Just a real quick update, and an apology for not posting the last couple of days. We’ve been fighting pretty hard to keep our littlest puppy going. We’ve finally got her weight up to 2.5, but that’s far from being in the clear. Poor thing is not doing really well, but she’s a fighter. I will keep you all posted. For now though, my energies are needed elsewhere.
Night!
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A sweet story and a building project!
I had three completely unrelated things to share seeing how I needed to post a photo for challenge days 18, 19, and 20… but then I realized I could very honestly share a project the three of us worked on today and have it fit for all three topics. Yeah, it may be a bit of a cheat – but it’s not a huge one, especially considering I did grab snapshots on both Friday and Saturday, even if I’ve decided to only share a series of images from today. LOL
But first? First I have to share a really quick little story that is super cute and totally warmed my heart. 😀
On Friday I was over at my parents place – watching everyone so Mom could go with Dad to an out of town gig. When Marie, my sister (whom Lily-Ann is named after), got home she came upstairs as usual then asked for my attention. I stopped working on supper and looked over at her: “Yes Marie?”
“Moby.”
“Yes.”
“Moby, look.”
And with that she held up the index finger on her right hand as if to say just one second. Then she bent WAY down to where little Thor (one of my puppies from the Avenger litter whom is now my Dad’s puppy) was standing, and gave him a little pat. She then stood back up. “Moby.”
“Yes Marie?”
My sister, who has never been much of a pet person and who does her best to just ignore the other two dogs in the household, gave me a great big grin and an enthusiastic thumbs up. To which I replied “Awwww…. Marie! I’m so glad you like him. He’s a cute little guy, isn’t he?” She nodded in approval, which made me feel awfully wonderful. 😀
Okay… now onto my challenge photos. 😉
So, I need to share for something I bought, sweet, and someone I love. Well… here are the girl and her Dad working together to put up the last couple of shelves in her room (which he and I started putting up while she was out with my sister Riki earlier today). I think this series of pictures covers all three challenge topics pretty darn well.
Good Morning!
This morning I got in some puppy snuggles before even getting out of bed. Thankfully I keep my phone on my nightstand so snapped a quick “good morning” photo of little Bruce. I do have to admit, I’ll really miss this boy when he goes. He’s such a snugglebug – and I’ve always been one who loves an itty bitty little snugly baby.
Little Baby Bruce, Our Tiny Hulk.
It’s strangely quiet in our house tonight as suddenly there were just two. With Rogers in Regina with his new family, and Thor having a trial sleepover with my Dad we only have Bruce and Tony home. It’s an odd feeling. I’d kinda gotten used to the chaos four three and a half month old puppies can create. 😉
I really do hope things work out with my Dad and Thor. With Thor being Lily-Ann’s favourite, it would be really nice to keep him in the family. And my Dad hasn’t had a dog that was really HIS in such a long long time… and Thor might actually get to accompany my Dad on his many out of town gigs. With Thor staying, I’d also get to show him – which would be fun too. I do have other options for him if it doesn’t work, but it would just be really nice for all of us if things panned out.
In addition to the challenge, tomorrow I’ll be sharing a very special author interview. So make sure you pop in to check it out. Her newest book is hitting stores and she’s shared a little with me about herself and what you can expect!
Natalia: Oct 1-15, 2012
Losing Natalia today was harder on me than I’d expected. The last few days she balanced that tightrope between life and death so closely, we knew there was a good chance she’d pass… but with her finally starting to gain weight, I had hoped that perhaps we were turning a corner.
Damon and I came home for a feeding at about 2:00, by 2:30 we made the choice not to tube her. She was almost gone, and we didn’t want to put her through it. We took turns holding her against our chests – keeping her warm and close. At 3:21, right before we had to leave to pick up kid kid from school, she passed. Damon passed her to me, and I held her until he had gone to the school and brought Lily-Ann home so we could all say goodbye.
We honestly thought that perhaps we’d turned that all important corner with her… that the tube feedings every two hours, the warm water enemas, the warm baths, vitamin drops, colic cures, all the intensive care and extra attention had given her what she needed… but it clear she was ready to go. She fought long and hard, but was just too tired to keep on trying. I keep reminding myself that 30% of all puppies don’t make it – but it’s little comfort. I am grateful we have four healthy strong boys to love and care for. But it doesn’t temper the sting of losing Natalia.
