Archive for August, 2008

Getting closer!!!

Sunday, August 24th, 2008

There was an exciting flurry of activity this last week at the job site. There are now ceilings in all the rooms and painted walls… oh my goodness….the most striking difference was the installation of the cabinets and counters. As much as I try for the “home-like” look though the commercial building code is really pushing the “medical look”. For items like the floors we’ve been able to find a compromise but some items are not changeable….. there are enough grab bars in the bathrooms to make a trio of chimps happy and each room has emergency lighting that looks like aliens attached to the walls.

We’re still waiting on the plumber for toilets, sinks, the instant hot water heater, etc. which should happen tomorrow and Tuesday. Appliances will be delivered on Tuesday and some furniture at the end of the week. We need carpet and lots of little odds and ends but its definitely getting closer!!!!

Thanks Tiff!!!

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

I’m very proud and appreciative of all the work my daughter has done to build and maintain this website. What you don’t know is that she has also been the sounding board, and sometimes the voice of reason, during the evolution of Great Expectations. Tiff has shared her mad skills with me… including her math talents, floor plan drawing abilities, photography, sanding, planting, typing, researching, tape measuring and on and on. Great Expectations and I are much richer for her involvement.

Thanks Tiff!!!

Touched (and not in the head-I hope)

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Seriously though… I am so touched by the wonderful comments and support my families have shown me.  I don’t feel like I deserve it at all.  The women and families I serve are the true heroes.  They work so hard to do right by themselves and their babes and I get to witness the love and triumph.  I am in awe of the women I birth with and sometimes even more by the women I transfer.    I have the best job…too bad the hours aren’t better : )

It’s Exciting!!!!

Monday, August 4th, 2008

Everything is finally coming together and I’m so excited to see the dream becoming something real and solid. Although it’s not what I envisioned over a year ago I think it will be a wonderful place for visits and births. It should be very family friendly and has as many things as my budget would allow to pamper my couples from the “SOFT” big tub, queen size bed, heat lamps above the bed and in the bathroom to the no waiting in the waiting room.

It’s been a long journey but I think it’s all going to be worth it. Who will be the first baby born at Great Expections??? I can’t wait to read the next chapter. I guess I’d better finish working on the business license application first though. : )

200 Utah Births

Sunday, August 3rd, 2008

2004:  My first year in Utah and I got to enjoy 29 wonderful births.  Even the best hospital birth pales in comparison to an out-of-hospital birth.

2005:  During 2005 I was blessed to be at 48 births, and I christened 2005 “The Year of the Good Bottom” because I only needed to repair five small tears. 

2006:  I was very excited to reach my 100th Utah birth milestone with the lovely birth of Shaun Ethan in May !!!! Because some of the January 2007 children wanted to be tax deductions for their parents 2006 ended with a total of 64 beautiful babies. My “perfect” bottom record wasn’t as good as 2005 but still exceptional by anyone’s standards. Eleven bottoms needed minor suturing help after the birth, although there were more “skid marks” in 2006. One of the things I’ve observed is that almost all the births I attend the babies have hair. Even parents who were both bald at birth are having hairy little offspring. I’m not sure where all the hair comes from but maybe that’s what’s causing the skid marks. : )

2007:  This may have been the Chinese year of the “golden pig” but it was also the year of the big baby. My record in 2007 was a 10# 15 oz. little boy. And on one night two moms both gave birth to 10# 8 oz babies!  2007 ended with the birth of 42 new babes. 

2008:  In March 2008 I started my fifth year practicing in Utah and am looking forward to an office that’s bigger than 7 x 12.  My couples can soon stretch their legs out.  I’ve really enjoyed the home births and was thrilled to meet Lorna, a little 9 pounder and my 200th baby, on a hot summer night.