buyer man???" We have a lot to celebrate in this household in December!!! Claire also had her first Christmas tree/holiday bush this year. This poor girl is going to be so confused. There is nothing like living with a Pope, having the last name Leib and lighting the Menorah underneath the Christmas tree. This is why we suggested the wooden Menorah to grandma and grandpa in the hopes that she would not burst into flames. Well, that about sums it up. I am bursting with happiness and already got my holiday gift.... it would be better to have that gift at home, but if it means that the gift is all the better in the long run, I will just have to be patient.

To all you loyal readers out there, we wish you a happy hanukkah, a merry christmas, a joyous kwanzaa, and a most exceptional new year. MUCH LOVE.....ARI, JEN AND CLAIRE

Claire's First Visit with Santa

Last Thursday, our nurse asked if we were coming to the NICU Christmas Party. Christmas Party? I had no idea, despite the signs hanging around, that there was one. Apparently, Ari and I are oblivious to everything except Claire when we are at the hospital. I had just received Claire's preemie Christmas outfit in the mail the day before so I thought I would see if she could where it to meet Santa. Now I know that the babies have to be 1500 grams and in an open crib to wear clothes, but I thought there would surely be no harm in dressing her for five minutes for Santa! The first nurse I asked said, "No problem." She was not Claire's nurse for the party though, so we would have to ask again. When we arrived for the party, one of the more strict nurses said she could only wear her hat... boo, I didn't like that answer. Then Claire's nurse came over and told us that she could absolutely put her outfit on for a minute. Yeah!! Our girl is the over-achiever and rebel of the NICU, you go Claire. Now you tell me, aren't these pictures worth it?!

I'm a Week Old!

This last week as felt more like a month! Our schedule has been turned upside down and we have spent so much time loving and worrying for our new daughter. We have made a lot of progress in the first week and are way ahead of anyone's expectations; we continue to be thankful for all the love, prayers, and gifts that have been sent our way.

Claire did get started on caffeine this week. Preemies brainstems are not mature enough to keep their heart rate and respiratory rate always at a normal level which leads to them having apnea and bradycardia or A's and B's. Most of the time they recover on their own but sometimes they need some stimulation like a pat on the back to remind them to breath. Caffeine can also be given in her feeds twice a day as a stimulant so that she won't have these events. Since her twice daily espresso shot (no, they don't really give her starbucks) Claire has very infrequent self-resolving A's and B's. By the time we take her home she will be off caffeine and has to prove she can do it on her own.

This week has also brought us skin to skin time. This is when the baby is stripped down to her diaper and put right on mommy or daddy's chest. Babies like to hear the heart beat that they were so used to and they actually feed off the mommy's heat to stay warm. Claire and I both enjoy are bonding skin to skin time!

Day 6: My Tube is in My Nose

Sorry it has been so long since the last update... I have been trying to catch up on my sleep and take it a little bit easier... this NICU stay is certainly more of a marathon than a sprint. Day 6 in the NICU brought us an NG (nasogastric tube). While babies are obligate nose breathers, an NG tube helps them to develop their sucking reflexes without that tube in their mouth. Miss Claire doesn't seem to mind the change of position and actually really enjoys sucking on her nuk. She also starts to root around when it is time to eat and she makes the cutest little sucking noises.

Day 5: No More TPN

Since Claire has been tolerating all of her feeds (now 1/2 oz every 2 hours), she doesn't have to be on TPN or lipids anymore... which is nutrition through her vein. They kept her on IV fluids up until last night and her IV should be out this morning! That just means she is connect to one less thing, making her much more cuddleable (that should definitely be a word).

She also gained 20 grams over the day, putting her at about 1310 grams, which is still 100 grams below her birth weight. We are expecting a little weight loss, though, after they stop the IV. Soon though, she will be at her goal volume feeds of 2/3 of an oz and then they will fortify my breastmilk so we can increase the calories without increasing the volume... her little tummy is only so big. After fortification, her weight should really start to increase. She needs to be 1500 grams and holding her body temperature steady to be moved to an open crib (and to wear clothes).

Claire also received her synagis shot yesterday to protect her from RSV. Premature babies are at extreme risk of lung problems if they catch a respiratory virus so she will get this shot once a month through the viral season (usually March).

Day 4: Diaper Changing

It was not unexpected to return to the hospital yesterday to find Miss Claire again under the bili lights... she had looked a bit yellow the night before. So the ski goggles went back on and we had a day of no holding :( Ari and I do, however, keep our hands in the isolette most of the time, resting our hands strategically so as not to block the lights. Ari also got the opportunity to change Claire's diaper yesterday. It is so amazing that the preemie diapers are so big on her. We were excited because she had her first poop, too... not in daddy's diaper though! Then later last night, when Claire's nurse Holly was assessing her, we got to turn off the lights for a minute and uncover Claire's eyes. She was so attentative, just staring at her mommy. All the nurses came over to admire her little face and everyone agreed it was a shame that we had to cover her back up. Hopefully we will be out of the lights tomorrow!

Day 3: Cuddling

On Sunday, we were all shocked to walk in and find Claire without her bili lights... usually it takes more than a day to get the bilirubin down. With the lights off and our little angel doing a great job of keeping her temperature up, it was time to come out of the isolette for some cuddling! We put her hat on and swaddled her and blankets so that I could hold my daughter for the second time. After my cuddle tank was filled (OK half-filled, I can never get enough!), Ari got to hold his daughter for the first time. Their bond is already visible. Claire always relaxes and sometimes spontaneously smiles when she hears Ari's voice. She clearly loves her daddy and he is certainly taken with her. Finally, grandma got a turn and she was overjoyed. I foresee much more cuddling in the future!

Day 2: Bili Lights

Day 2 brought us some bili lights. Many newborn babies and most premature babies have difficulty processing bilirubin because their livers are not mature. Ari and I had a feeling Miss Claire would win herself some lights because on the end of day 1 she already had that glow about her. The unfortunate thing about the lights is that to be effective, the babies need to stay under them as much as possible... i.e. less holding for mom and dad. Check out her shades that she is wearing to protect her little eyes. She didn't like them too much because she is awfully alert and likes to look around. I was just thankful that at the end of the day, I got to hold my little girl for the first time. It is certainly hard to carrying someone around with you for 30 weeks and then feel so separated. Holding her was certainly good for my heart and spirits!

