Ten on Tuesday

1. I am back to trying to train for this blessed race. My first run back was in Abbey's neighborhood and it went well. My hip feels much better for about a mile then not so much. I have enjoyed my two outdoor runs this past week. I think I was in desperate need of vitamin D, even if the running was very slow going and still slightly painful. So today I went swimming, which was more fun, but almost died.

2. I finally gave in and bought Rowan longer pants this weekend. The pants he had handed down to him from Everett were long enough but still way to wide for Rowan's tiny waist. In good news when you go to buy pants in March they are marked down to three dollars a pair, which was a pleasant surprise at Kohls. He now is in 24 month pants that are slightly baggy, so strange.

 Check out Ro's crazy baggy pants!

3. On that same note Rowan had his two year doctor's appointment on Friday where we found out he is in the 30th percentile for weight and 66th for height. He is doing all the things two year olds should be doing and got one shot that didn't even phase him. He is getting bigger and talking up a storm, definitely 100% two years old.

 Rowan was pretty scared the whole time, but no tears!

 I love taking Rowan to the doctor because he is really cuddly the whole time. I can't get enough snuggles from this tiny boy!

 Of course we had to celebrate with some fun cookies afterwards!

4. After weeks of trying to earn the privilege of Big Hero 6, by not throwing huge irrational fits, Zane finally reached his goal yesterday and he was rewarded with his new favorite movie. As luck would have it we met Aunt Abbey at Target and spontaneously planned a movie night at our house so everyone could join in the fun. The Richard's had never seen it so it worked out nicely. There was popcorn, pjs, dancing, and lots of fun! No pictures somehow though, which is unfortunate.

5.Marty and Mary have been MIA for a few days and Rowan has been devastated. Today we finally got more bird seed. Rowan was so excited and helped me fill all the feeders. Here's hoping Marty and Mary get back soon.

 6. Today it was finally nice enough to spend the afternoon at the park. Zane found some boys his age to play with, which left little Ro lost again, continually with his eye on his Bobo! Rowan also mastered the huge slides at the Pirate park, all by himself.

 Zane also finally got to use his new parachute guy! 

7. Today we had another fun outing with Maggie and Grandma, this time at the Bounce N Craze. It was nap time when we got there, so things went as well as one could hope.

 Rowan mastering the climbing wall!

 These two played a lot of air hockey. Good times!!

 Oh and we might have eaten at Cow Calf Hay two days in a row, it's a good life!

8. Zach is currently in the middle of a very busy time at his work. This means that sometimes he has to bring some work home. This can lead to stamping fun on daddy's print outs. Yes, this was an extra page and thought it was a great glimpse at our life currently.

 9. We finally got our Roar-N-Run medals last week. They are hanging proudly by pictures of my sweet heart hero.

 I found the folder from Zane's first cardiologist appointment again this week. It has the diagram that showed all of Zane's different congenital heart defects. It also had the little piece of gortex, like the one used to patch his VSD. Zane looked at it for a long time and then joined me in a rousing version of "There is a Little Piece of Gortex in my Heart," a fan favorite in our house!!

 

10. Today our surprise Easter hats from Grandma arrived. Zane put his on and immediately started channeling Uncle Able, "Looking good ladies," complete with a wind and a gun. Seriously, I took about five pictures of him in this hat, all mid wink and gun! Rowan didn't leave his on very long, but trust me it was adorable. Thanks Grandma!!!

 

 Very cute without the hat as well.

Play Ball

Zane has grown up watching baseball since he was a little tiny peanut. We told Zach's parent's we were pregnant by sending them an Albert Pujols shirt. There was a Cardinals game on TV in the delivery room for heaven's sake. He sings take me out to the ball game with the line 'root root root for the Cardinals.' Go Cardinals was one of his earliest phrases. So it's easy to say he is quite the baseball fan and started asking to play tball last summer. We decided to give it another year in hopes that his attention span might increase slightly in a year.

 Zane celebrating the Cardinals World Series win in 2011!!!

Zane loving his first T that he got for his third birthday!

 Of course Zane has an amazing memory and has been asking when baseball will start since we told him he was going to have to wait until spring time. We signed him up in Jan. for spring t-ball. We have taken two exciting trips to the sporting good store and I think we are finally completely outfitted for t-ball. Zane has been practicing religiously in the backyard, working on batting, catching, fielding ground balls, all the things a good baseball player needs to know. He has mastered the art of loading up all his equipment into his new baseball bag which is an very important skill to have as well. Anytime Daddy isn't home, and he has to put up with my less than stellar baseball skills, he makes sure to show me which hand is my glove hand and which one is my ball hand. He talks me through the batting process, "ok mom, bend your legs, keep your eyes on the ball, bat up, elbow up, and swing." He, of his own accord, developed a high kick/step with his hitting process, not unlike Albert Pujols of yesteryear. Zane's a great batter, but like all four year old baseball players could use some work on catching. But we are getting there.

 

 Zane, being the son of a neuro nurse, has grown up with an intense fear of head injuries, hence loves his new helmet. I have suggested he wear it all the time, probably a great idea.

