Sorry For That Teaser. Here's the Real Thing.

I can only imagine what a let down the day before yesterday's post must've been for the great-aunties and grannies and grand-Dan.  I had big plans to do a proper post and then, after downloading all the pics from our gallery on our richardandsonja site, I was just too tired.  Not to mention, Auntie Kim had arrived for her weekly sleepover and we were chit-chatting, as sisters do.  And now, I am REWRITING today's entry.  I worked for about an hour on it last night after the kids went to bed, and lost my entry because the 'autosave' didn't work.  Never again will I take autosave for granted.  I can't guarantee that this entry will be as passionate, clever, or witty, as I've now 'been there done that'.  We'll see.

The Pumpkin Patch 2009

Yah, that's right, the picture is sideways.  "But Sonja, it only takes less than a minute to open the picture up in the image editor and rotate it 90 degrees!"  Yes, I know that.  But it only takes you about two seconds to just tilt your head to the left.

See?  That was easy and fast, right?

Which means that I'm not lazy, I'm smart.

As we await Richard's last round of chemo (YAY), it means that our days to do stuff together are numbered (not in the terminal way, but in the 'richard will be sick for a while' kind of way).  I've been wanting us to fit in a day to go to the pumpkin patch as a family, to do pics of the boys, us, and Richard with the boys.  By having Richard there, it makes things easier too:  I can maybe even (gasp) get pictures of the boys smiling and looking the same direction which on my own is impossible, and I can take AJ up to the big kid slides and leave Dexter down with Richard.  The twisty slides there are wicked-fast.  In fact, AJ basically falls down them.  He smacked his head at the bottom too. 

But, Richard had 'all heck break loose' with computer stuff and had to stay home to work.

I took the boys by myself instead.  This was Monday, October 19th.  As I got them dressed for 'the pumpkin patch pictures', I was all ready to put on their pumpkin patch striped matching sweaters I had, but then I remembered.....  Grannie's sweaters!  Norma had knitted the boys sweaters last year and they were still a little long on them then.  But I just knew they'd be perfect now.  Not only that, but the polo shirts she got them for underneath still fit them too!  Sure enough, PERFECT FIT!  They'll last them right through the winter too!  Luckily, it was just warm enough that they didn't need jackets over top.

The First Stop

When you get to the pumpkin patch, there is a fake Tow-Mater (from the movie Cars) and a little already-picked-pumpkin-patch.  The boys ran right over.

The Pumpkin Patch Photo Session

Without Richard here to help me corral my Darter-Dexter, it was impossible to get them to stay together for a nice brotherly pumpkin photo session. So, they're all basically of the boys running.  

The Horse Swings

Right next to the pumpkin patch are the horse swings. AJ loved them.  Dexter... not so much.

The Wavy Slide

Right next to the horse swings is a precariously set up wavy slide.  The kids climb up a little dirt ramp to get to the top and then climb onto a slanted deck to get down the slide.  The way up is the dangerous part. Otherwise, it's the slowest slide I've ever seen.

Thanks for turning your head again!!

The Walk Back

Dexter just takes off.  It doesn't help that AJ runs ahead and of course, Dexter wants to catch up! The difference is that AJ will stop when I say stop (usually), but Dexy won't (usually).

Bathroom Break

Is this not the sweetest thing you've ever seen?  Probably not, for you.  For me, well, they're 'my boys', and I love this picture.  It is sooooo "AJ and Dexter".  Look at Dex doing the shocked, serious, curious face.  Look at AJ so serious and big eyed.

This little photo-op area is right in front of the washrooms.

Playground Please

After the washroom, AJ and Dexter ran straight to the playground.  They just love playgrounds.  What kid doesn't?  But seriously, as I've mentioned before, sometimes AJ asks to go to the zoo, only to go use their playground, not to see the animals.

This slide is seriously high.  Dexter, as usual, has no problem getting up there.  He went a few times by himself and then the boys started going down the slide like a train.  Their new favourite way to slide lately.