Claire's First Day

After her most exciting entry into the world, Claire got transferred to the University Hospital NICU. She is pictured here with her little nasal cpap in her isolette. To help you follow, if you are not medically inclined, Claire was born 9 1/2 weeks early which puts her at risk for a few things. The most important concern is her lungs, babies don't develop well working lungs with surfactant until 8 weeks before birth. The cpap was used to help keep her lungs expanded. Our little princess never needed any oxygen so there was just room air flowing. Sometimes, babies her age and younger require a breathing tube or even some exogenous surfactant to be given; we were lucky Claire needed neither and she was off her CPAP the night after she was born.

She is in an isolette because it takes lots of energy to maintain your body temperature and Claire needs to use all of her calories to gain weight. She actually is doing most of that by herself, too. They are able to keep her isolette temperature low. Once she starts gaining weight and doing an even better job of controling her temperature, she will be moved to an open crib.

Claire has an IV because she was not able to eat right after birth. Premature babies' tummies are often not ready to digest food so she was given sugar through her vein overnight. They put an OG (oral-gastric) tube to start feeding her the next morning. They start just a little at a time to make sure she is ready. So far she seems to like it.

Claire is Here!

Are you shocked? You couldn't possibly be more shocked than Ari and I! Here is how our little girl made her precipitous entry into the world:

Thursday, December 11, I went to work just like usual. I made morning rounds and was starting to contemplate lunch at 11:30 am when I went to the restroom and had a large contraction. I hadn't had one yet, but was impressed by its strength. What really made me nervous was I lost a little fluid. I called my doctor's office and arranged to be there by 1:30pm. I called Ari, who thankfully had the day off, and he thought that was too late... I started to agree because I had two more contractions that were much milder. I called the office and they told me to get to the hospital. I went to find my chief fellow Christine and she put me right in a wheelchair and wheeled to the parking garage. In my shock, I had been planning to drive myself home but she drove me home (which only takes 5 minutes) and we dropped her off at Children's on the way to the hospital. Ari dropped me off at registration to park the car and when I stood up my water fully broke. They got me right up to L&D where thankfully Dr. Lum was waiting. He thought we would have time to transfer me to a hospital that had a NICU because I was only 30 and 4/7 but wanted to see how far I was. They were pushing antibiotics and steroids in too. Dr. Lum was shocked to check me and find I was 10 cm and 1+. So the transfer was out and the NICU team from Children's came to us. They moved me to the OR for delivery because it was the best place for the NICU team. I was trying to breathe through the contractions to give the steroids as much time as possible to work. Soon, however, Claire just would not have it and she came out with only 1 push. Our fiery little girl came out crying at 1:55 pm and had Apgars of 9 and 9. She weighed in at 3 pounds, 1.7 ounces, and is 15 inches long. She was placed on "prophylactic" CPAP due to her gestational age but has never required any oxygen. She was transferred to the NICU at University Hospital that night just for closer monitoring because our peanut has continued to be on the right end or the bell shaped curve; the docs are calling her an overachiever! More soon...

Jason and Jen's Wedding

The weekend before Thanks-giving, Ari and I were lucky enough to be free of work so that we could celebrate the marriage of Jason and Jen. Jason is a friend of Ari's from Illinois Wesleyan. I have always liked Jason since we met and even learned to overlook his fatal flaw of being a Cubs fan. Early Friday morning we hopped in the car and headed for Rockford, IL. The drive went by relatively quickly and we actually made it to our hotel without getting lost. We then stopped by Jason and Jen's so that Ari could try on his tux before we headed to the rehearsal. After everyone got their parts down at the church, we headed to the Rockton Inn for dinner. The food and the company was wonderful. Addison, Jen and Jason's son, really enjoyed eating Ari's noodles... for such a little person he really packed away the food!

Saturday we got to sleep in... what a treat! I dropped Ari off so he could help Jason with some last minute preparations. I then grabbed some lunch and actually lost track of time and almost didn't get to the church on time. The ceremony was very personal and beautiful. Then it was time to party. We had a wonderful dinner and got to catch up with Ari's other college friends. Two of the other girls are pregnant as well (take a look at the photos where we show off our bellies) but I am the furthest along. Then it was time for the first dance. It started off like a normal slow dance then the music changed and they had choreographed a whole routine. It was so classic Jason! There was lots of dancing and then at about midnight we all turned into pumpkins and headed back to the hotel... we just can't party like we used to! The next morning we all met for breakfast and headed our separate ways. We wish Jen and Jason a lifetime of happiness!

7 Months

Time is just flying by and my belly just keeps getting rounder! I have finally come to my third and final trimester and I continue to enjoy my pregnancy. Our baby seems to get more active each and every day which I think Ari is enjoying the most. It used to be a more rare occasion when he could put his hand on my belly to feel a kick. Now he is almost guaranteed a movement when he tries. What is getting really wild is just looking down and watching my belly shift as the baby changes position. I just can't wait to meet this little person!

The doctor's visit this month included my glucose challenge test. I was required to be npo (not eating) for two hours... not an easy feat for me! Then I had to drink a not so tasty orange cola type beverage. I was just glad I passed so that I don't have to pass on dessert! Also, there was a girl learning how to do prenatal ultrasounds so they asked if they could practice on my belly... who could say no to that? Our little one was initially sucking his/her thumb and them seemed to put a finger up his nose... must have learned that from daddy! They stuck to there promise and didn't look between the legs. It was so cool to see our baby making breathing movements. It is hard to believe that when I next blog about my belly, our baby's lung will have started secreting surfactant... making them mature for the outside world!

I guess the only other things to tell you are that I am getting less and less mobile. I will crouch down to talk to a patient and then sit silently hoping I will be able to get up gracefully. Getting out of bed or off the couch is also more challenging; Ari thinks it is a riot.

