In an effort to work toward a family zoo day, I decided to put both boys in the stroller and go for a walk. The last time I tried walking, it was a mess and Brendan wanted no part of it. He was more tolerant this time but I can’t say that he really enjoyed it.

Neither of them looks thrilled! Trevor usually really likes getting out and seeing the neighborhood.

As long as I was moving, Brendan was OK. If I stopped for a picture, he cried. And Trevor would greet passers-by with his polite stroller-stretches.

Trevor loved seeing real construction vehicles in action. He also loved the recycle truck out picking up the cans. Brendan hated it!

When we got home, Trevor got in the mail and started to “read” the new fish catalog.

He used his shovel truck to hide the evidence

Brendan just plays with his favorite helicopter.

Until a package from Gramma showed up at the door! Easter treats!

Cool easter light-spinner things! Good thing Brendan was just practicing.

Bee is for Brendan!

We already watched this DVD and they loved it

This wind up flipping frog makes Brendan laugh, but he wouldn’t let it flip while I was trying to get a video.

Mommy got a package that I ordered too, some new mixing bowls for in the kitchen. The boys had to do a durability test for me.

They both clanged them and banged them all evening. Good news is, they still look brand new. And I already used one for cooking dinner. Good buy! They cost too much to get the boys their own set!

It was a good day. Brendan’s GI doctor is happy with his tolerance of tummy feeding and said to go ahead and continue to push him on the compression of schedule like we had started. Soon he will have up to 4hrs a day where he does not have to be on the pump. It will be so good for him because he is getting faster with his crawling!

Trevor-Mommy day was almost a total disaster but it all worked out. Those big blue baby eyes saved the day! Our family now has a zoo membership, so I decided Trevor and I would go this morning. I bought the membership online and printed the confirmation last night. I got Trevor through breakfast, sunscreen, shoes, in the car. Diaper bag, camera with batteries and memory card – check. Snacks, water, sunglasses – check. Stroller loaded. Don’t forget printout… grab purse and keys, and out the door we finally went!
We get to the zoo and I get Trevor loaded in the stroller, get bags and accessories organized and walk up to the entrance. I get out the paper and my wa… WHAT?! My wallet is not in my purse!!! The zoo is really strict about members having photo ID, especially when they don’t even have a real card yet, just a printout.
I wait in the membership line only to get a crabby lady who was just giving me the “talk to the hand” attitude about how she will not bend the rules. No photo ID, no entry. Just when I was about to cry (if I had to go home for the wallet, we wouldn’t have time to come back), another employee looked at Trevor’s eager face and said, “Jeez! Just let them in!”. Thank you, kind zoo employee!

So I had absolutely no money, so no souvenirs or snacks were bought. Maybe it was a good thing, and it saved me some cash! We were rollin’ at the zoo anyway!

Some of the bigger animal exhibits like giraffes and elephants didn’t interest Trevor. I don’t think he really knew what he was looking at and what he should be looking for. But when we got to the section with the squirrel monkey garden, he got interested!

I carried him through a path where all the tiny little monkeys are running freely around you, jumping on trees and ropes right over your head. Trevor didn’t know what to think! He was stunned!
He kind of liked the flamingos too.

He did a LOT of pointing today. This strange amazon river display got his attention.

He pointed at tortoises

He pointed at a cow that kept mooing at him.

Since we were in the children’s farm and petting zoo area of the zoo, I let him out to walk. He liked the chickens that came right up to the fence to cluck at him.

I thought he would like the turkey but he just ran away!

He LOVED the goat petting area. He kept signing “dog” and laughing. He had to call a goat roundtable meeting.

Whoa! Goat in a tunnel!

Tunnel goat was his favorite, he kept coming back to look at him

Niiiiice goat

Then he went searching for hiding goats everywhere

We only did a small section of the zoo today. We were there just over 2 hours and even though the thermometer said it was 74, it was getting super hot in that sun! I had to get Trevor home for some lunch and a bath!
He took a 3 hour nap, he was so worn out!

Brendan had a very nice day of play and personal attention today. He is still getting his formula in his stomach and has not had any problems yet! We should get a follow up from his GI team tomorrow and talk about his plan going forward.
Brendan’s thing today was pushing the button on the crazy spinny light toy!

This evening, the boys played “Endless Alphabet” together nicely.

Ok, kind of nicely. There was hand swatting from both sides going on. And then Trevor likes to hit the physical “Home” button on the side and close the app.

I was supposed to make Trevor tired but the zoo trip wiped me out too! I can’t wait until the whole family can go more often. There is so much there for them to do!

I don’t know where to start today, there are so many cool and interesting events. Brendan had a fantastic day (both boys did, really). He started with a physical therapy session outside in the play yard and he rocked it with big crawling, kneeling, standing, rolling, and reaching.

Something happened yesterday when we got home from the hospital and we hooked up Brendan’s food pump to his new button. I hooked up the food to the wrong port! So all yesterday, evening, night, morning… he was getting his formula in his stomach instead of his jejunum. Funny thing is, in the close up button picture from yesterday, you can clearly see the label “jejunum” in the middle port and “gastric” on the side where his line is connected.
So, inadvertently Brendan got tested with food in his belly and he has done extra super well so far. Today was one of his best days ever. It takes several days before we will know if he truly is tolerating this, but in the meantime, we will leave it and see how he does. We’ll be talking to his GI nurse tomorrow.

Brendan is enjoying his new found mobility. He is going at things with gusto, you actually have to be extra diligent because he will just launch himself at things now. (Especially at Daddy when he wants to get picked up for flying!) He is signing “more” now quite clearly and using it a lot. I sat down to start the blog and next thing I knew, there was a Brendan trying to crawl up my legs and on to my lap. That is a first!

He had another new first today, he took a bath outside! The weather today was just gorgeous and nobody wanted to come inside!

All that PT and playing and bathing and he was wiped out!! If I only had a hammock, I would have been napping outside too!

Even another first today, Brendan happily played with his OT, even though she brought tickly, stringy, fluffy easter grass.

He kept a pretty steady “disapproval face” with the easter grass around.

And yet he did touch it. He pulled it apart string by string and had it between his toes.

Trevor liked the rattle-carrots she brought too

“Go home to the lawn, easter grass”

Trevor likes to stand on his head now!

I was not dispensing the snacks fast enough

Leave the babies for even a second and they attack the medical equipment.

Brendan is going and going and going even still, he is not ready for bed! I have big plans for Trevor tomorrow and Brendan should have a nice relaxing day with Nurse Jen and no appointments or visitors.