slap shot?

Is there such a thing as too early to skate? Ask most people in Georgia and you may get a yes, ask most people in northern MN and they'll probably get offended at the question. Evan definitely doesn't think he's too young to skate. I pulled the skates out of his closet and tried them on his feet to see if the size we got last year would fit yet... The result of this action was a child that wanted to skate so bad that he wore the ice skates out of the house and to the skating rink. I have to say that I was a little bit worried about the skates cutting the seat on the way there.

We pushed a step stool around the rink for about 30 minutes the first day (yesterday). Evan did NOT want to leave. It involved carrying Evan off the rink with him crying repeating "I want to skate some more!!" and sometimes sticking in "I NEED to skate some more!!" with tears streaming down his face the whole time. Becky thought that she hadn't seen him this upset before. He hadn't cried like that for leaving the zoo, pool, library, pretty much anything.

Seeing how much Evan liked skating, we figured he should have a new helmet. I went to play it again sports to find him one and had a bit of a shock. Apparently it's against the rules to skate without one on Duluth rinks. Also there was only one style of helmet in Evan's size that the store had/could get. The store had a wide selection of helmets ranging from simple all purpose helmets to full hockey certified helmets. Does it make any sense to anyone that the smallest helmet in the store wound up being a full hockey certified helmet? Let's hope it lasts a couple of years and that he doesn't test it's protective abilities too much.

After leaving the skating rink Evan was a little difficult to calm down, but offering to get a skating book at the library got him pretty happy. At the library Evan asked me where the skating books were. I told him I didn't know, but I thought the librarians did. Without any further guidance Evan went up to the librarian desk and asked, "I need a skating book please".

With nice manners he got 4 books on skating that we read about 3 times each that night.

We were wondering if Evan would be as excited to go skating again today. The answer was yes. Evan reminded us about every 30 seconds to a minute that he wanted to go skating. Here's us getting Evan's skates on today at the knife river skating rink in the warming house.



He was marching around the rink with a little smirk on his face the whole time. Here's Evan holding Mom's hand cruising the rink.

Here's Evan pushing around his step stool today with mom in place to keep the bottom from being too sore.

We also found that sliding around on the step stool on the ice can be a LOT of fun too.

Can you see how big that smile is on his face? Yeah, we had a good time I think.

I'm feeling a little less than smart for forgetting the camera at home the first day and only having the iPhone. We did bring the camera today and were able to get a couple of cute videos.

We're both really excited that he's this excited to get outside and into an activity. I'm more worried about the cost of hockey more than Becky at this point I think, she even suggested that he may make a good goalie with his low muscle tone.

I'm just hoping it takes a while before he's talking about putting the foil on.

Bentleyville!

Tonight we went to Bentleyville. For those of you out there who don't know, Bentleyville is an event in Duluth's bayfront that has a lot of really amazing light displays, hot chocolate, cookies, Santa and his reign deer, and fire pits to roast marsh mellow's in. It's really quite an amazing event considering it's put on by volunteers, and Mr. Bentley. There's no charge, just a donation is asked.

It was so fun taking Evan to Bentleyville. I love how little children can bring to life the magic in a situation again, that we adults somehow have lost with time and age.

He walked slowly through the first few displays of lights, admiring them, and asking if he could walk through the tunnel. As I was carrying him, he saw one of santa's reign deer. I could feel his body leaning off of mine, as he stretched toward the deer. He asked to get down, and ran over to see the reign deer. They said Hi, and gave each other high fives, and Evan shook his hand. Not far later, and we saw a penguin. The penguin was even cooler for some reason. He got a hug too. Then Evan grabbed the penguin's arm, and said "Come on, let's go" I explained to Evan that the penguin couldn't come with us, that he needed to stay and say Hi to all the other children. Evan looked up at the penguin and said "you want to take a break?" I could see the person in the penguin begin to chuckle. Way too cute.

When we saw the gingerbread man display, Evan commented on the slide they were going down, and then saw the sea saw "It's a sea saw mommy".... Me, "yep, you're right.....that's a sea saw" Evan "I want to ride the sea saw" Me, "we can't ride the sea saw Evan, it's just for looking at". There was Noah's arch, the twelve days of christmas, a couple of tall ships, a giant rudolph and so much more. The giant Rodolph was seen as; "It's a scary deer mommy". When we walked through the tunnel that had lights above like a starlite sky, Evan tried to take some with him, but he said "I can't reach it", as he tried.

