Triple H: December 2015

This summer wasn’t nearly as busy as years past since we had David. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t exciting getting to know him and see his personality come out.

Our neighborhood had their annual garage sale and the girls once again spent a whole day in the kitchen prepping for it. Eli helped as well and was excited to earn a portion of the money.

At this neighborhood sale the girls went wandering. Emma came back with what she thought was a nice comfy blanket. The next day she went to use that blanket and discovered that it was, in her words, “Big fat lady pants.” I was laughing hysterically.

Jared sent me this picture from church one Sunday.

The saddest day of our summer was June 11. On June 6 we noticed Rameses wasn’t himself. He jumped up to come in the house and fell and got a big gash in his leg. We bandaged it up, and just figured he judged wrong and slipped. He wouldn’t come upstairs to sleep, and had an accident during the night, which has NEVER happened. Then the next day he refused to eat. Even his absolute favorites, bananas and string cheese. He would drink a little. By Sunday night it was obvious something was VERY wrong as he kept having accidents just laying down and was so lethargic. We took him to an emergency clinic where it took hours to be seen and run tests. He was so dehydrated that his blood was thick and clogged their machine. They wanted to get him on an IV (4-5 hours after arrival; he was so dehydrated they should have started him on it upon arrival, and they never even offered him water) and keep him over night at the cost of $2,500. Now we love our Rameses, but to pay that much for him to stay there another 7 hours after them not offering him water or fluids of any sort was infuriating (as a comparison, the three day stay with all meds and constant IV fluids, and then finally euthanasia at the other clinic totaled $750). Jared said he’d take him home, which then caused the vet to treat Jared very rudely and he basically said we were horrible for not putting him to sleep right then and there. This was the first time they had suggested putting him down. Jared paid the bill of the visit and brought Rameses home. Monday we took him to another vet that we’ve been to in the past. His kidneys were failing, but they put him on an IV and all sorts of meds to try to see if they could get his levels back up. By Wednesday his blood was, in the words of the vet, like sludge. We decided to bring him home to see if we could get his spirits up and maybe he’d start to recover better being at home. We got some special kidney diet food. Rameses continued to refuse food, his meds, and water. We’d have to help him up by wrapping our arms around his chest and pulling him up and hold him like that to walk him outside to relieve himself every hour or so. You could tell he was so embarrassed to have accidents in the house, and we didn’t want him to feel bad. It was so hard to get him back up the steps into the house that we left him to lay in the shade outside, which he really loved. The weather was just perfect. We had an appointment for the next day to have his blood work checked, but by Wednesday night we really didn’t think he’d make it through the night, and if he did, we knew that the next day would be his last. We couldn’t stand to see him so sick. He was so miserable. Patch seemed to know he wasn’t doing well and kept his distance, where he would usually be licking his ears and teeth and be laying under his head like this.

June 11 was agonizing. We had to wait until our afternoon appointment, and just keep him comfortable in the backyard. We spent time cuddling and just loving on him. We couldn’t really spoil him with treats and other stuff he enjoys because he couldn’t/wouldn’t do anything but lay down. Jared took some sweet final pictures.

When it came time to take him into the vet Jared had to almost carry him through the house, then pick him up and put him on a towel in the van. He willingly walked into the vet and just laid on the floor. If you have a dog, you know that the second they see the vet’s office they shake and won’t sit or lay down. We could tell he was ready and it was just heart breaking. We miss him so much. Patch hasn’t really played with toys since then, until recently with Mozzie, Janae’s dog. I recently had to take Patch to the vet’s office and broke down just walking in the place. Rameses was such a sweet guy. His personality was incredible; he was just a happy boy. If he was hungry, thirsty, or needed to go out he’d just stare at you and pant in your face. When you put your hand on his head or neck, he’d practically pull you up and then direct you whichever direction he needed, either to his food bowl, or the back door. He had a cooky smile.

Patch just adored him and vice versa. We always said Patch would be a mess without him. It’s been interesting to see him cope. Considering how he acted that last night Rameses was home from the vet I think he knew his BFF was dying. I’m glad he came home for that last night so we could say goodbye in our own environment and comfort of our home, and Patch could hopefully have some closure.

We sure love our big guy.