A Whirlwind Visit to the Windy City

Last weekend, we hopped in the car and headed north to get in a quick trip to Chicago. Ari worked overnight on Friday and as soon as he got home we packed up the car and left. Luckily he sleeps pretty well in the car (I call it passenger seat narcolepsy). We only stopped for lunch and a brief potty break but it took a bit longer to get downtown than Google said; it also took some figuring out since the directions weren't quite right. Finally we arrived at the South Loop to see Kristen, Larry, Koby (the dog) and their new condo. They have this cool "loft" style condo in an old building right on Michigan Avenue. I certainly was impressed. We sat around and caught up while Kristen worked at crocheting a baby blanket for our baby and Larry worked diligently at making a new dress for Kristen (he is currently in school for fashion design). With the two of them being so crafty, Ari and I definitely felt unskilled! It was great to see them but soon we were off to Elmhurst to meet Dan and Amber for dinner. They took us to an Italian restaurant known for their pizza and we had a great time catching up with them before they had to get ready for a Halloween party. Not quite the party animals these days, plus Ari getting only a few hours of car sleep made us decide to make our way to the hotel. Google Maps disaster #2: it took 1 1/2 hours, 2 stops, and a phone call to finally getting us up to the Mundelein Crowne Plaza. Needless to say by the time we got there we were both EXHAUSTED.

On Sunday, we woke up refreshed and made our way down to Schaumburg to Richard Walker's Pancake House to meet dad and Lily for breakfast. The line was formidable but time flew and we stuffed ourselves with pancakes, omelets, and other yummy breakfast items. I love not feeling guilty about eating a lot of food and those pumpkin pancakes hit the spot! We hadn't seen dad and Lily since I was barely pregnant so they enjoyed seeing me and my ever growing baby bump. With our tummies full, it was time to part ways and get back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding.

The main attraction of the weekend was the wedding of Beth and Jared. Beth and Ari have been good friends since college. She met her now husband in AmeriCorps. Unfortunately, their jobs

have kept them living in Florida then North Carolina for the past few years so we don't see them as often as we would like. They were married in a very rustic barn. The decorations were beautiful: lots of soft candlelight and wreaths adorned the inside. The ceremony was short and meaningful (my favorite kind). The reception was in the same location and the drinks were actually served in the silo, how cool! Dinner was delicious and we certainly enjoyed catching up with all of the Wesleyan crew. Unfortunately, the night passed quickly and we had to say our goodbyes because I was due back at work Monday morning at 6:30am. So on the ride back it was my turn to sleep in the car!

More Vistors!

A few weeks ago... I am not telling how many because I continue to be behind in my blogging... some old friends came to visit and brought all of their beautiful girls with them. Tim and Michelle brought Elizabeth (who was born when we were in medical school), Lauren, and Emma to check out the new house and Cincinnati. Josh and Bridgette brought Raegan, whom I had yet to meet. Needless to say the house was packed with good friends and LOTS of little girls. It was so fun to have so many little people around; Ari and I certainly got a glimpse of what little girls are like from 6 months to 5 years old. Added to the mix, Brent and Nahid brought over Ava to spend time with everyone too. With so many friends with so many little girls our baby is destined to be a boy don't you think? Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Bridgette is also pregnant with... you guessed it, another girl!

The crew arrived on Friday night and we spent a long time catching up. The Lyons gang really enjoyed exploring the house and playing Hide and Go Seek. Saturday while Ari went to work we all went out for breakfast. It was absolutely amazing how well everyone behaved despite the long wait to seat 7 adults and 5 children. After we were filled with pancakes we headed to the park where I managed to capture some cute pictures of the girls, but somehow forgot to take any pictures of the adults. We then were off to the grocery store to pick up fixings for a cookout; one meal out with everyone was plenty. The guys manned the grill and the girls made the sides and we had quite a feast when Ari got home. The evening was filled with more catching up and we even got a visit from Sarah, my med school roommate.

Sunday, Ari got to enjoy our company while I went to work. Unfortunately, the crew headed back that day and I only got to share my goodbyes. We certainly love filling our home with guests, so let us know if you are in the area!!

Month 6

Seriously, I cannot believe that my belly is that big and our baby is estimated to weigh just over a pound! What I do know is that he/she is loving all that room because throughout the day I can feel him/her moving here, there, and everywhere. People are always asking me why my hands are always on my belly and it is just because I am so amazed at this little life inside. I am continuing to feel well and just cannot imagine people who do not love being pregnant... though if I were puking, I probably wouldn't love it. Despite the new onset of some low back discomfort (on occassion after long days) and more difficulty finding that perfect sleeping position, I am just truckin' right along. This month's doctors visit was just a weight check, blood pressure check, measurements, and a listen for heart tones. We passed with flying colors. Next month is the glucose tolerance test. I hope there is no sign of diabetes because I certainly am enjoying a sweet treat more often than I used to!


I do have to share with you one of the cutest things that has happened at work recently. One of my 2 year-old patients apparently loves pregnant women. Now that I am showing, she likes to pat my belly then her mom will ask her to wave to the baby and she will wave at my belly and say "bye bye" to it when I leave. It is absolutely adorable.

Comedy and Cardinals

Nearly a month ago now... yes, I know I am still very behind... Ari and I drove over to St. Louis for a whirlwind visit. We got into town late Friday night and mom and I got up early Saturday to get some shopping done. I was looking for some maternity dresses for weddings we are attending in November. Then we had to get back because we had plans for dinner on the Hill followed by seeing Jim Gaffigan at the Fox. Ari has long complained that despite our many trips to St. Louis, I have never taken him to eat Italian on the Hill. I picked a new restaurant for all of us: LoRusso's Cucina. It was superb. The ciopino (basically the best fish stew ever) was phenomenal and warranted a picture... I know I am strange. Everyone else enjoyed their meals as well. Then we were off to the Fox and what should have been a ten minute drive turned into a 45 minute drive because of SLU homecoming. There were cars everywhere, streets blocked off, and not a cop in sight to direct traffic. Needless to say we missed most of the opening act but were in time for the main show. Ari and I have seen Jim Gaffigan in the past and absolutely love him. I personally find it refreshing to see a comedian who can do two hours of stand up with out any crude jokes or cursing... do I sound like an old woman or what? After the show, it was again a traffic disaster. We sat in the parking garage for 40 minutes before John got out to see what the problem was. Shortly after he left, things started moving... apparently because he started directing traffic!

The next day we were up and out early again so we could meet Laura, Tim, Audrey, and new baby Drew for breakfast. We brought over Panera and Laura made a fruit salad. It was so nice to catch up since we only see them about once per year. Baby Drew is beautiful and looks like the male version of Audrey. We played for a while and Ari practiced his art skills for Audrey until it was time to head off to the Cardinal game. It was much warmer in our bleacher seats than I had expected and I only had brought maternity jeans! We baked for the majority of the game but it was great to see a win and lots of offense! After the game we sadly parted with mom and John and headed home.

