Zachary Chase Zurliene

Summer Days

2011-07-18T19:05:00.001-07:00

Summer has ben in full swing and we have been very busy around the house. Here are some pictures to pick up where we left off on Easter.

Zach, Tistan, and Ilaria
The Fam on Easter Sunday

Zach's friend Alex stopped by for dinner with her family. They had a great time together!
Mimi and Papa were out for the Walk-N-Roll for Spina Bifida
The whole crew for the Walk-N-Roll
Grandma was here for a couple weeks to watch the boys.
Tristan at 5 months old.
Zach got a new sand box and couldn't wait to play in it.
After finally getting some sand he had a blast digging and scooping
Mr. Cool
Zach also got a new bike with special handles for "pedaling"
Daddy and Zach on "early" Father's Day dinner.
Tristan at the pool
Zach at the driving range on our visit to Grandma and Grandpa's
Pool Time!
Our best effort for the "perfect" family photo.
Teahan family tree
Concentrating on the Backyardigans. Can you tell they're all related?
Pool time with Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Dana
Future director's of G&I Products
G&I Products Butter Creme spokesperson
At the office
Grandma was out again in June.
Tristan at 6 months.
4th of July picnic with Daddy's college friend Tia and her husband Adam
Ready for fireworks
Waiting for the fireworks with Mommy.
Visiting Daddy at the Golf Course on the 4th.
Happy Brothers.
Check out those teeth!
A couple action shots of Zach on the driving range. Mid swing.....
and follow through!!

Time to Walk-N-Roll Again!

2011-04-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

It's time again for us to walk in the Walk-n-roll 5K to help raise money and awareness for the Colorado Spina Bifida Association, and to support Zach and his life dealing with SB. We had tremendous support last year and look forward to continued support this year. Click on the link if you'd like to help out. http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/brian-zurliene/11thannualsbacowalk-n-roll-2011

We've also posted some pics from the last two months, with our trip to Arizona, holidays, and life around the house. Enjoy! Love - Brian and Kimmie

They're Buds
Flying to Arizona
Surprise!!
Grandma and Tristan
Thanks for the lift Uncle Dana!
Uncle Dana and Tristan
Napping with Daddy
Passy Face!
At the Phoenix Zoo
Grandma and Grandpa
Zach loved the sting rays
In-N-Out for Dinner
We told Zach to close his eyes for a surprise, this is what he did!
Visiting Aunt Kelly at work
Mommy and Aunt Kelly
Watching Ubaldo warm up at Rockies Spring Training
Huston Street signed and ball for Zach
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Rockies Spring Training Home
Before Zach got freaked out when everyone erupted in cheers!
Hitting on the wiffle ball field
Rounding Second
Heading to First
He had so much fun, then crashed on the way home with the foul ball Aunt Kelly caught and gave to him
Grandpa's lap felt the best
Digging rocks in the back yard
Feeding Mommy Angel Sweet Gelato!
Two little Leprechauns
Hanging together in the play gym
Zach loves to read books
Bath Time!
Zach showing Tristan the finer points of his golf swing
All geared up to play catch
Happy Boy
Cute little one
Zach playing basketball with Haley and Landon
Watching Backyardigans
Smiles
Lounging
Denver Zoo with Mommy
Elephants with Daddy
Happy Easter!

Our "New" Family

2011-02-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Watchin' TV with Grandpa
Grandma & Grandpa
Zach's 2 Year Old Picture With Fiesta

Visiting Daddy at Work
Tristan and Mommy
Zach Loves his Booster Seat
Tristan After Bath
Riding the Rocking Sheep

Tristan and Daddy
Early Indications Are These Boys Love Each Other!
Out in the Snow With Papa
Tristan and Papa
Going To Get the Mail With Daddy
Getting Kisses From Aunt Kelly
Tristan With Kelly and Mark
Tristan's Das Meyer Baptism Cake. Carrot Cake... Yummm!
Tristan and Mommy With the Cake
Singing Don Aldredo
Saying Goodbye to Kelly and Mark

Handsome Man!!
Little Smirk
Enjoying Mr. Potato Head
Playing Catch With Daddy
Valentine's Day Brothers
Mimi and Papa

Been a while since our last post. The holidays were great and Tristan has grown like crazy. We just had lots of family and friends in town and at the house for Tristan's baptism, and Zach has been wonderful as big brother. Enjoy the pictures. Love, Brian + Kimmie

Big Arrivals

2010-12-25T19:10:00.000-08:00

The Family
Zach, Mommy, Tristan, Daddy
Tristan gave Zach a Monky backpack and big brother book when he visited the hospital
Brothers
Zurliene Boys
The Family Again
Proud Big Brother
Zach Love His New Smurf Hockey Stick
Tristan's First Bath at Home
Playing With Ilaria

Happily at Play
Ilaria and the Zurliene Boys
With Daddy Before Christmas Eve Mass
Tristan Sneaking a Peek
Christmas is the Best Day to Open Your Eyes and See All the Lights
Full Belly of Milk, Ready for Sleep
Excited To Open Santa's Gifts

After months of anticipation (10 months to be exact), Zach got to meet his new baby brother on Monday the 20th. Tristan decided to begin his move into this world Sunday afternoon, and finally arrived at 3:24 Monday afternoon. Zach spent two days with Miss Tara (who we owe MANY thanks) and met Tristan Tuesday morning. We made a quick trip over to the pediatrician and discovered Zach has an ear infection, so we've got antibiotics started and already seen a marked improvement in Zach this week. We have had a few quiet days here in the house after bringing Tristan home Tuesday afternoon, and enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Day today. Santa came and brought some gifts for Zach and Tristan, and the whole family really enjoyed a day together at home with plenty of Love and Joy to go around. We hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas, and a prosperous upcoming New Year. Love - Brian + Kimmie

Guess Who's 2?

2010-12-19T13:18:00.000-08:00

Zach's Birthday Buddies
Future Drum Major
With Mommy at the CU game
Football.....Running!!
Phi Slamma Jamma
Hanging Out With Haley, Landon, and Noah
Goofing Around With Haley
Thanksgiving Dinner
With Sant at the Spina Bifida Christmas Party
Opening His Gift With Daddy
Ready to Blow Out the Candles
The Cake for Zach's Pajama Party
Loving the Chocolate and Blue Frosting

Haley's Blue Face Everyone in their PJ's
Opening Presents
Zach Love to Help Vacuum
With Santa, Who Came to the Neighborhood on a Firetruck!
With Mommy Out to Dinner
Pinky Swear?

It's incredible how fast time goes by. It doesn't seem all that long ago we were posting on the day Zach was born, and here we are posting pictures from his 2nd birthday! It has been a magical couple of years filled with prayer, hope, healing, and lots of Love. We are so very thankful that God has blessed us with Zachary, and all the joy he gives us each and everyday.

The past month has been busy with Thanksgiving, Ilaria's 1st birthday, visits with Santa, and Zach's birthday. We haven't had many free days or open weekends, but it has all been a lot of fun. Now we begin the countdown to Christmas and the arrival of a new addition to the Zurliene family.

We hope you all enjoy a blessed holiday season, and we are very grateful for all the love, support, and prayers you have given us over the past two years. God Bless All of You, and Merry Christmas!

Love, Brian + Kimmie

Birthdays, Holidays, and Lots of Fun!

2010-11-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

Zach loves to dLive (drive)
Flying!
Wearing Daddy's clothes
Fire Marshall's Hat
Payson's Birthday at Pump it Up!
Slam Dunk
Carving Pumpkins
Daddy's Pumpkin
Peek - A - Boo in the crib
Zach the Construction Worker for Halloween
At the Crain's Halloween Party
MMMM, this drink is delicioso

Long Overdue

2010-10-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

Check out my new wheelchair!
Do you like my mask?
Grandma came to visit
Do you think watching TV a certain way is genetic?
I love tractors!
Enjoying the wagon ride on Megan's lap
Cousins
Anxiously awaiting the parade
Watching the parade with Mommy
1st cousins
My future's so bright..... I gotta wear shades
Frosting face!!

It's been far too long since our last post. Here are some pictures to enjoy, we'll cover the last three months in future posts soon to come.

Big Changes, Big Fun!

2010-07-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

Loving Summer at home
Grandma and Grandpa
Uncle Dana
Daddy
Mommy, Aunt Kelly, and Uncle Dana
Zach LOVES In-N-Out
Future CEO of G&I Products!
He couldn't get enough pool time
Swimming with Mommy
More pool time
The new hardwood floors at home!
Not quite the same, but he loves the pool at home too!
Zach LOVES his doo-doo (choo-choo) rides!
Rockin' his SDSU hoody! (Thanks cousin Evan!)

The past few weeks have been jam packed with lots of things happening in Zach's world. We all went to Arizona to see Grandma and Grandpa, and had WAY too much fun in the pool. Zach has become quite the water hog, and was more than willing to tire himself out in the water each day.

