The Big Three O

Today Daddy hit the big Three O! He is no longer in his 20s meaning he is now OLD! Well at least to us who aren't even close to getting to double digits.

We asked him what he thought about turning 30 and this is the face he pulled.

We then explained how we were putting this on the blog, so he gave us this smile.

Ryker and I and decided we needed to start making some new traditions. So we decided that we are now going out to breakfast to start the Birthday celebrations off. (Mommy was all for it since it meant it she could celebrate too and not have to cook and clean while everyone else was having a good time.)

When we told him that he could have anything on the menu and Mommy would pay he gave us this face.

While waiting for our food, Ryker got hungry and decided to start eating the crayon. Mommy said no, Daddy said no, Ryker said give me some food then.

After our wonderful meal our sweet little server obliged Mommy and took this photo. Little sidenote when it was time for Mommy to pay, the same little sweet server told us the family sitting near but who had already left had paid for our breakfast too. Mommy got all teary to think that some stranger out there would do something so kind and thoughtful. It made Daddy's Birthday even more memorable.

Then we went to this beautiful spot and did what Daddy loves so very much.

Fishing!!! We have only heard of this sport, but today we got to experience it. It was thrilling.

Then we opened presents. Ryker and I got him this hat.

This soccer ball.

This book.

Then Mommy gave him a card.

But something was in it. "What?" you may be wondering. Tickets to Brian Regan. (Don't know him and wondering why Daddy is giving Mommy that "You are one sneaky little girl," finger. Click here.)

But then after presents, Daddy and Ryker went and checked our line again.

Sitting by the water, nothing beats it.

Stinking oxygen limited my mobility. So I just familiarized myself with my rod and reel back at the picnic blanket.

Daddy becoming one with his rod.

Ryker becoming one with his potato chip.

Then we took a break and broke out our little Hibachi grill and had some hot dogs and little picnic. This was the first grill Daddy got for his birthday 7 years ago. (That was his first Birthday gift as a married man.)

Mommy asked me to give Daddy a special "it's your Birthday" smile. This is what I came up with.

When she asked Ryker, this is what he decided would work.

It was an awesome fun filled day. So exciting that Daddy was worn out.

So was Ryker.

And so was I.

And Mommy was too.

This definitely goes down as one of the most perfect days our family has ever had.

Happy 30th Birthday Daddy, we hope the next 30 are even more exciting.

Memorial Day

Ever since Mommy was a little girl she was taught a few very important things about Memorial Day. One, it is a day off from school and work and since it is the beginning of Spring so it was a good day to picnic (she grew up in near the arctic circle so yeah it was most likely the first day there wasn't 5 feet of snow on the ground). Two, it was a day to go with her Grandma and Grandpa to the local cemetery to decorate the graves of deceased family members. Three being most important, it is day to remember those who have and do fight for our Freedom. Now Mommy is teaching us.

A Sunday Drive

Just going on our Sunday Afternoon Drive.

Smiling for Mommy

Daddy going over the basics of handling such a machine.

Having a jumpy start.

Then we found this big stick and gave it to Daddy and had a fabulous drive.

Yummy Yummy Honey Crunch

If you know my mom you will understand why this is an incredible moment for me. Mom hates messes, and being a boy, I have a tendency to be messy. She knew me and a bowl of milk and cereal would be the end of her clean kitchen flour (the one she had mopped after I went to bed the night before). But she bit her lip and let me have at it.

She was trying to be a good Mommy and give me a spoon, but I like my fingers better.

But I did keep my spoon handy.

Here I am practicing swirling the milk.

Okay, I will try the spoon just this once.

Okay, this spoon is not so bad.

But, I will stick with my trusty fingers for now.

It turned out okay. We will have try this again sometime.

You May Be a Geek if . . .

You happen to know that today is Geek Pride Day! We just wanted to remind all you geeks out there to feel pride in your geekiness. And also here is a reminder of your Rights and Responsibilties.

Rights:

1. The right to be even geekier.
2. The right to not leave your house.
3. The right to not like football or any other sport.
4. The right to associate with other nerds.
5. The right to have few friends (or none at all).
6. The right to have as many geeky friends as you want.
7. The right to be out of style.
8. The right to be overweight and near-sighted.
9. The right to show off your geekiness.
10. The right to take over the world.

Responsibilities:

1. Be a geek, no matter what.
2. Try to be nerdier than anyone else.
3. If there is a discussion about something geeky, you must give your opinion.
4. To save and protect all geeky material.
5. Do everything you can to show off geeky stuff as a "museum of geekiness."
6. Don't be a generalized geek. You must specialize in something.
7. Attend every nerdy movie on opening night and buy every geeky book before anyone else.
8. Wait in line on every opening night. If you can go in costume or at least with a related T-shirt, all the better.
9. Don’t waste your time on anything not related to geekdom.
10. Try to take over the world!

(Above picture is of two of the geekiest people we know. Yep, we are the offspring of geeks, it wasn't our choice we and we will always claim that right to deny any relation to them whenever we so choose!)

P stands for . . .

Have you ever had a recurring nightmare? And you just can't seem to stop having it every night, no matter how hard you try to think happy thoughts before you go to sleep.

