The Johnsons: Life

It has been almost 6 months since the last time I blogged. I think about blogging every few weeks...but I keep putting it off.
So much has happened since the last time I wrote, but I hesitated to write about it because I felt like we were in this constant stage of what the heck is happening and I didn't want to dwell on any of the crapiness and unknown that was happening to us at the time.
So here is a quick update on everyone from the last few months:

This picture perfectly captures our
family dynamic.
Travis: Goofing Off
Me: Trying to look good
Ruby: Wondering why we take
so many pictures

Thanks Nikki for the photos!

RUBY:

Posing

Wasn't I just headed into the hospital the other day to have this baby? Now I'm planning for her first birthday?? WHERE DOES THE TIME GO!? Seriously asking.
7 Months: Crawling, started swimming lessons, pulled herself up and walked along furniture
8 Months: Learned how to use a straw, started playing peek-a-boo (with everything), walked with her walking toy
9 Months: Clapping, waving, standing on her own
10 Months: Walking on her own, started drinking whole milk
11 Months: Cut 9th tooth, bad ear infection & climbing up the stairs

Ruby continues to be a joy in our life. She is generally such a smiley and happy girl. She sleeps 11 hours straight every night on average (seriously...she is the best), on a good day she will have 2 naps, she loves to run as fast as she can, chew on everything/everyone (OW), loves to watch Sesame Street and pull everything out of every available cupboard and drawer. She still loves to eat mostly anything. A few of her favorite foods include: Cheese, popcorn, grilled cheese sandwiches, ice cream, yogurt, pasta, pickles and goldfish crackers.

Afro circus!

Swimming lessons

A few weeks ago Ruby cried ALL night. The only time she has done that is when she had a hernia, so we knew something was wrong. We took her to the walk in clinic and she had a really bad ear infection. She was put on antibiotics and we had a sad, congested, sick little girl for a few days. So sad when babies get sick! About a week after that she started screaming one afternoon after her nap. Unable to calm her down I checked her mouth and sure enough tooth #9 was making a nasty & bloody appearance. Ouch. It's tough being a baby!

Ruby's first Christmas was so fun! She was so spoiled and we had a lot of fun spending time with family. I cannot wait until next year! Here are some random pictures from Christmas:

So scared.

TRAVIS:

Summertime adventures

Last time I blogged Travis had applied for an EMS job with Lethbridge. Unfortunately he did not get a job, but that was ok because he still had two semesters of practicum to do before he finishes his Paramedic degree. (He is currently an EMT) He was supposed to be stationed in Calgary for his September practicum, but a week before he was supposed to begin something came up and he now had to do his practicum in Medicine Hat. (Annoying, because the whole reason we moved from Medicine Hat was because he was told he wouldn't have any more practicums there...) Travis would be on shift for four days, and then drive back to Lethbridge for 3 1/2 days and then head back out. It wasn't very fun for our family! On his second last rotation, an incident occurred where some medications were apparently missing from the ambulance Travis was stationed in. The drugs were found by the next people on shift and his preceptor said that it wasn't a big deal, just to make sure he checks everything on each shift. No big deal, right? Travis received a call from some of his teachers who had heard about what had happened and they told him to come in for a meeting before his next shift to discuss what had happened. No big deal, right? Travis packed and headed out to Medicine Hat and a few hours later I received a call from Travis. I knew something was wrong by the tone of his voice. The program decided that it would be best if he did not continue the rest of his practicum and that he would receive a failing grade. He now would have to re-take his practicum in the Fall of 2015. BIG DEAL. We did not see this coming. He was 4 days & one semester away from graduating. Now they were telling us we had to wait a year before continuing.
This whole situation makes me really upset that they would punish a student for something out of our control. I won't go into all of the specifics, but we fought with the teachers, program coordinator and the Dean to try and fix this absolutely unfair situation. We tried to plead Travis's case as he did nothing that would have resulted in a failed grade. (Especially FOUR days from finishing!!!) We tried to see if he could re-do his practicum in January 2015. Nobody even seemed to care. We are so frustrated with MHC and we don't know why this had to happen. Many tears have been shed (mainly on my part) but I know everything happens for a reason...so I guess now we wait and see what is in store.
In the meantime Travis is applying for EMT jobs around the province & working for a framing company until the Fall.

So stupid. (I'm still bitter if you couldn't tell!)

This is what Travis made me for Christmas! Headboard, Table (expands & had 2 leaves) & 2 bedside tables. Everything was made from pallets! What a handy guy...I think I'll keep him around:

On a happier note, we bought a second car for Travis to drive to work! It's a standard so he is in heaven! (I should probably learn to drive it...)

MACAUL:

She loves our selfies

As you now know, the last few months have been pretty stressful & VERY emotional for me (secretly I'm a huge cry-baby). I have wondered so many times why these things were happening to us. Then one day out of the blue, I got a Facebook message from a manager I once had at the Lethbridge hospital. He asked me what my work plans were after my maternity leave. (Work was the last thing on my mind during all of the school craziness) I told him I hadn't really thought about it, but if something good came up I would work something out.
Rewind to the summer Travis & I got married:
We went to a family reunion (Travis's mom's side of the family) out by Waterton and after everyone had done introductions, someone came up to me and said something to the effect of: "you sterilize surgical instruments? Cool. I'm a dental surgeon and I'm moving to Lethbrige in the next few years, I'm going to need someone like you" I thought of how sweet of a gig that would be and that was about it.
Fast forward to December 2014:
My old manager told me a new dental surgeon's office was looking for a casual surgical processor a few days a month. It turns out it was Travis's relative. I sent in my resume the next day, had a job interview later that week, worked a trial day and was hired! How crazy is that? During all of the drama going on, this great job fell into my lap. It works out perfectly because it is just a few days a week helping on busy surgery days. I now can get out of the house a few days a week, make some good money and still spend a lot of time with my sweet daughter.
Funny how life works out sometimes.