A week ago Daddy had soe of the guys over and they installed new hardwood floors on the main floor of the house! Monday, Zach's new wheel chair arrived, and now he is motoring all over the house! We'll have some videos to post soon. He has taken to the new chair amazingly, and we are suprised by what new things he learns each day, all on his own! We had a fun and relaxing Independence Day weekend, and hope you all enjoyed it as well. We will post again soon - Love, Brian + Kimmie

Summer Fun

2010-06-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

Getting really good at feeding himself
Doing some "jail time" with the laundry basket
Loving Play Time
Memorial Day Picnic with Mommy
The Family on Memorial Day
Goofing on the Couch
What a Handsome Little Boy

Zachary has had a very enjoyable past few weeks. We had our share of hamburgers and hot dogs over Memorial Day weekend at a couple of barbecues, and Zachary has been loving his time at home now that Mommy is out of school for the summer. The weather has been warm and dry (until this weekend!) and Zachary loves to take his daily walk to the park and check out all the airplanes flying over the neighborhood. We had a great time at the Taste of Louisville last weekend, and played with Ilaria for the day on Monday. His vocabulary is quickly expanding, with new words entering the fray each day (his new favorite is b-b-bus). Zach started his weekly music class and his 1st swim lesson this week, and is filling up the calendar with play dates as well. We are headed to Arizona next weekend to visit Mommy's family, and get some more pool time in, this time outdoors! We hope summer is treating everyone kindly thus far, and we will post some more pictures and videos soon. Love, and God Bless - Brian + Kimmie

Walk N Roll Success

2010-05-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Team Zurliene!
He Loves the Swings!
Jimmy and Alex Diffee with Zach and Mommy
Riding the Elephant
Waiting to be seated for dinner
Excited for bannanas and bread!

Last Sunday was a huge success! We had a great time at the Walk N Roll, and it was good to meet other kids with SB and their families. A very BIG THANK YOU to everyone who so generously donated on Zach's behalf. We set a very modest goal due to our signing up so late, but we easily surpassed the goal, and are very thankful for that. Mommy and Daddy enjoyed the 5K walk, and Zach enjoyed the first mile or so before falling asleep for his nap.

We also had the opportunity to meet up with the Diffee family as well. They are the family that we have been following (and more recently meeting) who have a daughter Alex with SB. She and Zach had a good time playing on the swingset at Washington Park and it was great to learn that Alex's supporters pushed her team into the top 3 fundraisers at the event.

We had a busy day Sunday with the Walk N Roll and Mother's Day. Mommy had fun spending the day with Zachary, and we all spent a little time on Pearl Street in the afternoon and dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (Mommy's Favorite) that evening.

Zach has been doing great. His therapy sessions on Wednesdays seem to be going better and better. He has a new front tooth on the bottom of his mouth, and the four points of his first molar are just beginning to break through the skin on the botom left. He seems to feel as though all of his teeth are already in because he has been much more daring with his food consumption lately, wanting to bite and chew whatever he can.

Mommy only has two weeks of school left, and if this crazy Colorado weather finally changes over from winter to spring, maybe summer can soon begin. Enjoy the pictures, and Thank You Again to all who supported us at the Walk N Roll. Love, - Brian + Kimmie

Mastering the Barn Yard

2010-05-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

He's figured out how to change the channels now!
Baby Mozart

Ahhhh Toys!
Plotting his next move, while still so innocent looking
Enjoying the ride on his therapy horse
Pushing up so strong from his belly

With Daddy at the pool (and not crying!)

Spring has finally arrived here in the Zurliene home, with the tulips blooming out front, those lovely Colorado chinook winds blasting the house, and Zachary doing his best impressions of all the farm animals. Over the last few weeks Zach has begun speech therapy sessions along with his weekly physical therapy sessions, and is showing big signs of improvement along both fronts. His new hobby is learning the sounds that farm animals make and reciting them whenever requested, and his ability to stand for any length of time continues to improve. Whenever the weather has cooperated we have taken Zach to the park for trips down the slide, and some quality swing time, however the crazy Colorado weather has not allowed that to happen nearly as much as he would like. It's sunny and nice one day, then snow or rain the next.

Zachary has had a great stretch of good health since Easter, with no major issues or concerns and no doctors visits, just the usual slight cold that came and went quickly this time. His spirits have been rather joyous, and we know he's anxious to begin the summer season at home with Mommy. He is already signed up for swimming and music lessons, so there will not be much sitting around in the months ahead. In preparation or those swimming lessons, Daddy and Zachary went to the pool at the rec center over the weekend, and Zach was instantly overwhelmed and cried for most of the time. He doesn't do too well with lots of people around, especially people splashing, diving, or sending water his way. We did manage some quiet time in the corner of the pool where Zach was able to really work his legs and enjoy the water with Daddy. Hopefully a few more trips to the pool before swim lessons begin will get him well acclimated and ready to enjoy the water rather than scream it into submission!

The weeks ahead are fairly busy with Mother's Day, and the end of the school year, as well as the arrival (we hope) of Zach's new wheel chair. We are walking in a 5K Walk/Run/Roll this Sunday in Denver to benefit the Clorado Spina Bifida Association. It is a big fundraiser for he association and if you feel inclined to help you can donate to the cause and help Zachary directly. We have set up a page in Zach's name through the association.

Go to: http://www.firstgiving.com/zachzurliene and you can donate in Zachary's name. Or go to www.firstgiving.com/walknrollco to find out more about the 5K and about Spina Bifida. Proceeds will benefit the association, and a percentage will go diectly to a fund for Zach as well. It should be a great time with many families there who are all dealing with Spina Bifida in their every day lives. We pray for Zachary's continued success and improvement each week at therapy, and for his continued smiles and laughter! God Bless - Brian + Kimmie

Our Little Easter Bunny

2010-04-09T18:58:00.000-07:00

Zach loves the slides at the park
Cookie Monster!
Mischevious little boy waiting for dinner
With Daddy after coloring Easter eggs
Mommy, Zach, and Easter decorations
Saying Hello and showing off his custom egg

Mommy with Zach and his Easter presents
Happy to have a new ball

Really concentrating on the egg "hunt"
Look at all those eggs!
Sharing his new wagon with Ilaria
Family Easter portrait

Zachary had a wonderful Easter last weekend, and enjoyed some quality Mommy time the week before during her Spring Break. They were able to meet up for two play dates with Lucy and Ilaria, and were snowed in for a day during our crazy spring weather.

Easter was a very exciting day for the whole family. We enjoyed mass in the morning, and had a great dinner at the DiSalle's that afternoon. Zach was a joy the whole day, and really enjoyed playing with Ilaria and the attention he was receiving from everyone. We were able to paint Easter eggs on Saturday, and he had fun during his "hunt" on Sunday morning. The big surprise for Zach was the new red wagon he received from the Easter bunny. He absolutely LOVES it, and loves going on walks without the cramped quarters of his stroller.

The weather this week was crazy again, with rain, some snow, and now warm and sunny, so we've taken advantage of the sunshine and taken Zach to the park quite a bit. He loves the outdoors, and one of his new favorite things is staring or pointing out the window and crying out until someone takes him outside. He can't seem to get enough fresh air!

We're excited for the improving weather, and Zach has really come into his own over the past couple of weeks. He seems more and more interested in everything around him, and especially everything outside. We hope you all had a blessed Easter season, and Spring time brings a fresh outlook for the year ahead. Our Love to You All - Brian + Kimmie

Little Drummer Boy

2010-03-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

Playing to the camera
Plenty of toys for stacking
CHEW-bacca
Zach and Lucy
Always excited for dinner!

Our little man has been doing fairly well lately. It looks as though he's finally kicked the ear infections for a while, thanks to a third round of antibiotics! Spinal defects clinic a few weeks ago went very well, and we were able to order a new wheel chair for Zach. In a couple months it shoud be here and provide Zach with a new sense of freedom. We also met a very special little girl at the clinic... Alex Diffee. Alex has spina bifida as well, and when Zach was diagnosed in utero, we began to follow her blog and learn a tremendous amount about this condition, and another family living with it each day. Things never worked out for us to meet up with Alex and here family, but after almost two years, we finally met at the clinic. It was wonderful to finally meet, and we can't wait to see them again.

As for the next few weeks, Zach is continuing with his therapy, and progressing each day. He's got new tricks each week! As the video shows, he's taking after Mommy and taking showing a natural music ability! Enjoy the video and pics and many blessings to you all!

Love - Brian + Kimmie

Roller Coaster Month

2010-03-03T19:16:00.000-08:00

Enjoying Time With Grandma
Mommy, Grandma, and Zachary
Working His New Train With Grandma
Enjoying Time With Mimi and Papa
A Little Home Improvement With Daddy
Rockin' the Sweater Vest at Ilria's Baptism

The Future CEO of G&I Products!
Looking Dapper in his New Sweater
Zach Points Out His New Favorite Place
Zach and Grandpa At In-N-Out
Zach and Uncle Dana
As you all know it has been far too long since the last update. Zachary has had quite a full month of visits from grandparents, a trip to Arizona, another bout of sickness, and finally, the return of our fun little guy!

At the end of January Zach and Mommy made a trip to Arizona to visit Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Kelly and Uncle Dana. They had a great time and Zach got his first taste of french fries on their trip to In-N-Out!

The following weekend Zach attended his first Baptism, as Daddy is the godfather of baby Ilaria. We had a wonderful time and Zachary enjoyed being the "big guy" for the first time.

The next few days, Zach seemed a bit off, and after a trip to the pediatrician, he was diagnosed with pneumonia, and had to stay home to undergo a cycle of antibiotics, and work on being 100% healthy for a while. Luckily, Mimi and Papa arrived and were able to stay with Zach during the day while Mommy and Daddy were off to work. He improved each day, and was feeling much better by the time Mimi and Papa headed back home.