Well I am living a recurring nightmare. Remember the horror filled month of February, then we had the almost cancelled trip to the Pulmonologist in January, which was preceded by an awesome trip to cousins that ended in THIS. I think Mommy jinxed us all with this Post, I mean really, do you flaunt the fact to every germ in the world that I have been so healthy for a three year old and then expose me to every stinking one of them in just a couple months. I mean really, use some caution woman!

Haven't figured it out yet? Well I have . . . PNEUMONIA!!! Yep, once again, the germs have attacked with full force.

It all started Tuesday after an awesome session of physical therapy and occupational therapy. (I am totally going to brag and say that I am making AMAZING progress in both, but that is for another post.) I came home not feeling so splendid. Mommy and my super amazing nurse got my feedings going, gave me a dose of ibuprofen, since I felt "warm," 101.9 degrees Fahrenheit warm. Well, I just kept feeling yuckier, and started feeling warmer. An hour after that first dose, I had a temperature of 103 degrees. So they decided to stop my "food" (now I will someday do a whole post on this stuff) and started pedialyte through my g-tube and gave me some tylenol. A half hour later I felt worse and they checked my temp and it had gone up to 104 degrees.

YIKES!!!

Another half hour later it started to finally break. Goodnes Gracious I felt horrible. Headaches, difficulty to breathing, and wanting to throw up everything I have ever had pumped into my belly. I hurt everywhere!

Needless to say, it was a long night. Daddy stayed up practically the whole night with me, just to make sure I was okay. I love my Daddy.

I had an appointment with my Ears Nose & Throat doctor the next day. She looked down my trach tube and said that everything saw made her think it was viral, but warned Mommy to be carefully since the fevers kept going so high, and I was needing more Oxygen. So if I got any worse, we needed to do something different.

I was so up and down the rest of that day. One minute I was feeling great and running around the house destroying everything with Ryker, and with in 10 minutes I would end up Mommy's lap crying because everything hurt again, and I was having such a hard time breathing.

So yesterday morning, Mommy called our absolutely amazing and fantastic Pediatrician. We got in first thing in the morning (like when Mommy called they said, "how about coming in right now.") So in we ran. Seeing my doctor bought me some blood work and two Chest X-Rays. I have to say, I love Radiology technologists, but phlebotomists . . . I am working really hard to find something good about them, any redeeming quality, any.

And guess what they found . . . PNEUMONIA!

(disclaimer: this is not my actual Chest X-Ray, but one I found on the internet. Gotta love Google images.)

So I bought myself a fun filled course of antibiotics. Remember how I said that I am trying to find a redeeming quality for phlebotomists, if I didn't already now some pretty cool nurses (I have a family full of them), nurses would be at the very top of my blacklist and I mean VERY TOP. My course of antibiotics starts off with two days of them being SHOTS! Immunizations nothing . . . try IM Rocephin. But thankfully it is only two days, then I get the augmentin through my g-tube.

So here is to hoping that this is the last of the nasty nine letter word that starts with a P.

Cousins!

My cousin came over today. We have a great time together because we share one common LOVE. We LOVE dirt. Dirt is dirty and that is just what we boys need.

Come back so we can get even more dirty!

Spring?

So it was a beautiful spring day today, and if your spring has been anything like our spring it has been WEIRD! One day 80 degree weather, the next day snow. What in the world? So since it was actually a BEAUTIFUL spring day, we went to the park.

Did the usual slide adventure.

But then we had a little accident and I fell down from the playset. As you can see, I survived, but let all the adults around know that they were seriously lacking in responsible adult genetics and I totally did not approve.

But Ryker cheered us all up with his amazing ball throwing skills, so all was well.

A Little DIY in Action

Remember how we said we were getting Mommy a brand new bedroom set. Well Daddy set himself up for a whole lot work when he decided to get Mommy that gift. So in preparation of the new bedroom set, Mommy wanted to switch things up a bit. PAINT!

Go Daddy, use that extra tall-ness to reach the top.

Go Ryker, use that smallness to get all the way to the bottom.

No we have to get the bedroom set here, new bedding, new drapes . . . what did start?

Being a Mother

Once upon a million years ago, someone told me that it was every young girl's highest hope and aspiration to be a mother.

"WHAT?!?!" I thought to myself.

"Not me!"

"My dreams are much bigger and grander than that. I plan on becoming something great. I will become an Astronomer and discover stars and worlds unknown. I will become a doctor and research and find the cure to diseases without number. I will become a diplomat who will single-handedly end wars and suffering. I will become a writer whose words will move people to do many great things. I will be a musician whose work will bring peace to many souls. I will be a painter whose art will bring tears and joy to all who see it. I will change the world!"

That is what I thought that day.

"Mothers do nothing important. They sit at home with little children, cleaning and cooking and do nothing of consequence." Or so I thought.

Now I am mother, and I realize this work is the greatest work anyone could be entrusted with. We discover new stars every night. I get to heal their sick little bodies with hugs and kisses. I end battles over crayons, toys, and books everyday. Through my words, their thoughts and dreams are shaped. I am their favorite singer whose songs can stop their tears. I help them paint and color works of art that open a world of imagination. And it is through them that I see the world change.

And I realize that my work is great.

Thank you for allowing me to be a mother!

Things We Love About Spring

We love beautiful blossoms on our tree.

We love working in the yard.

Gotta love our stylish garden gloves.

We love gardening and playing in the dirt.

And we love this. "Dead blossoms?" you may wonder. No, the beginnings of a fruit. Hooray for Spring!