Back to the happy stuff. Ever since Halle first saw Parent Trap I’ve looked into overnight camps for her. I didn’t want to send her away for the summer, especially at the cost of many of those camps. I found that the local YMCA has a camp in Kamas, just an hour and a half away and the camps were Sunday-Friday, with the option to pay extra for Friday-Sunday for them to stay the following week; so really they could stay as many weeks as you can afford. They had a horsemanship program, and Halle loves horses. I asked her if she’d be interested in being away for a week, and was sure she’d be uncertain and nervous and ask if she had any friends that were going with her. To my shock, she was thrilled by the idea, and when she got home from school that same day she asked if I’d registered her yet (I had)! She was never nervous, and didn’t even care to have a hug and kiss goodbye. I’m a different story. I cried registering her and reading the drop off procedures. I cried dropping her off. When we picked her up she didn’t even want to sit with us at dinner and asked to go be with her friends. I’m SO glad she had a great experience. The camp doesn’t allow emails or technology of any sort for their campers, so we mailed her one letter and she mailed us one. They do post pictures throughout the week so I diligently watched their Facebook page for Halle. I think next year I might send her with a disposable camera or something. What I did learn is that at least the other girls don’t brush their hair. She probably wore 2 or 3 shirts over the course of 5 days, and they showered once with a 2 minute time limit. Ew. The first horsemanship camp doesn’t mean they get to ride horses. They only did once. They learn about horses and had to clean up after them before they can graduate to next year’s course. As they continue to go to camp they get more time with the horses.

I enjoyed taking pictures of David on the quilt my mom made him.

Eli woke up one morning and had apparently had a bloody nose during the night, but looked like he’d been attacked by a zombie or something. He thought his nose was just runny, so his face and shirt were covered in smears of blood. Luckily his hair fit the part as well and he posed just perfectly for this picture.

I made this yummy cookie. It’s chocolate chip cookie dough, but inside is a s’more, so two graham crackers with a marshmallow and Hershey’s chocolate in between. It was HUGE and mighty delicious. We shared, promise.

Finally, on June 30 we celebrated Halle’s 9th birthday. This is the only picture we got. We took the girls to see Inside Out and got everyone popcorn. Then we headed home for an ice cream sundae bar and presents.

So it was a sad month with the passing of Rameses, but also so fun to have David, for Halle to attend Camp Roger, and to celebrate her birthday.

I just ordered a new blog book, and Halle was so excited to sit down and read it, that I decided I should back to blogging. Even if my kids are the only ones that read it via a printed book, that’s worth it to me. Jared and I finally took all of the pictures off our mobile devices, so I need to backtrack first.

In January we bought a Groupon to make a flower by pulling glass at Thanksgiving Point. It was a lot of fun, and actually quite difficult to pick the colors, and pull the glass. But the result was beautiful!

At the end of January, Janae’s baby Michael was born. Eli was SO excited! He held him 4 times while we visited, and was always saying how adorable and tiny he is. Though he did say, “Michael is so cute, but our baby is going to be cuter.” Halle was very hesitant to hold him, and said she only wanted to hold our baby, but she finally held him and enjoyed it.

On to February. Jess took Eli to a basketball game and spoiled him with popcorn and cotton candy.

We started the process of moving Halle to the basement and getting ready for David. We told Halle she did not have to move yet. We didn’t want to force her out of her room and have her feel any resentment toward the baby, but she was quite excited to move. While we were on our vacation in Florida in January, I had this idea that we could make her room a beach theme. She really liked that idea and we collected lots of shells to display. Over to the right of her bed are two shadow boxes with shells.

Halle’s room required two different colors, but they were solid on each wall. David’s room on the other hand, required three colors but was SO complex. It took us 12 hours together (so 24 hours total!) JUST to tape in preparation for painting. And we had to tape twice, almost three times. Once to paint the gray, then wait for gray to dry, then tape over it to tape for red. Then dry again, and a final taping for a bit of turquoise. Nobody could ever pay me enough to do this for them.

Patch didn’t make the process any easier laying on our legs and such during the process.

At least Patch enjoyed the final product.

Loretta made me be crafty, which is something I am not. We laughed hysterically at the GIANT end product of our craftiness. Can’t even see my pregnant belly behind that thing.

Eli loving Michael some more.

Halle went through a bout with sleep walking. She’d end up going to the bathroom by Eli’s room, two floors away from the bathroom that is two steps from her bedroom door.

March 2015. I spy with my little eye a dog named Patch.

We played magnets, Janene and Richard came into town, Lola climbed on my head, and Eli and I baked.

My belly got huge.

Jess got sleepy (as usual).

April 2015

We went to the Aviary.

I already blogged a lot about NYC, but here’s a few more pictures.

My mom finished this INCREDIBLE quilt for David. We shopped for the fabric together at probably 7 different stores.

We had a big dog party!

Rameses got bit by a spider, we’re guessing.

We saw Jane Goodall speak, and she signed a children’s book for us.

May 2015

Stitch wasn’t feeling so well and hadn’t pooped in weeks. I took him to the vet to put him to sleep, but instead he got an enema. It took a few days, but that worked, and he’s still alive now in December.