Playing Tug of War
Still Playing together
Tori all tired out
Alex tired out and hanging out in his planter
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Enjoying my new children!
Having two puppies to train is definitely a handful, but in a lot of ways easier. They have each other to keep company and so I don't feel as badly when I have other things to do. They love playing together and fighting together, here are some pictures that I took earlier today.
Our New Children!!!
Losing Boo was extremely hard for me and even though it was hard on Jon, I think he realized I needed something to keep me distracted. So on Saturday, September 29th, my mother-in-law and husband drove me to Ohio to look at some "bedroom furniture". When we got to the home though, there were two little cocker spaniels. I was then told, that there was another place we were going to look. The next place is where our babies came from. We originally were just going to get Tori, but after one look at Alex we couldn't leave him behind. So, we are proud parents once again. Though, Boo will still be in our hearts and minds.
Let me introduce you to them:
Meet Victoria (we'll be calling her Tori for short), she is a sweet little girl who is full of energy, but loves to cuddle!
Meet Alexander (we'll be calling him Alex for short). He was the runt of his litter, so he is really tiny. He is full of spunk, but also loves to cuddle.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Wisdom Teeth
On Thursday, September 13, 2007, I had the opportunity to get three wisdom teeth pulled. Okay, I don't know how great of an opportunity it was, but it's over. Back in March, I had to have the first of the four out, so that is why I only had three out this time.
I must say that I'm very glad that wisdom teeth don't grow back in. I would hate to have to go through this all again. Fortunately, the medicines that I'm on haven't made me loopy, much to my family's dismay. I think everyone was looking forward to having me silly and crazy. Oh, well!
My mouth is still very sore and if it weren't for the pain meds, I'd be in a really bad way. It still hurts with taking the pain medicine, but at least it's tolerable. Since getting my teeth out my diet has pretty much consisted of fries and chocolate milk, sometimes mashed potatoes. This morning I even had some scrambled eggs to go along with my chocolate milk. I'm looking forward to being able to open my mouth more than just a finger width. It really cuts down on what you can eat.
I must say that I'm very glad that wisdom teeth don't grow back in. I would hate to have to go through this all again. Fortunately, the medicines that I'm on haven't made me loopy, much to my family's dismay. I think everyone was looking forward to having me silly and crazy. Oh, well!
My mouth is still very sore and if it weren't for the pain meds, I'd be in a really bad way. It still hurts with taking the pain medicine, but at least it's tolerable. Since getting my teeth out my diet has pretty much consisted of fries and chocolate milk, sometimes mashed potatoes. This morning I even had some scrambled eggs to go along with my chocolate milk. I'm looking forward to being able to open my mouth more than just a finger width. It really cuts down on what you can eat.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Still getting over the loss of my baby!
I honestly never thought that I'd become so attached to our furry little mutt. That's what I called her a lot, although she was a purebred Cocker Spaniel. I guess it was a carry over from having mutts all of my life.
She just brought such joy to our lives. I didn't realize how much I talked to her until she was no longer there to talk to. I still find myself talking out loud, but then realize I'm the only one around and I'm glad that nobody can see me because they'd think that I was some kind of crazy person. I loved cuddling with Boo, but that didn't happen a lot. She was a very curious puppy and I guess she just wasn't that curious about me. Everything needed to be explored. The only real time I got to cuddle with her was after her bath time. I'd scoop her up in her towel and she'd sit on my lap like a baby while I dried her off. Then, I'd hold her in the towel for awhile to try to get her as dry as possible. As soon as I would put her on the floor, she would shake and run all over the kitchen, slipping and sliding because she was still wet. She would also try to get dry by rubbing her little body all over my legs, which usually only proceeded to make me cold and wet too.
She was a quick learner and yet very stubborn. She was finally getting the whole "go-to-the-bathroom-outside" trick down. Once she was outside though, she'd forget what she was out there for and run around. She was very picky about the length of the grass though. If it was too long or wet, she'd walk along the edge of our fence on the boards (our fence is a chain-link fence but has wooden boards along the bottom) to get to the spot she chose to use the restroom. Once she'd used the restroom, she'd come running to the door with her little ears bouncing up and down. As soon as she came in the house, she would run upstairs and wait at the top of the stairs for her treat because she'd been a "good girl."
Today, I'm doing a lot better. So far I haven't cried today. But yesterday was hard. I was doing okay until I got home. I happened to walk in the door right at 5 and immediately thought I need to get Boo's food ready. Then, it hit me. I cried for the next 20 minutes or so.
Each day is getting a little easier though, so that's good. I just wish I had my baby back.