The Jumping Pillow

They have this huge, and very awesome jumping pillow.  Having gone to the pumpkin patch on a weekday, the kids got to enjoy being almost the only ones on there.  As you can see by their faces, they're having a blast!

Thanks for turning your head again!

I Lost Dexter.

So this is where it got tough.  Of course the boys want to go up and down the big big tube slide. But I can't be at the top and at the bottom at the same time.  Both AJ and Dexter were just too excited.  And, to top it off, for some strange reason, there's a little tiny mini corn maze right after the tube slide.  It's really short, but tall.  As soon as AJ got down this slide, he headed into it.  Of course, Dexter followed.  So I got to the bottom of the slide and there were no boys.

The Tractor Trail

We walked across the bridge to the tractor trail.  The boys had a good time, of course.

The Petting Zoo

Downstairs, under the tractor trail and zipline, is the petting zoo.  Dexter was in his glory patting the goats.  He was so happy.

Time For Apple Cider

This was one of my favourite parts of the Apple Barn visit.  The Apple Barn cold apple cider is one of the most delicious beverages in the whole world.  The boys agreed.  They were trying so hard to be such good sharers.  But the drink is just so good.  They'd hand it to each other, but were practically sitting on their hands to prevent themselves from just ripping the juice back out of eachother's hand before the other's turn was done.  It was just really sweet.

The Big Old Fashioned Tractor

As we were on our way to the car, the boys couldn't resist hopping up on here and driving away!!  They (and by they, I mean AJ) were such good turn-takers.  AJ was more than happy to give Dexter a turn to drive while he shifted gears.

Please, No More Pictures, Mommy!

I think the picture speaks for itself.

Thanks for the great sweaters, Grannie!

Pumpkin Patch 2008

Pumpkin Patch 2007

Days at Auntie Erica's and Days at Auntie Sonja's

Auntie Erica took some more pics last week of her day with the four kids.  Man, I wish I could take pics like Auntie Erica.  Boo hoo me.  I should get off my lazy butt and read my manual someday.

Here we have Auntie Erica's baking time.  I don't know what to think of AJ being sent home with 'treats' each week.  Because you know who ends up eating them, right?  Yah, me.  That's right.  Between these lovely desserts and all the Hallowe'en chocolate that Richard keeps bringing home, things aren't 'shaping up' for me very well.

Oh well.  It's about the kids having a good time, right?  Like play-doh!  Dexter would have been having the time of his life.  I have to admit, I reserve the playdoh for AJ and Jack usually.  I'm such a bag!

Here are the boys playing dolls in Rya's room.  Awwww.  Wait, is that a Rescue Hero on the ground?

Mmmmmm.

Awwwwwww.

Awwww, sweetness.  Thanks for those, Auntie Erica!

And here's more pics of the four kids.  This time, just this past Tuesday, at my house.  Sorry, I don't bake with them.  Okay, well, once I did banana bread.  And my playdoh is hidden from the babies for only AJ and Jack to play with when the babies are down for nap.  

My day with the four kids usually involves....

Doing up tool belts and reminding Dexter that the drill is for drilling, not shooting. And definitely, not for shooting AJ's head.

Me folding laundry while the babies play downstairs.  Eventually, I do leave them down here and go upstairs to empty the dishwasher.

And most of the day is AJ and Jack playing Rescue Heroes and cooking meals and cakes in the play kitchen downstairs, while me and babies hang out upstairs dancing or engaging in Dexter and Rya's most recent favourite pastime - riding on my back.  Which I have gotten lazy with....

I turn on the music, grab a book, lay on my tummy, and read stories while they get on my back and crush me, like bumdrops on a trampoline.  

Richard

Well, I owe you info on Richard, but the truth is, he's been keeping up on his blog!  So you should go read what he's written.

Click right         HERE

But I will give you this information that may or may not be on his blog.  He's making his own haemoglobin now, yay!  He's had a CT scan, an abdominal ultrasound, and an ECG.  He's getting IV antibiotics for 7 days in a row, bummer.  He's perking up since his numbers have gone up and his transfusion.

