Walk N Roll Success

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

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

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

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

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

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