She just brought such joy to our lives. I didn't realize how much I talked to her until she was no longer there to talk to. I still find myself talking out loud, but then realize I'm the only one around and I'm glad that nobody can see me because they'd think that I was some kind of crazy person. I loved cuddling with Boo, but that didn't happen a lot. She was a very curious puppy and I guess she just wasn't that curious about me. Everything needed to be explored. The only real time I got to cuddle with her was after her bath time. I'd scoop her up in her towel and she'd sit on my lap like a baby while I dried her off. Then, I'd hold her in the towel for awhile to try to get her as dry as possible. As soon as I would put her on the floor, she would shake and run all over the kitchen, slipping and sliding because she was still wet. She would also try to get dry by rubbing her little body all over my legs, which usually only proceeded to make me cold and wet too.
She was a quick learner and yet very stubborn. She was finally getting the whole "go-to-the-bathroom-outside" trick down. Once she was outside though, she'd forget what she was out there for and run around. She was very picky about the length of the grass though. If it was too long or wet, she'd walk along the edge of our fence on the boards (our fence is a chain-link fence but has wooden boards along the bottom) to get to the spot she chose to use the restroom. Once she'd used the restroom, she'd come running to the door with her little ears bouncing up and down. As soon as she came in the house, she would run upstairs and wait at the top of the stairs for her treat because she'd been a "good girl."
Today, I'm doing a lot better. So far I haven't cried today. But yesterday was hard. I was doing okay until I got home. I happened to walk in the door right at 5 and immediately thought I need to get Boo's food ready. Then, it hit me. I cried for the next 20 minutes or so.
Each day is getting a little easier though, so that's good. I just wish I had my baby back.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Clothes Pins and Puppy Dogs
When my sister Tami was learning how to walk, she could only walk if she was holding on to something. I'm not sure how it started, but at some point, my parents gave her clothes pins to hold on to. If she had both clothes pins in hand, she was fine and would toddle all over. If one of them dropped, she would start to teeter around and drop to the ground crying. Cute story, right but where do puppy dogs fit in.
Well, I realized last night that Boo was my clothes pin. We got Boo the day before Jon started third shift, partially because we wanted a dog and partly so I would have company during the night when Jon was at work. In my mind I know that there is absolutely nothing that Boo could have done in case of an intruder, but at the same time I always felt safe and secure knowing she was in the house. Last night, I had my friend Brenda over and I still felt like something was missing. That someone could come in. So, you see Boo was my security even though she probably would have whined at an intruder to let her out and that would be the extent of her protection.
So, even more I realize how much I miss my baby!
Well, I realized last night that Boo was my clothes pin. We got Boo the day before Jon started third shift, partially because we wanted a dog and partly so I would have company during the night when Jon was at work. In my mind I know that there is absolutely nothing that Boo could have done in case of an intruder, but at the same time I always felt safe and secure knowing she was in the house. Last night, I had my friend Brenda over and I still felt like something was missing. That someone could come in. So, you see Boo was my security even though she probably would have whined at an intruder to let her out and that would be the extent of her protection.
So, even more I realize how much I miss my baby!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Remembering Boo
Little did I know when I posted the last entry that it would be the only entry of our little Baby Boo while she was alive. Our baby passed away September 4, 2007 - she was only six and a half months old.
We only got to enjoy Boo for 99 days, but in those 99 days, so much changed. I remember so vividly the day we went to the pet store. I remember the Petland sales person asking if we'd seen the "little white cocker in the window around the corner." I looked through the window and saw this adorable puppy jumping at the window just because we were looking at her - almost as if she had picked us out from everybody right from the start. We had the little white cocker come out and play with us and we laughed at her antics, she was so clumsy at the time. She would get so excited and run and fall flat on her face. I remember watching Jon hold her and she was so excited her little behind was squirming all around.
In some ways not a lot changed. She still got really excited when her daddy was around. He seemed to be the only person in her universe. When we took her home and showed her the yard, she was the bounciest little thing. Her little ears tripped her up many times as she would try running to us. We definitely were convinced that we had named her well - Sabbuku, changed only slightly from the Japanese word meaning "suicide bomber." She would run and not be able to stop herself from hitting into things really hard. I remember that she also had a cold when we first got her. Though, that didn't seem to stop her energy or her curiousity. She was always into something.
I'll be the first to admit, I struggled with having little responsibility to having a little baby dog and being her mommy. I know Jon thought that I was a horrible mommy, but I'd never been a mommy before and certainly not to a little rambunctious puppy. It was a learning experience for both Boo and me - I just wish the learning experience could have lasted a lot longer.
She always loved giving kisses and being the "wonderful" mommy, I usually didn't want them. When we traveled in the car with her on my lap, we would constantly be fighting. She would want to move all around on my lap or jump off my lap onto the floor only to come right back up. I just wanted her to sit still. If I would have known how little time we would have our baby, I would have let her kiss me until I was soaked and I wouldn't have scolded her for wanting to be a part of everything in the car.