We waited in line to see Santa, and played with a friend while we did. We tried to take the sleigh bells that were there to look at and touch "we have to take em with". When we got to be 2nd in line for Santa, Evan was so excited to go see him I was holding him back by his hips, as he lunged to get to Santa. Again, the helper was enjoying a good laugh. When it was his turn, I sat him up next to Santa, and when he asked Evan what he would like for Christmas, Evan said "a presant". Ok, Evan, you just may get exactly what you asked for this year.

On our way out, we slid with our boots across the ice rink. Then we stopped in McDonalds for a burger and some fries. On the drive home, Evan commented "wasn't that fun", and talked about the lights, the penguin, Santa, and skating some more.

Oh, and when he saw the big castle at the entrance this was the conversation "it's a big castle", Me "yep, that is a big castle" Evan "it needs a door" Me "yep, it sure does"

Dear Santa, Evan would like a presant for christmas....Thanks.

Penguin hugs. Are you sure you don't want to take a break?

Talking with a Penguin.

Going to shake a reigndeer's hand.

Playing with Dad. We LOVE to be tickled and will offer our belly to get the games started.

Making sugar cookies with dad. I had been asking him to look at me for a picture, he finally gave in, but this is the best face he'd give me. Can you see the annoyance on his face?

Maggie keeping warm, a constant task for her.

Imagination

Evan has a really great imagination, and it's so fun to be around him when he's using it lately. I wanted to write down some of the stuff, just so I wouldn't forget them.

He put his teddy into my slipper and came to me and said "he riding in a boat"

He uses our laundry basket as a shell, and becomes a turtle on a quite frequent basis.

I can't begin to tell you all the things his blocks are.....phones, helicopters, boats, chairs, airplanes, trains, soap dispensers.......

He saw a stuffed deer while we were mailing things at the mail room and pointed to it and said "It's a gost deer mommy" "he's hungry" "that's scary" "scary gost deer".

I get fed all sorts of imaginary food out of his toys.....a red ball in a stacking cup is an apple, a shirt stuffed in a cup is suddenly ice cream.

He informed me that "teddy needs to poop outside mommy", and His stuffed Rabbit used Maggie's puppy pads a few weeks ago.

His stuffed animals also use his potty on occasion, get rocked, fed, and we get informed when they need a bath and are stinky. Sometimes, Teddy is Evan's little brother.

Speaking of Teddy, I don't think I shared this story on here either, and I want to remember it as well. Teddy has been Evan's favorite toy since he was about 1 1/2 yrs old. Teddy goes everywhere with Evan, and sleeps with him at night. Teddy is a prayer bear, I posted about him a long while ago when Evan first became attatched to him. Well, we forgot teddy somewhere in Wisconsin this August, and for about 2 weeks Evan kept asking where teddy was. Not really getting upset when we tried to explain we didn't know and thought he might be somewhere in Wisconsin, but we couldn't find him, he's just get quiet, and like he was thinking. While I was shopping in Walgreen's I found another Teddy. I wasn't sure if it would matter that this one's voice was loud and not faded and worn out because it had new batteries, or that this one was shinny and new, and not all stinky and stained. I bought it just to see. I brought new teddy home, pulled his tag off, and told Evan that I'd gotten him something. When he came around the corner, I held teddy out to him. Evan stopped right in his tracks, and looked at Teddy. Then, he came up and took him from my hands, hugged teddy under his right arm, and said "Here you are Teddy, Let's go for a walk", and walked away with him. He narrated almost everything to Teddy the rest of that night, and told him all sorts of things. It was a nice reunion.

Addition 12-12-10: Last night Evan took two of his blocks and put them together at a 90 degree angle. He told me it was a "cau-fer" several times. I responded with a "yeah, ok" thinking whatever a "cau-fer" is, who knows? Then he started pointing his contraption at different things and coughing. I laughed so hard, a "cougher" Coughs DUH mom! too funny. It surprised me that he was manipulating the english language in this way once I figured out what was going on in his brain.

Prematurity Awareness month

November is prematurity awareness month. I've been thinking for awhile what I wanted to post for this month. Everyone who reads this blog knows our story (I think) and knows why prematurity is close to our hearts. Prematurity is bigger than just our story though - MUCH bigger. I'm afraid to be honest. I'm afraid that if the awareness isn't raised in this country that these tiny babys born too soon will be determined to be not worth the investment. Not worth the cost involved in saving them. These children, can not fight for themselves, we must fight for them. I believe they're worth the fight. I believe better outcomes can be achieved. I believe these tiny babies are full of potential, and hopefully we'll give them a chance at a long life to prove it. More than that I believe we can do a better job at fighting and treating the causes of the premature births, and keep these babies baking longer where they belong!

