Life Is Good: Saturday Fun

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Saturday Fun

This morning Ryan and I went to the zoo. It was crazy busy and super hot even though it was morning. We had fun, but we didn't stay for too long. I didn't want Ryan to get sunburned, and before you worry...I did lather him with sunscreen...head-to-toe. I enjoy going to the zoo the most when I can let Ryan out of the stroller and run somewhat freely especially down the main paths. Today the zoo was so crowded that I was scared to let him get out of the stroller at all without holding my hand. He would have darted into a crowd...and the rest...is left to your imagination.

Ryan got to play in the playground area for a little bit. He really enjoyed it. We had to leave before he was quite ready because some "big" kids(even though this particular section is marked "ages 2-5") came along and were a bit rough with the equipment and the "small" kids.

Ryan loves to swing. Ryan loves, loves, loves to swing.

The highlight of the zoo today (since every zoo trip has a new highlight): feeding bread to the fish in the neighboring pond.

After our zoo trip we went to Petsmart to look at the puppies. Petsmart has puppy adoption days on Saturdays and Sundays. I'd like to get another puppy sometime (sooner rather than later) but I don't know if getting another Boston Terrier right now is the best thing...maybe someday, but not right now. I already have in mind what kind of puppy I'd like to find, but that's a secret I'm not sharing. I'm not in a big hurry because I want to find the "perfect" puppy for us and I'm sure that will happen at just the right time. Today's Petsmart Puppy Adoption Day: Chihuahua. Yeah...cute...sweet...can be tempermental...not what I'm looking for. I actually had a chihuahua as a kid. She rode around in the basket on my bicycle. We didn't leave Petsmart empty-handed. I bought some dogfood for Bosco and a few small toys in anticipation of our next family addition.

After Petsmart we went to Wal-Mart, because who in their right mind would pass up an opportunity to got to Wal-Mart while in the City.

After our City excursions we went home and took a nap.

For dinner tonight I had planned to grill steaks on the grill. I lit the grill, let the fire die down and put the steaks on. The fire had gone way down and the coals were looking a little cold, so I wondered if the grill was going to have to be re-lit (no I don't own a gas-fired grill...I use the old-fashioned-tastes-delicious-charcoal-lit-with-a-match-and-lighter-fluid-style). Back to the point. I put the steaks on and went to run a very quick errand. When I went back outside...oh...so sad...fire! My cold coals with minimal amout of heat at the bottom took notice of the high-fat edge of the steak. Well...needless to say...the fat dripped, the fire was rekindled...the steaks were BLACK...burnt...not edible! Plan B...I grabbed a package of Cheddar Wursts. Delicious. Not as fantastic as steaks, but tomorrow is another day.

After supper came the watermelon!

While we were outside we discovered the culprit guilty of reducing the water level in our pool.

Hmmm....maybe that's why it's dirtier than I last remembered too.

1 comment:

Hilary said...: Cute pictures!! That silly dog too!; June 21, 2009 at 8:07 AM

Post a Comment

Brandy Danielle

Brandy is our firstborn, our precious angel baby girl. Her entry into this world wasn't without excitement. At 26 weeks I started preterm labor with contractions 5 minutes apart. With 10 weeks of strict bedrest, most of which were in the hospital, she made it to 36 weeks.
Brandy was diagnosed with "possible/probable" heart defect around 28-30 weeks gestation. After her birth she was whisked away to the NICU for monitoring and after a few days her defect was formally diagnosed and labeled...atrial septal defect and a cleft mitral valve.
Brandy, upon indications of failure to thrive and pulmonary hypertension, underwent her first of 2 open-heart surgeries at 4 months of age. A week after her surgery on the day of her anticipated discharge home Brandy coded for 13 minutes...a stoke.
From that point on Brandy's life was full of doctor's visits, endless crying, pain and suffering. She underwent another heart surgery, fundoplication and g-tube surgery, treatment for infantile spasms, and a mountain of tests and procedures. Her brain damage was extensive.
Upon counseling of our wonderful, most amazing heart surgeon, Dr. Christopher Knott-Craig, and many hours of prayer, we finally called in hospice and called off all of the extensive medical interventions and surgery needs that would prolong her suffering while possibly prolonging her life. Brandy, our precious baby girl...our angel...passed out of our arms and into the arms of her Saviour, Jesus at the tender age of 17 months.

Ryan Andrew

Ryan, our micro-preemie miracle, is a ball of life. After nearly a year of trying to conceive imagine our delight when we finally knew he was on the way. My pregnancy with Ryan was uneventful at first. It seemed perfect and with all of the precautions for preterm labor being taken and monitored we entered this pregnancy with cautious anticipation covered over by a whole love of naive excitement.
At 20 weeks we discovered our "Baby Peanut" was going to be a little boy. We began to make plans and began dreaming about the day we would meet our son.
Almost 2 weeks later everything changed in our lives. It wa a whirlwind of fear and emtions as I began to bleed, was sent for monitoring in L&D and eventually had an appointment with my OB only to find out that it was serious. I had incompetent cervix with hourglassing membranes. The doctor admitted me to the hospital immediately and an emergency cerclage was placed. The statistics were grim, but the hope was to keep our son inside for at least 10 more weeks. We only made it 10 more days.
Early in the evening of February 11, 2007 our son, Ryan, came into this world in emergency fashion at only 23 weeks 5 days gestation. He weighed 1 pound 8 ounces and was 12 ½ inches long. He was so tiny. All I could think of was “oh my goodness is he really that tiny? And is there any way he could actually make it?” I tried to hold on to hope, but in all honesty I had never met anyone with a baby born that early and that small that ever made it.
Ryan did make it! It was a long, hard road, but in the end he spent 90 days in the NICU. He was on a ventilator for 2 months. Finally on one fine glorious day in May we bundled up our 4 pound 4 ounce baby boy and went home...May 11, 2007.
Ryan is now a spunky, lively, strong-willed little boy. His laughter is contagious and his spirit is compelling. He is our miracle. There are no words strong enough to share our delight and joy that God has blessed us with this little boy.

Evan Alexander