Happy Turkey Wishes

Hello all,

Just wanted to thank you for the kind words and thoughts everyone has sent our way regarding the loss of our Ladybug. It has been a tough week. For those of you who do not know what happened to our girl last week, I have posted Ladybug's story 2 posts below.

Now...without further ado...we had a 16 pound turkey for Thanksgiving, had a little left over and thought we'd spread the love. Here's our TURKEY!

Hee hee hee! Isn't he the cutest turkey you have ever seen?!

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and found some awesome bargains over the weekend too. With Ladybug in our hearts, we spent the holiday in Indy with 'my side' of the family, we really enjoyed the day. The four of us missed being with everyone in Btown and are anxious to spend Christmas there this year. We had some seriously good food and were able to relax and enjoy eachother's company, it was great! Special thanks to Diane & Brent for hosting again this year.

We had a little taste of Christmas too, Diane already had her tree up, beautifully decorated and when we arrived we were met by some snow flurries. It was officially McKinley's first snow. Nothing measurable yet though...I'm SO not ready for that.

As promised, I am updating on the goings on in our home. The week before Thanksgiving Cary was on vacay. Though we chose not to go anywhere this time (wish we had the chance to go back to Martha's Vineyard and the Cape!), we were able to spend a nice week together as a family. It was great.

Cary was able to go to McKinley's 4 month (yes, I said FOUR MONTH) pedi appointment. I'm so glad he was with us, we had so much to do! Among many things, McKinley had his 4 month vaccinations, was cleared to try all '1st foods' (think carrots, peas, pears, squash, prunes, etc.), and we were scheduled to have a hip ultrasound. Dr. Lily was concerned that McKinley had displacement of the hip...well, either that or his is just really strong and had been fighting her during her exam. Thankfully, the 2nd turned out to be the case. He's fine, just a very strong little boy...which I believe I totally established all by myself while carrying this child! Hee hee hee. Ay yai yai...that boy kicked like no other.

Also on this visit our pedi gave us McKinley's latest stats:

16 pounds

24 1/2 inches long

75th percentile

Um, he was 7lbs 11 oz. 20 inches when he was born, by the way. And, when she held McKinley upright to check his leg length and balance he LITERALLY started taking steps. No kidding. She was especially astounded when we told her that he had been doing that for a few weeks.

Whoo hoo! That's our boy! As my father-in-law would say...he's got those VERNON feet! Ha ha!

Also during Cary's week off we finally decided what we wanted to do with my Dad's convertible. We donated it to a charitable organization called Kars4Kids. They take the car, auction it off and the proceeds benefit various children's projects. They do everything from buy needy kids lunches to the funding of afterschool programs HERE in the United States, which I think is really important. We felt we made the best decision for my Dad and for ourselves. McKinley is very blessed and we felt it would be very meaningful to give to a less fortunate child who needs and deserves better. My Dad would have been very proud of our decision, I'm sure of it.

McKinley is changing so much this month. He is doing so many new things it is hard for Mommy and Daddy to keep up! He is definitely babbling more and more, and LOUDER, and he is testing out his 'scale' in his voice with all the various tones he has found. He is getting used to his jumperoo, but still absolutely loving his bouncer. We should ALL have a bouncer. What a happy, calm place the world would be...the entire chair gently vibrates, plays lively music and reclines. Hmmmm...wonder if we could get a patent on that?

He is also sitting on his own for short periods of time and his grabbing technique is really fine tuned, he seems to be particularly good at grabbing my hair, long necklaces and hoop earrings. Oh, and he does this PRECIOUS little flirty giggle thing when anyone talks to him. OMG, what a ham! When you smile at him or talk, he will smile back this wide, gummy smile and then turn his head real quick and buries his face in our chests. He had some random woman really going at Old Navy yesterday! Hilarious!