Last weekend, Daddy headed down to Arizona for a golf vacation, and Grandma flew in to spend some quality time with Zach. They had a wonderful time together, and our little man seems to finally be back to his old silly self.

It's been a very busy month and we are glad Zachary is feeling much better, and enjoying his developing personality. We are all off to the spinal defects clinic on Tuesday for Zach's first check up of the year. He will be going to the clinic every six months now until the age of ten, rather than every three months the first year. We are excited to learn about Zach's development, and explore his future with a wheelchair, and continued progress.

We have been so blessed to have Zach make such huge strides to this point, and we pray for his continued health, healing, and smiles each day. With Love - Brian + Kimmie

New Year, New Developments

2010-01-18T19:22:00.000-08:00

So excited to have his new Red Sox gear!!
Happy New Year Everyone!!
New Year's Day with Grandma Cindy and Amanda
The best picture we could get of Zach and his new sweetheart Ilaria. (It was pretty tough, but we made it work!)
Ilaria and her Mommy Jodee
Boys in their Hoods!
We finally made it back to the park after six weeks of snow cover, Zach loved it!
Zachary and Fiesta for his 13 month picture

We hope the New Year finds you all healthy and safe. The past several weeks have been rather busy, and slowly but surely, Zachary has returned to his old self... healthy, happy, an full of laughter. The ear infection that he had was a little stubborn, and decided to rear its ugly head after the first round of medicine, so it was back to the doctor for different medicine that has proved to be much more effective. Two more teeth have arrived, and Zach's stuffy, runny nose has cleared up as well. Mommy and Daddy have noticed a much happier little boy recently, and Zach has returned to his old ways of napping for quite a while twice a day and sleeping soundly through the night. We forgot how it used to be, and hope his return to normalcy continues (especially the sleeping part!).

On the spina bifida front, Zach's MRI went very well, and we have not heard from the neurologists, which usually means they did not see anything in the images that concerned them or was abnormal (Praise God!). Zach's next round of clinics is in February, so we will enjoy the next few weeks hospital free.

We have been working lately on several grant applications to help pay for Zachary's equipment needs now and in the future. Daddy found a charitable organization devoted to golf industry professionals and their families called the Wee One Foundation. Last week Daddy received a message from the people at Wee One stating they were interested in helping out with the cost of Zach's wheelchair, and through the grace of God, they have blessed our family tremendously. What a truly humbling experience it has been. We cannot adequately express our heartfelt gratitude to this amazing foundation, and just give thanks to the Lord that there are still kind hearted people in this world who are willing to help those in need.

Zachary will have his Love bank filled to capacity in the next month with a visit to Grandma and Grandpa's in a couple of weeks, Mimi and Papa visiting in February, and another visit from Grandma at the end of February. The new year has started off well, and we pray for continued blessings to come. With Love - Brian + Kimmie

P.S. - A friend of Daddy's had pre-mature twin boys born in July while he and his wife were in Ohio. After almost six months, they will be coming home to Colorado tomorrow via medical charter flight. They will be at Children's Hospital for a while once here, so we ask you all to pray for their safe arrival and continued growth & development.

The Musical Elf

2009-12-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-26T09:09:00.000-08:00

My New Basketball Hoop With My Stander

Christmas Elf Playing the Alligator
Christmas Morning

Christmas Dinner

Merry Christmas everyone!! Zachary has had a very eventful week. Last weekend he seemed very lethargic, didn't sleep very well Friday night, and was very stuffy on Saturday. Monday was his one year pediatrician appointment, and at that visit we learned he had an ear infection. After picking up his amoxicillin, and heading home for some rest, we decided it was not in Zach's best interest to fly to Arizona that night as we had planned. So the short trip to Grandma and Grandpa's had to be postponed, and plenty of rest and time spent at home were in order. The good news is he improved greatly with each day through the week, and was close to his old self for Christmas. He enjoyed opening his gifts from Santa, and hasn't put the drum stick down yet! Mommy's musical talents have definitely rubbed off on Zachary. We enjoyed a quiet day with just the three of us, and our turkey dinner when Zach decided to start to eat corn kernels from his tray, much to the surprise of Mommy and Daddy! The week ahead should be fairly low key, we do have Zach's one year head MRI on Tuesday to track the size and progress of his fontanelles and to ensure his shunt is still functioning properly.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a healthy and prosperous New Year!!

Love and God Bless - Brian and Kimmie

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZACHARY!!!

2009-12-16T18:35:00.000-08:00

Mr. Argyle
Opening Mommy and Daddy's Birthday gifts with Fiesta for my 1st Birthday!
With Mommy at Chili's for my birthday dinner
With Daddy at Chili's for my Birthday dinner
Check out my new upper teeth!
Flying back to Colorado after Thanksgiving
With Grandma Cindy at my birthday party
My 1st BIG birthday cake!
Grandma and I
This cake is GOOD!
Hey Mommy, can I frost your hair?
Mommy and I after cake
Opening my presents
At the Spina Bifida Association of Colorado's Christmas party
All of my SB friends and I with Santa!!
I didn't know Santa would scare me, but I still managed a picture or two!

As you can see, Zachary just turned one!!! We cannot begin to express how blessed we feel and how blown away we are that an entire year has gone by already. It has been an unbelievable year filled with hope, faith, uncertainty, and most importantly LOVE! Zachary has been nothing short of a true blessing in our lives, and we are so grateful that the Lord has given us this gift of life. We are indebted to so many of you for all of the love, support, and minor miracles that have been performed for us this year. Our most heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to each and every one of you! May the Lord bless YOU as much as he has blessed US, now and in the future! Merry Christmas!! Love - Brian + Kimmie

Gobble, Gobble!!

2009-11-29T09:27:00.000-08:00

11 months old with Fiesta
Check out my new hat!!
On the way to Mimi and Papa's
I Love my new stander
Nana's lap feels just right!
Four generations of Nolan's
Papa's lap feels pretty good too!
Happy early birthday Zachary!
Zach loved this rocking chair that belonged to his Great Great Aunt (over 100 years ago)
Standing time with Daddy
Playing with all the cousins
Having a chat with Nana during dinner
Nana and all the great grandchildren (Evan, Ashley, Zachary, Carrie, Jack)
Zach's Thanksgiving dinner
Zach took to Pat right away!

We are back home after a week back east at Mimi and Papa's for the holiday. It was great to see all of our friends and family again! The trip out was much more eventful than we had hoped. After being turned around in mid-air and heading back to Chicago, we finally arrived in Providence after 1am, and arrived at Mim and Papa's after 3am. Zach did great during the flights, but after being woken up for the transfer to an unexpected third flight, not really sleeping on the way to Mimi and Papa's, and having to sleep in a new place, he was very unhappy, which we had to expect. After much effort, and plenty of holding by Mommy and Daddy, Zach finally went down at around 5:45am. Being as scheduled as he is, he woke up at 8am (6am Colorado time) and was ready to feed and begin the day. After two very much needed naps during the day, he was right back on schedule, and ready to greet Nana for the first time, and Aunt Peg after a six month hiatus. He opened up Nana immediately, even calling out nanananana for her, and she did a wonderful job of feeding him and smothering him with Love.

Tuesday night Zach had several guests over to the house to meet him and celebrate his upcoming birthday. He was anxious to rip through the wrapping on his gifts, and to taste a little birthday cake. Zach has also enjoyed reading through the books he received as well!

Wednesday was picture day with all of the Zurliene cousins, then a quick trip to Nana's for some more lap time, and back to Mimi and Papa's for dinner. Zach had a great time playing with all of his cousins, and they were all kind enough to gather round and keep Zach happily occupied with his toys. That night Mommy and Daddy headed out to Westerly to catch up with some of Daddy's old friends. It was great to catch up with so many of them, several of which he had not seen since moving away from Rhode Island.

Thanksgiving morning, we all headed out to the Iacoi's house to see even more of Daddy's old friends. They have been coming to Joe and Angie's house for fifteen years on Thanksgiving morning, and it was great to see everyone and meet the new additions to their families. It was also fun for everyone to meet Zach, and for him to get a big Italian blessing before heading back to Mimi and Papa's for turkey. Zachary was napping during our dinner, but he was able to enjoy his own Thanksgiving "feast" shortly after (turkey, rice, and squash baby food).

Friday was time to pack up and head home. Our flights were very uneventful this time (just how we like them), and Zachary did a great job throughout the trip. He fell asleep during both flights, and we returned home at about 7:30 Friday night. It's been nice having a couple days to settle back in and prepare for the week ahead.

At this time of year we take time and give thanks for so many things, and for us it is the success and improvement of Zachary and his health. We Thank God for Blessing us with such an amazing child, and one who continues to amaze us each and every day. We are thankful for all the blessings in or lives, for family and friends, and for the opportunity share this journey with all of you. Our Love, and Blessings to You All - Brian + Kimmie

Healthy and Happy

2009-11-11T19:26:00.000-08:00

@ the CU vs. Texas A&M Game w/ Mommy
Mini Chris Farley
Enjoying the Club Level @ Folsom Field
GO ROCKIES!! (next year)
Daddy's Birthday Dessert
The Moose is Loose!

