H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y J O C K E Y!!!!!

It's Joshy's birthday today!

"We're gonna' party, we're gonna party, We're gonna' party like it's your birthday!"

What better way to celebrate than to go to a loud, crowded, festive place where they are throwing candy at you.... a PARADE! And that's just was we did. Jockey liked to wave and point at the interesting things. He did awesome at staying close to the stroller or the curb, I was prepared to leave if he wanted to wander off and go into the road. Even better than having candy thrown at you and stock piling it so that we have potty training candy to last us for a week, Joshy was given a little real toy. A plastic dog on wheels that makes noise and songs. The Lord's provision is great, isn't it! Caleb had a great time as well, although if you asked him what he saw, he'd say candy. Jockey was a boy after Uncle Brian's heart, candy candy candy. Of course, he didn't always finish the piece in his mouth to try the next one that was thrown at him. In the words of a parade participant "Here little guy, here's some candy because your face isn't quite sticky enough."

We (and I use that loosely) are going to round off Joshy's birthday with the Seahawks game and left over cake.

In other news, Caleb "cleaned" our TV and broke it. Yup, totally completely dead, irreparably. :( So the afore mentioned football game is being watched on a 13" portable tv. Somehow that hasn't dampened the volume of shouts being yelled at the screen by it's viewer.

Zuma is incredibly crate weary. It is really starting to bother her. In the last few days she had gone from the drugged up, weak acceptance of not feeling good and content to just staying put, to a crate hating depressed resignation. I can actually see her forlorned depression and sad acceptance of what she thinks her life now consists of. She is also starting to hold her leg differently. She use to just hold it tucked up, but in line with her body. Now, she holds it at an odd angle as if it's hurting her just to have it attached. I am going to be calling the vet on Monday to see if there is an earlier time to get her seen. She is absolutely miserable and now it's emotional AND physical.

We are going to try to go to the fair tomorrow. We've found discounts and coupons that have reduced the price so that perhaps it's doable, and the kids are free. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Pictures as promised of the birthday party and today at the parade:

A long time coming update:

Zuma saw the doctor on Friday last. The report is that she is doing well in her recovery. She was examined, her stitches removed, and her leg re-splinted. She is doing fine in healing, however she suffers greatly in other regards. For such an active dog is it brutal on her to be locked away in her crate for another two weeks! She is finally feeling a might better which makes her want and attempt to run, play, jump, and follow us room to room. She is not allowed to do any of these things, so she is rellagated to spent her time sedated. It is fortunate that she is healing and not chewing at the splint, but it is very difficult to hear her whimpering and pawing at the crate door to get out. It also makes me heartsick to see the muscle in her haunch wasting away. She will see the doctor again on the 30th, when she will have to endure sedation and "stress" x-rays again to see if she is healing internally. At that time we will know Zuma's fate of a splint or padded bandage and the prognosis more time in the crate or not.

As for other news, we took a second trip down to GG Dahl's house and painted again. We are trying to do our part as her family and as Christians showing love and support for the widows as commanded by the Bible. We are happy to help, and from what I'm told, the house is already getting a good nibbles since being on the market. We wish GG a quick, successful and happy house sale.

After painting we made a snap decision to use the restof the summer as must as possible. We asked Lynda if she (already being in Anacortes) could take a spin through Washington park and see if there were any sites left. There were so off the family was to rapidly pack and race up to Anacortes for a nice camping weekend. Grammy, Papa, Aunt Kristina, Tessa, and Uncle Ryan were already up there camping, so it was a miniature family reunion. We went on walks, Mike hiked, firewood hunting...in the dark, marshmallow roasting around the fire, and visited farmer's market. There were a few highlights... 1) at Sunday brunch, there were MANY seal sightings that were exciting to show the kids. 2) Tessa was unusually cuddly with me, which was great. and 3) BOWLING. It was Joshy and Tessa's first bowling experience and Caleb's second. The kids were set up on a lane with the special apparatus (typically used for handicapped persons) that has a ramp off the front. They just sat the ball up on the rack and then pushed with all their might. It was great.... but the ASTOUNDING news.... Jockey scored a 112! Out of all six of us (Ryan, Daddy, and Mommy) Joshy scored the second highest, beating everyone but Mike! My Two year old beat me at BOWLING!!!!!!!!! I hung in there by coming in third, though still not breaking 100. One of the best things was when Jockey threw up his arms and did a little hop and pony shuffle dance when he pushed the ball successfully...often long before it ever reached the pins... the successs was all the same to Joshy. He was a joy to watch, all the kids were really.

