Ray's blog

Today was Easter Sunday, which apparently means you have to go to early church and if you're a grown-up you have to wear a tie. There were lots of people in church this morning -- the most I've seen in my entire life. Granted that's only eleven weeks, but still, there was a big crowd. The music was very good (as usual) and so was the message (as usual). The sermon was both educational and funny. Plus our pastor always talks funny. (I think he's from another planet.)

My friend Tim was in the back row. He wants to have a baby so badly but it just hasn't happened for him yet. I kinda felt bad, being a baby myself and all, and being there in church. He waved and gave me a big giant smile though. He'll be a great dad someday -- I can just tell. My dad says he knows some very special people who wanted to have children for years and years, and then, when they least expected it, they were blessed more than they ever could have imagined. He says God must have had it all planned out for them from the day they met.

I haven't figured out who God is exactly. I keep hearing people talk about him but I've never met him. (I think he's related to my Grandpa Bare somehow.) He sure works in mysterious ways, though....

Anyway church was great and then we had lunch at that Italian place, with Grandma and Grandpa Graybill and my friend Bea. I had a bottle. Then Mommy and Daddy and I all came home and had a nice nap. (Dad calls it "a delicious siesta." I don't know why he can't just call it a nap -- he is so weird.)

Then after our "siesta" we all went to Grandma Graybill's house for a big Easter egg hunt! I had never been to Grandma's house before but it is very nice. She has the biggest TV I've ever seen in my entire life (again, not that long) and I really liked watching it. My Cousins came over too in their Easter dresses -- all three of them looked so pretty! My Aunt Nicole held me most of the afternoon, and my Cousin Hayley even held me for a little while. The girls had their big egg hunt (Uncle Richy and I just watched) and then they ate their colored eggs and jellybeans all afternoon. That looked like a recipe for a stomach ache to me -- I just had a bottle.

Tonight Mommy put some more pictures up in my online photo gallery, and I had another nap. (I think Dad was drifting off to sleep on the couch too.) But now it's past my bedtime, so good night and Happy Easter!

Yesterday I went back to see Dr. D -- he is SO nice and he just loves babies. They weighed me and said I'm 15 pounds, 14 ounces now! He said that puts me in the "95th percentile," whatever that means. Plus I'm 24" tall now -- a full two feet! He also said my head is 42 centimeters (around, I guess -- I don't remember them sticking a ruler through my head, and I think I would remember a thing like that). He called me a "fathead" but he was just kidding.

Besides all the measurements he listened to my heart and lungs, poked on my belly and all that stuff, and he said I'm very healthy and very blessed. He also held me for awhile, which was great and all but it seems like he should have gone on to his next patient.... Oh well, their loss! :-)

This morning my best friend Erin took me to my friend Holly's office to see the Easter Bunny. Erin is great and Holly is great but I'm not too sure about a five-foot-tall rabbit. He/she (it?) held me and they took my picture and all that jazz but overall I'm not too thrilled with the whole experienced. It was great to see Holly though. And of course anything I do with Erin is fun -- she is so nice.

After the scary rabbit, Mommy and Erin and I went to Applebee's and met Grandma Graybill there. I like Applebee's -- there's lots of people to look at, and lots of cool stuff on the walls. And there's nothing better in the world than hanging out with a grandparent! Oh yeah!

Then we headed home for a quiet afternoon and evening. I had a bottle and a nap. Good stuff.

People have been asking Mommy and Daddy about my dog Pepper. (They never ask me. It used to bother me but I guess it's just because I haven't learned to talk yet.) Anyway Pepper is doing great. He is still limping just a little and he still needs a little help to get up the stairs, but on level ground he is using his leg a little and getting around just fine.

Last night Mommy and I got to go to Aunt Mary's house again! (Dad was out with those bologna-head musicians.) We got to visit with Aunt Mary and Uncle Wayne and my Cousin Emily too. It was great!

This morning we all went to Ft. Thomas to move musical equipment. (Mommy and I just waited while Dad and Tom and that goofy Dell moved the gear.) It was nice to finally meet them though. Tom seems very nice -- his son was there too but he's really old, like 7 or 8 or something.

That didn't take very long and then we went to Ponderosa. Mommy had a salad and a chicken sandwich. Dad had one of everything, and some ice cream for dessert. I had a bottle. Next we stopped by Dad's office for a few minutes and then headed back home for a little nap (oh yeah!).

Next we had to go to Mommy's office to meet my Great Uncle Joe and my Great Aunt Diane. They had to sign some papers for some high-powered real estate deal. I had never met Uncle Joe before -- he is very nice. The paperwork didn't take long and the Mommy and Daddy and I went to Applebee's for some dinner.

When we got home we watched a movie called "Mr. Deeds" with Adam Sandler. (Man that guy is funny.) And now it's bedtime for everyone because we're getting up and going to early church in the morning.

