New Year and New Stresses

I don't know about you, but I usually bite off more than I can chew. Around this time of year I make new goals and get a little carried away. I started the orientation for my new job as a Hospital Coordinator at St Elizabeth's Hospital this week. I also began a rigorous work out program at the YMCA.

With these new developments not only did we realize that Brooke refuses to take a bottle, but we believe she has an allergy to cow's milk based formula. We haven't tried soy yet, that will be this weekend's test. On Saturday we had our new babysitter come by for a couple hours to get the lay of the land before watching the kids on Monday. When she got here I helped her make a bottle for Brooke using Enfamil. The sitter seemed a little awkward with the feeding so I helped a little and we got her to take 4 oz. After that, Steve and I went running at the Y and grabbed some pizza for dinner. 3 hours following her bottle, Brooke was projectile vomiting for the next hour and a half. I think she threw up at least 20 times, toward the end it was just bile, but so violent that she couldn't breathe during the episode. It was horrible! I called the doctor and was ready for a long night. Thankfully she cleared it out and was so exhausted she fell asleep and stayed asleep for the night. Talk about an added stress! What happens if she can't take soy either? It hasn't been an issue this week while I've been working. Brooke will hardly take anything from the bottle (2 oz throughout 6 hours) and I have enough milk in the freezer so far. Let's hope she grows out of any allergy she has!

I am taking a Body Boot Camp class at the YMCA 3 times a week, and trying to run 2.5 miles on the "off" days. Having just begun after 5 years of nothing besides kids is very difficult. My body is sore in places that I didn't even realize I had muscles! It's been great to feel like I'm actually doing something again. I wanted to do this a year ago, before Brooke made her presence known. Now Amy Stephenson wants to run a half marathon on Mother's Day weekend and I'm trying to get into training.

I'm having second (and third and 60th) thoughts about my new job. I really think it is an amazing opportunity, but I don't know if I want to give up these next 2 months with my kids and Steve. I need to orient full-time (4 days/night a week) prior to beginning my regular shift of only 5 shifts a month. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but knowing that Brooke is my last baby, and especially now that she is refusing any other nutrition source, is making it a tough sell. Steve has always encouraged me to work a little outside the home, but after the past 6 months of me being home he is changing his tune. He enjoys having me home and having no stress about schedules and child care, in other words he's gotten spoiled. We'll see how the rest of this month goes and I'll make a final decision about keeping my employment or not.