Goodbye MMH

Today was the last day I was considered employed at Madison Memorial Hospital. I've worked there for exactly 11 years and 3 months. I was hired in housekeeping in October of my senior year in high school. That hospital saw me through my high school graduation, marriage, nursing school, and the birth of all 3 kids; I've worked in 4 different departments. I've made more friends there then I think I could count. I have been so lucky to work with some of the smartest, most amazing people, and I'm privileged to call some of the best doctors in town my friends.  I will miss all of that so much. I will miss the midnight talks with the housekeepers,  Nori saving me cinnamon rolls from the snack bar and her awesome country chicken that she makes.More then anything I will miss the all night talks with some of the greatest nurses & HUC's, the yummy potluck lunches/breakfasts that the day shift does (including Dr. Lee's amazing pancakes!), and just being part of what I felt was an amazing team.

For almost 2 years now, I've carried on the 2 jobs. And after a lot of thought and prayer....we've decided that my kids need my extra hours and time, not the hospital. So while I'm very sad to say goodbye, part of me feels like a huge weight has been lifted. Now I'm only responsible for two 12 hr shifts a week, instead of 3-4 and just BEGGING for call. It's just become too overwhelming. I hope that some day I will find my place back there, but we'll see. I think this is going to be a great change for our family. I cried for several days, but now I mostly feel peace.

Now my extra focus and time can be on these 3 amazing blessings that we have!

Hayleigh is 3 months!!

I can't believe how fast 3 months has gone by! so crazy. I can't believe how much fun she is and how much we enjoy her. She just adds something special to our home. We all live to see her smiles and hear her giggles every day. Especially Mady. :) She's my little baby sitter while I take a shower or cook dinner. I'll ask her to go do something that she'll have to leave Hayleigh's side, and she'll say, "But mom! Hayleigh will get sad!" She's such a blessing to our family. We are so blessed to have THREE amazing blessings. :) It doesn't seem like it's been that long since Mady was 3 months old. Except I'm much less up tight, lol. It let's me enjoy each day a little more.

So what is our Little Miss Hayleigh like at 3 months?
-As of today, she weighed 11lbs even.
-She giggled for me the 1st time on New Years Eve! SO CUTE!
-She's reaching out for toys when she sits in her bouncy chair. She has a toy bar above the pad on her changing table and as soon as we lay her down, she coos and kicks her legs and talks to her 'friends'. She especially loves the monkey. We got her a play mat and she loves that.
-I went back to work. :( As if that wasn't bad enough, She won't take a bottle. AT ALL. We've heard every amount of advice possible, and this isn't our first go round. I own every bottle out there now! We've done it warm, warmer, cooler, this nipple, that nipple, feed her when she's half asleep, wrapped in my clothes....you name it. It's not the bottle or the nipple, it's that it isn't me. As soon as it hits her mouth, she's is red-faced, screaming. I've been in tears at work because there's nothing I can do, while Adam has been close to tears at home. ;( Some nights she's eaten at 6:15 when I leave, and not again until 8:15 when I get home the next morning.
-She still sleeps through the night. Maybe once a week she wakes up.
-When I hold her, she loves to rub her face on mine. :)
-When Adam goes to kiss her, she squints up her eyes and squirms because of his facial hair. But when he kisses her neck, she will giggle. :)
-She has become a pro thumb sucker! At first I tried to stop it, but now we've kind of decided, "what can it hurt?" Plus it soothes her when I'm gone. (we'll re-visit the issue in 6 months or so if it's still going on)
-She enjoyed her 1st Christmas and Santa got her a bumbo chair. She loves to sit in it at dinner time and be a big girl on the dinner table.
-She's starting to get super attached to mom and dad. Once she realizes we aren't holding her or she can't see us...her eyes start welling up and her bottom lip goes out. ;) funny girl.

She's such an amazing little girl! We feel so lucky to be able to enjoy her every day!

She's still got that crazy tongue! ^^

Back to work....