Last week's visit to the spinal defects clinic went very well. All of the doctors and specialists were very pleased with Zachary's progress to this point, and all had overly positive things to say after examining him. We even went home with a new stander for Zachary, one that is much newer, nicer, and more enjoyable for him to be in. Our only real concern at the clinic, Zach's strange poops, weren't really resolved from the doctors there, but we set up an appointment with the gastrointestinal docs further down the road. (almost on cue, the issues Zach was having cleared themselves up by the weekend, so we'll see about keeping the appointment.)

On Saturday, Daddy's work was hosting a tailgate and offering club level seats for the CU vs. Texas A&M game, so Zachary had the chance to experience his first sporting event, and his first large crowd. He did wonderfully. He really enjoyed all the new sights and sounds, and was very cheerful throughout, even without a full morning nap. We enjoyed the great food, the first half of the game, and meeting Avery, the 4 month old daughter of one of Daddy's co-workers. By the end of half time, it was time to head out, and Zach promptly crashed in the car seat for the ride home. He had a great time, and slept soundly afterwards.

The only real downer over the last week was Zach developing his first real runny nose (pretty exciting huh?) We're not sure if it is due to a cold, or just the result of his latest round of teeth coming in, we're leaning towards the latter. He's having a tough time breast feeding properly without being able to breath through his nose, and he's had a little trouble sleeping as soundly as he usually does, but hopefully it will pass quickly, or the teeth will break through, and we can have our little happy guy back. Our Love to You All - Brian + Kimmie

Clean Cut

2009-11-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

10 Months Old With Fiesta!
He Loves to Read the Paper!
He Also Loves Lights
Ready for the Snow!
Getting His Fill

Before the Haircut
During the Haircut
Concentrating
Nice Faux hawk!
The Handsome Man After His Cut!!
Still Excited About His Haircut!
Happy Halloween!
Daddy's Pumpkin
Mommy's Pumpkin
Landon, Haley, and Zach
Lunch With the A-Team!

Things have been busy as usual here in the Zurliene household. Since our last post we marked Zach's turning 10 months old, enjoyed well over a foot of snow here during the week, took Zach to have his first official haircut, and celebrated Halloween with our little frog.

Starting Tuesday night and lasting until mid-day on Thursday the snow kept falling here in Colorado. When all was said and done we had 14 or 15 inches on the lawn, Mommy had two snow days out of school, and Zachary stayed home with her as well. We saw a little glimpse of Zach's infatuation with snow during our last small storm a few weeks ago, but with this storm we really noticed that he loves to stare out the window and watch the snow fall. When we bundled him up and took him out for a few minutes he couldn't wait to put his hands it it and try to catch some flakes on his face.

Saturday we took Zach to Lollilocks to have his hair cut for the very first time. He did wonderfully. He did not fuss at all, and it seemed his only real concern was getting his arms out from under the smock so he could put them down on the armrests. It didn't take long, especially with the small amount of hair that actually needed cutting, but he looked fantastic when it was all finished, and it seemed to perk up his mood as well. He hasn't stopped talking or laughing since!

Last night Zach attended his first Halloween party at the Crain's house. He and Haley had a great time in their costumes, and playing telephone throughout the night. After a little more than an hour at the party it was time to head home with our little exhausted frog. Zachary had a great time at lunch today with our friends the Henkle's, but was really tired this evening at church. He has had some trouble adjusting to the end of daylight savings, so hopefully he can get back to his old schedule in short time.

This week we are back into our three month doctor visits. Last Tuesday we met with the orthopedic surgeon, who looked over Zachary's feet and was thrilled with what she saw. She said they look great and passed on X-rays until his next visit after the first of the year. This Tuesday we will be at the spinal defects clinic for the day, meeting with the team of doctors and specialists again to check on Zach's progress and plan for the next few months. All-in-all he is doing great, so we are hopeful that the day should run smoothly and the outlook be overly positive, God Willing. We will keep you all posted. Until then... Love, and God Bless - Brian + Kimmie

The Stander

2009-10-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

Zach's New Carseat
He Likes His Stander
Zachary's stander arrived early last week. He seems to enjoy it, although it is a little big for him at this time, so he is fairly limited in what he can do while in it. The basic premise of the stander is to support Zach's torso, keeping him upright while putting some weight on his legs at the same time. It has wheels similar to a wheel chair, so when he does reach a certain height he should be able to move the wheels with his hands and move around. As you can see from the pics he already grabs onto the wheels, but hasn't quite figured out the movements of them just yet. It's alright, we can't expect a 10 month old to be able to figure everything out instantly. So for now we have him in the stander for longer periods each day, but are limited to only the kitchen and front entry since those are the only non-carpeted areas!

With each new week we see more and more improvement from Zachary, and we utilize new "tools" to help him with those improvements. Our little inspiration continues to amaze us each day, and we're so grateful for all the joy he has brought to our lives. October is Spina Bifida awareness month, take a minute to learn more about it, and educate others about this ailment and how you can support those affected by it. Our Love to You All - Brian + Kimmie

Busy, Busy

2009-10-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

With Daddy on the hayride
With Mommy on the hayride
These two pumpkins look just right!
Family photo op by the wagon

The Thinker
Tummy Time!!

Zach and Daddy in the Snow!!

We have been very busy the past few weeks (sorry about the underlined text, can't figure out how to fix it?!), and were greeted with our first real snowfall of the season yesterday morning. We all went to the pumpkin patch last weekend, and Zachary had his first hayride, and pumpkin picking experience! We did make a short trip to the pediatrician recently because Zach was very fussy and uncomfortable on Monday, and were told he has an intestinal virus that should pass with a little time, and plenty of rest. So no medication to assist in the recovery, and no relief from the stinky diapers, but he does appear (and smell) much better now that a few days have passed. He is back to his old happy-self, and enjoying all the play time with Mommy and Daddy! His stander is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, so that should further his development with standing and supporting his full weight. Jennifer, his physical therapist has been doing a great job with Zach, and she has been a God send for getting things like his stander, and some new shoes to fit over is AFO's. The week ahead should be "normal" for the Zurliene household. No Dr.'s appointments, or conferences for Mommy at school, and the weather should warm up nicely so we can get in a few more evening walks with Zach before his bedtime. We hope Fall is finding you all in good spirits, and we will most certainly be posting again soon. With Love and Praise - Brian + Kimmie

The Music Man

2009-09-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

Zach at 9 months with Fiesta!
Check out my pearly whites!

Move over Mozart....Just a quick post of our future master pianist at work! Zach is doing great and making big strides each day. Here's a pic of him @ 9 months with fiesta as well. Enjoy!

Love - Brian + Kimmie

Zach's First Word

2009-09-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

Just thought we'd give you all a video of Zach's first word!! Plus a shot of Zach in his new favorite hat. There's a lot of new things happening around the Zurliene house lately! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Love - Brian + Kimmie

A.F.O.'s

2009-09-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

Zachary was fitted today for his new AFO's (ankle-foot orthotics). He's going to ease into them for the next few weeks, wearing them for a couple of hours each day, then upping his wear time steadily until he wears them for most of the day. As for today, he seemed to like them, and was moving his legs more in his jumperoo than he ever has before. Zachary has also decided that he is finally able to sit up, unassisted, and play with his toys without falling over, or throwng his head back and laughing hysterically. Enjoy the pictures, especially Zachary reading is favorite book, and his new AFO's. Love and God Bless - Brian + Kimmie

A House Divided

2009-09-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

Zachary had the chance to experience his first CSU vs. CU game tonight, albeit for only the 1st quarter before he went to bed! As you can see from the pictures Mommy is a Buff (even though her Master's degree was from CSU i.e. the big pay raise! Dirty Hippies!) and Daddy is a Ram (I'm Proud to Be a CSU RAM!), so for the next year Daddy holds the bragging rights around the house!

Enjoy the pictures, and the video of Zach's laughing attacks! We wish everyone a fun and safe Labor Day. Love, God Bless, and GO RAMS!!! - Brian and Kimmie

Growing Each Day

2009-08-31T18:39:00.000-07:00

8 month old picture with Fiesta!
Watching the bocce games with Becky
Someone's thirsty!

Zachary had a great week. We think most of his fussiness and inability to nap well at day care was all the result of his new teeth. Yes... teeth! Last post we reported his first new tooth, and a few days later we saw the second one poking through! He now has two, both on the bottom and right next to each other in the middle of his mouth. He has returned to his wonderful sleeping ways, and his personality seems to grow each day. He definitely has certain things he loves to do, and his laughter is pretty contagious, as you can see in the video.

Physical therapy is progressing, slowly, but still progressing. We try to work with him as much as we can on our own, but it's difficult to do more than a few exercises with him before he seems to lose interest. It can be frustrating, but we're going to continue to work each day and help him improve little by little.

This past weekend Zachary had a good time at the end of season bocce championship, and it was nice for him to enjoy everyone's company for more than an hour! No big events, or appointments this week, just physical therapy on Wednesday and lots of play time with Mommy and Daddy! We hope you all are having a wonderful summer's end! God Bless - Brian + Kimmie

Mr. Toother

2009-08-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

At Children's for the Spinal Defects Clinic

Practicing kneeling while playing on the stairs

Zachary has spent the past two weeks adjusting to his new schedule. With Mommy back to school, Zach now spends his weekdays at Theresa's house with a few other kids. He only had three days there last week, and it was a good introduction to both a new place and new people. He struggled a bit with his daytime naps, but by Friday seemed to be doing well. This week was his first full week at daycare, and he again adjusted nicely. We associated his napping troubles and some of his fussiness to the new routine and new environment, but Tuesday night we found what might be the real culprit.... Zach's first tooth!! He has a little nub poking through in the middle of his bottom gum, and loves to chomp down on his spoon during feedings with it! It has not raised up much from the gum line, so it's very difficult to get a good photo of it, so that will have to come later.