Okay, and not to bore everyone to death with this whole 'green thing', but we recently found a company who does non-toxic and earth friendly products-ALL kinds of stuff! I bought their dish washing liquid to use for McKinley's bottles, it is lavender and mint scented-mmmm, DEVINE! On the back of the bottle it reads, "If every household in the U.S. replaced just one bottle of 25 oz. petroleum based dishwashing liquid with our 25 oz. vegetable based product, we could save 81,000 barrels of oil, enough to heat and cool 4,600 U.S. homes for a year!" Isn't that a staggering statistic? Guess what else?! These people make biodegradable diapers! AND wipes! LOVE IT! We are going to try them...we'll see how they work out. By the way, this company is called seventh generation, their baby and children line is called Wee Generation (too cute! Wee...as in wee wee). Our Babies R Us is now carrying selected products. I've added a link to the seventh generation website for your viewing pleasure.

Finally, we have SO many pictures to share! There are Thanksgiving pics and 3 month pics (with all the chaos around here, I never got around to it...however, they are TOO cute to not share) so look below!

Have a great week!

Lynn

Such a sad day

Just a brief update:
Tonight we had to say goodbye to Ladybug. There was no response to the steroids and she was in pain.
I know she is running around, so happily in doggy-heaven with Shelby Sue and all of our other animals that have left us.
She will be greatly missed, to say the least and leaves a void in our hearts.
Lynn

A special little girl

Her name is Ladybug. If you know her, you know that this dog is an 'old soul' because of the tough life she has lead. You wouldn't know it now but her first 3 years were pretty tragic.

She started off life with a nice, upstanding family. As she grew, they all but discarded her. Typical, "oh look at the cute little puppy, let's get it!' then the puppy grows up and you have to work with it. This gorgeous cocker spaniel was sent out in the elements to spend her days and nights in a fenced in yard with no dog house and no food bowl, only a tarp where they would toss her food, which was laden with insects. When the children would go play outdoors they thought it would be fun to spray her with windex. Because of this, she has had permant eye damage that would not have been so permant if the family had not neglected getting her the help she needed.

The man of this family was the leader of the pack in the abuse department, evidently. We don't know for sure what was done to her, but can tell you that she was very wary of ALL men until recently.

Four years ago this week my Mom, Cary and I discovered that our beloved Shelby Sue had developed lymphoma, typical in cocker spaniels. She had to leave us on December 23, 2003. Our hearts were broken.

My Mom mentioned the loss to someone who knew of a cocker spaniel in desperate need of a new, loving home. None of us were sure about a new dog, no one could replace Shelby, but something told my Mom to check it out. Ends up, this dog really needed my Mom and me and Cary and everyone of our extended family and friends.

We took her home that day to my Mom's house. It was January 1, 2004. Good time for a new start. Mom and I went to the pet store to wash her as best we could, because you see, the 'family' had never brushed her or bathed her. She was left outside, she was so dirty and her beautiful red hair was tangled all over her body. It was a total fiasco trying to bathe her. I'll NEVER forget it! I laugh out loud still thinking about how SOAKED Mom and I were by the time we finished. She kept hopping out of the HUGE bathtub and slipped and slid all over the room. I'll bet the employees of that place were peeing their pants laughing at us!

The following Monday the dog was taken for her very first hair appointment. She had to be shaved practically, but her beautiful cocker skirt would soon grow back better than ever.

That New Year's Day Ladybug Zellers was officially born! She was no longer just 'Lady', her given name.

For a very long time we had to let her come to us to be loved. I think it must have been that summer before she would sit on my lap. I know it was at least 1 year before Cary could wear his baseball hats around her. It is such a shame that such a kind animal would be treated that way.

As time has gone by, Ladybug has become a woman all her own. She sleeps in bed with my Mom, she sneaks kisses on my lips when I'm not suspecting...oh, how she LOVES my array of lip glosses and lip stick. And she even adores Cary, a man! Most recently she became a big sister to Luther, who is a black cocker spaniel. They run and play and fight a little, like brother and sister should. Those two truly love eachother though and WILLINGLY share custody of my Mom and her bed.

Many of the people in our lives have worked right beside us in the reconditioning of Ladybug, but none have been more forthcoming with love and care than my Mom. It is because of Mom that Ladybug is who she is today and has enjoyed the last 4 years like she should have from birth. She has committed herself to the term 'rescue' and has been diligent in reforming Ladybug. Without my Mom's soft heart for this dog and her original situation, I shudder to think where 'Bugs' would be now.

