"....And All Through the House...."

"...not a creature was stirring, not even my baby!" until I finally called at 1:00 a.m. when I still hadn't received any frantic calls with baby screaming in the background, or any calls asking, "Okay now, what did you say again to do for...". Not even any calm little text messages reporting to me that she's eating now, time to pump! My oldest daughter sleepily answered the phone when I called. Before I left to work, she had asked me to call every two hours just to make sure that baby wasn't crying and they weren't hearing her. I told her that I didn't feel it was necessary until a little later, so now I was making that phone call, anticipating ear splitting screams in the background mixed with log-sawing snores. It was strangely, and peacefully..almost eerily, silent. I asked her, "Did Dad feed Isabella yet?" Holli: "No!" Me: "Do you think he might have maybe stayed up late on the computer and then fed her just before going to sleep?" (Like she would know that! She was sleeping!) Holli: "I don't think so!" Me: "And she is quiet now, right? (straining my ears)" Holli: "Yes.." Me: "Okay, now really quietly go take a peak at her and make sure she's okay..like still breathing...I mean that she doesn't have a blanket over her face or anything...don't turn on any lights, just leave the hallway light on and tiptoe in there.. I don't want her to wake up from you checking on her (and then have my husband blame me for the disturbance)" It was quiet for a moment, then my husband's sleepy voice, "Yeah?" I asked, "Oh, did Holli give you the phone? I didn't tell her to wake you up, just to check up on the baby!" He said, "No, I just took it from her because all the fussing around is waking the baby up!" There you go, I'm getting the blame here I can tell! I said, "She has never gone this long without eating before...she would have woken up right about now anyway! Okay, quick hang up and then just let me know when she eats so I can pump!" I decided to pump right away then anyway because I was going to have to get busy soon and turn the guy I take care of and wouldn't be able to pump for a while otherwise. I pumped and just as I finished, my husband called to say they were warming the bottle up for her. (He and Holli had decided that they were going to tag team on this one, just in case it turns into a monster of a night, so I had treats ready for them to make it into a party if need be, so Holli was up helping at this point.) Then at about 6:30 a.m. I got a call asking what time I get off and what time I would be home because baby was beginning to stir again and if I would be home soon enough, he wouldn't thaw another bottle, then I wouldn't have to pump. Well, I made it home just in time for her first cry of the morning...she made it all through my 11 hours of being gone (I had left early to run an errand) with only one feeding and was awake for about one hour afterwards for a diaper change and then minimal fussing, mostly just looking around and entertaining herself. I think this man is hired for night duty!

And work went like this: fun catching up with my client, shooting the breeze about whatever we felt like shooting the breeze about, catching up on emails, posting on my blog, doing some cares such as vital signs (checking blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation level, lung sounds, bowel sounds), skin care and about 4 turns and repositioning, suctions...then other duties such as checking all the machine settings, check oxygen tank level, med set up, clean suction canister, empty garbage, clean the bathroom and then the computer desk/work station and chart! And the guy I care for is very nice, doesn't argue or talk back to me, doesn't call me "mean" or any other names (at least not out loud), is super easy-going, just an all-around super guy!!!

Now, off to my 24/7 baby, who is currently vamping up for a "turn my face purple" sort of a crying session. I think she's a 24/6, 15/1 baby now. The 24/6 for the 6 days I take care of her all 24 hours (meaning high-maintenance all 24 hours I care for her), and 15/1 on the one day my husband has her 10 hours and I have her the remaining 14 (meaning high-maintenance for my 14 hours and one of Eric's 10 hours, equalling 15 hours of high-maintenance).

Oh, minor little side note now: Just a few moments ago I was telling my husband that I was going to post an update blog telling of the "...and all through the house...not a creature was stirring, not even my baby!" And he said, without missing a beat, "Until someone decides to call at 1 a.m.!" I said, "Hey now, she's too little to wake up from a teeny bit of fussing (that didn't even entail turning a light on)! She has never gone that long without eating! She would have woken up within 15 minutes of that, I guarantee you!" to which he just sat there for a moment with a small grin on his face, and then a, "I guess we'll never know..." My response, "I know!" We both laughed and he drove off to run some errands. So who all thinks I will ever live that little phone call down? And I know I'm right...and he knows I'm right, I'm sure...but he will never admit it! My body is really pretty tuned in to her feeding times and I had just had a milk letdown right before I called...I did inform him of this just before the, "I guess we'll never know.." comment but he didn't want to buy it!