Today he was supposed to have a dental appointment too today, but that was cancelled.

Me

This is Thursday, the day that Erica has the kids. So, I spent the morning at Starbucks getting my marking done.

Then, updating the blog.

And now, about to eat lunch and handwash dishes because the dishwasher is broken.  Again.  Uggg.

Just a Taste.....

I need to update about how Richard's day went today (his haemoglobin was up!).  I also need to update about the pumpkin patch!

I'm working tomorrow, but I'll update tomorrow night!  

PS - I got food markers!  Look at the smilies on the cheese!

I'm Really Falling Behind, Aren't I?

If you wonder how Richard's looking as of late, that's us, on the Labour Day long weekend at my cousin, Lisa's, wedding.  I think he's still looking pretty darned cute, myself.

Sometimes, I forget that I'm using the blog to keep people up to date on Richard.  I'm being thrown many questions about how he's doing.  So, meanwhile, while I've been thinking I have nothing pressing to add to the 'baby book' for the boys, all along, I've had things to say about Richard.

So, let's start with him, shall we?

We've had this long standing joke almost through our entire relationship:

Me - "Richard, I think I've mentioned this before, but you should really stop coughing."

Richard - "Huh?  I don't remember you ever mentioning that before."

Yup, he's had an off and on atrocious cough that follows him for an unbelievable amount of time after every cold.  Of course, the longest being right before he found out he had Leukemia.

The Cough

His cough is horrible.  It sounds like when you have that really annoying tickle and you'll do just about anything to get whatever it is (I liken it to what it must feel like to have pencil shavings in your throat) including attempting to hack up your lung if necessary.  This is what Richard sounds like.  Except he says the cough feels like it's tickling his lung.  He's living on cough candies, so he's back to smelling like the very familiar menthol-Ricky that I know and love.

When is Chemo?

Who knows.  We had hopefully assumed it would start around mid October.  But, he still has the fungal infection in his lungs (which I assume to be Fungal Pneumonia, but have never actually been told that, and I am NOT a doctor), still has this horrid cough, AND to top it all off, something weird is going on...  his haemoglobin levels have gone down, not up, even though his other numbers are going up and/or are normal.  They don't know what the heck is going on.  They don't know why his haemoglobin went down.  No, it's not normal, but they don't seem alarmed either.  Richard describes it as them just wanting to 'wait it out a bit' to see if it works itself out.  Hopefully it does.  I'm hoping when he goes in on Tuesday, that his haemoglobin will be higher.  If not, I'll be a little worried.  So far, I really haven't worried (I'm not counting the first 1-3 weeks of June).  As long as everything was 'normal for a Leukemia patient', I've felt pretty confident about Richard's health and progress.  But when things happen that aren't 'normal', like the Thrombosis a while back (that he still takes meds for) and now blood levels going down, I get a little worried.

But Sonja, How is Richard 'Feeling'?

He feels like crap.  He's not sick and his taste buds have been normal for quite a while now, but this cough is really wearing him down.  He looks wiped.  He looks sick.  He plugs on.  He deals with it.  Sometimes he feels better than other times, but on the whole, he just looks like he'd really like to just take a nap.  I can only imagine how tired and out of breath he must feel being near needing another tranfusion.  Going on what I remember about haemoglobin from high school (because I'm too lazy to look it up right now), it is the molecule that carries oxygen through your blood to all the parts of your body.  Low haemoglobin = low oxygen.  Sounds pretty yucky to me.

What About the Cancer Lodge?

Well I suppose it's good that the chemo isn't starting yet, as they didn't have "room for him at the inn" until the 28th of October.  So, we'll see how that all works out.  On Thursday, Richard had his first appointment in a whole week.  That's when he had his CT Scan and found out his haemoglobin was low.  They had him come again on Sunday (today).  His haemoglobin was a bit lower.  So, he'll go in on Tuesday again and hopefully they'll be up. Wish him luck!

Richard's Blog

He did update some more.  Feel free to check it out!

What Else is New?

