Yeah, yeah ... it might take three hours of painstaking planning and dressing and diapering and feeding and diapering again to get the crew out the door to visit Simon when he's working over the weekend but once we get there (unless something comes up on his end while we're driving or after we get there -- has happened! will happen again! the world will keep on turning!) the kids' standards for fun are pretty low.
It's great. No, really.
Por ejemplo:
A. mac and cheese day in the cafeteria? Christmas come 11 months early.
B. the "comments and suggestions" and "nominate an exceptional nurse" cards all over the hospital? Hoarder Julia's dream COME TRUE (and she's got a massive backpack full of paper treasures to prove it and she will notice if a few get thrown in the recycling bin by mean Mom, she's a very well adjusted four year old)
C. the very occasional trip up to Dad's "bedroom" to watch a few minutes of Cartoon Network? Heaven is a place on earth and the Patton kids have landed.
D. elevators
E. escalators {unless your name is Theo}
F. breastfeeding basics prenatal classes
G. and for our latest Friday night hospital hallway lights of excitement we've got the thrilling and hilarious game of ...
"BOO!!!"
I never ever see it coming. Ever.
{photo #2 ... Theo is always a little slow on the uptake ... just a little}
So you can imagine just how sad I was to bust out the call weekend calendar to discover that no! could it be?
Eye rub.
Recount.
We only have seven call weekends left?
OH SO SAD.
Twenty eight overnight shifts left total (that night float month'll getcha) but the light! It's there. The tunnel isn't pitch black anymore.
Fancy that.
I'm thinking in addition to the inevitable glut of pregnancy prattle ... I'll have to throw in a weekly "residency final countdown update" to really ensure that the blog is gutted of any and all readers other than my grandma and Simon. Smile. Not kidding. EVEN BIGGER CRAZY EYED NO BLINK SMILE.
It's great. No, really.
Por ejemplo:
A. mac and cheese day in the cafeteria? Christmas come 11 months early.
B. the "comments and suggestions" and "nominate an exceptional nurse" cards all over the hospital? Hoarder Julia's dream COME TRUE (and she's got a massive backpack full of paper treasures to prove it and she will notice if a few get thrown in the recycling bin by mean Mom, she's a very well adjusted four year old)
C. the very occasional trip up to Dad's "bedroom" to watch a few minutes of Cartoon Network? Heaven is a place on earth and the Patton kids have landed.
D. elevators
E. escalators {unless your name is Theo}
F. breastfeeding basics prenatal classes
G. and for our latest Friday night hospital hallway lights of excitement we've got the thrilling and hilarious game of ...
"BOO!!!"
I never ever see it coming. Ever.
{photo #2 ... Theo is always a little slow on the uptake ... just a little}
So you can imagine just how sad I was to bust out the call weekend calendar to discover that no! could it be?
Eye rub.
Recount.
We only have seven call weekends left?
OH SO SAD.
Twenty eight overnight shifts left total (that night float month'll getcha) but the light! It's there. The tunnel isn't pitch black anymore.
Fancy that.
I'm thinking in addition to the inevitable glut of pregnancy prattle ... I'll have to throw in a weekly "residency final countdown update" to really ensure that the blog is gutted of any and all readers other than my grandma and Simon. Smile. Not kidding. EVEN BIGGER CRAZY EYED NO BLINK SMILE.
My husband just received his call schedule for his big boy job, and he is on call 3 WEEKENDS until next year! I nearly fainted.
ReplyDeletewhat?!???! I once heard talk of a chief year with NO CALL.
DeleteWhere was that specialty when Simon was a 4th year.
WHERE???
ha.
But, that's amazing!!! Enjoy it!!!
You med wife readers will totally get it. I will probably do it when we get there. No shame.
ReplyDeleteThat's so exciting. Like, downright thrilling, that you have a countdown. No med wife here (Navy engineer's wife) but he has duty days every 4 days: 6am one day to 4pm the next. 34 hour days twice a week. Yay! Well, at least it's better than the every 3 day schedule he had a few weeks ago. At least he's not deployed!
ReplyDelete**crazy eyed smile sans blinking back atcha**
Theo is cracking me up,in those pictures! 😂
ReplyDeleteHi Grace! Was recently referred to your blog by one of your readers who thought I might be able to connect with you, seeing as how my husband is a resident, we are raising a family, and I am a stay at home mom who has struggled with the hours and responsibilities of being home alone all the time. Reading about the light at the end of your residency tunnel reminds me that eventually we will see the light at the ends of ours (husband is in orthopedic surgery - so, 5 years. ugh). He is halfway through his intern year now, and I am 26 weeks pregnant with our second baby. Sometimes I wonder if we were crazy to go forward with having children at this stage in the game...But seeing your blog helps me realize that it is doable:) Congratulations on baby #5, by the way! Can't wait to see if you'll be having a girl or a boy!
ReplyDeleteemailed you back!! :)
DeleteLike Ashley S. crazy eyes?!? Haha let the countdown begin!!! Any trip to see Dad is Heaven for the kids. I like the keep the bar set low, too :)
ReplyDeleteha! I can just imagine the excitement!! My hubby is a dental student - so definitely not as long or crazy of hours - but I still can not WAIT till he is donedoneDONE!