Overall, Zach is doing very well. The day before he began daycare he was at the spinal defects clinic. Medically, everything checked out wonderfully, and all of his tests came back perfectly normal. He was fitted for a new set of ankle foot orthotics (AFO's), the small braces he will wear to support his lower legs and ankles to better help him with standing and eventually walking. He was also prescribed a stander, which is an apparatus that holds Zachary upright, and supports his legs and back to further help him with developing his leg muscles for standing. Zach has also been seeing a physical therapist once a week for the past month or so, and those sessions have been progressing wonderfully as well. We now have a therapist who comes to the house, so it is much easier, and more time effective for us.

Life in the Zurliene household is ever changing, and we are thrilled that Zachary is doing so well, and pray for continued success and growth in his future. Our Love to You All - Brian + Kimmie

Baptized in the Water of Life

2009-08-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

Zachary had a very BIG weekend. Saturday was his Baptism at Immaculate Conception. Fr. Don was so gracious to come down and perform the ceremony. It was wonderful to have our family and friends there to welcome Zachary into our faith community. Uncle Dana and Aunt Jodee were kind enough to agree to be Zachary's Godfather and Godmother. Fr. Don did a great job during the ceremony (as he always does), and we were very pleased to have him baptize our first child after marrying us five years ago. We had everyone over to the house afterward for some wonderful food that Mommy, Grandma, and Mimi all worked very hard to prepare. All-in-all, it was a wonderful day, and Zachary was great throughout. He was amazingly calm and not fussy at all even though he missed out on his afternoon nap. He must have known it was a special day, and did his best to entertain all who attended!

Mimi and Papa arrived on Monday, and Grandma arrived Thursday. Uncle Dana arrived Friday, and the house was full for most of the weekend. Zachary was a wonderful host, and enjoyed all the new faces to laugh and play with. He even learned a few new tricks from Grandma while she was here! Friday was Mommy's birthday, and she opened her presents and had cake yesterday to celebrate.

Uncle Dana had to head back home yesterday, and Grandma left for the airport a few hours ago. Zachary had a wonderful time with them while they were here and can't wait to see them again soon! Tomorrow, we are all off to Zachary's spinal defects clinic for his three month visit and a thorough examination. We are excited to see Zach's progress, and are optimistic his results will all be wonderful. We hope you enjoy the pictures, and we thank everyone for all their well wishes and support over Zach's big weekend. We welcome our "Little Fighter" into a life of Faith and Love with open arms and open hearts. Much Love and Blessings to you All - Brian + Kimmie

Back Home for the End of Summer

2009-08-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

Zach and Cole
Our best effort to photo all the great grandkids!
Daddy and Zach on the M
Zach in the tractor wheel well

Mommy and Zach on the tractor
Just the three of us!
Cousin Ashley

The cousins
The girls
The Zurliene Family
Ready for the plane ride home
On the plane
Bradley

Megan

Ashley
Aunt Karla
Aunt Margie
With Brett waiting for the parade to start
Contemplating their pulling strategy

We are all back from our trip to Illinois, and we had a wonderful time visiting with everyone, and having Zachary introduce himself to all of his Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. We arrived late Thursday night and quickly settled in. Friday, Daddy went over to the Voss' to drive Great Grandpa's International M and get everything set for Saturday's tractor pull. Mommy and Zach made a brief appearance at the farm, but had to head back to the hotel for Zach's afternoon nap. Mommy and Daddy were able to enjoy a 5th Anniversary Dinner, and get some rest before a full day Saturday.

The tractor pull started Saturday morning and Papa pulled Great Grandpa's John Deere B just before the rain set in. After a lengthy delay they decided to cancel the pull, and try again Sunday. The rain finally stopped and Zachary was able to watch his first parade, the Mascoutah Homecoming Parade. He enjoyed all the floats, and was wide eyed throughout the entire hour and a half event. Too bad he doesn't have any teeth, or he could have enjoyed some of the candy that was so plentifully distributed by all the floats. Saturday night Daddy and all the Zurliene cousins headed out on the party bus and enjoyed a few of the local bars. Always a good time when the Zurliene's show up at any establishment!

Sunday was a family day. After Daddy pulled the M in the morning, we checked out of the hotel and headed to the Voss farm and enjoyed a wonderful picnic lunch with some delicious sweet corn fresh out of the field! After visiting with the family for a few hours, and Zachary blowing countless raspberries at everyone there, it was time to head off to the airport and fly back to Colorado.

Mimi and Papa flew to Colorado on Monday and they will be here for the next week to smother Zachary with lots of love and affection. Grandma arrives tomorrow, and Uncle Dana will be here Friday, so it is a very busy and full Zurliene household. Zachary did have an appointment with the Orthopedic surgeon yesterday and GOOD NEWS, he has been prescribed a set of orthotics! Hopefully, he can wear them during the day, and be out of his shoes whenever he is not sleeping. We Thank God for his wonderful progress, and all the small miracles in his life each and every day. We hope you enjoy all the photos, and we will update the blog again this weekend. Much Love and Blessings to you All!! - Brian + Kimmie

Hello From Illinois

2009-08-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

Great Grandpa's M that Daddy is pulling this weekend
Hanging out at the hotel room

Just a quick post from Mascoutah, Illinois! Zachary, Mommy, and Daddy are all here for Homecoming, and visiting with Papa's family. Here's a couple of pics, and we will update everyone on the entire trip when we get back home!

Therapy Pro

2009-07-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks have been fairly low key around the Zurliene household. Zachary started his physical therapy last week, and surprised Mommy and Daddy with all the abilities he showed during his hour long session. He started out somewhat lethargic, as he does from time to time at home, but less than five minutes into the session he began to reach out and play with the blocks, cups, balls, and various other toys they had on hand. From that point on he went non-stop, playing, reaching, talking, and blowing us away with all he was showcasing. They even had him up on his knees for a while as well, a position we had never even tried with him before with his casts, and now his shoes. Overall, it was a great day. Zach will continue with the therapy once a week for a while, until either his needs change, or he makes some big improvements.

Mommy and Zachary have been spending their summer days hanging out, and going to lunch and play dates with some of their new and old friends. We were also able to find a wonderful place where Zach will be spending his days when Mommy goes back to teaching in August. He will be the only baby under the age of 2 and should get lots of love and attention with only a few other kids there as well.

We have a couple more weeks ahead before Zach's next plane ride to Illinois, and we're anxious to see the progress that Zachary will make at physical therapy. Mommy and Zach have been taking a lot of walks around our neighborhood, and there's sure to be a few more. We are grateful for all the amazing progress Zachary has made so far, and cannot believe he is already 7 months old. We're enjoying each new day and each new detail of life that he becomes so interested in. We hope you all are enjoying a fun filled summer, and we'll have plenty more to share in the weeks to come. Love and God Bless - Brian + Kimmie

A Fun 4th

2009-07-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

After returning home on Tuesday, Mommy and Zachary have had a good week settling in. We all enjoyed fireworks Friday night at Colorado National Golf Club, and did not do a whole lot yesterday, but enjoyed a quiet day with just the three of us. Zachary has been progressing wonderfully with his motor skills. He seems to do a little bit better with each new day, which is all we can ask for. Working with him each day is fun and rewarding for us to see his enjoyment as well. As you can see from the video, Zachary enjoys dancing and singing, albeit not very good singing on Daddy's part! We hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day, and wish you all a wonderful week ahead. God Bless - Brian + Kimmie

Back Home

2009-07-01T18:24:00.000-07:00

As they say all good things must come to an end. Zachary and Mommy returned home last night, and they spent the day re-establishing Zach's routine here at home. The trip to Arizona was a wonderful time had by all.

Friday Zachary visited with all of Aunt Kelly's co-workers, then had his first experience in the pool "loungin'". He also made a new best friend with Uncle Dana's dog Cara. She wanted to lick and be next to Zach as much as possible, even in the pool! She loved to swim over and sniff Zachary through the netting in his floatie. Saturday was a relaxing day spent with the whole family. We visited with Grandma and Grandpa's neighbors Francis and Mario, and enjoyed taking over some very tasty limoncello! After our visit we all enjoyed some more pool time and barbecue cooked by Grandpa. The whole family was there, including Uncle Dana and Holly, Aunt Kelly and Aaron. Sunday was a fun day with all of us taking a new family portrait, then off to lunch at Mommy and Daddy's favorite... In N Out!!! Check out the picture of Zach trying to sneak in a bite! Daddy came back home Sunday night, but Mommy and Zachary stayed behind for a couple more days. Monday was a trip to G&I, the family business. Zach tried out the new pales, and gave his approval. Monday night was another family dinner, followed by Zachary's last pool time. He definitely developed an affinity for the pool and his floating lounge. It was a great diversion and a good way to tire him out before bed.

Zachary had a wonderful time on his first plane trip, and was very enjoyable on both flights according to Mommy. He slept for most of the trip out, but didn't get much sleep on the way back. No fussing on either flight, he did great! For now its back to life as normal here at home, just enjoying our little animated guy and all the new tricks he shows us with each new day. We hope you enjoy the photos, and we're glad to be back home, away from the 100+ degree heat and into a "modest" 90 degree "heat wave" here in Colorado! Our Love to You All - Brian + Kimmie

it's HOTTTT!