Octoberfest

Well it seems as though we have moved from one very German town to another! Octoberfest is a huge deal in Cincinnati and the second largest in the world to Munich. Blocks and blocks of streets are partitioned off for fair rides and countless vendors doling out German favorites including beer, brats, sauerkraut, and potato pancakes. The food isn't just limited to those, however, we also saw perogies (a favorite of Ari's), bbq, and classic funnel cakes. We went to see what the celebration was all about with our new friends Corey and Ericka. Ericka is a first year pediatric endocrine fellow at Cincinnati Children's and was the first person I met here. Believe it or not, her husband is in Ari's emergency medicine group at Miami Valley... what are the chances?! Needless to say we have a lot in common. The three non-preggers people enjoyed the beer while I had a delicious brat and water... next year, I get to partake!

The fun didn't stop after the street fest. About a week later, a bunch of the bone marrow transplant folks decided to meet at the Hofbrauhaus on the levy. Everyone was in good spirits as we listened to polka and stuffed ourselves with more sauerkraut and sausage! We ended the night doing the chicken dance on our table... what a sight!

Hurricane Part II

So here is a photo of the tree that caused us to lose power and nearly our minds for a week. Seriously, how did people exist before electricity? Click on the blog title for more interesting pictures. The pine tree that was uprooted down the street from us is just amazing... thank goodness it fell away from the house!

Five Months - Half Way There!!

Another month, another shot of my expanding belly. It is so strange to see pictures of my tummy because it doesn't feel as big as it clearly looks in the photos. This past month has brought lots of exciting changes. The best is actually feeling the baby start to move... clearly the most amazing thing that a woman can experience (sorry guys!). We also had our "big" ultrasound. So after a little while of letting our ultrasound tech show us how cute the baby is, I finally told her that I wanted to see a four chambered heart. The pediatrician in me has been worrying about that for weeks. So after learning that there were two docs in the room she showed us everything we wanted to see: a lovely brain without hydrocephalus, no cleft lip, a four chambered heart, an intact diaphragm, closed spinal cord, working kidneys, and a 3 vessel umbilical cord. Hooray!! We were most impressed that she was able to do this without showing us what was in between (or not in between) the baby's legs. From here on out, I will refer to the baby as he... because I think it is a boy (Ari thinks its a girl). Regardless we can hardly wait for the next 20 weeks to pass so we can meet him. I think the hardest part about the last month as been the increased pressure on my feet. I literally am on my feet all day and my feet are taking a beating. Though I thought the day would never come, high heels are out and flats are in. Other than that and a little heart burn I feel great!

Hurricane Hits Cincinnati!

Wondering why we haven't been blogging? It isn't our usual excuse that we are way too busy working; it is that hurricane winds hit Cincinnati last Sunday. Depending on your source, maximum wind velocities were between 75-86 miles per hour! Believe it or not, that wind came without any rain; it was so strange. Needless to say, 1.2 million people in the city lost their power including us. Luckily, 97% of customers have gotten their power back. It is a shame we are in that 3% who hasn't. We are awfully thankful that despite the terrible weather there were very few injuries and our house sustained little damage. We are also thankful for our friends Brent and Nahid who have let us crash at their house every other night when I am on call so I can have access to a computer. I promise to post pictures of the damage when our power returns. Please cross your fingers for us and hope that it is today!

Our Cincinnati Zoo Experience

Two weeks ago Ari's parents came to visit us and check out the new place. Since the moons and stars aligned that Saturday Ari and I were BOTH off of work so we decided to take them to the Cincinnati Zoo. We actually have a pretty nice zoo here, not quite St. Louis but definitely better than Milwaukee. As soon as we walked in we were lured toward the lorikeets. They have an enclosure where you can feed them nectar or seeds on a stick and they fly down and land on you! It is hilarious! We had birds swarming us, landing on our heads and everything. Luckily we didn't get pooped on, some of the other visitors weren't so lucky. Then we were off to visit all the animals. The penguins were feeling a bit shy which was a bit disappointing (especially for Ari) but they were feeding the big cats. The best, I think, was the polar bear who showed off both his freestyle and back stroke. After 4 hours at the zoo, I was pooped. Ari and his mom made dinner while I took a nap. It was so nice to wake up to a home cooked meal. We finished the night off with a game of Mexican Train (that is dominoes for the lay people).

Marshan and Mike had a busy agenda during their visit, using our house as home base to visit some of their friends in Illinois and Kentucky. It was nice to see them and we look forward to another visit after the baby arrives!

Month Number 4

I think I am starting to show, what do you think?! While I am still using the rubber band trick on most of my pants and have yet to truly embrace the spandex panels of maternity pants, I am starting to warm up to my changing size. People at work have definitely noticed... maybe now I will be guaranteed a seat at tumor board! The biggest issue I am having really is with sleep. I am/was a total tummy sleeper and those days are gone. I have tried some creative propping with pillows to help untrain this habit but it is hard! If any of you ladies have been pregnant and have a trick for me, let me know. Otherwise, I am feeling great. Ari and I passed our quad screen and are looking forward to our "big" ultrasound at the end of the month. Being a pediatrician has jaded me, so I would like to see all the right parts in the right place so I can relax a little!!

Cardinals/Reds Weekend

Two weeks ago, mom and John made their way to Cincinnati for a visit. The Cardinals were in town so we went to the Friday night game at the All American Ballpark once I got home from work. I had a rough day but after a brief cry, a hug from my mom, and a shower I was ready to go. The ballpark is right on the Ohio River downtown and is actually great. We sat in the outfield and had a great view of all the action. The Cardinals were victorious, which always makes for a fun time, and I got to eat ballpark nachos so I was thrilled. After the game we were still all hungry so we stopped at Steak and Shake for a bite to eat... keeping me up way past my bedtime! I went to work the next day and came home to a home cooked meal by my mom. Is there anything better than a mom's cooking? We hung out and watched the ball game on TV... I was too afraid to get tickets since I was on call. Sunday mom and I got up before the boys to look for fabric for the nursery. We found a cute yellow print with elephants on it that I adore; I am still trying to sway Ari's vote. He thinks it looks too girly since we are not going to find out the sex of our baby. I think it is baby, not girly. We'll see who wins! Then we met the boys at P.F. Chang's for lunch... I couldn't believe that John had never been! Too soon Ari was off to work and mom and John headed for home.