Friday, my mom took the boys overnight.  We thought about a movie or dinner.  In the end, we went to White Spot (Mom and Ken's treat - Thanks guys!) with Erica and Kevin (and Jack and Rya), and then headed back to Erica and Kevin's theatre room to watch "The Proposal" and "The Black Knight".  Both awesome.  Thanks to Erica and Kevin for a nice night!  And to my parents for treating us to dinner!  Richard really enjoyed his beef dip and a relaxing movie night on a comfy couch.

Dexter

So, Dexter is pretty good about eating his vegetables.  Raw carrots though, he'll usually only eat one (baby carrot) at a meal.  On the day I took this picture, he was really wanting a snack.  But it was getting too close to dinner, so I was only willing to give him veggies.  He saw me move this ziploc of 7 carrots out of the way while searching for something for him.  The excitement of seeing a snack-bag got the best of him and he was literally begging for this bag of carrots.  He proceeded to take it excitedly as though it were a bag of candy and sat on the floor 'hogging' it all to himself.  He ate 7 carrots!  Just because they were in a snack-bag.  Silly guy.  

I would say this week has seen a bit of a revelation in the area of 'signing' and talking.  Dexter is making more and more attempts with words, and is truly seeing the value in signing more than ever.  He's finally starting to clue in that I'm not giving into his screaming.  I'll only give him what he wants if he's calm and uses a word or a sign.  

I took the boys to the park today to 'ride bikes'.  AJ brought his bike and I brought the scooter for Dexter.  I should've brought the trike for Dexter because he just wanted to ride AJ's bike the whole time.  He was so angry that he couldn't reach the pedals too well and use them very well.  I took him off the bike to give him a chance to 'cool off'. He was screaming and crying and I just kept telling him to come 'tell me what you want'.  He signed 'bike more'.  YAY!  It was sassy, with a furrowed brow, but still, progress.

AJ

These next pictures are of AJ enjoying movie-picnic-lunch.  I'm assuming by their blurriness, that Auntie Kim (who is the boys' nanny once a week), took these pictures, as I still haven't shown her how to use this camera.

AJ's still coming along amazingly with his reading.  He will not go up into his loft bed without a book to read.  I just love to hang out outside his door and listen to him sound out words and discover what the sentence says. He's been a really great little guy, lately.  Just love him.  

For My Birthclub Buddies

We've been talking a bit about 'fun lunches' and 'bento lunches', and I told them I'd post a pic of one of AJ's preschool snack packs.  This is not one of the more 'beautiful' lunches, but it does showcase the fun skewer for his fruit and the super cool monkey dip container for his carrots.  I used my Michael's coupon this week to finally purchase Food markers, so soon my animal shaped cheese and maybe even some crackers will have faces or little messages!  I can't wait.  He quite likes the little lunches, and always gobbles it up.  Put it on a skewer and AJ will eat it!  Put it in a bag and Dexter will eat it!

Speaking of my boys eating, I weighed them today.  Well, actually, Dexter hauled out the scale, so it seemed like the logical next step.

AJ has broken 30 pounds!  He's 31.2 lbs !!

Dexter is 29.6 lbs !!  I really thought he was 30 now.  He sure feels like 30.

Special Thanks Section

Mom and Ken - Dinner at Whitespot!  AND taking the boys overnight, AGAIN!

Kevin and Erica - For a really nice night.

Erica and Kim - For switching the days that you watch the boys last week to make pick up and drop off easier for me.  Thanks to you two for making life easier right now.

Jen and Kim - A constant thank you to you two for 'totally getting me' and finishing my sentences so Richard knows that I'm not the only one who thinks the way I do!!  You two keep me sane!

My Brother Paul - You don't know it yet, but soon, you'll be forced to wear a shirt that matches with AJ and Dexter.  I'm thinking for Christmas morning.  I hope you weren't hoping for anything 'cool' from me!

A Little Bit About the Boys

As I've mentioned, I've been very bad about keeping up on the 'taking notes on the calendar' part of recording the boys neat stuff and milestones.  Therefore, I don't have too much to say, but....

