Thursday, July 30, 2009

July in Review

So July has flown by with much fun and monkey business along with a scare...

Let us begin with the 4th of July... This year we wanted to see a really BIG fireworks show, so I scored us some tickets to a Giants Game through a friend, and along with our favorite uncle Alan, we were off to the ballpark!

It was Kaleb's first night game, and he was like an ol pro at the game. He was the official nut cracker for Uncle Alan and Daddy. Kaleb has great spirit and loved shouting when the Giants scored, much to the chagrin of the people around us. (I currently have daddy working with the lil one to teach him to yell more like a man, and not like a squeak toy.) The game was great and thankfully the Giants won, which now proves to Stefan that I am not the jinx he once claimed I was! HAA!

Fireworks started at about 10, and they were spectacular! It was a great night.

Kaleb shellin nuts

Daddy and Kaleb


It seems like we haven't stopped for one moment this whole month. We had really hoped to go on a big camping trip, but I some things just haven't worked themselves out, so we have been making keeping busy enjoying our Big man! Our summer has consisted of seeing as many blockbusters as we can... So far we have racked up Transformers 2(Kaleb said he like the first one better), Harry Potter, Ice Age and Up. Kaleb loves goin to the theatre, and honestly I do too! It was always one of my favorite things when I was little, and I am so glad that I am able to do the same for my guy. We are anxiously awaiting Where the Wild Things Are, and Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs.

Kaleb has been hounding us to go to 6 Flags for about 2 months now, so a couple weekends ago, Stef said "let's do it!" We got there at about 10:30am and the fun began! We started with the swings as those are one of Kalebs favorite rides, then we hung around the kids area for a bit. We decided to try the baby coaster in the kids area (which Kaleb has always been afraid of.) and within two seconds of being on it, he was negotiating with the man to let him ride for 5 times!! He is now a thrill seeker! After that coaster, he wanted something more... He really wanted to go on the BIG coaster, but thankfully he is still too small, so we made our way to the new Tony Hawk ride which is a coaster that goes fast and spins as it goes around the coaster track. The few glimpses I caught of K, I was sure he was freakin out, and I started second guessing my mothering for allowing him to come on such a ride. However, as we rolled into the station, he looked and me and said, "I was to go again!" We can't wait for him to grow a couple more inches to go on more rides next year!
Kaleb desperately wanted to see all the animals shows he could, so we started with the safe dolphin show early in the day. Then we caught Odin the Tiger, the butterflies, and last but not least, we saw Shouka the Killer Whale... Now, mommy was determined to get wet, so we were one of the firsts in the stadium and got a prime seat 3 rows in... I explained to Kaleb that the whale will come out and get us wet, which he was ok with... Well, they saved soaking us for last, and just when Kaleb had given up that we would get wet, Shouka came and gave us a great wave... Kaleb was angry to say the least for the first 5 seconds as he eyes and mouth were open and he wasn't quite expecting as much "wet" as we got. Stupidly I was wearing a white shirt... It was a great way to end the night, and at 8:30 we left the park with some more great memories!

Swingin

Our ride in Thomas the Train

Odin the Tiger

Post whale splash


Summer wouldn't be complete without a stop at the beach. Thankfully a friend was having his birthday at Bolinas, which gave us the excuse to finally go. Oysters and picnic in hand, the call of the waves was too strong for Kaleb. After a quick bite at our beach site, Kaleb spent the remaining 4 hours chasing the waves and eyeing a man's skimboard like a prize... Swimming lessons are definately a high priority now.

Playin with the dogs

the board...

Goin too far for moms liking

Mom its cold


So now for the thing that had put a scare in all of us here up north. Mid-month, dad came home from a trip to Costco and immediately called Kaiser. Strange since dad hates doctors. It seems that dad has been losing his breath, a lot, and something made him finally call. (thank God.) After some tests, we found that dad needed a valve replaced immediately. So this past Monday, dad went in for open heart surgery and in now part pig. The doctors were amazed at how bad his valve was, and actually had to do the procedure backwards it was so bad. Dad is still in the hospital fighting like a maniac to come home. He was walking the night of the operation, and is determined to get back to his life within a week or two, regardless of what everyone is telling him. When I mentioned that a friends father, that had the same operations last year took up to a year to feel fully better, he just huffed and said, "that's not me. I am not going to let this stop my life." He is a stubborn, stubborn man. Thankfully it is that stubborness that will pull him through his recovery.
I've seen many people in hospitals and have had many friends/relatives have big operations, but nothing has scared me like having this happen to my dad. My dad has always been one person I can talk to about anything, and count on when needed. I sometimes forget he is human too. I can't wait for him to be back in form to yell about stupid liberals, and I am even itchin for a GE story!
The biggest relief has been having my brother David to help get dad to and from the hospital. He is always a rock, and while I wish we were closer, I will always be thankful for having him to depend on when necessary.

So, as it is late, I will end with sending my love to our family out there and some miscellaneous photos.

Kaleb sendin love to Papa Blaine

gnoshin a burger

Our first Golf Outting

Kaleb's first pony ride.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So glad to hear that your Dad is on his way to recovery. This has been a scary time for us all, hasn;t it? I will keep you all in my prayers. Mema is doing real well. She can get around the house with her walker now, but th edoctor still wants her to keep only 50% of her weight on the left leg, till it heals more. She is looking forward to your visit. Hope you can still make it. Love to all-Mom #2