Holly Comes to Cincinnati

At the end of July, Holly drove down from her new home in the suburbs of Chicago to visit us. This is not Holly's first appearance in the blog, but if you didn't know Holly has been a good friend of ours since medical school. She recently moved to the Chicagoland area to join a private pediatrics practice. We are so glad that before she started she came for a visit.

She arrived Friday night and actually beat me home from work. Luckily we had left her a key and the code to our alarm system. We ordered a pizza and got caught up on each other's lives. I was nervous to go out to dinner since I was on call and figured as soon as we left the house I would get paged. Luckily the pager stayed quiet and we had a good visit. Saturday we headed to the museum to see the Bodies exhibit. Ari was off so he was able to join us too. The Cincinnati museums are all housed in one builing, an old train terminal. You enter each museum individually from its own terminal, which I think is pretty clever. The Bodies exhibit was pretty awesome. It certainly brought back some flashbacks of anatomy class. It is amazing to see the detail in the preserved bodies; we all agreed our dissections were not that good! After the exhibit we went to a fun and tasty restaurant called Shanghai Mama's. Do you know where we went after that... if you have read any of the previous entries you know that we went to Graeter's for ice cream... mmm...

The next morning we went out for breakfast and then Holly headed for home to get ready for her first day at her new job. She also left us with a gift for our baby: its first White Sox tshirt! Ari was thrilled, and I am cool with the baby being a Cardinals and White Sox fan! Thanks Holly!!

Our Big Announcement

So we have decided it is time to share the good news with the world... WE ARE PREGNANT!! As you can probably see, I am not showing yet (I am officially 12 weeks or 3 months pregnant in this photo). We have obviously been a bit nervous about making an announcement but now that we have had 2 OB visits and 2 ultrasounds we are feeling pretty confident. Our new addition is due on February 15, my sister's birthday. We certainly couldn't be more excited. I am delighted to be at the tail end of my first trimester and hopefully finished with the majority of my morning sickness... which helped me get acquainted with many of the bathrooms in my new hospital. Now I am feeling great, but exhausted, and full of food aversions. That is really interesting since I have always loved food and eaten everything in site. Indian food is definitely out for now! I promise to try to get some ultrasound pics scanned in when I have some free time (hopefully before the baby is born) but just know that he/she measures exactly with his/her dates and has a wonderfully strong heart beat. I will keep you posted!!

Our First Visitors

Just a couple of weeks after our move, we welcomed our first visitors (besides my mom!). Sarah and Jackie, two of my good friends from residency decided to travel down south while they were still relaxing before starting their jobs as hospitalists at CHW. Jackie, Sarah, and Elizabeth (Sarah's college friend who also lives in Cinci) met me at this fun pub called Tellers which is an old bank turned into a swanky restaurant/bar in Hyde Park. It sure is obvious by our photo who has been on vacation and who has been in the hospital! We had a great meal on the patio and then made our way down to Graeter's to sample some of the most delicious ice cream ever... there certainly is a reason the chain has been around since 1870 (I promise to take anyone who visits). Afterward they got a tour of my house, we visited, and I had to go to bed since I had to work early the next day. They explored the city while I was at work and then I met them at a restaurant called the Dilly Deli that Elizabeth found. After stuffing ourselves again, Jackie and I went back to my place and Sarah spent the night with Elizabeth. We had a great time just catching up and talking about life before it was bedtime again. It was so nice to have some old friends in our new home. So for everyone else... our home is officially open!

Moving In

The day after graduation it was time to get out of town! Ari and I wanted to get to Cincinnati as soon as we could to try to get settled before we jumped into our new jobs. After about 6 1/2 hours and a lovely detour around Gary, Indiana we finally made it home. It was so much fun to walk into our new house! The next day, the movers arrived with all of our things. I couldn't believe that two guys brought it all in themselves! The van got the neighbors interested, and Lois was the first to come check us out. She brought her adorable little puppy Tiger Lily to meet us. She was very welcoming, giving us vital info like where the grocery store is located and some history of the neighborhood. She also told us that one of the other heme-onc fellows lives three doors down... what are the chances? While we got some work done that day, the majority of the unpacking was accomplished when my mom arrived the next day. We would still be living out of boxes if it weren't for her. She and I tackled the important rooms first like the kitchen and bathrooms. I wasn't feeling too well so she also gave me time to nap and some healing mommy hugs... I am thirty and I still love those! The picture of us above is at Newport on the Levy when we finally finished (OK maybe we were about 80% done).

Graduation.... Finally!!

I sincerely apologize for the lack of blogging... it has been an absolutely crazy month between moving, graduating, both of us starting new jobs, and more... but we will get to all that.

On June 22, I graduated from residency. For those of you not emersed in the medical field that means that I could officially go out and be a general pediatrician... if that was my plan, which of course it isn't. The day was what I had warned everyone: anti-climatic. After working 80+ hours/wk and taking more in house call than I care to count, a 5 hour luncheon is hardly the way to celebrate (in my opinion) but that is the tradition. Dad, Lily, Kristen, and Larry decided to brave it anyway and came to support me and entertain Ari. We all endured a mediocre banquet lunch, some corny jokes, and watching 24 residents and multiple fellows be recognized for enduring the last 3 years. It was somewhat more exciting, though, because my friend Tara (on the left) won the residency research award and I actually received an award for be the most outstanding hospitalist senior resident. After the "festivities" and pictures, Dad and Lily went home but Kristen, Larry, Ari, and I went out to Bar Louie with some of my classmates and then out for a late dinner. It is also awesome to get to spend time with my sister, which I am sad to say will happen less often now that we have moved.

Sassy's New Haircut

Because Sassy is a long haired cat we often have trouble keeping her coat knot free, especially in the dry winter. For the first time this year, we decided to help her out and have her shaved. My mom and I have attempted to do this at home before with little success (the clipper noise really upsets her) so we took her to the vet. A little anesthesia, 45 minutes of shaving, and a rough post-anesthesia course later we had a well groomed kitty. I had no idea that her body was so small under all that fur! Doesn't she look like a little black and white lion?!