OK, so some facts:
Every year more than 1/2 a million babies (1 in 8) are born prematurely in the united states.
That number is up 30% since 1981
Prematurity is the number one killer of newborns

76% of babies born at 24 weeks today survive
By 28 weeks 90% survive
Of babies born before the age of 28weeks, 25% will have serious lasting disabilities.
50% MAY have milder problems such as learning disabilities or behavioral problems

This information comes from the March of Dimes web page.

Why are these numbers important? I see more and more TV shows, articles, and hear discussions about premature infants and the extrememly premature that not only have statements/scenes/comments that hurt and appal me, but are just plain incorrect. A while back an episode of Private Practice aired where a mother gave birth to a 25 week preemie. The episode argued against saving the baby, picturing it as being doomed to suffering, and a life of disability. This article was brought to my attention by a good friend

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1267878/VIRGINIA-IRONSIDE-Ill-vilified-shouldnt-let-nature-decide-premature-babies-survive.html#comments

The part where she says "Often there is a reason a child is born early - because they have either a disability or weakness. Isn't this mother nature's way of saying they are not meant for this world" I thought was particularly uninformed and harsh to say. There is no cure for pre-eclampsia, a dangerous condition for the mother where their blood pressure sky rockets, except delivering the baby often prematurely. This is some how the baby's problem? Nor is it the mothers fault. What happens during pre-eclampsia to cause this to happen? We don't know, I think we need to know. What scared me the most about this article was the pole. 50% of people who voted said that mother nature should be let to decide. Where should this line be drawn? Should heart attacks be left to nature? Spinal cord injuries? The morbidly obese? Stroke victims?

Yes, premature babies have a fight in front of them. Yes, it's often expensive, and hard. Yes, sometimes the outcomes are very poor. Does that mean we give up the fight? I remember not too long ago breast cancer wasn't all that survivable. I believe that the March of Dimes will find more causes for premature births. Better ways to treat, prevent and/or cure those causes, and decrease the rising numbers of premature births. I believe we can do better, better outcomes for the babies can be achieved. Please become more aware of prematurity. Fight the attitudes that are building in our society that these babies aren't worth it. Explain that better outcomes can and are being achieved. That instead of talking of doing nothing, lets do something! Lets get up and prevent the premature births in the first place. Lets fight for healthier babies with better outcomes.



Remember, those tiny tiny babies that are so sick and don't look like they're meant for this world.....

That's someone's child.

Their heart in that isolette.

Fall

Had to start this post with my current favorite picture of Evan. It's so hard to get pictures of him smiling lately. His "poses" for the camera, involve him stopping what he's doing, and looking at you. So I really like this pic.

Some exciting news for Bosom Bliss. We were an exhibitor at the Duluth Birth and Baby fair. It was a big success. I was nervous going as I've never done any of this before, thankfully it went pretty smoothly.

Evan started ECFE again in september. He loves going to school, and insisted on having his own backpack. Here's some art done by Evan at school.


We tried carving a couple of pumpkins with Evan. He wasn't too interested, and didn't last past the opening of the top, and digging out the insides. He also wasn't quite sure what to think of that sticky stuff we were asking him to help us dig out.



He was brave enough to ventrue in there a couple of times though.

Of course there's been leaves to rake.

And play in.

And jump on.

And play in some more.

Evan went to Boo at the Zoo this year with Grandpa and Grandma Gorny. I found him this neat piece of a pine tree that had fallen, and since Evan LOVES sticks, I thought he'd enjoy this too. I thought it was a little funny when he promptly started using it to clean up the zoo. Not sure where he gets his desire to "cleanen up the messes" from ; )

What's A Halloween party without a little sugar? Evan thought pixie sticks were awesome. Did I mention his costume is a giraffe? It's ok if you thought it was a camel......Stephan did.

Most kids are afraid of these big people dressed up in these outfits I hear. Evan loves them. He sees them, and has to go say hi.

I thought this armadillo looked a bit intimidating.

Evan walked right up and shook his hand.

Evan loved this bear. He got multiple hugs.

Evan stayed for conversation with him. After the hug it went something like this.....bear not talking of course. "Stand up (while holding his hand), common bear, lets go this way" Then he started telling the bear about his bag, and his new shoes. I think he'd have stayed with this bear all day if we had let him.

Inquisitive about the lady walking a giant spider on a leash.

First time seeing a live snake out of a box. I think he thought it was pretty neat. He didn't say much though, just studied it and touched it .

By the end of our outing to the zoo Evan was starting to get the concept of trick or treating down. He unfortunately has horrible timing. He either said "trick or treat" repeatively towards the person from about 15 ft away, or after he had recieved his candy and left their presence. He was always silent when infront of the candy givers. Maybe he'll do better this coming weekend?