Tragedy once again struck Ladybug's life on Saturday. She must have teased Luther and challenged him to a race to the park because when she saw that Mom's gate had not fully latched, she took off down the drive taking Luther with her. For some reason Luther stopped to 'lift his leg' but Ladybug plugged away. Mom screamed for both of them, which usually stops them in their tracks but such was not the case today. Ladybug ran across the street and was struck by a car.

The woman in the car was so upset, obviously. She got out and asked to help my Mom. Mom asked her to go get Luther, who was just wandering at this point. The woman obliged and got him back behind the gate. Ladybug was conscious and as a matter of fact, once she heard and saw my Mom she began to crawl toward her.

Mom immediately got her into the car and headed off to the vet. Cary, McKinley and I met her there, we'd been out running errands and were close, thankfully. I think Bugs was in pain, but numb. Some how she had no broken bones, but had suffered a spinal cord injury. They immediately began mega doses of steroids via IV. The vet explained that now it was just a waiting game to see if the steroids could take affect and reverse the damage and swelling in Ladybug's spinal cord.

As of last night, there was no change. Ladybug had no reaction in her back legs to the doctor's 'poking'.

We all await news from the vet. We hope and pray for a miracle but know we must face something less than miraculous.

Once again, my Mom is faced with making an awful, painful decision. If you have ever had to decide on someone's fate you know it is a miserable feeling. A decision that I do not wish upon anyone.

Some people love animals, some just don't. If you have ever felt the unconditional love, respect and warmth from a special pet in your life, you are blessed. If you have not, well...I hope someday you will accept that unconditional love. It is so rewarding, yet so painful at the end of the pet's life.

You see, us animal lovers know that you can fight like crazy with loved ones, they can make you completely nuts and drive you to never speak again. But an animal...that animal may drive you crazy too, you may even make up your mind to 'get rid of it', but the animal will never give up on you and will always, always love you-NO MATTER WHAT. Love is what they know.
As I sit here, very sad over Ladybug, I think of all of the rescues in our lives...Valentine, the original rescue straight from the ghetto gas station, Gunther Goo, who spent many nights on our back porch hoping for a home and now happily pees in our toilet, Ladybug & Luther, a drop off at the Humane Shelter. Everyone says, 'Oh! What lucky animals to be where they are today!' No...lucky, lucky humans for having had the opportunity to bring such special 'family members' into our lives!

Briefly, McKinley turned 4 months old this past week, he is growing so quickly. It was an eventful week that I will post about later. We have his 3 month pics to post and a doctor's appointment to share, but for now...

Your thoughts and prayers are much appreciated.

Ladybug needs a miracle.

Lynn

Bugs' 'Sissy'

Naps & stuff

Well, I think I have established that I love taking pics of McKinley while he is napping. Maybe its because his naps are very quick so I have to take full advantage of them when they happen, or maybe its just because he's so darn cute. Hee hee hee.

Some of the latest from my collection:

We have had a busy week! The Vernon's are making preparations for Thanksgiving and thinking about Christmas too. I just cannot believe the holidays are HERE. Cary and I were in Walmart last night buying McKinley a jumperoo (we couldn't wait until Christmas, as originally planned) and heard 'DECK THE HALLS' being piped through the store....honestly, I'm not decking my halls yet. I still think its a little early. Speaking of early, Santa has arrived in the Haute. No kidding. Cary and I were discussing Santa coming around when we were kids, he did not arrive until the day after Thanksgiving! Now he's here and Halloween was JUST last week????

Back on the whole GREEN thing...here is something else we do to help the environment-we recycle! As I mentioned in the previous post, I have a bad addiction to magazines, so that I feel less guilty about killing all those trees for my pleasure I try to donate many of the magazines we rack up around here to various chairtable organizations. I take my chic mags to Gary's Place, a shelter for runaway teens. Someone else can get some enjoyment out of it and the magazine has done its job twice. We also recycle aluminum cans. My parents and I started doing that when I was just a small child. Cary and I made the choice years ago to continue in this effort. Its a small thing, but we still feel like we are doing something good.