A Day at the Domes

To finish off our Memorial Day weekend, do some last minute Milwaukee site-seeing, and spend some time with Tara and Andy, we decided to go to the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory (also known as the domes). They have three separate domes; one tropical climate, one arid climate, and one rotating exhibit. We started in the special exhibit which is currently "Appalachian Summer." That is the picture to the right. It was so fragrant, the wonderful scents enveloped us as we walked in. There were a lot of beautiful colors and some flowers we already knew by name. The arid climate was hot... go figure... and had one of my favorite plants of the day, the woolly cactus. The tropical climate was lush and also beautiful. After getting our horticulture lesson for the day we got a beverage in the third ward at The Wicked Hop and then had dinner on Cathedral Square at Louise's. The homemade pasta really hit the spot. Overall it was a great day for exploring the city we are getting ready to leave.

A Family Packed Memorial Day Weekend

Now that we are in full fledged moving mode, Memorial Day weekend was a great opportunity to spend some time with people we care about. We kicked off the weekend with Tom and Sarah. Tom is one of Ari's college roommates that has fortunately for us lived just a few miles away for the past 2 years. We went to their son Conner's little league game (in near winter temperatures) then dropped Conner off with a babysitter so we could have some adult time. We had dinner at Chili's and then went to a local bar that has shuffle board, darts, pool tables, and bowling. We had a great time hanging out with Tom and Sarah... and beating them at all three games! But we all realized we are getting old when we were worrying about the safety of the younger bar patrons. We will also never forget Steve, who befriended us... it is better just to leave that alone.

The next morning it was off to Naperville for a Pope family BBQ. As is usual, we walked into a house smelling of wonderful food... with special attention to veggie dishes just for Ari. We enjoyed catching up with my dad and Lily while dad was the maestro and I played his sous chef. Slowly but surely the Pope's started rolling in, if I added correctly there were about 35 people there that I was related to! It was awesome to see some family members that we haven't seen since Kristen's wedding nearly two years ago. We feasted on Portillo's beef, pasta, a multitude of salads, and even made s'mores for dessert. Yum! We eventually went to bed after watching the Cubs lose to the Pirates... I might have been cheering all by myself.

The next day we had some tentative plans for golf since the weather was iffy. The weather held up but we couldn't handle the golf Gestapo so we only played 2 1/2 holes. That is a long story best shared over a beer. Next it was lunch at Jimmy's which was interrupted by a flash thunderstorm. We enjoyed most of our meal outside until the rain started pouring sideways! When the weather was clear we said our goodbyes and headed to see the Kohn clan. Chuck and Vicky (Ari's cousin) hosted us, Aunt Ellen and Uncle Kenny, Michelle, and of course their kids Brad and Dana. We had a great dinner, did a lot of catching up, and got to watch the Cubs lose again... why am I the only one cheering?! Aunt Ellen even surprised me with an early birthday present. Then it was back to Milwaukee. 3 1/2 weeks and counting!

Senior Retreat

This past weekend was our last resident retreat. Friday afternoon we were excused at noon (who doesn't like that?) and we planned to meet for dinner later that night. I got in a quick work out and went to pick up Jackie. We drove down to our resort Lake Lawn Resort on Lake Delavan. The trip only took about 40 minutes. Unfortunately there was some confusion at the front desk about room arrangements; I didn't want to room by myself (kind of defeats the purpose of last chance bonding) so I snuck in with Jackie, Sima, and Lindsay who had a four bed room/loft. After we got settled in our room, it was off to Popeye's on Lake Geneva... no, not that Popeye's! It is a family restaurant located right on Lake Geneva. Thankfully Jen had found a place to accommodate the 24 people that showed up. I think just about everyone got the fish fry (I wonder if Ohio is as passionate about year-round fish fry as Wisconsin is... might be better if it is not!). We had a great time catching up in a casual/non-work environment and seeing some of the spouses and kids. Unfortunately, Ari could not attend this year :( Afterward we headed back to the resort where Patrick set up rock band. Some of the guys, however, were itching to play poker. Never ones to turn down a poker game, Tara and I asked to be dealt in. We played a small tournament and took the boys' money! I won and Tara got second! Silly boys, we warned them that we knew how to play!!

The next day, we had a couple of scheduled meetings after breakfast: transitioning to become a fellow/hospitalist/community pediatrician, risk management and health literacy, and evaluations. The first session was the best as I am starting to get a bit nervous about starting my fellowship. Next it was off to lunch at Panera and then mini golf. Kevin, Rob, Jackie, and I paired up for the mini golf which was fun except for the swarms of mosquitoes and lake flies. Kevin won overall but Jackie got major style points for frequently hitting her ball outside the course! Afterwards, we all went to do our own thing. Jackie and I snuck in a quick work out while watching baseball (go Cards!). Then it was on to dinner, which was actually delicious! The Cesar salad was nice and garlicky, the chicken was moist, and the veggies actually weren't soggy (that can be hard in a buffet). The bread pudding was scrumptious as well and had this rich caramel pecan sauce...mmm... Afterwards all the little ones ran around the banquet room for awhile which actually seemed to tire out the adults because we did little more than sit in Brian's room watching TV.

Sunday we had breakfast and headed back to Milwaukee. I think it was a great way to end... now just 5 weeks left!

A Cardinals Filled Mother's Day

I was so lucky this year to have my mom up in Milwaukee for Mother's Day. She and John drove up on Friday and got here in record time (mom is more of a speed demon than I gave her credit for). I made a scrumptious carnivore feast of flank steak with portabello mushrooms, blue cheese mashed potatoes, and broccolini. It was fun to cook meat! Mom made a delicious chocolate cake to cap off the meal. Then I headed in to work a short ER shift from 9pm-3am. We woke up early... 7:30am, you do the math... to have breakfast and do some work around the house. Since Ari and I are not the handiest around the house John was a huge help fixing a leaking utility sink, a screen door, and an injury to our over hang in the front. What would have taken Ari and I a full weekend just to decide on a plan, John finished in just a couple of hours! We were then off to Miller Park to watch the Cardinals take on the Brewers. Dressed in full Cardinals garb we were definitely not alone in the stands! We had great seats and the game was great; the Cardinals pulled out the win in the ninth inning. We had just enough time to catch a quick dinner with Ari before he went to work over night. Since I had so little sleep, I crashed early. Sunday we were back to Miller for more baseball. Unfortunately, the Cards looked like their heads were somewhere else... maybe with their mom's?! After some atrocious base running and little to cheer about, the Brewers put us out of our misery winning 5-3. Despite the loss it was great to spend some quality time with mom!!