3 more days. That's it. It's very hard to swallow and I've tried really hard not to think about it too much. I go back on Friday. I've loved staying home and getting to enjoy my kids and family every day. I love who I am when I'm sleeping every night and up by 7:30-8:00 every morning. Working nights is hard. I love my job, but there's really no getting around the fact that it is tough trying to go on very little sleep and be the happy mom, wife...etc. I can't sleep at night and then I have a hard time waking up in the morning. I don't like what the loss of sleep makes of me! lol. I do it because I like to keep my kids out of daycare. That has always been my goal, as long as it were possible. I love the people I work with and I love my job, which is why I went to school to be a nurse. It's a very fulfilling thing. But so is staying at home. I'm very jealous of the mom's who are able to do it! It's hard to face the possibility that it may never be in the cards for me. I can keep praying right?? and believe me, I do. I feel like I enjoy my kids so much more when I'm 'normal'. I have a lot of night-shifter-friends who can identify with that I'm sure. :) Adam has had lot's of people tell him to "go to the oil fiends"....which would make me able to stay home. But we've thought about it and it's not worth it. I've got my husband home for lunch every day, he's home by 6 every night and he has decent benefits. Most weekends and all holidays off. I don't think I would be any happier if I had him for 1 week out of the month. That would be worse.  I am in a debate whether to try and get someone to come to my house a few hours in the morning to help with the kids....maybe that would help. Or maybe somewhere for the older ones to go for a bit. One huge problem is that I've got a little baby that almost refuses to take a bottle! It's been horrible. I've tried everything....the right temp, 50 different bottles, when she's awake, when she's half asleep, leaving the house so Adam is the only one home...you name it, we've done it. She gets so upset that 2 different times she's completely vomited everywhere! Scary amounts of vomit. We've had 2 successful attempts in the last couple days that is giving me a little comfort. It sure doesn't make the stress of going back to work any easier. We're not giving up yet......
Having said all that...I am determined to try and go back to work with the best attitude possible. I know I will fight tears many days...but I do find joy in some of the amazing people I get to take care of and work with. I've done it twice before, I can do it again. Heck! with Noah I was working 2 nights a week and going to school 2-3 days a week. I still don't know how I did it. But if I did that, I can do this, right??
(Anyhow, just needed to get this off my chest...there is a much happier Christmas post below this! so read on! :) )

Christmas at the Huntsman's! :)

We had a pretty awesome Christmas in our house. It was so nice not to be working. December is by far the busiest month at the hospitals! and it was so nice to just make lots of yummy meals, bake with my kiddos, be able to attend EVERY Christmas party and just watch movies every night. I absolutely loved it. The best part? Not being so tired that I didn't want to do anything! This year was a lot of fun. We started off by welcoming our Elf Christopher. Santa brought him with some new jammies for the kids. Mady was SUPER excited. Noah was like..."ummm...he's just a toy" lol. But then we watched the movie and he got really excited. :) Our Elf got into tons of mischief! :) Our kids woke up every morning, running around to find him.

We of course Made our annual "goody plates". those are always fun! well...not so much making them...but delivering them and seeing all our friends.

I had to throw in a cute picture of the kiddos the Sunday before Christmas. :) ------------------------------------>


On Christmas Eve we were actually pretty lazy. :) it was kind of nice. Well other then the fact that I needed a few things for breakfast and dinner the next day. but I've learned my lesson...I will NEVER go to the store on Christmas Eve...EVER, EVER, EVER AGAIN. ugh. Anyhow... That night we went to Adam's Dad & Terri's. We ate lots of yummy food, including Jeff's awesome shrimp. We opened gifts and watched A Christmas Story. it was a nice relaxing evening.

On the way home we drove around and looked at Christmas lights. We drove up the temple and they had this beautiful Nativity set up. Just gorgeous.

We got home and the kids opened their Christmas jammies and left cookies and milk for Santa, and carrots and celery for the reindeer. They were pretty excited! The excitement of little kids is what makes the season so magical. I just love it.

Santa Came! ----------------------------->





Mady was up bright and early at 7:00. She'd already got Noah up and they'd checked out their Santa stuff and dug into their stockings. :) They were bouncing off the walls and ready to open presents. The loved everything they got and have been pretty occupied with the new toys this last couple weeks!

After presents we enjoyed a yummy breakfast of french toast, coconut syrup, bacon and hash browns. very yummy!

 I couldn't help myself. I always laughed at people who bought matching outfits for their kids. But I couldn't help it! It looks like those "me and my doll" things! ha ha.















We all took naps and them had dinner with my mom and John and opened presents again!

We were all stuffed by the end of the day and everyone was spoiled! The best part of Christmas is getting to spend it with family. And while this Christmas was a little different and there were a lot of people we missed.... it was very laid back and we got to enjoy our kids very much. :) And in the end I guess that is what it's all about. Well that and focusing on the birth of our Savior. :) It's so great as our kids get older how they understand so much, and enjoy the movies and stories. We made a cake for Christmas dinner and Mady said it was Jesus birthday cake. :) So sweet of her. Hope everyone else had a very Merry Christmas!