#1

Richard uploaded all the pictures from the camera onto our site RichardandSonja.  If you go to the 'gallery', it will take you to our albums.  If you click on the first album, it has all the most recent pictures of the boys and what we've been up to.  (Sorry Auntie Erica.  No pics of the pumpkin patch because Auntie Jen took all the pics).  The pics below are from me taking the boys to the zoo this past Friday.  Gotta love the year's pass and the fact the boys are still free!  Sometimes we go just because AJ loves the playground.  I love taking them with just me sometimes because it's 2 hours of just my 100% attention on them. Special times.

#2

Dressed up the boys all nice in their ties for Thanksgiving dinner (which I of course removed for eating because it would be crazy to keep them on!).  Thought you might like to see my little guys all cutified.

AJ looks very unimpressed to be wearing the tie, but really he just didn't want me to take his picture.

Dexter on the other hand hated the tie, and had a complete meltdown.  He had to 'go cool off'.

#3

AJ - When he doesn't get his way, he says, all in a huff, "Oh man!".  It's sooo awesome.  At one of our local playgrounds, there are horizontal bars.  Every time we go there, AJ climbs the pole to get to them.  When he starts to swing, it looks so 'professional' like a real gymnast.  I'll have to get it on video some time.  I love to watch him.  He also loves to jump off swings while they're still swinging.  I thought he learned it from a boy at the zoo, but Richard informed me that he was already doing this a while back. Also, I keep forgetting to mention for his 'baby book', his love of 'adding'.  It just happened that he peaked an interest and received a lesson on adding using his fingers from both me and Richard a couple months ago and ever since then, he's all about the adding.  The picture I have here below is when I put AJ to bed a week or more ago, and he still wanted to read more.  It looks light in the room, but really it's dark with only a little 'dot light' up top, and the flash of my camera.  He's reading a 'reader' about the movie "WALL-E".  It was so cute to hear him actually reading.  My favourite part?  When he gets stumped on a word that is either not one of the sight words he knows or a word he can't sound out....... he looks at the picture for clues.  LOVE IT!  My big big boy.  So proud of you, AJ.

#4

Dexter - Today, he held on tight on the big boy swing.  We were at a school playground, so of course, there were no baby swings.  He really wanted to swing.  Normally, whenever I've tried him on the regular swing, he just wants to fling his body backward.  Today, I guess he realized it was 'do or die', and he held on tight.  If I'm not mistaken, he instinctually 'pumps'. Every time the swing went forward, he leaned back.  As for his words and signs.  He is adding/using signs all the time, I just keep forgetting to record them.  Most recent signs would be 'grape' and 'toast' more consistently which is a nice alternative to screaming at the fridge, I must say.  As for words, he really truly, still doesn't want to, or cannot just attempt to copy what I say.  However, the word "Fruit Loops" is becoming quite clear, as are some other basics like that.  So proud of Dexter for his understanding though.  I've actually been able to reason him out of a tantrum a couple of times and calm him down.  Also, I have no concern about whether or not he understands what we're saying.  He can do any task I ask him to do.  He just isn't using words too much.  But then again, I'm comparing, which I shouldn't do.  I know he's still within normal.  I'll calm down now.  The picture below is of Dexter's new loft bed.  I purchased it with the money I made selling my beloved Ergo carrier (a place where Dexter used to take the occasional nap as an infant).  And yes, with the money I made off the carrier, I could afford a bed!  How do you like them apples?  He had only taken naps in it the last two days, but tonight, he's sleeping up there!  Excuse the sticker I haven't scraped off it yet.

Leukemia Can Make You Do Crazy Things!!

A joint account!  Yup.  I'm one of those people now.  Wow.

No, not that kind of joint account.  This kind....

Well, we did it.  After 7 years together (4 of them, married), we got each other put on one another's bank accounts!

It was like getting married all over again!