Gods of Rock

Last night, Mike had a "Gods of Rock" party so that the residents could get together and show off their Guitar Hero and Rock Band skills. Since I have never played guitar hero or any video game since the original Super Mario Brothers (am I dating myself), Ari gave me a brief tutorial before we arrived. Jackie and I took over the Guitar Hero corner, nicknaming it the "bunny hill" since we definitely were playing easy songs. They kept trying to get us to play Rock Band with the big boys but we just never were ready. We did really improve, though!! Ari did both. We then moved into the other room for a little pool. Ari won two games, I won one, and poor Jackie lost all three. We stayed until past midnight, contrary to popular belief I did not turn into a pumpkin!

Cancun

Finally, something to blog about! After buying our new house, we have been working like crazy and our schedules have been so off there has been little to blog about. So as a reprieve from our oh so exciting lives we went on vacation. We planned a trip to Cancun with our friends the Fords and we had the best time! We stayed at the Riu Palace Las Americas which is a beautiful all-inclusive resort. It has two infinity pools, five restaurants, multiple bars, nightly entertainment, and of course opens on to a beautiful white sandy beach. We arrived shortly before our friends so we threw on our swimsuits and headed right to the beach. It was amazing how white and soft the sand was and it was so cool despite the 85 degree weather. The ocean was a mixture of the most exotic and breath-taking blues that I have ever seen. We played in the water for a bit and enjoyed some pina coladas before Dennis and Davette came to find us. We had a nice dinner and crashed early (that may actually be a theme for the 7 days!).

The second day was a bit of a chill day, lots of pool and beach. We ironically met some people from Ohio who work at local hospitals and know some of the same people we do... the world is so small! We made our way through some more frozen cocktails and guacamole (another theme), enjoyed the evening show, and went to bed early because we planned a big day for day 3.

We got up nice and early on Wednesday to take a tour of Chichen Itza. It takes approximately 2 1/2 hours to get to the Yucatan via bus (which thankfully was a full sized tour bus). On the way to the ruins, we made a pit stop at one of the cenotes which are underground caves filled with water. Ari couldn't wait to get in; he jumped off a platform that was about 12 feet above the water. I was a bit of a chicken, especially when everyone was exclaiming how cold the water was so I just climbed down the ladder. It was definitely amazing. We had to dry off quickly and head back to the bus to get to lunch. After lunch it was on to the ruins. Pablo gave us an hour narrated tour through the ruins telling us about the Temple of Kukulkan which was the basis of the Mayan calendar. He showed us pictures of the spring and fall equinox which is when the sun hits the pyramid just so that the shadow looks like a serpent. Also, when standing next to the temple if you clap it sounds like an eagle squawking. He told us about the bloody games played on the ball court and the ritualistic sacrificing of the victor. He explained Mayan lore about fertility (he pointed me out as an example of a fertile woman... one can only hope...). After the tour was over we got to explore the grounds and the many crafts for sale. Can you believe I didn't buy anything?! We all passed out on the bus on the way back to the resort. It was then time for dinner, cocktails, and another crazy show. I guess I should explain that these shows are put on by young Mexican "activity directors" and range from interpretative dances to American movie themes to the Miss Riu contest which is not a beauty contest but more of a series of games of skill such as balloon popping. They really were hilarious.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were a blur of sun, reading (I finished 3 books during the vacation), eating, and drinking. Dennis and Ari went parasailing one day while Davette and I indulged ourselves with massages. I had a hot stone massage; if you have never had one I highly recommend it. We did try to teach Dennis how to play cards one night and found out there was a reason he was avoiding our poker parties.

We went out with a bang on Sunday. We got up early to catch a catamaran to Isla Mujares... or island of women. Apparently, the Spanish explorers named it that because the island was covered with statues of women in all stages of pregnancy and child birth. It is apparently sacred ground. Our tour guide warned us not to partake in "coochie coochie" after visiting unless we
wanted to get pregnant. Seriously, if this vacation doesn't work; I don't know what will! So we boarded the catamaran with about 12 other people. What an eclectic group: there was a group of Italians with their guide, a couple from South Africa, another couple of Americans, and then a few others from some unidentified eastern European nation. Herson, our guide for the day, let us know right off the bat that there were two rules on the boat: no siestas and no party poopers. We knew after that we were in for a good time. Our first excursion on the boat was a snorkeling stop. Herson had promised that I would see a sea turtle so I got my gear on and followed him very closely. Not two minutes after hitting the water we saw a turtle! It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen in person. I actually saw the same turtle twice. I looked up to find Ari but he hadn't gotten off the boat yet, bummer. After about an hour in the water, we all got back on the boat for a date with some sharks. Don't worry, they were cat sharks... no teeth! Teeth or not, I surely did not get out of the boat to swim with them, though Ari and Dennis did. After the crazies returned from the sharks, we set sail again. It was then time for the spinnaker swing. Basically what it entails is sitting on a rope swing that is attached to a large sail. Once you are on, the wind catches the sail and you soar through the air. I was definitely game for that. When I got on the wind really caught me and I got about 30 feet in the air! The crew started reeling me and I jumped into the ocean at about 12 feet... it was awesome! Poor Ari, when he got on the wind died and he got a wimpy ride. After all that excitement (and a few drinks) we arrived at the island for lunch. We chowed down and then headed inland for some shopping.

Again, I bought nothing... maybe the sun really got to me!! We boarded the boat to go back and it was party time. The crew cranked the music and the rum punch flowed like water. Despite the large waves, everyone was up dancing. Some poor guys hat flew in the water and we stopped the boat to let him jump in after it. Herson then came around with tequila shots. Despite the fact that tequila makes my stomach turn ever since my bachelorette party, I took a shot. Yipes! By the time we got back to shore we were three sheets to the wind and we felt like we were still rocking on the boat! What a great day... the memories are definitely worth the sunburn I got!

The next day it was over. We had breakfast and said goodbye to our friends and headed back to 37 degrees, wind, and snow flurries. It just isn't right...

