Post Halloween

It’s been almost 2 weeks since I’ve updated the blog..yikes. Believe me I always, “think” about writing a post but then other things seem to get in the way. Household stuff, errands, work, sicknesses. Yep, sicknesses. We’ve all the bout of sinus congestion, runny nose & coughing. It started with Dean and then early last week I got it and am still feeling the effects of it. Then Friday night Ryan started with the snotty nose. Needless to say we stayed in all weekend. This is what part of our living room looked like (the other half wasn't any better--I almost felt like I should've called "Horders"--haha)

So far he hasn’t been coughing too much but we did keep him out of daycare today because of his nose and this morning he said his head hurt (headache). We are blessed in that my mom is still available to watch him on days like today (she still watches him on Tuesdays & Thursdays and takes him to PT & ST those days...again, such a blessing!).

To the reason I titled this "Post Halloween". Halloween weekend was so busy that we didn't even have time to decorate the pumpkins until the day after Halloween. Ryan had fun decorating his pumpkins with stickers and we put them outside in the flowerbed, which where surprisingly they still sit (I figured some kid would come by and smash them..at least our big one).

Prematurity Awareness Month

November is Prematurity Awareness Month and November 17 is National Prematurity Awareness Day. Our lives changed forever on July 18, 2007 when our son was born almost 12 weeks too soon weighing only 2 lbs. 13oz. I had always heard about babies being born early or with birth defects, but I was one of those that never thought it could happen to me. My doctor never gave me information about what could be done to prevent preterm birth or suspected that it could happen to me. More than a half million babies are like Ryan, and will be born too soon this year. To learn more about about the seriousness of premature birth, donate, or create a virtual band to celebrate, honor or remember a baby in their life visit the March of Dimes web site – marchofdimes.com/fight.

Each year, our family walks in the annual March for Babies. It's our way of giving back to the March of Dimes. Giving back for all the research that has been done to help babies born too soon have a fighting chance at living and to help with the future research which will ultimately help more babies be delivered at full-term. Our local walk is at the end of April 2011. I've already started fundraising because for reasons I will explain later, we will probably not be able to walk. But just because we might not walk, doesn't mean we give up on fundraising. I will raise as much money as I can every year. Because Ryan is alive & thriving today due to the advances from the March of Dimes.

Fall Fest at the Farm

We finally were able to take Ryan to the Fall Fest at a local farm this weekend. We go every year because it is a lot of fun and we're usually able to get good pics (in Halloween or Fall attire), let him ride the pony, ride the hayride, play in the Inflatables & pick out pumpkins. This year it seems we've had something going on every weekend and this was the only day we could go. The weather was perfect and Ryan had a great time as always.

riding the pony

posing with the pumpkins

a pretty decent family shot

on the hayride

Ryan loved the goats..he wanted to ride this one!

Happy Fall!

picking out his pumpkin (with my mother in law)

Here's my pumpkin, Mom

I have a couple videos I'll share in another post later..stay tuned.

Halloween 2010

We had a busy Halloween weekend which ended with Trunk or Treat at my friend's church and Trick or Treating in my parent's neighborhood. Ryan had a great time and really understood about Halloween and the fact that kids dressed up and asked for candy. We had a hard time deciding on a costume this year but he actually helped pick it out. I thought we were going to get him Buzz Lightyear but when he saw The Cat in the Hat, there was no convincing him otherwise.

At the Trunk or Treat, he got to play games for candy which he enjoyed.

there was even another Cat in the Hat

Then it was off to my parent's house for Trick or Treating

He did leave the hat & gloves on (surprisingly)

He had a fun time, esp. since Papa (my dad) came along

for the walk