Yes, he has little miniature cleats. Something about seeing him lase up the cleats made him seem so grown up. Right up until the part where he couldn't actually tie them, then he seemed completely four!

A few weeks ago we found out that Zane's first baseball team was going to be called the Little Rascals, perfect if you ask me. We asked him what number he wanted and his exact response was, "maybe 500, or 16." So we went with 16, that's as good as any number I guess. Their colors are throw back Cardinal blue (which they are calling N.C. blue, but we all know it's Cardinal road game blue circa the 80s) and red which is also perfect. Since found out he was going to be a Little Rascal we of course had to watch the movie. Zane loved it, but was confused as to why the kids weren't playing t-ball in it.

After all of this build up, lots of waiting, and preparation yesterday was Zane's first official practice. We met everyone at a park in a near by housing addition. It was a great set up with a small little playground for the younger siblings to play on. I took Rowan to the park while Zane went to practice. I watched most of the practice from a distance and my take away was that Zane is easily the tallest player by a couple inches and I'm guessing one of the oldest. A few times I looked up and he was running off to I don't know where. I have since heard that he had run straight past first base, which will happen when first base is being marked by someone's mom sitting on the ground. Zach was assistant coaching and loving every  minute of it. Zach's response upon getting into the car after practice was that he was not concerned about Zane's ADD at all, so I'm taking that a good sign. He waited his turn, listened, and I from all accounts had a great time as well.

 Everything loaded up in his baseball bag, ready to go! He's so big in these pictures.

Rowan meanwhile was lost without his big brother, wondering around the playground confused about what to do next. He kept pointing over to where Zane and Zach where, "my dadda, bobo, right there." It was kind of sad, I knew he really wanted to be part of the fun, but that's how it goes when you're the little brother. Rowan does have his own little glove and has started batting off Zane's old T when Zane is practicing at home. It's all very adorable and all very boy, as are all things at my house these days. Why do I feel like I have years of baseball practice in front of me. We marked our helmet and bat with Korenak so we are set for a few more years!

Little Ro practicing, rocking his new GW shirt, thanks Aunt Abbey!

Ten on Tuesday

1. Well the snow, ice, and days indoors continued this week, much to my dismay. I researched things to do inside which are always lists of fifty things, that if we did all fifty, might keep us entertained for an hour. I did find some more science experiments, this weeks highlights were exploding Ivory soap in the microwave. And by explode I mean it grows and is a weird texture. We also made colorful celery which was less entertaining. Rowan still amazes me with his concentration. Zane continued excitement during science time which is harder to produce.

Here is Rowan with his expanded Ivory soap that he made all kinds of pretty colors. 

2. Highlight of my week by far was Abbey's birthday dinner at Ludivine OKC Friday evening. It was sibling date night, which we have never done, and it was a blast. We did a five course tasting menu, with wine pairings, which was stupid expensive, but was worth the fun, almost two hour long, experience. Abbey wrote a great post about it here, and I whole heartily agree that sometimes you have break loose with the money for a wonderful experience you can't have everyday.

My handsome date and I!

 Two of my favorite people in the world. So happy to have another lady in sister pictures these days!

 And what can I say about these guys?? Hysterical!

3. More snow means more playing in the snow. Rowan has mastered the snow angel and we put both boys to work shoveling snow.

4. This week I made homemade bread, my twice yearly tradition. Rowan was a great help/mess. The bread turned out amazing and my kitchen started to look like snow covered yard!

5. The bread was for Abbey's second bday celebration on Sunday evening. I took exactly three pictures, even though I did bring my big camera. All of them were of Rowan in this hat which was very adorable. Happy Birthday Aunt Abbey!!

6. Lots of time inside means lots of time to play Super Heros! Rowan has started to love dressing up as well, but is confused about them both being good guys, not fighting each other. The picture below is my favorite thing ever!

7. This morning we had one of our best trips to the library to date, followed by a our weekly twenty minute battle at the allergy clinic. Trying to have my boys sit some what still for twenty minutes apparently is impossible. Rowan found lots of books he wanted to read/check out today and enjoyed these strange chairs!

"I read it Mamma!"

And of course no trip to the library is complete without a visit to the old man statue outside.

 8. This afternoon our second indoor activity was Unpluggits, complete with every strange, home schooled family, in all of Edmond. Grandma bought the kids masks when we left and Zane did a bang up job coloring once we got home.

 9. Ro finally agreed to wear his adorable dog hat that I he got for Christmas. I have no idea why he was so anti woof woof hat, probably because it wasn't his idea, but he found it this week and has loved it. Look at his tiny face. He is 100% two, ornery, stubborn, and borderline out of control these past few days.

 

10. This weekend Zach and I are taking a little trip to beautiful Arkansas to meet little baby Mack. I cannot wait to cuddle a tiny baby boy and check in on the new parents. The boys are looking forward to a weekend with Grandma, so everyone wins. 

