Ask Mama...Round 2!

After re-reading my last "Ask Mama Anything" post...I'm still surprised I have any followers! Holy man, was that long!!!

I promise to keep this one shorter...MUCH shorter! (And, for the record...watch for some questions to appear in future Five Question Fridays...you've got some good ones in there!)

Okay...here we go!

Mrs. Werginz asked:

Did you always want a lot of children?

Yes, I think I did! I always remember thinking I wanted 4. I came from a family of 4, so, that must be perfect, right?!

The Mr. and I reached four...were decidedly content and happy with life when WHAM!!! Along came Baby Girl (re-reading that makes me wonder...is anyone up for a "Birth Stories Blog Hop" for Mother's Day?).

And life hasn't ever been the same...but I wouldn't want it any other way! That sweet girl is a little ray of sunshine (and, oftentimes, a tumultuous thunderstorm, too) and her presence in my life has been a blessing (and brought with it a few gray hairs and wrinkles!).

Punken asked:

Did you always want to become a nurse? And Why?

Actually, no, I didn't. When I was younger I wanted to do two things:

1. Be a mom.

2. Work at the Dairy Queen.

I never did accomplish #2 (er...whoa. That came out wrong. GAH! So did that!! I need to stop...), which my waistline probably thanks me for.

When I had The Pal, I was a freshman in college (or, "First Year Student" as said by my liberal Catholic college. And, er...what about "liberal" and "Catholic" goes together?!)...I was unsure of what my major was going to be. English? Maybe. Elementary Ed? Hmmm, sure.

Then, in the second half of my first year, my life changed. One night, while I labored away and bellowed for the entire maternity ward to hear, "I've gotta poop!!!", my life changed. And for the better.

The experience I had delivering The Pal was something else...and I determined that those wonderful saints that had just helped me through the most pain I had ever experienced in my life? Yeah...I had to be one of those.

I think I called my school and declared my major the next day. Caught up with the nursing program during the summer, and graduated right on time with the rest of my class. (Thank you, foresight, for taking those post-secondary classes in high school!)

And the rest, my friends, is history!

Monica B asked:

What would be your best piece of parenting advice?

Funny you should ask. My favorite thing to tell patients is this: Enjoy this. Don't stress out. Relax and enjoy every single moment of this time, because it goes so fast. Don't worry if the baby wants to eat and it's only been 1 1/2 hours. Don't worry if you're swaddling the right way. Don't worry if..don't worry if... Just enjoy.

Take it from me, the woman who put her infant son to sleep last night, and when we woke up he was 15, driving a car, and the big brother to 4 younger siblings.

You blink, and you miss it...and being stressed takes away from the magic that is your children.

They are amazing little creatures...so enjoy them!

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Okay, there...was that better? Shorter? I can NOT seem to answer a question with a short answer, so I guess that means I have to answer fewer questions! Have a wonderful day!