So that brings us to Tuesday. Joshy's birthday party. It was mommy's first time throwing a pool party, but when Caleb was asked what he thought Jockey would like best... I got the answer swimming! Joshy ran around eating a chicken drumstick, but when he spotted the cake it was all over. We had no choice but to sing to him and get the dessert served! He didn't exactly know what to make of the candles, but eventually he started feeling the excitment andjoy of the day. Jockey really did have a great time and he sure looked cute in his new goggles. He paddled and splashed and did it all over again in the hot tub. Thank you to all who attended for your presence and presents. It was very nice to see the family. Thank you especially to Cousin Tessa who gave up her newly grown out of TRICYCLE to little Jockey. He was so very excited when he saw it. He even took a spin on it in the nude right after swimming. I forsee many delightful times with Jockey crusing on his new wheels. And thank you Grammy for adding to the safety factor and getting the adorable helment. The whole party was a huge success. I can't believe he is TWO!!!!! Yikes, he's not a baby anymore! He is turning into a really sweet boy with great abilities.

A little news about Caleb: He is in love with his sword. He is always running around with it jammed in the back of his shirt. Funny, his sword has a scabboard, but he insists on stuffing in the back of his shirt with it hanging on the neck of his shirt by the hilt. It's aways a chuckle to see. I think he got the idea from TMNT, one of the turtles wears his swords this way. He wears them with pride as he swings from the swingset or marches through the stores with me.
Joshy is also blessed with a sword too. As Mike helped sort through things at GG's house, he stumbled upon the sword he played with when he was little. Mike brought that home and it is a huge hit with the boys, they switch around often but it is officially Joshy's. The two swords look remarkably similar. Of course, with swords come sword fights and fights over swords. The typical boy stuff I'm sure.

Joshy is talking even more. He can say complete sentences and I understand about half of what he says. He says Please Help, Cay (what he calls Caleb) Okay, Fanks (thanks), I Nake (I'm Naked), I fall (this one is perfectly clear), and he has 5 different ways to say NO. And just a couple of days ago, Joshy said his first prayer! He had remembered that my head hurt and he put his hand on my head and said a prayer... just like big brother showed him. I melted in awe.

The boys are getting along totally or complete bent on bending each other. Surprisingly, Jockey can hold more than his own. He can really get the upper hand. But regardless, they are spending a large portion of their summer playing in the sandbox converted to a pool, playing on the swingset, eating berries, and playing with the hose. I love letting them have fun free time, as long as they are playing, not fighting over who splashed who. I do have to admit I am the parent of two tanline-less boys, I can't keep clothes on them to save my life. On the bright side, Jockey is starting to potty train. He's starting to figure out when he does things in the diaper. He tells me when he toots (it took him a while to know it was just air). Most brilliantly, he only uses the potty when Daddy takes him!!

Jockey it also completely into "guns", it started with Caleb's nerf bullet gun and is prolific with squirt guns. He ducks behind the couch in a very cute way, pops up and with a sly smile and squirt....

Caleb has taken to dressing himself. This is really good because I can focus on getting Jockey ready, this is very humorous seeing the various outfits he comes up with. Today he was wearing long navy blue pants, a tank top (tourquoise) with the sword in the back of course, and a red knitted skiing hat.... on a near 70 degree day! It was very funny, but I'll encourage this type of independence... at least it's not a tattoo.

I can't believe how quickly the summer has gone. Caleb starts school in the 6th! And this brings in "parent" functions for me as well. Buying school supplies, Jitters day, etc. Am I ready for this? Caleb is just jumping for the chance to meet friends, I'm praying for a great friend for him. He needs a boy his own age to get to know and play with.

Hopefully, we are going to get to the zoo and perhaps anothe camping trip before the weather turns.
Well, time to go. I'll post the pictures of the camping trip, bowling, birthday party etc soon.