Anyway... back to when we first got her. It was so amazing seeing her grow up. Within a couple of days of getting her she could go up the steps without us carrying her. It took a little longer for her to learn to go down. I remember the day she lost her first two baby teeth. Jon found the first one and brought it up to me in our room. I told her what a big girl she was getting to be and she had that cute little doggie smile on her face with her little stump wagging. We didn't have her long before she learned how to climb her gate in our house and then a couple of days later - how to escape from the yard. That was a scary experience.
Her little stump was always wagging, usually for Jon though. We tried to get her into a routine, so here it was: (I really don't know what schedule she was on during the day when Jon was home with her).
6 am - I let her outside to go to the bathroom
7:30 am - Jon fed her
4:15 pm - I let her outside to go to the bathroom
5 pm - I fed her
9:45 pm - bedtime
She learned so much in the short time we had her. Jon taught her to sit and wait for until he said "go get it" when it was mealtime. I attempted to teach her to sit other times (it didn't work too well). I did manage to teach her to go to her cage for bedtime and not to bark. She also learned things we didn't teach her like how to apologize when we'd scolded her or how to make us feel better when we were sad.
I don't remember how long we had her when I realized that the baby was afraid of the dark, so I'd leave a little light on for her so she wouldn't have to be afraid. She had so many things that made her so cute. She would poke her head at the top of the stairs into the living room to see if she could come down. She would through her Kong on the floor and lose it because it would bounce under the couch (I still don't know where it is from the last time she did this.) About a week or so before she died we decided to get her a toy that made noise. I found a little brown and red soft bone with a squeaker inside. When she put it in her mouth, it covered half her face. The first time she heard it squeak, she was afraid of it. In no time, she was squeaking the thing just for the fun of it, usually while I was trying to hear a movie.
We didn't have her long, but the memories sure do live on, it's hard to believe that our little one is gone. I miss her so much and I can't seem to stop crying. I know eventually I won't feel this badly, but in the meantime, it's horrible. She really was my baby, no matter how many times I got mad at her and told Jon that "if she didn't cost us so much, she'd be gone." I knew we'd still have her so I could make a statement like that.
Her last day here, she was so cute (she was always cute, even when she was messing up my house.) We went to my in-laws for Labor Day. She seemed to have a blast playing with her cousins, running all over. She was actually starting to be the good dog that I could get glimpses of. She'd come when we called, never bark, never beg for food, she was wonderful - if only I would have realized it then. But...it was time to eat. Jon was out in the garage turning wood and Boo ran outside to get him. I told her, "Go tell Daddy it's time to eat." She raced out there and bounced all around. We went inside and shortly after dinner I left for Joann's with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, Janell. While I was gone, Boo got into another dog's food and ate a lot of it. By the time I got back, she'd already thrown up twice. Throughout the rest of the evening she threw up at least 2 more times. When we were ready to go home, she was too weak to get in the car (although she always had been our little jumper), she sat quietly in my lap and I told her "If you learn to act like this when you feel fine, you'll make a great adult someday." I think those were my last words to her. When we got to the house, Jon took her and put her to bed.
I got up the next morning to take her outside and she was gone. I don't really remember a lot of that morning I was half asleep and noticed she wasn't barking to be let out. I didn't really think much of it though because she'd been really good about that lately. The thing I do remember is that the little light wasn't on next to her and I noticed it while I went down the stairs. I think I said, oh you poor baby, you must have had a rough night (I could smell that she had messed her cage) and the light wasn't even on. Then I saw her. I don't want to dwell on that part because I want to remember her as my fluffy little bundle of energy.
The vet thinks that she probably had a heart condition and that throwing up so much triggered it. Boo did die in her sleep, so hopefully it was quick and painless. One thing is for sure - she will be missed greatly by her mommy and daddy. We do have some pictures but not a lot, I just wish we would have had the foresight to take more, even if it would have driven her crazy.
We loved you so much Boo - and you were such a joy to have in our lives - We will miss you!!!
We only got to enjoy Boo for 99 days, but in those 99 days, so much changed. I remember so vividly the day we went to the pet store. I remember the Petland sales person asking if we'd seen the "little white cocker in the window around the corner." I looked through the window and saw this adorable puppy jumping at the window just because we were looking at her - almost as if she had picked us out from everybody right from the start. We had the little white cocker come out and play with us and we laughed at her antics, she was so clumsy at the time. She would get so excited and run and fall flat on her face. I remember watching Jon hold her and she was so excited her little behind was squirming all around.
In some ways not a lot changed. She still got really excited when her daddy was around. He seemed to be the only person in her universe. When we took her home and showed her the yard, she was the bounciest little thing. Her little ears tripped her up many times as she would try running to us. We definitely were convinced that we had named her well - Sabbuku, changed only slightly from the Japanese word meaning "suicide bomber." She would run and not be able to stop herself from hitting into things really hard. I remember that she also had a cold when we first got her. Though, that didn't seem to stop her energy or her curiousity. She was always into something.
