A little self-reflection and a little focusing on those around me and just coming out and asking, I find myself a little bit inspired which means finally there is something to write about. How great, er, good, er, acceptable enough to pass a few moments out of your own life to take the time to read remains to be seen. But if you hang in there long enough you’ll get the answers to the questions you might have had. If anything you get to enjoy a picture of my incredibly cute little man. He declared that I should keep this picture forever so I will.

Sarah asked: Hi Laura! Your blog is my fave I’m also a NICU nurse and I love reading about that aspect of your life. So my question is, how’s work? Anything new or interesting going on in your unit? In mine the new thing is really working on developmental care and relationship-based care with families. It’s all very touchy-feely

Hi Sarah! I am the biggest fan of the touchy-feely aspect of nursing care in the NICU. They don’t call me the Love Nurse for nothing. But in all seriousness consistent developmental care is so very important to our tiny patients. I came to understand this so much more clearly after we took Daniel home from the NICU. From that experience I have to offer that positioning is so very, very important for our preemies especially as they grow and meet expected developmental milestones. Also be very, very mindful of all stimuli and how it affects/assaults these babies’ senses. Although Daniel is regarded by many in NICU settings to be a success, he carries still so much sensory issues related to the normal, routine care given to him. My hats off to your NICU for working to address and improve this aspect of the care we give.
In our NICU the big focus/project over this last year has been addressing and seeking ways to decrease the number of catheter associated infections. It has been a multi-disciplinary and family focused project where everyone who has any contact with our babies (nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists, radiology techs, lab techs, ward clerks, social workers, parents, siblings, other visitors) has been educated and re-educated and supported in an effort to decrease our infection rate. The results have been amazing as we have gone well over 120 days with no catheter-related infections in the unit. Of course that means we got to celebrate and you know how we nurses are, any excuse for a party especially if it is catered. Whoo-hoo!
Thanks Sarah! Great question.

Amy Saunders Hager asks:  Laura, I love photography!!! I was wondering what kind of editing software you use and how easy is it to learn? Thank you so much for your honesty on your blog! Love reading it even if a comment isn’t left. Love, Amy from Michigan

Hi Amy from Michigan! I love photography too. I wish I could take great pictures all the time. Honestly, most of my shots are just sheer luck on my part but I do accept what my dad once said and that is I have an eye for capturing the moment. The biggest compliment I received recently was when the professional wedding photgrapher at my sister in law’s wedding was following me to capture shots like this
Of course I had an advantage even to his amazing camera, lenses and other equipment that I was coveting. I knew a lot of the people there and knew them intimately. Still when I saw him hustling up behind me to catch a shot of Daniel and Holly’s boy friend, Ben, while they were dancing and playing together, I couldn’t help but be a little bit proud of my eye.
I am pretty basic with any photo editing that I do. The biggest reason is because I know so little about it. I took a PhotoShop classat a Creative Photography/Scrapbook Convention with the hopes to better understand this program but ended up being insulted because my learning curve was a little below the instructor’s expectations so I packed up my laptop and left. I’m sure that it was a clash of personalities so someday I will take some sort of PhotoShop for dummies class and hopefully be a PhotoShop freak.
Most of the photo editing I do involves a little cropping, maybe erasing a blemish or two and adjusting the lighting a little. I sometimes will adjust the color but most of the time I leave that alone because I think my subjects (my family) are pretty colorful all on their own. All of this editing that I do is very easily achieved using PhotoShop or Microsoft Digital Image Suite Editor. I use both but have to say I use the Microsoft program more only because I have had it for a few years now and feel very comfortable with it. I have to add though that the digital image suite program has been discontinued by Microsoft and no longer offer customer support for the product.
Thanks Amy, for your question. I would love to hear from you or anyone else about their favorite photo editing software or recommendations.

Baily writes: I wanna play! So, how DO you deal with it when an awkward situation comes up in real life over something you have blogged? Or does your family ever think you have blogged to much about something? (Both have happened to me, lol, just curious) Bailey TheMartinZoo.blogspot.com

Hi Baily! Great question! Well, awkward is part of the daily circus act here it seems. I guess with so many people in one family, so many different, strong personalities there is bound to be times like that. There have been occasions where one of my kids have expressed that I have gone too far writing something about them or have even gone so far as to ask me NOT to put THAT in my blog. Given that I am dealing with a young adult and teenagers and having learned my lesson a few times over I have to say that I do try to be sensitive to their wishes…and yet I post a picture of Holly’s boyfriend today on my blog! I can’t help it. He is quickly working his way into the hearts of us all.
But I have to say the worst or most awkward was when I blogged about how so very pissed I was over my husband’s mid-life crisis purchase last year. The response I got to that entry was surprising from several close friends of ours who felt I was out of line sharing something like that. The way I saw it then and still see it today is that they are entitled to their opinion but my expressing how I felt about it was justified and is all that matters. It’s my blog and I’ll write what I want to.
And the bike? A year later I still hate it but I have learned to tolerate it…but only a little bit.
Thanks for the question, Baily. I think all of us who put our thoughts out there publicly have to at one point deaal with a little awkward with family and friends. It’s always interesting to see how others deal with it.

Speaking of awkward and friends…just kidding! Kelly, my friend and my neighbor writes: I wanna know why is it that we have such rude neighbors? And I truly love all your pictures and thoughts…..

LOL, Kelly! Some of our neighbors can be such ass-hats! Thank goodness I have such an awesome neighbor and friend in you and your family! The way I see it, Kelly is #1 we were on this street first and #2 the ass-hattery that some of our neighbors seem to have perfected only serves to make you and me look that much more wonderful and awesome and ultimately, classier than any of them. Lastly, dear friend, we have to remember as rude and obnoxious as some of them can be, what comes around goes around. We have already seen karma come back to bite them in the butts a few times.

Want to read more? Check out my post today over at ModMoms Club where I reflect on the sun shining in my heart. Also be sure to stop over at Kim’s Emrgiblog where I am participating in the Patients for a Moment Carnival.