That's about it for us...we are so grateful for the support and love from our family during these past few months. (Especially my parents & Brooke for putting up with us everyday!!) I am looking forward to better things happening for us in 2015!
Now for more pictures! (I know that is what you really care about!)

Playing in the Raymond gym!

Happy girl!

Looking crazy on my 22nd birthday

Hot tubbing with grandpa

Starbucks addict. (Don't worry, it's just water)

She loves her "honker"

LOVES the water!

Pumpkin Carving

College basketball game

flying

1st Halloween

Loving her snowsuit

Cheese!

Since I had all of my birthday party's at The Movie Mill, Ruby will be celebrating her first birthday there! I want a super casual get together...don't bring a present but come eat cake! February 14th @ 1:30. Message me if you want to drop by!

It is so hard to believe how fast time seems to be flying these days.

Ruby is 3 months old already!

As much as I would like her to stay a tiny baby forever, it is so fun watching her grow.

Sorry for the picture of a picture...but here is Ruby's birth announcement

Here are some facts about Ruby:

-she loves the bath

-she loves to eat her hands and gag herself all day

-she scoots, wiggles and rolls over (front to back)

-Graduated into size 2 diapers

-just starting to grow out of a few newborn clothes

-babbles & screams to herself

-sleeps about 9 hours straight every night (mommy loooves that)

-drool queen

-loves to stand (with someone holding her)

-sits/hangs in her excersaucer for short periods of time

-loves to look at herself in the mirror

-laughs, smiles & giggles

-Ruby was in and out of the ER during the beginning of April as her inguinal hernia kept causing problems. The fear we had was that her bowel and/or ovary was falling into the hernia sac and then there is the possibility of things twisting and circulation getting cut off...not good. Eventually we saw a paediatrician in the ER and we were referred to a general surgeon at the children's hospital and she had surgery on April 23. Thank heavens I used to be surrounded by surgery everyday at work or else I would have been a wreck over the whole ordeal. The day before surgery we met with the surgeon and right away she could tell that Ruby's ovary had fallen into the hernia sac. (We tried telling 2 different ER doctors this but they just kept telling us we were feeling a tendon...geez) The night before surgery was really hard because Ruby had to fast, so we had to wake her up in the middle of the night to feed her and then when we woke her in the morning she was hungry, but we couldn't feed her...so sad! We had to be to the hospital by 630am (yuck!) but she didn't leave us for surgery until almost 8am. There were lots of kids having surgery that day and it made me realize how lucky we are to have a healthy baby with something that has an easy fix. Right before the nurse took her from us for the procedure the surgeon suggested exploring the left side just in case there was a hernia on that side as well. We consented and agreed it would be better to check now while she was under anaesthetic than have to come and do this all over again in a year. After they took her into surgery they gave us a pager (like what you get when waiting for a table at a busy restaurant) and we waited. I could tell a lot of the parents in the waiting room were really nervous, and even though surgery on a little baby is scary, I was very confident that all would be well and that Ruby wouldn't be in pain much longer. We waited an hour before our pager lit up and then I was allowed to go meet her in recovery room. The nurse took me through the doors of recovery and said "she'll be in one of the beds" and left. Thanks lady.

I found my sweet ruby at the back of the room wrapped up tight on a huge bed, with her little IV sticking out of the blanket. What a relief. I'm surprised she was so calm in recovery because it was FULL of kids screaming for their moms...but she was pretty drowsy from the anaesthesia and her epidural hadn't quite worn off yet. Poor thing.

Then the surgeon came and talked to me about the procedure. She said everything went well, however her ovary and Fallopian tube were both in the hernia sac on her right side along with a microscopic cyst and they also found a hernia on the left side when they were exploring. The surgeon was able to take care of everything and her incisions are tiny.

Modern medicine is amazing.

We were only in the hospital for a short time and them were discharged by noon. I felt really rushed, but it was so crowded on the surgical floor and I wanted to get out before the next rush of kids came in. She slept practically the whole day and recovered very quickly.

Now before I post a bunch of pictures of Ruby, here is an update about me & travis (mostly Travis...I don't do much other than hanging out with Ruby!):

-Travis is done classes at the Medicine Hat College!! Yay! This means he only has about a year of practicums before he is a paramedic! Currently he is looking for an EMT job if anybody knows of one!

-We are moving! With nothing really holding us in Medicine Hat we feel like it is in our best interests to move back to Lethbridge until we know more information about where Travis will go on his practicums. (And hopefully he will get a job there down the road) We are a little sad to be leaving The Hat, but it just never felt like home to us. It was never the plan for us to stay here forever and we are so excited to be closer to family and friends. Unfortunately moving is the worst. Luckily we were able to get rid of most of our furniture so we wouldn't have to move it. Currently in our living room we have our tv, coffee table and an air mattress. Classy. At least we have our bed for a few more nights!