Between Then and Now

Disneyland..........miss you.

But, life goes on, even after Disneyland. And we got back in the swing of things with a summer get together with the Jacobs. And wouldn't you know, everyone wanted a shot at the Sidewinder!





But, as with all good things, the serious stuff was waiting for us as soon as we were doing having our fun. I got to spend a day and a night at Kaiser Walnut Creek having a second ph probe done. Why? Well, it seems inevitable that I will end up with a g-tube (for feeding purposes) and my GI is suggesting the Fundo as well, because of my previous issues with Reflux (aka GERD). Notice I said "previous"? After a horrible day and night in the arm restraints you'll see below and a very long night for my Mama (and Dada who couldn't stay in the hospital with us), we got the results of the probe.

The results: I no longer suffer from an abnormal amount of reflux, in fact, the test said I had better than average control over the acid flow between my stomach and esophagus. How cool is that!? Thanks Mama, for being patient and letting my body work out its issues.






So, now we get to tackle my eating aversions head-on, nothing else to worry about, nothing else to prevent us from making me the little eater everyone hopes some day I will be. I do too, and with my Mama and Dada, I don't see how I can possible fail!

Disneyland Vacation - The rest of our Trip

What do you do after Disneyland? You spend time with family at the park and go to Zuma Beach. So, for our first day with Aunt Jami, Uncle Rob, Spencer and Gwen (Taylor was still at Girl's Camp when we got there), we went to one of the local parks where it was way too hot for my own personal enjoyment, but we did seem to have fun.






The next day we were off to Zuma Beach near Malibu, and, No, we did not see any celebrities, to my Mama's dismay. I could see why the stars and People Magazine hang out here though.

I cannot tell you how much I love the water, especially the beach. What a cool, fun place, not to mention how everyone puts on special clothes to run around in the waves and sand. (Nothing quite like when Jim Carrey put on his girlfriend's bathing suit, his girlfriend being none other than the mother of a child with Autism, Jenny McCarthy)But it was still quite the place. What'd we do while we were at the beach? Well, have a look...







Oh, and I can't forget these excellent moments! We did have a lot of fun at the beach, a whole lot of fun.







So, that pretty much brings our fun little family vacation to an end. It was a good time, a success in every way, and the most fun I've had in a long time. Well, with hours and hours of learning to do every day, it's hard for Mama and Dada to find time to get us away for a few days. But they do alright, I like them. Think I'll keep around for a while longer.

Choa for now, my Peeps.

Hunter

Disneyland Vacation - More of Day 2

I thought my viewers might enjoy another look at Day 2 of our vacation, or at least a look at some of the pictures from Day 2, an experience which we shared with my cousins (Spencer and Gwen) and my Aunt Jami. And while the Jedi Academy was a big part of the excitement at the park, I found Downtown Disney a lot more interesting. So here we are in Downtown Disney, eating ice cream and having fun climbing giant Legos, posing with giant blow-up movie advertisements, and just hanging out. Can you find the Green Army Men?





I love pictures, and you may have noticed my "Dada" (that's my version of Dad, product of my many hours of home-schooling (aka ABA Therapy)) isn't in many of them because he's always behind the camera. I think he went to film school or wants to or something, thinks he's the next George Lucas or Steven Spielberg (not really, he's a writer, an undiscovered talent about to complete his first novel and change the way stories are told forever. Love you, Dada.) He loves taking pictures, probably why he's always behind the camera, capturing all those special moments we're having.




And then, there was ice cream. Whoever God inspired to create ice cream should go straight to heaven cause by the looks on the faces of those around me who eat the stuff on a regular basis, ice cream is pretty much like heaven on earth. (I have no idea why. There is absolutely nothing attractive about ice cream for me. Soft, wet, sticky, slimy, Yuck! The only thing remotely satisfying about it is how cold it is. But there's so many nasty things about it, I couldn't ever enjoy the perfect coldness that makes ice cream what it is.) Thank You Dreyer's in Downtown Disney!




And that's Day 2, at least a good look at some of the fun we had. There's more ahead from our vacation, but check this out, I'm white hot and seconds away from streakin' through Downtown Disney!

Chao for now, amigos.

Disneyland Vacation - Day 1

The trek to the land of a million dreams was long, hot, well packed in our Thule cargo bag, and made much more enjoyable by the presence of my Grandma. I did, however, refuse to eat my afternoon bottle while enroute to our summer destination but got back on track once we reached the Paradise Pier Hotel. The sun was still blazing in the sky when we pulled into the semi-circular driveway at the front of the hotel.

High up on the thirteenth (No joke!) we were given two adjoining rooms we would make our home for the next three days. The view was amazing, California Adventure spreading out before us like a giant open blanket with the picnic already laid out for us. The night began with room service and ended with Mom, Dad, and my two brothers disappearing into Disneyland for the remainder of the evening while I cozied up with Grandma in the hotel rooms. I love my Grandma and knew our day would come tomorrow after a good night's sleep.




