Thursday, September 24, 2009

Ronin the Cat - Memorial









Last week, I put our cat, Ronin, to sleep. He had been throwing up for almost a week if he ate too much. I could tell he was really sick and we weren't going to be able to fix him up this time. So I cried a bunch. So I miss him. I don't miss the stress that it caused Doug, but I miss my fluffy friend. He was such a good cat. So loving and gentle.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Family Beach House


I was visiting family for almost 2 weeks in August. I spent some time at my parent's and then at a beach house in Southern California. My wonderful and generous grandma gets the family a beach house almost every year. And it is always a good time. Sometimes I feel a little trapped by my little guy and limited in the fun stuff I can do, but every year it gets better. And raffi enjoys the beach more and more as he gets older. Through this time he added new words, Moon, tried to say Grandpa, and others that are escaping me at the moment. He just chatters away and talks your ear off, but you just can't understand 90% of it.

Raffi loved the ocean, running amok in the house and being the center of attention. My cousin Kelly is pregnant, so it is neat to see that we will have two little ones in the coming years, to destroy everything. Two boys, even!

There was a lot of firsts as well. I took him to his first baseball game, Angels vs. Tigers, Angels lost. And he did so amazingly, I thought for certain he would be crazy and running off the bleachers. But he stayed in the little area in front of my seat and wasn't bothered by the thousands of people and noises. It was great.

Raffi got skateboard lessons from his big cousin Scott. Of course, Raffi found the skateboard while no one was looking and fell trying to get on it. but he just got up and went back for more. So it was great that Scott gave him some assistance. He just loved it. as you can see.

My brother and I took Raffi down to the shore one morning and we had fun building sand castles and then he destroyed them. As evidence I have video! Grandma-ma gave him a cool double wagon for his birthday in June and we were finally able to utilize it at the beach boardwalk. He loved to be taken on wagon rides up and down the walk. He slung his arm over the back rest like he was just chillin and cruisin! And since we've been home, I took him to our local paved trail for a walk/wagon ride and he loved it. He just lasts so much longer in the wagon than in the stroller. So I'm going to try to do it weekly. Good exercise for me.

The family went out for our annual dinner out and we were by the area with rides and such. I knew Raffi loves the Carousal so we headed over there. He caught one look of the Ferris wheel and it was pointing all crazy. He wanted to go on the Ferris wheel. Which I was thrilled, not really, I don't like heights. But we went on it and of course he loved it.

There are so many other pictures and some more video, I'll have to post them later.