Tux

Evan was the ring bearer at my father's wedding this weekend. I thought you all might enjoy a little Evan in a tux.

Partly for fun, and partly for my memory bank. Some fun things about Evan.

He will not smile for a picture. He will look at the camera.

While he was admitted the last time, Stephan woke up to the nurses asking "Can I help you" over the intercom. Evan was sitting on the bed, call light in hand, and replied "I need some nurse".

He still loves the outdoors, and especially bike rides in the trailer Stephan made a cover for lately, and requests to go.

He currently loves building blocks, and doctor seuss books, especially "one fish two fish".

He's starting to count, I don't think it'll be long before he can get to 10.

He likes holding hands.

He's quite ticklish, and likes to be tickled most of the time. He'll even ask for it. Tonight however, when I was trying to tickle him out of a fit....I was informed "no more tickle mommy".

He's starting to recognize letters. He pointed out the letter E and O at a gas station on our drive home to me. "It's a E mommy". "that's a O"

Things he said to me just today

"we're up high mommy" We were on top of a hill in Duluth, looking down over traffic.

"we're going down" we were driving down a hill on our way home, he commented again how we were up high when we went up the hill.

"the light's green" informing me when it had changed from Red.

"I think it's hot", pointing at a pipe outside of Olive garden that was making a hissing noise like steam.

"I'm all done, we need to go home" while throwing a fit at the restaurant. All I thought was, yep, now he can communicate what he's thinking.

Fun at the Farm

The last two weeks have been busy at the Gorny house. Two weeks ago it started with me coming down with a nasty stomach bug. On thursday, Stephan and Evan both got it. Evan was holding his own until the early morning hours of saturday. He ended up with diarrhea so bad it was looking like the juice he was drinking. He was pretty severely dehydrated and ended up admitted through sunday afternoon. He got worse again on monday, and he was admitted again until around noon on wednesday. We're happy to say, he's feeling much better, and is nearly the weight he was before the illness now. He still can't have much dairy for a bit, but we're starting to reintroduce it.

On Thursday afternoon we went to Wisconsin for one of Stephan's cousin's weddings (congratulations Betsy and Jeff!). We hadn't seen this side of his family since before Evan was born, and had been planning the trip for a year. We asked the pediatrician if it was a bad idea to go, considering Evan's recent hospitalizations. She insisted we went. We were a bit nervous, but SO happy we went in the end. We stayed in a fifth wheel camper trailer at Stephan's aunt Sue and uncle Tom's farm. And we just had a blast on the farm. Evan was talking about how he "had so much fun" on the drive home. Thanks again for having us guys!

Evan's uncle Tom took him on a Tractor ride on Sunday morning. If you look carefully you can see Evan's yellow shirt on the right hand side of the inside of the cab. He was following uncle Tom to the tractor and started saying "I need my hat, I need my hat". Uncle Tom was wearing a hat, and therefore we must too! So we got Evan his sun hat and he's wearing it next to Tom. When we asked him if he liked his tractor ride later, he assumed we were asking if he wanted to go for another one, and got pretty excited at the idea of it.

Evan absolutely LOVED his ride in the skid steer while cousin Joey scooped silage into. He did NOT want it to stop. He was pushing himself back into the skid steer and telling us to pull the door down and that he needed to go for a ride.

Thanks for the ride Joey!

Evan having fun chasing his cousins. He was trying to catch them to tickle them.

All of us adults thought it was pretty cute when the kiddo's wanted to walk hand in hand.

Evan insisted on holding Anabelle's hand almost as soon as he met her.

Aunt Sue, Evan, and cousins Taylor and Anabelle. You may have to click on this picture and look at it larger to see it better.

Evan's cousin Taylor, showing him around the barn while the cows were being milked. We got to see how they were milked and watched the milk come out. Evan was particularly facinated by how they just went potty right there in the barn. I think he was surprised by the amount of potty a cow can make too.

There were small huts on the farm that the new calves stay in. We all thought this little brown swiss named mini was the prettiest.

Evan thought the empty huts made a GREAT play place.

I mean, it really does double as a small play house right?

This hole is for a bottle nipple to go through and feed the calves. Evan thought it was really funny to look through it to us on the other side.

Evan's dance partner, his cousin, Taylor

The wedding was at a resort on the shores of the Mississippi river. It was a beautiful day, and the scenery was amazing.

Evan had an incredible time at the wedding reception. I think his favorite part was dancing with Taylor. He was laughing and smiling the whole time, and would go to Taylor and wrap his arms around her. Thank you Taylor for showing Evan such a good time! Evan didn't forget his cousin Anabelle though, I hear he was spotted giving her some hugs and kisses that evening. We may have to keep a close eye on this litte guy!