Saying goodbye...
Feb. 25th, 2004 11:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
heidiYesterday was a day of emotions - from top to bottom. I had a great lunch with an old friend, and we resolved to get together monthly from now on. And I had a great dinner with one of my best friends from high school, and he may join some of us for Assassins on June 3 - and if anyone else wants to go, let me know so I can see if it's worth trying to get a group ticket thing.
And Jon is taking steps. Two, then three, then four at a time, then he goes down. He's so cute. It's so different than it was with Harry. Harry, at seven months, stood up and walked halfway across the floor and pretty much never sat down again. Jon is more tentative about it, but he so clearly wants to do it. I've been videoing it a lot, and it's amazing in 10 days how he's improved. I'm not sure I can say he's *walking* yet, but oh is he coming up close.
Now, a note for all of you whose children are more than eight and a half months old and not yet walking - YOUR children are normal. PERFECTLY NORMAL. MY children are weird, weird, weird. Don't let it bother you, please.
And now, for the sad news. Last night, my parents had to put their dog, Ruger, to sleep. Ruger was 14 years old, and a very brave and wonderful German Sheppard, but he'd developed edema and was in a lot of pain. He was on horse-strength medication, and wasn't really moving, and wasn't eating at all these past few days.
Harry loved him very much. They became best friends when we lived with my parents last year while we renovated our house, and I know he's going to miss him a lot. He put Ruger on his Family Tree at school this morning, and we put up some pictures as well, so we remember him.
But Harry didn't want to go and say goodbye. We talked about it, and he's known for about a week that Ruger was very ill, but when it came down to going there yesterday, he cried a lot, and he didn't want to go. On Sunday, Harry stayed at my parents' and they watched the first Superman film. When Clark's father died, Harry asked what had happened, and my parents explained that he was very sick and he died. Harry replied, "If what happened to Superman's daddy happens to Ruger my heart will break."
My baby is so sensitive at times, it almost makes me wonder who the kid that jumps on my head in the mornings is.
So R.I.P. Ruger Brown Howard. We will miss you, and the way you used to jump in the pool to rescue people when they went under water to do handstands and stuff, and the way you wrestled with balls and stuffed animals, and how you looked when you looked at Harry. We will not miss the way you smelled, though, poor thing.
And when my sister comes to Miami next, we will bury your ashes in the yard, next to my Kira, and we will put down a stone for you. Today, Ruger is being welcomed by Kira into Doggy Heaven.
And Jon is taking steps. Two, then three, then four at a time, then he goes down. He's so cute. It's so different than it was with Harry. Harry, at seven months, stood up and walked halfway across the floor and pretty much never sat down again. Jon is more tentative about it, but he so clearly wants to do it. I've been videoing it a lot, and it's amazing in 10 days how he's improved. I'm not sure I can say he's *walking* yet, but oh is he coming up close.
Now, a note for all of you whose children are more than eight and a half months old and not yet walking - YOUR children are normal. PERFECTLY NORMAL. MY children are weird, weird, weird. Don't let it bother you, please.
And now, for the sad news. Last night, my parents had to put their dog, Ruger, to sleep. Ruger was 14 years old, and a very brave and wonderful German Sheppard, but he'd developed edema and was in a lot of pain. He was on horse-strength medication, and wasn't really moving, and wasn't eating at all these past few days.
Harry loved him very much. They became best friends when we lived with my parents last year while we renovated our house, and I know he's going to miss him a lot. He put Ruger on his Family Tree at school this morning, and we put up some pictures as well, so we remember him.
But Harry didn't want to go and say goodbye. We talked about it, and he's known for about a week that Ruger was very ill, but when it came down to going there yesterday, he cried a lot, and he didn't want to go. On Sunday, Harry stayed at my parents' and they watched the first Superman film. When Clark's father died, Harry asked what had happened, and my parents explained that he was very sick and he died. Harry replied, "If what happened to Superman's daddy happens to Ruger my heart will break."
My baby is so sensitive at times, it almost makes me wonder who the kid that jumps on my head in the mornings is.
So R.I.P. Ruger Brown Howard. We will miss you, and the way you used to jump in the pool to rescue people when they went under water to do handstands and stuff, and the way you wrestled with balls and stuffed animals, and how you looked when you looked at Harry. We will not miss the way you smelled, though, poor thing.
And when my sister comes to Miami next, we will bury your ashes in the yard, next to my Kira, and we will put down a stone for you. Today, Ruger is being welcomed by Kira into Doggy Heaven.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 08:45 am (UTC)Aw... *sniffle* I'm crying at my desk.
Safe travels, Ruger.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 08:49 am (UTC)About walking early -- can relate there, as well. Thing 1 walked at 10 months, Thing 2 was 16 months. Different strokes and all.
*hugs again for Ruger's loss. I'd like to think that he's playing with Pete, my brother and sister-in-law's German Sheppard who was put to sleep two weeks ago at the age of 13. And my beloved Dutchess gone these last 17 years.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 08:49 am (UTC)Sorry about the poor doggy! It sounds like he had a wonderful and happy life.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 08:49 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 08:55 am (UTC)*wince* And the worst part is that there's no helping them through it. We lost my grandmother last year and it was the first death O really ever sort of grokked on any level. Very difficult.
I'm so sorry to hear about the pup, Heidi.
But congratulations to Jon for walking! Your kids DO walk early! Has Harry stayed athletic-ish that way?
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 09:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 09:21 am (UTC)Im sorry.:( Losing a family pet is hard on everyone, and if theres anything I can do(although probably not much) then let me know.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 09:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 10:01 am (UTC)My parents got a new dog, Annie, a few months later, and she's learning who I am. But it's just not the same thing.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 10:27 am (UTC)That is so sweet! My doggie is just the cutest, most wonderful friend anyone could have and she's getting old and not moving as well herself. Reading this just makes me sad sad sad.
It's good to have such great friends though and Harry sounds like a great little boy!
*SNIFFLE*
Date: 2004-02-25 10:38 am (UTC)(muffled) Medeni was 14½.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 10:41 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 10:50 am (UTC)Every time you talk about Harry I'm more impressed with him. Especially his decision not to go and say goodbye. I'm that sort myself, and I think it very mature of him.
And congratulations on Jon walking! It's amazing, isn't it? Our Emmy walked around nine months, if I recall correctly -- she's one of the Weird ones too, she started reading when she was about eighteen months, like I did. I wish I had video of her first steps, now :)
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 11:15 am (UTC)As for walking kids - my oldest crawled at 8 months and walked at 9 months. My younger one had no interest in moving around because her sister would fetch what she wanted. She didn't crawl until 11 months and walked at 14 months.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 01:22 pm (UTC)My heart goes out to Harry and the rest of your family.
Elia
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 02:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 02:01 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 02:46 pm (UTC)i'm really sorry for your family's loss. <3
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 03:05 pm (UTC)I'm sorry about Ruger. Poor dog.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 04:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 07:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-25 07:39 pm (UTC)Sorry about Ruger. I can't look at Bad Dog, my German Shepherd, without my eyes watering now.