If you get the Trib, keep an eye out for McKinley Shane on Sunday! Our photographers are putting him in the paper soon, and I just have a feeling it will be this week. It will be in the Valley Viewer section. Speaking of our photographer...I'm very anxiously awaiting McKinley's 3 month pics to come in. He will LITERALLY be 4 months old before they arrive, but they are so good I suppose we can stand to wait a little longer.

Will post them as soon as they arrive!

Have a great weekend!

Lynn

Belated Treat

No TRICKS here, just a sweet PUMPKIN treat!

Since we could not make it to see everyone we know and love we are doing a little virtual trick-or-treating!

What a fun two nights of Halloween fun we had! McKinley adjusted fairly well to his pumpkin costume and we are very thankful for that. We are all also glad it wasn't cold. I remember the days when Halloween was always FREEZING! Ahhh, global warming heated things up for us. More on that later.

Cary and I decided it would be fun to do a little dressing up ourselves. We joined McKinley as Daddy Zombie (not a far cry from new-parenthood!) and Mommy Witch (again, not a far cry from new-parenthood!). It was fun to see everyone's reactions when they expected to see an infant dressed up but were surprised by ADULTS getting in on the action. For all our treating we scored a whole bunch of diapers, courtesy of Nonna (my Mom), some candy and a teddy bear that was dressed exactly like McKinley (thank you, Jodi!). We had lots of fun.

McKinley dressed up for daytime fun in his 'Daddy's Little Monster' outfit and 'Baby's First Boo' socks. Very festive! Very cute!

SO glad October is over. Whew...it was a busier month than I thought it would be, but so many fun activities too! I'm happy to report that I am finished with those insane online classes. I felt very out of touch during that 5 week period. I'm over it...ready to get on with it and enjoy the holidays! Can you BELIEVE they are here?

McKinley has many new tricks (not the Halloween kind)...he has discovered the many tones of his voice and has even developed an eventful screech resembling what Cary describes as a Terodactyl and gives my mom goosebumps. He is still saying, "HEY!" and "HI!" and is working very hard on "Ahhhh". Okay, so he has no idea what he's saying and its a total fluke, but its cute.

Papa and Honey Robertson got McKinley a set of brightly-colored rubber duckies a few weeks ago. He is now OBSESSED with kicking them in his bath tub. We're sure he'll be the new kicker for the Colts very soon. Look out Vinatieri!!!!!!

He's enjoying peek-a-boo and he LOVES his LINKS! He is sitting happily in the Bebe Pod (think tiny baby seat). And the BIGGEST NEWS....shhh, don't tell our Pedi, we were supposed to wait until he was 4 months, close enough...he's officially on rice cereal! MMMMmmmm! We only do a small amount in the evenings, just so he adjusts, and we mix it with formula. McKinley is doing pretty well with a spoon and is getting the hang of it relatively quickly.

On the subject of global warming...the Vernon's are trying to go as 'GREEN' as we can. We figure if we are filling a landfill with McKinley's non-biodegradable diapers, we might as well make up for it some other way (why hasn't someone made them bio-degradable yet?). We've been using energy-efficient light bulbs since they came out and have energy-star appliances, and even use a water-efficient shower head. But we are taking it a step further now. Small things like water bottles are adding up in landfills at alarming rates, these are not biodegradable. So, we got big sports bottles to fill with water and take with us (mine is even a breast cancer foundation bottle-I did good TWICE!), plus its a healthy alternative to picking up a diet coke or dr. pepper. I'm even trying to carpool every time to sorority meetings. Also, trying to get away from those pesky plastic shopping bags, we are moving to reuseable shopping bags. My secret sister in sorority even got me one! They're cute too! Mine came from Pier 1 and was $1.99!!!! Can't beat that! So, there are a few less pieces of plastic going into the landfills from the Vernon's. Even my Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine has gone to recycled paper, so I feel less guilty about my magazine addiction. I will continue to post more changes we are making in effort to keep the Earth around for McKinley and his family. We can all do something, right?

Have a great week!

Lynn