2009-06-28T17:24:00.000-07:00

Zachary went on his first airplane ride on Thursday, and has been visiting Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Dana, and Aunt Kelly for the past few days in Arizona. Everything has been wonderful so far, and we were lucky enough to have the hottest weekend of the year greet us as well. Here is a quick picture of Zachary in the pool, and we will update everyone further on Wednesday after Zachary and Mommy arrive back home in Colorado. Until then, stay cool - Brian + Kimmie

Happy 1/2 Birthday!!

2009-06-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today marks Zachary's 6 month birthday, and we had a small celebration here at the house with a mini cake and just the three of us enjoying each others company. The past week has been filled with lots of tummy time for Zachary, and the results have been impressive. He not only started to lift his head, but by the end of the week was lifting well past 90 degrees, and lifting his head, chest, and shoulders up to see what was around! We are very excited. Zach should begin his physical therapy soon, and we are all anxious to see his progression, and what tricks he's got up his sleeve!

On Friday, Mommy and Zachary went down to visit Tara and her family. They had fun visiting, and Zachary loved Cooper, the Ham's Burmese Mountain dog. Saturday was spent at home with Daddy, hanging out and playing in the yard. Amanda and Ellen were nice enough to come by that afternoon and watch Zachary for a few hours while Daddy went off to work, and Mommy came home from a bridal shower.

Today was the birthday celebration, and tomorrow we are off to Dr. Miller's to have Zachary's feet checked out once again. It's been nice not having doctors appointments for the past few weeks. We're hoping for word tomorrow that Zachary does not need to wear his shoes full time and can move to only wearing them when he sleeps. His feet look wonderful, especially with the way they were when he was born. Wednesday it is off to the pediatrician for Zach's 6 month check up, and that rounds out the planned doctor visits for a little while longer. We are grateful for all the wonderful work that the doctors and nurses have done, and continue to pray for Zach's improved health. It's hard to believe that 6 months have passed since Zachary's birth. Time sure travels fast. We continue to feel abundantly blessed each day with Zachary in our lives. We are thankful for so many of our prayers being answered, and pray for much more success for Zach in the future. Thank You so much to all of you who have been following Zachary's life. Thank You for your kind words, and especially, Thank You for your prayers. Much Love and Praise to You All! Happy 6 Month Birthday Zachary! Love, Mommy and Daddy

Yogurt Face

2009-06-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

Thought we'd share a short video of Zach's first taste of yogurt...YUMMM!!

Working Out the Kinks

2009-06-07T19:01:00.000-07:00

Mr. Giggles
MMMM, rice cereal!

Spider Man!!

I sit up so well!!

Mini-golf madness!
Yeah Daddy, that's the right line!
Mommy, purse golfing extraordinaire!
This week Zachary worked very hard on his sitting up, reaching, and eating skills. Monday was Zach's first taste of "semi" solid food. He had some rice cereal, mixed with breast milk, and as has been his tendency with every new milestone in his life, he did fantastic. He has been eating several spoonfuls of the cereal every morning for breakfast, and will start to have some at lunch this week as well.

Thursday, Darcie and her two great kids, Zander and Maddie, stopped by and did a wonderful job of entertaining Zach, and getting him laughing as they played around the house. Friday was the start of Bocce season at the Cabbage's. The rain prevented much of the games from being played, but we were able to squeeze in a few, and Zach was awake for a good portion of the time. Saturday, we began our weekend of party hopping. We headed to Cheryl's for her graduation celebration, then it was off to the Bennett's for their summer celebration and Lakota's graduation. Today, we were off to Alex's 4th birthday bash, and enjoyed Zachary's first game of miniature golf! Needless to say, it has been a fairly busy weekend, and we are all a bit tired, but had fun throughout.

Zachary has made many strides in his sitting up and head support. It's amazing to see how quickly he is improving, and exciting to watch each day as he acquires a new skill or ability. We have been so blessed with Zach's joy and his eagerness to improve each day. We are thankful for his smiles and the love he gives us each day, and continue to pray for his improved health and infectious spirit. Enjoy the pics. Our Love to you All - Brian + Kimmie

Let Summer Begin!

2009-05-31T19:15:00.000-07:00

Zachary had a wonderful week. Tuesday, he had Alice over at the house to watch him. Wednesday, Laurel was here for the day, and Thursday, Zach headed over to Barb and

Nonni's to spend the day. All three days were great, and Zach sends a big THANK YOU to the the wonderful ladies who were kind enough to spend a day taking care of him! Mommy brought Zachary to school on Friday for her last day (no students), and officially began her summer break around noon. This weekend was fairly quiet around the house. Daddy had to work Saturday morning, so Mommy and Zach had plenty of time together, and we all enjoyed a peaceful Sunday together... just the three of us. We came to the realization that this was the first weekend we have had at home with just the three of us for over a month. We are very grateful for everyone who has come to visit, watch Zachary, and stay at the house, you all have been life savers. It was definitely nice to get back to life as or own "little" family.

Mommy is excited to have the opportunity to spend full days with Zach now that summer break has begun. He has been making some good improvements with his motor skills, and his ability to sit up on his own. We've been working with him every day, and we're excited about what the future holds for Zach and his progress.

Enjoy the pictures, and we wish everyone a safe and fun filled summer! Love - Brian + Kimmie

Sir Laughs A Lot

2009-05-25T18:25:00.000-07:00

The past six days have been very busy for Zachary and the Zurliene household. As mentioned before, Aunt Peg left on Wednesday, and Grandma arrived Tuesday night! Zachary quickly settled in with is "newest" visitor, and Grandma wasted no time catching up on all the hugs and kisses she has been saving for the past month or so.

Thursday, Mommy and Grandma had dinner with the Zollers, and Daddy had a night alone with Zachary to do some male bonding. Saturday was a good day for errand running and catching up around the house before the rain moved in that evening. Mommy and Grandma had all the ladies from Littleton up for dinner, they enjoyed Zach's brief period of "awake" time, and catching up themselves. After church on Sunday, Mommy and Grandma did some shopping, then the whole family headed down to Littleton for dinner at the Marshall's. We enjoyed the delicious meal, and Zach was awake for a fair amount of time before he went down and all the "adults" were able to reminisce around the dessert tray for a while.

Today, Mommy ran the Boulder Bolder for the first time in two years. She did not run last year for the first time in a long while, because a certain little guy was still "cooking" in the oven! She ran in just under an hour, a little slower than years past, but considering she is 6 months removed from having Zachary, we are all very proud of her!

Grandma headed back to Arizona this evening, and Zachary was sad to see her go, but just before Mommy took her to the airport, we were able to get the video of the laughing machine in action! Grandma was able to coax many a smile and laugh out of Zachary this week, and he is excited to visit her soon down in Arizona!! Tonight, Mommy and Daddy are enjoying an "empty" Hotel Zurliene, and trying to remember how we survived without someone else here to help us. Mommy only has three more days of school, then the summer will officially begin, and Zachary can continue to amaze us with all of his improvements and new personalities each day. He is our little hero, we are eternally grateful that God has blessed us with such and incredible little boy, and we are excited for all the future holds! Happy Memorial Day, and Love to You All - Brian + Kimmie

Bye, Bye Aunt Peg!

2009-05-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

After two wonderful weeks, Aunt Peg had to fly back home today. She and Zachary had some very good times together, and are definitely best buds! Peg was so kind to come out for such a long time and helped out Mommy and Daddy tremendously. We are very grateful... Thank You Aunt Peg!! Even in the relatively short time that she was here, she noticed all the improvements Zach has made. He becomes more animated, talkative, and alive each day it seems. When we were at the spinal defects clinic last week they mentioned that he might "take off" now that he has his casts off and his shunt is healed and working well. We're enjoying all of his new "tricks" and what surprises he has for us.

Zachary had a busy weekend with a trip to the Pfnister's for Josh's graduation party. Lots of people there to see and hold him! On Sunday, Aunt Jodee stopped by for a couple of hours, and Zachary had fun with her, especially since he had not seen her since Easter. We finally had an opportunity to take a few photos of Zach in his sweater that Nana made for him when he was born. It fits perfect, and he looks great in it! We also took Zach's five month picture with his buddy Fiesta the polar bear.

Last night Hotel Zurliene had one more resident when Grandma arrived for the next week! We should have an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend, especially with Grandma here to smother him with kisses and hugs! Love to You All - Brian + Kimmie

Mr. Happy

2009-05-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Zachary has had a great past few days. He and Aunt Peg have been enjoying the nice weather by taking some short afternoon walks, and his head control and motor skills have been steadily improving with his tummy time and play sessions.

Yesterday, Zach's Jewish Grandma Doris, and Grandpa Steven stopped by and brought lunch for Aunt Peg. As you can see from the pictures, Zach had a wonderful time! He was full of laughs and smiles all afternoon, so we decided to head out and have his 5 month pictures taken. True to form, the entire car ride over he was smiling, but once in front of the camera... not a smile in sight! We were able to get one fairly good shot, and dinner was good at CPK, so the entire trip was not a complete loss.