A Zuma update:

We received the call yesterday about 4:30pm. Zuma had her surgery and was just waking up. Everything seemed to go smoothly (I was really worried because she has allergic reactions to all sorts of medications). The surgeon was very happy with the way the foot came together and said that the post op x-rays show a superb alignment and repair. Everything went fine.

If nothing has arisen overnight, she will be picked up late this afternoon. Then she will begin her six weeks of internment and sedated isolation in a crate. The surgeon was very clear that if she irritates the foot or if the splint's position is altered in anyway that we have to take her in immediately otherwise the foot will heal incorrectly. So we will be watching her closely.

I'm relieved that she made it through the surgery (our last little pup didn't if you remember), and I'm relieved to know that the prognosis for Zuma's post-op function is suppose to be 100%.


I was surprised that Caleb didn't ask where Zuma was, and he hasn't asked yet today. Of course, Zuma often goes with Daddy to work and Daddy didn't get home until 9:30pm, so not a great deal of time for him to observe her absence. I'm glad in a way, he has been through so much in losing 2 dogs and 2 cats (one went to live somewhere else) in 18 months.

It is in the fires of adversity that you learn whom is your family and advocates. For those family members who have sent their best wishes and prayers for Zuma, THANK YOU for your support.

The Zuma Update:

The good news is that it could have been worse. (It could have been farther up the foot joint, which would have meant permanent immobility to the majority of the foot.)

The bad news is that.... it is bad news.

First, the vet-surgeon said he didn't have enough information to make an informed decision with just the regular vet's adequate, but not detailed enough, x-ray. The only way that he could provide an educated suggestion for Zuma's care was to remove the splint, for Zuma to be put under and perform "Stress X-rays", which is where they bend and flex the injured portion of her foot to see the exact part of her foot that is injured and how extensive the injury. In an attempt to stem costs, we negotiated with him to see if there was any way that he could examine Zuma's foot before she was put under and the series of x-rays were taken. He agreed that under sedation he could examine and palpitate her foot to asses the "stability" of the foot, but if he did not find sufficient stability, then he would have to perform the x-rays to get a thorough picture of the injury that would have to be surgically repaired. (Sufficient stability would mean that it would be possible to treat her foot "medically" with just a cast/splint for an extended period of time.) We left Zuma with Dr. Messigher and he took her right back to perform the procedure. Today's procedure cost $489.

We got the call about an hour later. Not good results.
Per the report, Zuma has "SEVERE MEDIAL INSTABILITY OF THE LEFT TARSOMETATARSAL JOINT", and she only has some lateral stability; meaning, that the dislocation of the bones and her muscular structures/ligaments are so injured, that left to heal on it's own, it would not support her weight and she would not have use of her foot. SURGERY is NECESSARY, there is no other way to treat this injury. The surgery will actually fuse the joint, two screws will be put in and a figure-8 shaped wire would be put on the screws to simulate a ligament and provide the needed stability; the surgery is called a TARSOMETATARSAL ARTHRODESIS. Cost is estimated for the surgery at $2200 to $2300, with the nurse suggesting the later amount as more likely, and payable at the time of service, no financing.

With no other possible course of treatment as an option, we had no choice but to book the surgery for next Tuesday, August 7th, waiting will only allow time for scar tissue to form and complicate the surgery. Zuma will be facing 1, potentially 2, nights at the vet's office, and SIX WEEKS of LIVING ISOLATED AND SEDATED IN A CRATE, this is non-negotiable. And then at least one, more likely 2, follow up check-ups at $100 each, to include x-rays, to monitor the repair and healing.

Zuma was sedated and VERY sensitive to having anyone near her foot for the rest of today. We are watching for nausea and vomiting. So that was what the rest of our day was like today. Except that a pipe burst at the club and Mike was called in to duty.

This is a very stressful and heart wrenching time. I keep looking at Zuma (who's splint is bright red like Caleb's cast was) and she yelps and looks at me as if begging for help, and there is nothing I can do. But I wanted to say thank you to Grammy for watching Caleb and Jockey while we attended to the needs of our other family member.