Plain City Party Time

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...

Hygienists with the mostest!

Oh Pattie...what would I do without you?

Good looking AND they have chickens at their house! So jealous...

Dr. Jeff is one with the animals.

Fun times in the Milton Basement! Punch!

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!

Rosie and her man!

Barb and her LRC bucks!

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!

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."

Of course I needed a Coach diaper bag, Dr. Jeff? You are crazy to think otherwise! Poor Alana has it soo tough...

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.)

All the girls after lunch

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. 

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.'"

Oh, Pattie, what would I do without you? Wait, didn't I already say that?

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!