Today Aunt Peg and Daddy tried unsuccessfully to watch the Erie Town Fair Hot Air Balloon Launch. Mother nature greeted us with cloudy skies, a strong wind, and no possibility of balloons taking flight! We are all off this afternoon for Josh's graduation party, so all in all it is another busy weekend in the Zurliene household. Enjoy the pics - Brian + Kimmie

Doing Well, Especially His Mouth!

2009-05-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

Zachary had a very successful trip to the spinal defects clinic yesterday. All of the "major" medical conditions that Zachary is dealing with (i.e. his shunt, bladder, bowels, and feet) were given passing grades. His head has shrunk slightly, a direct result from his shunt revision, and he appears much more proportional. His feet are progressing wonderfully. It's incredible how much they have moved and corrected to this point. As for his bladder and bowels (always the favorite topic of discussion!), we did not have a renal ultrasound performed before the clinic, so the doctors did not have images to analyze. However, after asking a few questions, and using our records of his catheter amounts, they are fairly confident that Zach is doing just fine. We will have to continue the catheters, but only twice a day, and the possibility of discontinuing them in the future still exists.

The majority of our day yesterday was spent with the physical therapy personnel. They examined Zachary and gave us several new methods and exercises to use to further his development. We also set up Zach's new therapy sessions that will take place weekly starting in June. Now that he is out of the casts, and is able to be without his shoes for an hour each day, we are anxious to get him started with therapy, and on the road to crawling someday soon!

Zachary is continuing to enjoy Aunt Peg's presence, and he has been talking nearly non-stop so far during her stay. Many of the specialists yesterday mentioned they believe he is very near to cutting a tooth. With that and all the "talking" (i.e. fingers in mouth, lots of goos and gaas, drool everywhere) Zachary has become a bit of a bib and clothing drencher! His voice has grown considerably louder, and he enjoys reaching for and grabbing many of his toys now.

The rest of the week should be fairly quiet. Zachary and Aunt Peg have no major plans (although Zachary's Jewish Grandma Doris is coming Friday!) and the weather is shaping up to be very pleasant as well, so we're hoping for a fun weekend! Thank You to all of you who have called and asked about Zachary's clinic yesterday, and we appreciate all of the prayers and well wishes we continue to receive. May God continue to bless our beautiful baby boy. Love to you all - Brian + Kimmie

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2009-05-10T18:47:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since our last blog. The biggest event was the arrival of Aunt Peg, as we noted, and as promised, here are a few photos to prove that she's here! Zachary and Peg had a few days to get to know one another, and Zachary has been very pleasant with the exception of Friday afternoon (he decided to wake from his nap early and fuss until Mommy got home). This weekend has been fairly calm, and unfortunately the weather has not been as nice as it was all last week, but we still enjoyed a nice dinner last night, and a quiet Mother's Day today. A Very Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there! Mommy enjoyed her first one with a couple of very special cards from Zachary, and even had some flowers sent to her at school on Friday by Zachary as well (he may be young, but he's sure got amazing abilities!).

This week Zachary will have his second spinal defects clinic on Tuesday. The "one stop shop" is very beneficial for Zach's progress, and helps Mommy and Daddy by having a lot of evaluations and tests done in one day. It also provides us with a comprehensive look at Zachary's overall health and an idea of what the next few months will entail as far as doctor visits and/or things we need to work on with him to improve his motor skills and development. We don't want to assume anything, but to us, it seems as though Zach is doing wonderfully, and we're praying for positive news after Tuesday's visit.

For now, it's back to school for Mommy again this week, and more bonding time for Aunt Peg and Zachary. We'll update the blog again after we get the results from Tuesday, and we'll have some more pictures of Zachary's new best friend as well! Until then, Love and God Bless - Brian + Kimmie

Mommy's Back to School

2009-05-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry we haven't posted for a while, as you can see, Mommy went back to teaching on Monday, and Daddy has been working long hours at the golf course with the projects they have going on. Uncle Dana had a great time Sunday night with Zach during bath time, and he headed back to Arizona Monday morning. His trip was far too short,but we know he'll be back soon!

With Mommy back to work, Zachary had his first all day experience away from Mommy, and home. He was at Becky's on Monday, Barb's on Tuesday, and a combination of the two today. He seems to not have missed a beat. With all of the Love and attention he has gotten in the last three days the only effect we've seen is Zach being tuckered out each night from the activities of the day. Becky, Barb, Nonni, Meg, and everyone else who "helped out" with Zachary did a FANTASTIC job, and we are very grateful!

Tonight brought the arrival of Aunt Peg (pics to follow tomorrow), who will be spending the next two weeks with us and watching Zach while Mommy and Daddy are at work. She only had a brief encounter with Zach since he was asleep by the time she arrived, but we know they'll have lots of time to play with one another for the next few days! For now we are off to the dream feed, and another day of work tomorrow. Love and God Bless - Brian + Kimmie

Uncle Dana's Here!!

2009-05-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

After a brief two days "off" with no visitors, Zach finally met his Uncle Dana for the first time! They had fun today getting to know each other, and hanging out for the very short periods of time that he is actually awake. Uncle Dana will be here until Monday, so Zachary will have just as much time to spend with him as he did with Aunt Kelly.

Zach has spent the past week enjoying no doctor's appointments, and further developing his motor skills. He loves to help turn the pages during story time, and is getting pretty good at moving his head from side to side during tummy time. He's healing and improving tremendously each day, and we are incredibly blessed to have all of our prayers answered so wonderfully! Praise God! - Brian + Kimmie

Center of Attention

2009-04-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

Zachary had a wonderful weekend with Grandpa, especially with an extra day to visit!! Grandpa missed his flight Saturday night and didn't leave until Sunday night, an extra 24 hours of fun! Zach even had both Grandpa and Aunt Kelly to play with for a few hours Sunday afternoon before Grandpa had to leave, so his Love Meter is all filled up!

Aunt Kelly and Zach hit it off right from the start. It didn't take long for her to have Zach smiling, giggling, and enjoying her company. Today we all awoke to a surprise snow storm that dropped a couple of inches on the grass overnight. Not so great for outdoor activities, but it meant that Daddy came home early from work, and all four of us enjoyed a fun lunch date together!

Aunt Kelly will be here until late tomorrow night, so Zachary will have lots of time to soak up all the attention. Then it is a couple of "normal" days with Mommy before Uncle Dana arrives Thursday night! Our little fighter is definitely growing stronger by the day, and all the visitors have noticed how much better his head looks each day as well. He's healing wonderfully, and we continue to pray for his success, and for safe travels for all our special guests arriving in the next few weeks. With Love and Praise - Brian + Kimmie

A Whole New Boy

2009-04-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

Zachary has had a great week of recovering and returning to his routine. We're not sure if they tweaked something a little extra in Zach's head when they replaced the shunt, but it seems as though he talks much more now than he did before the procedure. It's become his new favorite activity... place finger in mouth, and talk non stop until he falls asleep. Overall, his new shunt is working wonderfully, his head has shrunk slightly, and he has a much more pleasant demeanor.

Zach also had a new visitor this week when Grandpa arrived Thursday night!! Grandpa had not seen Zachary yet, so they both had a wonderful time hanging out together, and reading a lot of books. Grandpa was also able to go to Zachary's follow-up appointment at Children's yesterday, and get the good news about Zach's progress firsthand.

Tomorrow, Zachary will have yet another visitor when Aunt Kelly arrives to meet the little guy for the first time! It's a pretty exciting time in the Zurliene household with all the visits (unfortunately they are all too short!) and Zachary growing by the day. He is quickly figuring out his new shoes, and sleeping well with the bar. Tummy time is much more productive without the bulky casts to restrict his leg movement.

Enjoy the video and pics, and we will post more after Aunt Kelly arrives. Love - Brian + Kimmie

A Whole New Boy

2009-04-25T14:54:00.001-07:00

Ready To Go Home

2009-04-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

Zachary had a great night. He slept very well (as usual), and his appetite has returned as well. The doctors came by this morning and gave him the all clear, so after his 10am antibiotics, we should begin the process of being discharged.

Yesterday was a very long day, but as we mentioned, the surgery couldn't have gone better. Zachary was not allowed any food 6 hours prior to surgery, so we woke early and fed him at 4am. All was well until we arrived at the hospital and began his prep for surgery. The nurses had a very difficult time inserting an IV, and Zachary was very tired and hungry (not a good combination). After an extended period of discomfort (aka screaming), he pretty much cried himself to sleep for about an hour. The surgery was also delayed, adding further to his hunger pains, but he finally went into the OR around 10:45.

After surgery Dr. Handler met with us to discuss what he had discovered. It seems the catheter that runs into Zachary's ventricles (the rear parts of his brain) had been clogged up when the tissue in the ventricles began to grow around the shunt tubing. Dr. Handler replaced this upper section of tubing, and all seems to be working wonderfully. It is incredible how quickly his appearance has changed. When Mommy and Daddy first saw Zach in the recovery room we immediately noticed his forehead was not as large or red as before, and his soft spot on top of his head is almost concave. When the shunt is working, it's REALLY working. Zachary has a pretty good sized incision on his head. They went in through the old incision site, but increased its size slightly to accommodate the new procedure. Other than that he has his IV in his arm, but no other incisions, or areas of concern, which makes holding and feeding him much easier.

