My final shower was hosted by my Olentangy Pediatric Dentistry crew. 38 weeks pregnant. Big as a house. Buffett at Der Dutchman. Pouring rain and blowing wind. Priceless.
TONS. OF. FUN.
But these ladies know how to have fun. I am already firmly aware of this.
To support this point, here are some ghosts from Christmas Parties Past...
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| Hygienists with the mostest! |
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| Oh Pattie...what would I do without you? |
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| Good looking AND they have chickens at their house! So jealous... |
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| Dr. Jeff is one with the animals. |
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| Fun times in the Milton Basement! Punch! |
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Laura wins all the time at games of skill and games of chance. Luckiest girl I've ever met.
And she can open locked doors with credit cards. #Churchcamp! |
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| Rosie and her man! |
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| Barb and her LRC bucks! |
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| The Original OPD Crew, back when it was just two ops, two benches, and a man with a plan...with three good ladies helping him out. |
And just hanging around the office:
They have been simply amazing to me the past nine months. They are forever asking me how I feel, if I'm too tired to add in a patient, to rest. Katja has had more practical advice on natural labor and delivery and breastfeeding than a lot of the books I've read. And I'm pretty sure (FAIR WARNING: T.M.I. ahead!) that Baby MoMo commenced his existence the night of Liz & Paul's wedding. This crew, and Dr. Jeff, too, are simply the best folks to work around that I could have ever asked for. It isn't easy being 9 months pregnant in any situation, but being a pediatric dentist has to be one of the more challenging jobs to perform in such a state. The OPD gals made it easy. Really,
I looked forward to coming into work on Mondays and Wednesdays!
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| My "tan pants" on my last day before maternity leave. |
We really do a lot of work, too. For reals.
Here's a sample of some of their good baby advice:
Rosanna:
"Those Lean Cuisine meals have waaaay too much sodium for you and your baby. Have some more cookies."
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| Of course I needed a Coach diaper bag, Dr. Jeff? You are crazy to think otherwise! Poor Alana has it soo tough... |
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Katja and Laura. Alles gute, Kati!
Laura: "Maybe his middle name could be Rafiki. Or Raekwon." (Husby and I want a middle name that begins with the letter R.)
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| All the girls after lunch |
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| Look at all the decorations Laura put together |
Angie: "
Don't worry, Dr. Kara, little boys can be in pageants, too." (I am still laughing at that line!)
Shannon: "In Germany, you'll be lucky if they pop you a Tylenol after your labor and delivery. Get the drugs, sister." (Shannon's first baby was born in Germany.)
Another great Shannon line: "It used to be, out in the fields, you'd deliver next to whatever crop you were planting or picking, tear the cord with your teeth, and then just keep on working." I laughed so hard when she said this. What a visual. In all reality, there is some truth to it, and it was a great concept for me getting through the last weeks of work.
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| Does your trainer know your eating that, Shannon? |
Pattie: "
Just remember, Kara, during labor, say to yourself, 'The sky is blue and the grass is green. You'll get through it.'"
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| Oh, Pattie, what would I do without you? Wait, didn't I already say that? |
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| Fruit basket from Dr. Jeff! So good! Especially the chocolate ones. :) |
All in all, I can't complain one little bit about working and being pregnant, much to the kindness of the OPD crew. And THEN they got me a Coach diaper bag for crying out loud!
I know baby MoMo is already missing the sounds of high speed drilling, fussy two year olds, and the beep of the pulse ox.
See you in a few weeks, y'all! Get the doorknob monkey ready!