My return to Disneyland was punctuated by a desire to remain in my stroller while those around me made cheerful and wonderful discoveries throughout this vast, strange land of lines and peoples, most of which were unlike anything I had ever seen. I think most of the reason behind why I was so unwilling to be free of my stroller had to do with the surprising number of strangers running wildly through the park, and after being denied several attemtps at theft of other childrens' balloons, I was finally content to remain seated and watch the world around me. I had my Grandma with me and knew nothing serious would befall me because she was there. Did I mention how much I love my Grandma. I thought it was so cool that she wanted to go with us on our vacation. My brothers and parents seemed eager, on the other hand, to mingle amongst the ruffians and thrill-seekers surrounding us. It was a good, fascinating adventure for my whole family.







The first day at Disneyland ended for me, my brothers, and Grandma with a visit to the hotel pool. The pool was amazing, probably the thing my brothers and I enjoyed the most. In fact, we spent more time in and around the pool and its awesome waterslide, than we did in either of the two amusement parks we'd come to explore. These pictures really don't do it justice, but I think you get the idea.





Day One of our Disneyland Vacation came to a close with smiles on all faces. And with sore feet and tired eyes, we three brothers curled up into our respective sleeping areas and were sound asleep under Grandma's watchful eye before Mom and Dad snuck out to finish the night off with some much needed one on one time. My only disappointment...



...just not quite big enough for that waterslide. Maybe next year. But we'll have to get through tomorrow first.

Disneyland Vacation - Day 2

Early on the rise, we set out to the park and a morning full of excitement. Today, my two older brothers, Ethan and Caleb, were going to the Jedi Training Academy to learn the true ways of the Force. Both of my brothers, like their father before them, have lived and breathed the ways of the Jedi for as long as they have been alive. Star Wars, its lore, and its power is as much a part of our family heritage as is our name. This day, for Ethan and Caleb, would be their first steps down a new path, a path strong in the Force.



The whole experience was pretty amazing. Caleb was picked during the first training class of the day, much to his brother's dismay. But return we did for the next show, finding a place at the front of the crowd where Ethan was finally selected to prove his strength in the ways of the Force. You can see how much he wanted this when you look him in the eye. Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Stormtroopers, lightsaber battles, it was all more than we could have possibly imagined, an experience that will not soon be forgotten.

Some day, I will follow in the footsteps of my father and brothers, learning the ways of the Force so that I too may become a Jedi.

May the Force be with you all.

Hunter.

Summer has begun!!

Here is the first of many entries I forsee in the future. It's funny how much having my two older brothers around can change things, for the better. We are having so much fun. Teeth are being lost, casts are coming off, and of course the newest edition to our backyard playplace (Jacobs you've got to come try this!!), Sidewinder Falls!! Not to mention in only three days we'll be off to sunny Southern California to stay at the Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland!! Oh ya, uh huh, so cool, or as my brothers, Ethan and Caleb, might say, "This summer is gonna be tight!" And I get a week off from therapy!!

And yet another two months have passed...

Yes, I know, it's been a long time since my last post. My apologies to all who have remained loyal to me throughout the last two years and a half years. Yes, it has been that long. Grandparents, Aunt and Uncles, cousins, and my brothers, sit back, hold on to your seat, and enjoy the ride. (It could be another two months before you see anything from my ghostwriter again. I might have to fire him.)

So this is me right now. Yes I'm actually sitting on the floor as I write this wearing my mama's glasses (come on people, let's keep a little perspective here). ALright so maybe not right now, but its a fairly recent representation of me and my fun personality. I love to wear my mama's glasses.



Eating. This is usually the first thing Mama and Dada are asked about by those who know my particular quirks and inquetudes (that's a Spanish word. I have a Spanish video I watch that is very fascinating, lots of songs). So here you'll find a little picture of me munching on my favorite all-day treat. The Cheeto. (You'll also notice the marks from my recent head-banging tantrums.) I am finding food a little more tolerable and have now eaten Tortilla Chips, Ritz Crackers, and Cheetos (my favorite by far). See a pattern here? I've also tasted Cranberry Juice and an Apple Fritter (courtesey of my Dada).



As for my bottle, the second picture here is what my folks hope for every time we sit down to eat. Lately, it hasn't been that way and nothing short of a miracle will save me from a surgery to help me thrive. We only just met with my GI Doctor, so I can't give more details about this right now. I can tell you I will be having a ph Probe done here very shortly to determine whether my reflux is still an issue (I've been off all my meds for six weeks now!).



So, let me introduce you all to my brothers, Ethan and Caleb, who have only just arrived from the far off land of Arizona and plan to spend the whole summer with me. Ethan arrived in rare form with a cast on his left arm where he had a supracondylar fracture. He no longer has the cast as of this writing but rather forcely convinced the technician removing it that he wanted to keep it ("Dude, I want to keep it."). Both have rather unruly and long cabello (another Spanish word) and tell me its the in-style thing to do. They also use the word 'tight' as some sort of adjective meaning to be cool.



Before I go, I'll share two pictures of activities I find very enjoyable: Sleeping and Watching myself on the VideoCamera.




My love to all. Hunter out.