ReplyDeletexox
giedre
can i just say how OBSESSED i am with your blog? so so funny. and i have so so much admiration for you and your escapades with FOUR! your recent pregnancy announcement has got me with 2nd baby fever. ours is just 6 months but im already ready! weird? perhaps too personal...how old were your babes when you got pregnant with the next? did you have to stop breastfeeding to get pregnant again? and can you please start posting like twice a day?
ReplyDeletehmmm gosh I don't remember the exact ages. I'm guessing around 6 months? 5 or 6, maybe 7?? But I have some thyroid issues and always try really hard to breastfeed but the longest I've made it is 2 months (no good, terrible, horrible mom!) so no, I didn't stop voluntarily to try to get pregnant :)
DeleteAnd I'm so glad you like the blog!! Thank you Katherine!!!
The big question is - what on earth will you do when call weekends are over?! Where will you get mac n cheese?! You'll have to go all the way to the mall just to find an escalator - the horror!!
ReplyDeleteIn tunnels, lights that end up not being oncoming trains are very, very awesome. Does it make me a horrible wife to look forward with great anticipation to my DH getting back out on the road after 2.5 months at home with us? That's my light and I am clinging to it. It will be nice to not have to answer the "why are there always toys all over the house" inquiry every single night. We have kids, they have toys, ergo, toys all over the house always. Congrats on the newest camper camping out in your ute :-)
ReplyDeleteI just received my husband's call schedule for next month (he has been an interventional cardiology attending for years) and he is on call two weekends in a row…WTH?!?! I am DREADING that stretch!
ReplyDeleteNOOOOOOO!!!! We had a stretch of five in the fall ---- I'm still recovering. haha
Deletebut that should not be allowed post-residency :(
i don't know what is more adorable-- the kiddo's "boo" faces, or Simon's face! He totally has this dad thing down!
ReplyDeleteI know!! So glad his face wasn't cut out of all of them!!
DeleteI seriously considered writing a blog entry on toilet paper today complete with comparisons of US vs other countries, current trends and vintage tp. I mean, you want to talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel for blog fodder!
ReplyDeletehahhah I still think I have you beat Heather ;)
DeleteI AM a reader!!!
ReplyDeleteJust so damn proud of you Miss Grace. You are almost there!! There is indeed light at the end of the tunnel. I remember it well when we were coming to the end of our first deployment cycle (three years of love baby). You will survive this and at the end of it you get a beach house in Florida ( a dream I know). Win Win baby!!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read all about your adventures with Baby #5 and the end of residency. Simace for the win!!
As someone who is now 2+ years out from residency/spouse of former resident, it will AMAZE you how quickly you forget about the craziness of it all. And then it becomes a different kind of stress/crazy but better, definitely. Kind of like childbirth - you forget about the whole "labor" process and then you either 1) do it again or 2) have a vicarious moment through someone else and think "oh my goodness this is/I am NUTS". Hang in there, you're almost done :) p.s. if I have to suggest a "silver lining", it's that at least you know how to do things on your own/you've learned how to make it work. I think that is a SUPER valuable skill to learn as a parent/spouse because when things get busy (and they still will/do even post-residency) and it's just you, you know you've done it before, it's been way worse, and it will get better sooner rather than later. And then give yourself a super big pat on the back because not everyone can do it :) ... and that of course goes for anyone who has to do things on their own, not just a resident/attending's spouse :)
ReplyDeletehaha. I understand. However - I'm 5 years out of teaching high school and still very much remember the horrors of the classroom (for me) like they were yesterday. I don't think I'll forget residency very quickly either ;)
Delete"Even bigger crazy eyed no blink smile"... 😂😂😂😂😂😂
ReplyDeleteOmg I'm gonna have to stop reading your blog while nursing the baby to sleep my laughing keeps waking her!
152 days. 152. Not that we're counting down here or anything...
ReplyDeleteYou need to make a paper chain or something. 7 little loops. I suppose that is doable, perhaps.
ReplyDeleteI am just completely in awe that your kids wear button downs and vests. My son will only wear "fluffy" things aka sweatpants and sweatshirts. Good on you. Quick (very, very random) question - where in the world did you get that awesome calendar from your announcement for #5? I love it. And congrats on your beautiful family, another crazy one to add to the mix, and all other big life changes coming your way.
ReplyDeleteReader for life. #threatorpromise
ReplyDeleteResidency countdown away - you're stuck with me..! :)
ReplyDeleteI can't get over how adorable Theo is in those photos!! What a little munchkin! And yayyy the end is near! Happy for you guys!
ReplyDeletexoxo Alice Rose
lovelyislander.wordpress.com
I can't get over how adorable Theo is in those photos!! What a little munchkin! And yayyy the end is near! Happy for you guys!
ReplyDeletexoxo Alice Rose
lovelyislander.wordpress.com
Seriously counting the days. I do not feel like it is too soon to do that. Lol.
ReplyDeleteMy friend just added me to the "Lives of Doctor Wives" group on fb. Have you heard of it? So awesome and cheeseball all rolled into one!
Honestly, you could write about cutting your toenails and it would be hilarious and I would still come back to read more. I just love your way with words and your adorable family! :)
ReplyDelete