Natalia on October 8th @ 2.3 ounces.
Being bottlefed by Damon – who worked so hard for her.
Natalia on October 15th @ 2.7 ounces.
Rest in peace sweet little girl, we will see you again.
A Chihuahua/Fur Scarf
We had all four boys out this evening, and covered the girl with them. Now that they have their eyes open, they are starting to be a lot more fun. And after playing for a while, they all crawled up to her neck and settled in for a nap – which, of course, sent the girl into the giggles.
Natalia isn’t big enough to come out to play with her brothers (two of whom are four times her size). It’s been a very stressful few days with her, as we haven’t been sure if she’d make it or not… and, to be quite honest, we’re still not sure. She’s a little fighter though, and we’re doing everything we can to see her through.
As of this morning Natalia is now weighing in at 2.6 ounces, up from 2.4 a few days ago. She had held steady at 2.2 and then 2.3 ounces for the longest time – so we are delighted to see a gain of 0.2 in the last couple of days. It’s definitely encouraging.
The boys all range in size from 7.75 to 10.3 ounces – which is absolutely perfect for boys their age… not too big and not too small. Healthy, strong, curious, but mostly hungry and sleepy. LOL They are all used to being handled, and have already had their first nail trim – not that they needed it, but I start doing them really early so that it never has a chance to become an issue as they get older. This way, nails are just something they’ve always had done and so don’t ever have to learn to tolerate. It’s just normal.
We are enjoying watching their little faces develop, and loving the daily changes in pigment on their noses and toeses. They are such a treat. I’m making sure we spend time every day with the little boys as it’s so easy to get completely wrapped up in tiny Natalia’s care. Tube feedings every two hours can take a lot out of you, and wear you out physically and mentally… so it’s good to take time to enjoy her brothers and remind yourself of the joy.
From left to right: Rogers, Thor, Lily-Ann, Tony, and Bruce.
A brief update…
Snuggling with Captain America
It was a rather long night last night, and today was just as long. Lots of work, both personal and business related. So I hope you’ll forgive me tonight if I’m not up to writing much. Instead, enjoy a cute snapshot of the girl and Rogers that I took yesterday with my phone:
Two of my precious babies, being precious together. 😉
Safe Travels Deedee!
Tomorrow morning is going to be a tough one. 11 hours from now, we’ll be leaving to take Deedee to the airport where she’ll fly to Kelowna to meet her new family. Placing puppies isn’t easy… but placing one who is a year and a half is even harder.
Deedee at the lake a few weeks ago (next to her sister Alice and mommy Roo)… and yes, those are my dirty camp toes.
We’ve known since she was only a few months old that there would come a time when we’d place Deedee. This litter was a co-breeding between myself (Sidhe Dogs) and Em (HiLeigh Chihuahuas)… so with two puppies one was ours and one was hers. We chose to keep Alice as her temperament just fit in better with us. Which meant it was just a matter of finding the perfect placement for our little tri-coloured girl.
Deedee is a lot like her mom: super smart. She’s also super accepting and willing to just sit back and let the girl manhandle her. After all, Lily-Ann has been holding the pups since they were a few days old. At this point it’s just second nature for them to relax in her arms and have her cart them around. She’s gentle with them, but she is a kid, and the pups learn quickly to just relax and go with it. Because while they won’t always be carried around or treated in a dignified manner, it’s always done gently and with love.
Alice ended up being our pick, mainly because her temperament is more like her dad’s, she’s the snuggler. And I need a snuggler. Lily-Ann bogarted Marnie, so our family clearly needed a second. And as much as we love Roo, one Roo is plenty for any household. 😉
Thankfully for her new family, while Deedee is a lot like her mom, she did inherit some of her dad’s easygoing nature. She’s up for just about anything at any time. She’s happiest on the go. She loves hiking, hitting the beach, camping… and as the only dog in her new home, she’ll be toted everywhere and doted on by this active family. It’s also nice to know that all their past fids (furry kids) are all still so treasured (pictures hanging up as reminders of those who are waiting for them at the rainbow bridge).