Last night Dad said it was time for bed, and it seemed like it just got dark outside. Then this morning he was up and gone to work before the sun came up! Now tonight he says it's bedtime again. What the heck is going on here?

Well I survived the blizzard of '08. (Hey, I should get that printed on a T-shirt!) Mommy and I didn't leave the house from Thursday afternoon until Sunday morning. Dad went to work on Friday but even he didn't stay all day -- it was snowing like crazy! By the time it stopped on Saturday afternoon it seemed like it was as tall as me! (It wasn't really because I'm really tall for a baby. If I could stand up, that is.)

The snow was taller than poor Cinnamon -- Dad said she was "porpoising" though the snow, jumping from spot to spot.

But yesterday we went to Olive Garden for lunch. Of course Grandma and Grandpa Graybill were there, but my friend Bea wasn't. Grandma and Dad had the chicken alfredo. I had a bottle.

Then we went to Wal-Mart and got a new toy for me! It's really big and it's green and it goes around in circles. I can't wait until I get a little older so I can play with it!

Today we went to Macy's and got some new clothes for Mommy. My Aunt Nicole gave me a gift card for Christmas, but I gave it to Mommy because I have tons of clothes and Mommy has... well she has tons of clothes too but Dad says women need more clothes than guys do, so I gave it to her. (Besides I think Aunt Nicole really gave it to Mommy in the first place, since I wasn't even born yet at Christmastime.)

Tonight Mommy had to work and Grandma Graybill came to my house and stayed with me. It was great! She held me and rocked me and gave me my bottle and pretty much tried to spoil me. (It can't be done, of course. (-: )

Well it's past my bedtime and Dad says it's time to put the laptop away. Pepper has been doing better, in case you were wondering. Tonight I think he hurt his knee though, the one that was just operated on. He slipped on the steps and he was limping pretty bad after that. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow though.

Yesterday we went back to Dr. Kirst's office to pickup Pepper. When we got there she wanted to see me right away, so Mommy and I got to go in the back where they repair the animals. One of the nice ladies that work there held me and gave me my bottle. And of course Dr. Kirst held me and said how cute I was and tried to trade Mommy a teenager for me -- all the standard stuff.

We finally got Pepper and put him in the car. He was really sleepy -- even dopier than usual. :-) Dr. Kirst said the operation went well, but I can tell he's really sore. I feel bad for him, hobbling around on three legs, but Mommy says he'll be better in a few weeks.

Then I went with Mommy on my first real estate appointment! We showed our friend Shannon a big house in New Richmond. I don't know if she'll buy it or not. If she does I wonder if I get a commission too....

Pepper went with us too, but he just stayed in the car and slept. (No commission for him.)

When we got home Mommy brought me upstairs and then she had to go back down to the car and get Pepper. She brought him up to the living room and he just slept and slept and slept. (My kind of dog!) When Dad got home Pepper just raised up his head and looked at him -- he was too tired to get up.

Today he is feeling better but he's still hurting. I think he wants to go up and down the stairs but even Pepper is smart enough not to try it yet.

Tonight Dad took my picture with Mr. Moose again. I think Dad must be washing him in hot water or something because that moose keeps shrinking! He used to be as big as me and now he's not even close.

Happy March!

This morning we got up early and made the long trip home from the Great White North. I like going to visit my cousins but it's always nice to be home, too. And today we had a big excursion to make!

We got home about 11:30 AM, and about an hour later Mommy, my friend Lisa and I were back on the road, headed off to see Dr. Kirst. And boy did we have a carful of animals! We had:

• my dog Pepper (he's the oldest)
• my dog Cinnamon (she's the cutest)
• Lisa's HUGE dog Tess (she's the biggest)
• Mommy's cat Snickers (she's just a cat)

Just Tess would be a carful. Most ponies are not that big. She sat in the back of Mommy's SUV and put her head over the back seat (she didn't even have to stretch!) and panted in my face! My whole life flashed before my eyes. (It didn't take long.) But right away I figured out that there was nothing to worry about -- she's as sweet as she is big.

There's a picture of Tess here next to huge Rottweiler (Strider), and he looks like terrier next to her!

When we got to Dr. Kirst's office with our four animals, Dr. Kirst came into the exam room, grabbed me up and carried me into the back where the grown-ups are allowed to go! It was great. There were all kinds of animals back there, and she held me and talked to me and everything. She tried again to trade some of her daughters for me, but Mommy wouldn't go for it.

The bad news is that Pepper didn't get to come home with us (yet): His limp is not just arthritis -- he has another torn ACL and tomorrow he gets an operation on his other back knee. :-( I guess it only happens to back legs, though. Dad was on the phone and wanted to know if this could happen again and Dr. Kirst said, "only if he grows another knee."

It's a long way to her office and a long way back, and all of that after riding home from Findlay this morning! I don't know about Mommy but I'm tired of being in the car!