Welcome To My Life

Yesterday was the annual Brain Injury picnic at the zoo.  Since Byron suffered from a brain injury a year ago we were invited - free admission!

It was interesting trying to lug around 2 kids, but between the baby bjorn (thanks Jayme!) the double stroller, and two quick feet, I was able to keep both the children safe and happy.  I can't say I sat down, not even to nurse Emmy most of the time. 

We were going to get tickets for the train ride.  How could I bring Marcus there and NOT go on the train.  Well, that's what started our little adventure.  It was not yet 11am and the trains were sold out until 2:30pm!  Yikes!  Guess we weren't going on the train!  I spent a lot of time chasing Marcus around the playground, but since Emmy wasn't sleeping in her carseat, I couldn't really take them around to see the animals because of the intense sun.  Emmy was in the bjorn and the sun would have been beating down on her.....patience, patience.  She should sleep soon, then I can put them in the stroller to see the animals. 

We ate lunch, then another guy there that Byron was chatting with suggested that we rent one of the bikes for 4 and go around.  They were covered and with a great spot for Marcus!  All is well, we will see the animals afterall!

We get on the bike, and this is where things got interesting.  (Oh yeah, and the train had broken down so our hopes of getting on where fading quick)

Lesson Learned:  Just because Byron has recovered from his brain injury with a memory and great thought processes, doesn't mean that all the others have, even though you wouldn't know they had an injury by looking at them and speaking to them for a while.

So, this guy rents the bike, we all get on and head towards the animals....a downhill process.  Turns out he either does think to use, or doesn't remember how to use the brakes!  Here we are CRUISIN down the path yelling at all the innocent animal gazers...LOOK OUT! LOOK OUT!  It was just like a scene from a movie where people are literally diving out of our way!  We even tried doing the old Flintstone stop by digging our heels into the ground!  In the end we ended up slowing and stopping when we started going up a hill.  WHEW!  Poor Marcus was sitting in the very front with his hands covering his ears....but he seemed to be really enjoying our little adventure!  AHHHHHH the guy says.  Here's the brake.  Right.  Thanks.

After our little ride we look down and Byron is bleeding form the knee!  He has very long legs so in all the commotion he was trying to pedal (backwards maybe to try to stop??) and his knee smoked the safety sign on the bike.  How ironic.  It was a pretty good gash too, and I had to dig through my diaper bag to find a way to stop the bleeding!  He ended up with a baby diaper wrapped around his knee!  See the picture in the gallery! HA!  After this he headed back to the bike rental section where the guy was not even apologetic about the sign.  That's never happened before he says!  Byron started pedaling and sure enough, you have long legs, you SMOKE the corner of the sign!  Like it's never happened before. Heh.  We wasted 20 minutes getting his knee cleaned up and bandaged, then didn't have time to go around to see the animals.

I decided to try again with the stroller and we did get a close up with a zebra which Marcus liked.  Then the train came by, his favorite part.  It's only got a few people on it!  There was TONS of room, and this was only the 1:30pm train!  Geesh!  Oh well, I got a few shots, check the album for more.  We played for a bit, then left.  What a day it was, we were all wiped, especially this momma who ended up pedaling the heavy bike, chasing a 2 year old, and having a baby strapped to her all day.