Our New House

This is it!! This is the super fabulous house we will be moving into in June. Last week we flew down to Cincinnati for a house hunting trip. Since I have been obsessed with realtor.com for about 3 months, our realtor scheduled us to see 33 houses in two days. I know that sounds insane, but some we just drove by after looking at the surrounding areas. We probably actually went into 28. Heather, our realtor, was so fantastic; she put together binders for Ari and I with the picture and all the info of each house we were seeing and then we would write down notes as we walked through. Sunday got off to a promising start. We first saw a charming house that was really our style but about the same size as the one we own now... we were hoping for something a little bigger. After that we saw about a dozen more including the one with the hideous wallpaper... click on the title for the pictures. A couple made the short list (including one runner up) but we were excited for day two because we were scheduled to see the houses in Avondale which is an amazing area in the city with old, charming houses. Since we left Milwaukee at 6 am and finished seeing houses around 8pm, we were exhausted.

We were up early on day 2 to head to Avondale. We saw many of the houses that we were really excited to see in person since the online pictures had been beautiful. Two went on the list and we went on our way. As we pulled up to the house we actually bought, I told Ari and Heather that this was the one I thought we would buy. Boy was I right! The house has great curb appeal and just the coolest screened in porch with 3 ceiling fans. The inside was pristine! The current owners bought the house strictly to renovate it and no one has lived in it since. With the exception of the wallpaper in the foyer, which the owners have agreed to take down, the house is move in ready. I am not sure what is my favorite part: the beautiful floors, the charming built-ins, the enormous windows, the gourmet kitchen, the outdoor fish pond, or my future dressing room. It is absolutely crazy! It is 100% our dream house. We can't wait to have you visit!

After seeing the house, we reluctantly left to see more houses that just didn't live up to this one. We picked three to take second looks at and went to meet Sarah, my roommate from medical school for dinner. We had a great time catching up; unfortunately the pictures from dinner go erased to make more room for pictures of the house!

On day three we revisited the top choices and the favorite remained the favorite. We wrote a contract and then went to Brent and Nahid's to meet baby Eva. We had a good dinner and nervously sat around waiting for the call. After a couple of back and forth offers and counter-offers, our contract was accepted! The inspection was today so after we agree on a few fine points all we will have left is the waiting.

The Second Annual Cocktail Kegger

Friday night was Ellen's annual Cocktail Kegger. The name really is all the description you need: coctail attire is recommended and she and her husband provide a keg. They actually provide the keg, plenty of mixers for drinks, great music, and lots of yummy food. Ari and I were not able to attend last year so we were excited to have our schedules clear for the shindig.

I will be the first to admit that I started getting cold feet Friday night... I was having a fashion crisis and feeling fat (ladies you KNOW what I am talking about) and just overall exhausted. We had promised a friend to drive her to the festivities so off we went. Boy am I glad we made it! I really cannot remember when I have had that much fun. Right when we walked in we bumped into a guy wearing the same outfit as Ari! He had the exact same lavender shirt on, the cousin to Ari's tie, and black pants with white pinstripes just like Ari; it was hilarious! Usually it is the girls worrying that they will match someone! Check out the picture!

We had a great time visiting with the over 60 people that were there, I even indulged in some wine since Ari was the DD. The most suprising thing is that we stayed out until 2 am and I did not turn into a pumpkin! Ari was so excited! After we made it home Ari took really good care of me, making me drink a ton of water and take some ibuprofen. It didn't make much difference yesterday, though. I had quite a nagging headache but it was worth it! We just relaxed last night with Tom, Sara, and Conner. I made homemade pizzas and we played mexican train.

Catch Up Time!

Now that things are settling down from a busy and emotional January, let me just update you on the fun we did have. Early in January we headed down to Chicago to help celebrate dad's birthday. He knows we are super busy (and that our off days don't often coincide) so we kept it a suprise that we would be making it to his birthday dinner downtown. We met Kristen and Larry early for a little sangria at a restaurant whose name I can't remember. Finally the birthday boy arrived with Lily and Kelsey, he was so suprised to see us! We had a delicious dinner. If you click the title to go to the pictures you will see Kristen and Larry opening their Christmas gifts, too.

A couple of days later we went to Andy and Tara's to watch the national championship college football game. The Badger and Illini fans banded together to root for the Big Ten. While the game got off to a promising start, it quickly dissintigrated. We decided to then turn to America's new past time: Guitar Hero. Brian and Lindsay had never played which made it fun to watch. There were new people battles, couples battles (not me, I haven't tried it yet), and girls v. girls, and guys v. girls. It definitely was more entertaining than the game!

A couple of weeks ago, Kristen headed up to Milwaukee for a little girl time. I picked her up at the train station and we headed for Cedarburg for some pottery painting... you know this has become one of my favorite past times! We stopped by a local coffee shop for some yummy warm drinks before starting our craft bonanza. Kristen designed a really super "#1 Hubby" mug for Larry while I took on an ambitious utensil holder. It wouldn't have been nearly as ambitious if I hadn't decided to paint an argyle pattern on it; calculating the size of the diamonds so they would meet perfectly and tracing on the pattern. Needless to say, we shot for the stars and after FIVE hours of painting still had not finished our projects so we were STARVING. We packed it up for the day and headed for Mitchell's Fish Market. We had some delicious gumbo followed by crab cakes, filet mignon, and topped off with a succulent banana bread pudding. Mmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Afterward, we just crashed on my couch and Kristen got to catch up on American Idol since she has no TV right now... they are getting ready to move into their new condo, more on that when the big day arrives... The next day it was back to Cedarburg to finish our painting. We dragged Ari along and he painted this cute little penguin bank. Kristen finished her mug but despite my utmost concentration I was unable to finish the argyle utensil holder. Maybe I just wanted an excuse to go back to Glaze?! A little more relaxing and another excellent dinner later and it was time to take Kristen to the train station.

During the frigid, snow-packed, hospital-filled month of January, I was the senior resident for the hospitalist team. This is easily the busiest team in the hospital as we take care of all the kids who do not have pediatricians or who come from so far away that their own doctors don't have priveledges at Children's. I had the extreme pleasure of working with some great interns, medical students, and some of my most favorite faculty members which helped lift my mood during all the mayhem. The hospitalist team is also known for its team spirit. Affectionately known as the Red Falcons, the team wears as much red on Thursdays as possible to earn points for their team (med students v. interns v. seniors). To end the month, we played a version of Stump the Attendings appropriately renamed Stump the Falcons. Joanne, one of the super interns, went head to head with Dr. Weisgerber and won! She got the crown of glory while Dr. W walked away with a fancy button proclaiming his falcon valor.