I'll be the first to admit, I struggled with having little responsibility to having a little baby dog and being her mommy. I know Jon thought that I was a horrible mommy, but I'd never been a mommy before and certainly not to a little rambunctious puppy. It was a learning experience for both Boo and me - I just wish the learning experience could have lasted a lot longer.
She always loved giving kisses and being the "wonderful" mommy, I usually didn't want them. When we traveled in the car with her on my lap, we would constantly be fighting. She would want to move all around on my lap or jump off my lap onto the floor only to come right back up. I just wanted her to sit still. If I would have known how little time we would have our baby, I would have let her kiss me until I was soaked and I wouldn't have scolded her for wanting to be a part of everything in the car.
Anyway... back to when we first got her. It was so amazing seeing her grow up. Within a couple of days of getting her she could go up the steps without us carrying her. It took a little longer for her to learn to go down. I remember the day she lost her first two baby teeth. Jon found the first one and brought it up to me in our room. I told her what a big girl she was getting to be and she had that cute little doggie smile on her face with her little stump wagging. We didn't have her long before she learned how to climb her gate in our house and then a couple of days later - how to escape from the yard. That was a scary experience.
Her little stump was always wagging, usually for Jon though. We tried to get her into a routine, so here it was: (I really don't know what schedule she was on during the day when Jon was home with her).
6 am - I let her outside to go to the bathroom
7:30 am - Jon fed her
4:15 pm - I let her outside to go to the bathroom
5 pm - I fed her
9:45 pm - bedtime
She learned so much in the short time we had her. Jon taught her to sit and wait for until he said "go get it" when it was mealtime. I attempted to teach her to sit other times (it didn't work too well). I did manage to teach her to go to her cage for bedtime and not to bark. She also learned things we didn't teach her like how to apologize when we'd scolded her or how to make us feel better when we were sad.
I don't remember how long we had her when I realized that the baby was afraid of the dark, so I'd leave a little light on for her so she wouldn't have to be afraid. She had so many things that made her so cute. She would poke her head at the top of the stairs into the living room to see if she could come down. She would through her Kong on the floor and lose it because it would bounce under the couch (I still don't know where it is from the last time she did this.) About a week or so before she died we decided to get her a toy that made noise. I found a little brown and red soft bone with a squeaker inside. When she put it in her mouth, it covered half her face. The first time she heard it squeak, she was afraid of it. In no time, she was squeaking the thing just for the fun of it, usually while I was trying to hear a movie.
We didn't have her long, but the memories sure do live on, it's hard to believe that our little one is gone. I miss her so much and I can't seem to stop crying. I know eventually I won't feel this badly, but in the meantime, it's horrible. She really was my baby, no matter how many times I got mad at her and told Jon that "if she didn't cost us so much, she'd be gone." I knew we'd still have her so I could make a statement like that.
Her last day here, she was so cute (she was always cute, even when she was messing up my house.) We went to my in-laws for Labor Day. She seemed to have a blast playing with her cousins, running all over. She was actually starting to be the good dog that I could get glimpses of. She'd come when we called, never bark, never beg for food, she was wonderful - if only I would have realized it then. But...it was time to eat. Jon was out in the garage turning wood and Boo ran outside to get him. I told her, "Go tell Daddy it's time to eat." She raced out there and bounced all around. We went inside and shortly after dinner I left for Joann's with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, Janell. While I was gone, Boo got into another dog's food and ate a lot of it. By the time I got back, she'd already thrown up twice. Throughout the rest of the evening she threw up at least 2 more times. When we were ready to go home, she was too weak to get in the car (although she always had been our little jumper), she sat quietly in my lap and I told her "If you learn to act like this when you feel fine, you'll make a great adult someday." I think those were my last words to her. When we got to the house, Jon took her and put her to bed.
I got up the next morning to take her outside and she was gone. I don't really remember a lot of that morning I was half asleep and noticed she wasn't barking to be let out. I didn't really think much of it though because she'd been really good about that lately. The thing I do remember is that the little light wasn't on next to her and I noticed it while I went down the stairs. I think I said, oh you poor baby, you must have had a rough night (I could smell that she had messed her cage) and the light wasn't even on. Then I saw her. I don't want to dwell on that part because I want to remember her as my fluffy little bundle of energy.
The vet thinks that she probably had a heart condition and that throwing up so much triggered it. Boo did die in her sleep, so hopefully it was quick and painless. One thing is for sure - she will be missed greatly by her mommy and daddy. We do have some pictures but not a lot, I just wish we would have had the foresight to take more, even if it would have driven her crazy.
We loved you so much Boo - and you were such a joy to have in our lives - We will miss you!!!
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