Mommy and Daddy have been passing the time blogging, watching the snow fall, and enjoying the comfortable confines of Zachary's room. For those of you who may not know, Children's Hospital opened a beautiful new facility here a little over a year ago, so everything is state of the art, and modern, and new. Zachary's room is on the 6th floor, in the neurology wing, and looks out towards the mountains (although we can't see them trough all the snow). It also has its own bathroom, shower, couch, fold out bed, LCD TV, Xbox, and PS3. Sadly, Daddy has not been able to utilize the gaming systems, but we did watch Wall-E last night when the snow storm disabled the satellite reception on the TV. A few door down the hall is the floor's game room, complete with a Wii, air hockey table, toys, tons of board games, books, movies, and stuffed animals. It's great to see the kids who are here with smiles on their faces in that room. This truly is an amazing place where there are some incredible people who do great things, and we are extremely blessed to have it close by for Zach to receive the best care possible.

The plan for tonight is drive home safely in the snow, get settled in back home, and rest, rest, rest. We were somewhat bragging last week when we said Zach had no doctor's appointments, but boy did we more than make up for it this week! Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes these past few days. We are incredibly blessed and continue to pray in thanksgiving for all God has given us and all he has done in healing Zachary to this point. Love, and God Bless - Brian + Kimmie

Back to Normal Size

2009-04-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

Just a quick one this evening. It's been a very long day and we all are exhausted. Zachary's surgery went wonderfully (Praise Jesus!). Dr. Handler said it could not have gone any better. He had the upper portion of his shunt replaced, and when we saw him in the recovery room it was already obvious that his head was getting smaller. We are at Children's for the night and should be discharged tomorrow afternoon. For now we are feeding Zachary once again, letting him get plenty of rest, and trying to fit in some rest for Mommy and Daddy s well. We will post in more detail tomorrow. For now we are off to bed. Love - Brian + Kimmie

Back to Anesthesia Dreamland

2009-04-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

Today's visit to Children's did not go as well as we had hoped. After meeting for a short time with the nurse practitioner is was pretty obvious that Zachary's head has been swelling in the past few weeks. A look at the ultrasound confirmed their suspicions, with Zachary's ventricles very swollen as well. Dr. Handler stopped by to notify us that Zachary is scheduled for a shunt revision tomorrow morning at 9:45 am. They will go in and see if something is blocking the shunt's functioning, or if the valve might need replacing, and fix the problem. It all should take about an hour and a half, and they expect to discharge Zachary sometime Saturday morning.

To make things just a little more interesting, we are expecting yet another large spring storm, and the forecast is for anywhere from 12 to 36 inches of snow. So off we will go, extra early, tomorrow morning. Please pray for a successful surgery, wonderful results, and Zachary's continued healing. With Love, Hope, and Praise - Brian + Kimmie

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

2009-04-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

Zachary had a wonderful Tuesday. At 9 o'clock he had his casts removed once and for all, and after his x-rays, he received great news from Dr. Miller. She said all looked great, the bones were good and parallel, and he was ready to move on to his leather shoes. Unfortunately, the prosthetic specialist (the guy who sets up and maintains Zach's shoes) was not at the hospital until later in the day. So after a few hours running errands and visiting Mommy's school, Zachary was finally fitted with his new shoes, and Dobbs device.

It is amazing how the casts weighed him down. Without them on now he is much less bottom heavy, and much easier to handle. Having full movement in his legs is proving to be very fun as well. He definitely has ticklish toes, and his "oompa loompa" legs are pretty cute too. It seems as though after taking off his casts we not only freed his legs, but his voice as well. Zach has never been as talkative as he was today. He was talking to his toys, the doctors, and anyone else who would pay him any attention!

Today was a bit more of a reality check for the Zurliene household. Zachary had a pediatrician's appointment this morning, and all seemed to be just fine. Zach now weighs 15lbs. 12oz., 24 inches long, both very good news, but then came his head circumference. It seems his head has grown quite a bit since his last visit, and Dr. Black felt we should call the neurologist. He advised us to have Zachary undergo a head ultrasound, which was conducted today at 3, and tomorrow afternoon we are off to Children's for an evaluation and hopefully some good results. We are praying for positive news tomorrow, and a return to some "normalcy". For now we are encouraged with the fact that Zachary seems very upbeat, happy, and overall a pleasant little boy. Please pray for Zach's continued healing, and very positive results tomorrow. Until then, our Love to you all - Brian + Kimmie

Happy Easter!!

2009-04-12T18:54:00.000-07:00

Zachary has had a wonderful past few days, and a very eventful Easter Sunday. Saturday we were able to color eggs, and prepare for the big Resurrection day! Today our day began early, with 8am mass. Zach usually sleeps at this time, and it wasn't too long into mass that he decided he was ready for sleep. He was resting comfortably on Daddy's lap until Communion, when he was awoken by our movement and the music. That was pretty much the last good rest he had for the entire day.

After church we had a brief Easter egg hunt at the house, and some pictures. We were hoping for a little more time, but Zach didn't want to sleep for more than 30-45 minutes.

Zachary had his usual noon feeding, then we headed over to the DiSalle's for Easter dinner. He did very well for the first hour, then slept for another 45 minutes, but decided to wake up yet again and join us for some afternoon Master's coverage and Rockies baseball. After a few more bouts of happy/sad/happy/sad, Zachary decided it was time to eat once again.

Overall he did very well, and Mommy and Daddy had a wonderful time at dinner and visiting with everyone. The food was fantastic as always, and Daddy enjoyed his first beer after Lent! This week is a big one for Zachary. He gets his casts taken off Tuesday for good. It has bee three months with various degrees of casting and surgery, and now he finally graduates to leather shoes, and legs free to move as they may. We are all very excited and anxious for the week ahead, and thankful that God has blessed Zachary with such a wonderful recovery to this point. and pray he can continue down the road to a fully healthy and Happy life. We hope you all have had a wonderful day, Happy Easter! - Brian + Kimmie

No Doctors This Week!!

2009-04-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

For the first time since Zachary entered this world, he will not be visiting any doctors, nurses, specialists, or practitioners!!! Mommy and Daddy were just talking about the week ahead at dinner and it was somewhat strange to not have any appointments planned for an entire week. Needless to say we will all enjoy the "time off" and are actually a little anxious for next week's appointment, when Zach will have his final set of casts removed.

We all had a pretty enjoyable weekend. The "huge" spring storm never materialized, but we were able to enjoy the time spent together waiting for the storm to arrive. Cindy and John were at the house Friday night and watched Zachary for a few hours while Mommy and Daddy attempted (albeit unsuccessfully) to accomplish a few errands. He had a fantastic time listening to the books they read to him, and seemed to be very pleasant for most of their stay.

The rest of the week has been spent getting Zachary into a slightly different routine. We've eliminated one of his evening cluster feeds, and have been putting him to sleep during naps without swaddles. So far, so good. We hope you all have a wonderful Holy Week, and enjoy the pictures of our little chunker. Love - Brian + Kimmie

In the Home Stretch

2009-04-01T18:21:00.000-07:00

Zachary's appointment went very well yesterday. Dr. Miller said that his feet looked very good and the overall results were better than expected, especially with his left foot, which had been lagging a bit behind. We were able to give Zach a real bath once his old casts were taken off, and after Dr. Miller evaluated and reset his feet, it was time for his new (and final) set of casts. He will have this last set on for two weeks before he makes his final move to a shiny new set of white leather shoes! For eleven weeks Zachary has been in casts and working on straightening his feet, all the while being the ideal patient and never really fussing or crying during all of his appointments. Yesterday was a bit of a different story. We're not sure if it was the fact that Zachary had not gotten his morning nap, or if he was reacting to the 2 year old girl who had a nuclear meltdown and was running the halls screaming, but he was not real happy to be at Children's for the first hour. By the time they put on his new casts he was pretty well exhausted and slept through the whole process.

We are all excited that Zach has entered this last step (no pun intended) of his journey to healthy feet. We continue our prayers for Zachary's success, and are extremely thankful that the Lord has blessed us and answered so many of our prayers to this point. Enjoy the pictures, and the Easter Bunny! Love to You All - Brian + Kimmie

Finding His Voice

2009-03-30T17:17:00.000-07:00

Zachary is doing wonderfully, and adjusting to the changes in his life quite well. After several days of cathetering and only getting very small amounts, we decided to call the urologist and see if there were any new steps to take. After some discussion with the nurses, it was decided that we could reduce the catheters to twice a day, rather than four! We are very excited and continue to pray for a complete stop to the process, and Zachary's continued healing.

We have been enjoying our time spent with the little guy for the past several days, especially his new found love of baby talk, and all the smiles that go along with it. He is quite the story teller, and if given the opportunity, will tell some rather lengthy tales!! The video above is of one of his many recent episodes, we hope you enjoy the story!!

Not all has been rosy around the Zurliene house. Zachary decided the Saturday night and EARLY Sunday morning were not good times for sleeping or eating. After four hours of screaming, grunting, and overall displeasure he collapsed from exhaustion and slept for a few hours, as did Mommy and Daddy. Not sure what caused the minor meltdown, but thankfully, he returned to normalcy on Sunday, and has been his old self for over 24 hours!

Tomorrow is Zachary's appointment with the orthopedic surgeon to have his casts removed, and a follow up exam after his surgery. We're anxious to hear about the progress he has made to this point, and to see how straight his feet are becoming! They will put another set of casts on, and hopefully in two more weeks, he will be all through with casts!

Thank You All for the continued Love and Prayers, and we will update Zach's progress soon. With Love - Brian + Kimmie