You know what this means, right?  You know why we did this, right?  Sure sure, Leukemia gives you a different perspective on some things and makes you start thinking of all the 'what-ifs' and needing to access everything of each other's.  But also, obviously, some financial perspective.  

If you know me, then you know how much I LOVE clothes for the boys.  For goodness sakes (much to Richard's dismay) AJ often knows which brand of shoes he's wearing.  I go nutso for American Eagle (77kids), Gap, Old Navy, Hurley, Quiksilver, Volcom, Children's Place, and don't even get me started on shoes (DC, Etnies, See Kai Run, Airwalk, Converse, Puma).  I fear I've even got Norma loving these things too.

So, as Richard stresses over bills, Sonja has to learn to 'restrain'.  I, personally, thought I was doing pretty well restraining myself, but truth be told, not well enough.

Richard wanted me to come up with a solution.  Unfortunately, I knew the only solution was to know I was 'being watched'.  Hence, adding him to my account.  This will be good for paying bills and such while Richard's staying at the Cancer Lodge.  I'll get a big reality dose/slap in the face with the bills, I'm sure.  Hydro?  Gas?  Heat?  Cable? Cell Phone? You have to pay for those things?  Aren't they just 'standards of living' included in your property tax?  I joke... kind of.

Evidently, Richard has had 'joint account' on his to-do-list for quite some time.  All along, I've had it on my make-sure-never-to-do-list.....lol.

As you know, Erica and I trade off care of our kids once a week each.  I had Jack and Rya on Tuesday, and she has AJ and Dex today.  I thought I'd be taking Richard into the hospital, but with his appointment so late, he was going to have to take a volunteer driver.  So, we used this morning to go to our banks and 'hook up'.  It was a little bit sweet.  Like sealing the deal, so to speak.  I venture to say, fun.  That was partly because we didn't have the kids with us at the bank.  Don't think I didn't drag Richard to The Gap with my 30% off coupon to see if I could sweeten him up for a winter coat for AJ.  That didn't work.  However, part way through our fingers-laced-hand-holding-errands, I realised, "Hey, this is like a date!  I have  Milestone's gift card!  Let's go for lunch!"

So we did.  More sweetness.  In case you didn't know, Richard's a really wonderful husband. Going out for lunch with him was so nice.  

(Thank you again to Michele D for that gift card!)

Richard is now off to his appointment with the volunteer driver.  This should be his last day with the antibiotics.  We're hoping he'll get tomorrow off, go in Saturday, then off until Wed/Thursday.  We'll hope.

Another Thank You!!

Thanks to a relative or friend (I'm so sorry I can't remember) of my co-worker/friend Judi who gave Richard and I a Safeway gift card.  How kind of her to think of us!

Thanksgiving dinner is this weekend at my mom's.  And boy, do we have a lot of thanks to give.

Talk to you all soon!

Wish I Had Followed My Instincts

Richard had an appointment today. I was originally thinking I was going to drive him. However, with his numbers on their way up, we figured it was fine for him to drive himself because he's not getting blood transfusions and such (meaning no Benadryl, meaning not too drowsy to drive home).

But... last night, he started to get a fever again. Bummer. This morning, I should've changed my mind and said I'd drive him. I don't know why we didn't both just decide to have me drive and 'keep the boys busy' during the appointment.

Of course.....

They've started him on antibiotics. That means he has to go to VGH every day again. He just finished going every day. I would say, that in 3 days from now, there will have been only 3 or 4 days .. tops... that he hasn't been at VGH. That's a 1-1.5 hour drive there and back (so up to 3 hours of driving) every day for a month. That's a lot of gas and a lot of kms (thanks Norma for doing the driving).

Richard's stuck hanging out downtown until the Benadryl wears off. So he probably won't be driving home until around 8pm, so home by 9pm. Yuck.

I have Jack and Rya tomorrow and it's AJ's preschool field trip, so Richard's called the volunteer driver service to take him to and from tomorrow's appointment.

Please cross your fingers or pray that Richard will only have to get antibiotics for 3 days. I was really hoping to fit in a family day at the pumpkin patch before he starts his next round of chemo.