Emergency Leg Reattachment Surgery

Let me give everyone a brief refresher on the sixth member of my nuclear family growing up. Mom, Dad, Abbey, Able, Audra, and Jingle Boy. Lovingly referred to as JB, he entered our lives I think around the turn of the century. *I try to throw that phrase out as often as possible. He was a present to my mother from one of her music students, Christmas 2000, and then transitioned into a travel companion when Mom's school was doing Flat Stanley. If I correct I think his first traveling adventures were with Abbey when she studied abroad and travel all of Europe.
 
Since that time Jingle Boy was a staple on all trips that various members of our family went on. I hope mom has a list of everywhere he has been somewhere, but suffice to say he has been to multiple continents, countries, states, and has broken the sound barrier in an F-22 fighter jet, with my test pilot cousin Jason. Jingle Boy went on the band trip across the country with me in high school, was my travel buddy on all my trips to D.C. to visit Abbey when she lived there, he came on both the Fantastic Voyage, and the Hope Deferred Tour (both long stories for another time) when I was in college. I mean he has been to Ireland three times I think. He took numerous trips to the mountains when Able lived there and has traveled the world with friends and family for I fifteen years now.

Here is JB in his Tiger outfit in September 2007. This is the oldest album of my Picasa web albums, JB was prominent in it.

 JB in our third apartment after my nursing school graduation.

 

 JB in the Bahama's in 2009.

As many of you remember Jingle Boy was lost and presumed dead from April 2009 through the winter of 2013 when he was miraculous found in a plastic bag of stuffed animals at mom's house. We all grieved this loss and reluctantly started traveling with Jingle Boy's twin brother Jangle, who had been found a few years before JB's mysterious disappearance. Jangle was alright, but a step child for sure. He filled the gap, making trips to Nova Scotia and Ireland in JB's absence, but it just wasn't the same. It's at this point in the story that I realized that JB's life should really be a pod cast, a la Serial. "His name was Jingle Boy, but they called him JB. Weird I know."

Now Jingle Boy is heading back out on the road, or air as it were, to join the newly weds on their upcoming world travels. Mom brought him to my house this weekend, dressed in his classic Christmas outfit (he has a build a bear box full of outfits, mini passport, and numerous bags, don't kid yourself). It's hard to believe that Zane just recently met JB, I'm sure he would have been front and center for all my boys milestones had he been around. I think JB was front and center, literally for the birth of Brendan if I remember correctly. Anyway, I digress. The boys were excited to see him and set about playing with him Friday afternoon. Saturday morning Zane decided he wanted to "give JB a bath" and needed to take off his clothes. I left the room for I don't know what and when I returned Zane was holding JB by one leg and his hand was covering the spot where JB's other leg should be. When I asked where his other leg was Zane sheepishly showed me JB's left leg that was no longer attached to the body.

I immediately screamed, see how JB is a member of the family above, which threw Zane into a complete meltdown thinking he was in big trouble. Then I couldn't stop laughing at the site of poor old Jingle Boy, an amputee at the hands of my four year old. Luckily Grandma had stayed the night and rushed to the rescue. Turns out JB had previously survived and arm amputation/reattachment years ago while at school with mom. Zane also rushed into action with his doctor bag/supplies and was ready to assist with the reattachment. This is the best case scenario for a child who wants to play doctor, let me just tell you from experience. They gave him shots, put in an IV, put band-aids on, took serial blood pressures, listened to his heart, hung numerous bags of blood (zip-locks full of water), and assisted with the closure. After surgery Zane rushed JB to the ICU, his bed, in the ambulance, Ro's fire truck. There he was met, and kept company by, Mooly who is quite literally a pro at keeping people company in ICU's after surgery.

WARNING SOME IMAGES BELOW ARE GRAFFIC AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN!!

 

Left leg detached, left wrist peripheral IV in place, pre-op complete, ready for surgery.

 Looks like Dr. Zane is taking a little medicine for himself, hysterical!

 All good ICU's have Ninja Turtle pillow cases and pirate sheets if you ask me.

Mooly is much older and dirtier now, but a prow at hospital beds.

The surgery was a huge success and the boys spent the rest of the day caring for him. It was snowy, boring day so this was a welcome distraction. Zane did vitals, helped get him up and around, and by that I mean playing catch with him in the living room. Ro woke up from his nap and immediately got JB off the counter told me "I cuddle him," while he watched Mickey Mouse. The love for this little elf has officially been passed down to the next generation.

 

Yesterday we took him to Mr. and Mrs. Blakley and gave Kari a quick refresher course on the rules of JB; he does not go in bag, especially checked luggage, and he is a real person, a beloved member of this family, so take great care with him on your journey. (She may be questioning the sanity of the family she has joined, but I have faith that she will grow to love him too!) Also, I'm pretty sure JB has been on both Abbey and I's honeymoons so don't worry he's cool with it. I'm hoping for a picture of the Pope with Jingle Boy from Rome and of course you know JB is going to be hitting up the Turkish baths. I'm sure he is extremely excited to finally be heading out on another world tour! And I cannot wait to see tons of JB pics when the world travelers return.