We really are going to miss our little treasure… but we wouldn’t let her go if we had any doubts about her being treasured there too. It really is going to be a hard morning. Lots of tears ahead (and some right now too). The girl and I have already shared a cry, but I’m sure we’ll have another tomorrow. Our little Deedee is one in a million, and she will always be loved.
Deedee getting a smoosh from Lil (after a bath) early in the Spring. This picture is the wallpaper on my iPhone.
Roo Watch 2012
We have officially entered Roo Watch 2012!
Roo hanging out in the nursery – watching Daddy get their supper ready.
Okay, so you might be wondering what the heck that is and why you should care. Well… here ya go:
Roo (our blue tri-colour, smooth coat Chihuahua) is five days away from her estimated due date. She delivered her first litter in May of 2011, five days early. So while we hope she keeps on baking those sweet buns until their are good and finished, there is a possibility they may pop out of her toasty little oven early. This means we are now on Roo Watch 2012.
Why should you care? Well heck! Roo is awesome, and her two little girls Alice and Dee Dee (from her first litter) are even awesomer, so you know these new babies are going to be at least as awesome as their mom and half-sisters. I love them all to pieces, so you know I won’t be able to help but share. And seriously, who the heck doesn’t love baby puppies???? 😉
I am creating a new tag and category here at TD365 so you can track all Roo’s progress and see how her babies are doing after they arrive. Any time a post contains an update on Roo or her litter, it will be tagged with Roo Watch 2012 and the matching category. I think it should be fun. Heck, maybe I’ll even create a little graphic especially for her updates. Who knows. LOL
Look at that belly! Super cute little momma!
For those who are interested, our puppy nursery is actually a great big “rabbit” cage. It’s really not suitable for rabbits, but it makes a perfect place for a Chihuahua and her babies to start out. With a puppy pad and food and water bowls at one end, and a compostable “litter box liner” (with a low area cut out to allow her in and out without having to jump) with a thin lambswool crate pad in it, a heating lamp at the ready, and a water bottle over the puppy area in case momma doesn’t want to leave them – it’s absolutely perfect. It keeps the puppies safe and warm, and also gives mom an area to get away for brief periods to eat and potty while still keeping close watch. I am also able to keep the entire thing elevated to avoid any drafts that may creep along the floor, which just makes me feel a little better.
Tonight Roo is resting comfortably in the nursery, she was panting a little about 1/2 hour ago, but has settled back down. So I’m hoping it was just happy panting (which is something she’s known for doing when she’s excited). Unlike last year, when she caught us off guard while I was away at a dog show, this year, we’re all set and ready – but still hoping she waits until closer to her estimated due date on the 29th. 😉
Hope you’ll enjoy Roo Watch 2012 as much as I do. I promise to do my best to keep you updated with all the exciting news – including lots of snapshots (gotta love how handy the iPhone is).
My Little Junior
Well, today the big show news is all about Lily-Ann and Alice. They were so cute together! For both of them, it was their second time in the ring – but it was their first time as a team (you can see the girl’s first time here: junior handling debut) . Sure, there were a few hiccups. In an ideal world you put an experienced dog with an inexperienced handler or vice versa… but they worked their way through it together, and looked cute doing it!
Damon took the video for me, from the other end of the ring. You can actually see me, standing next to the ring steward (who happened to be the show secretary) at the table. And Jewles took some photos – but I haven’t transferred them to one of my hard drives yet. 😉
Alice placed the same as she did yesterday, winning one point for Best of Winners, and winning a stuffed cow toy for Best Puppy. Gotta love when someone has sponsored a booster and there are little gifties to go along with a win. LOL
So, one more day left, and then it’s back to business as usual as we wait for the next show. 🙂
Puppy in My Pocket!
Okay, yes, it’s my second blog post for tonight… but for all those begging for updated pictures of Roo’s girls, I couldn’t disappoint. LOL So here are some new pictures of our Chihuahua puppies, Alice and Deedee.
TD 365 