Dog Fights, Family Friends that Won't Leave and Weight Issues

As I type this, I am listening to the angry sounds of two dogs playing.

Aly waits patiently to pounce on Lily when she least expects it...though she usually can't wait that long!

See her ribs? Apparently, she is NORMAL AND FINE. I mean, she could be a little bulkier, but the vet said she's the picture of health and to keep doing exactly what I'm doing. Boxers are, evidently, very different dogs in that they are much leaner than other breeds and you are SUPPOSED to see the ribs on most of the healthy ones! It's just so odd to me that she is already proportioned so much like a full-grown boxer, only much smaller!

No baby fat here!


Live action shot. Just like watching The Discovery Channel, isn't it?
*giggle*

Eventually, they both get tired and the playing tends to be much lazier. The noises simmer down a bit and turn into more low grumbles, but they still keep their angry, evil-looking faces! In fact, they just lie there next to one another kicking, slapping, and chewing on each other's faces, for the most part!

What's most amusing to me is that, if anyone is sitting in the floor, the instantly become 'home base' and much of the scuffle takes place on the lap of the person dumb enough to sit in the floor. (Okay, it's usually me!) At any given time, I can put my hand into the angry jaws of either animal and not even get a scratch. They are really just playing, though it sounds like they are ready to kill one another! The only thing that really sucks is if you sit in the floor wearing shorts your legs WILL get scratched by their nails as they run over the top of you. And they WILL run over the top of you.

We took Aly to see her new vet yesterday. She got her second shot, one last dose of worming medication (for now) and an exam. She already weighs ten pounds, but I am convinced that she is 75% legs and paws. Like I said, she is not too thin. At least, not in their eyes! They advised me to keep her off the ground in public until she's four months old, basically another five weeks. We can take her places, we just can't put her down on the ground. A part of me really wants to get the old pack-n-play out put her in when we go to softball games. But, I probably won't since David would tease me to no end! I guess I can hold out another five weeks. I do need to start putting her on a leash and walking her around the yard. She doesn't quite understand the leash and resists quite a bit. She's only going to get BIGGER and the sooner we master the leash the better.

She actually did fine in the car, though. She hadn't been in the car since the night we brought her home. She wandered around the back seat for a little while, fell into the floorboard once when I had to hit the brakes, and decided to curl up in the back seat and doze the rest of the way. 3YO was with us and gave me CONSTANT UPDATES on the situation. But, she didn't notice when the dog THREW UP IN MY BACK SEAT. We were ALMOST THERE, too! With all the curvy roads and turns we had to make, she throws up AROUND THE CORNER from the vet. Of course! That's the first time she ever threw up for us. I took a different route home (with less turns and curves) and she was fine for the rest of the day.

On another note, we have a houseguest. Though, I'm not really sure I can call him a guest. He's pretty much always lived her in some room or another and he seems to live in a lot of other people's houses as well.

Have you met 'Chuck?'

I've known 'Chuck' practically all my life, though I did not know his name. I was formally introduced to Chuck by my next door neighbor. She has a spare room in her house that turned into the place that they 'chuck' things when they wanted to tidy up the house in a pinch. They now just call it 'Chuck's Room.' I then realized that Chuck lives here, too. He lives in my closet amongst the clothes that I want to donate and could so quickly bag up...but haven't. He lives in my file cabinets next to my computer desk. Do they contain actual files? Heavens no!!! They are where I 'chuck' the stuff that ends up on my desk for various reasons. What should contain files and folders actually holds a variety of junk that was usually deposited on my desk by myself and the rest of the family. Chuck looooooves my computer desk! He has so many nooks and crannies to reside in.

Frankly, I'm not sure Chuck will ever really leave. Does Chuck live at your house, too? Even if you just have a junk drawer or a closet that you need to clean out, then Chuck lives with your family as well.

Chuck has a lot of places to stay in our house!

Where does he live in yours?

I almost forgot to mention something that really got under my skin the other day. Did anyone else hear THIS STORY? Now, I'm all for positive role models for girls and everthing. I have three daughters myself and would hate to think that any of them would develop an eating disorder based on someone else's expectations. That being said, I have a thirteen-year-old daughter who is five feet tall and weighs 75 pounds, soaking wet. I can assure you that there is no secret purging or anything like that. In fact, 13YO has a very normal, varied diet. Her growth rate has been steady. She is just petite. Nevertheless, you can see her ribs and her shoulder blades stick out in a crazy way when she moves her arm just so.

I would really hate to think that someone might judge my daughter for being so thin when it's just the way she's supposed to be. Now, it may very well be that this woman from Australia has an eating disorder. It's not like it's out of the realm of possibilites or anything. Even so, who are we to judge her? Is criticizing someone for being 'too thin' really any better than criticizing someone for being 'too heavy?'

I must admit that I am guilty of both myself. Who hasn't been? First impressions are everything and we can't help but question the mom at the school who is just TOO THIN to be normal. Or the friend who complains about her weight but can put away ice cream sundaes like it's nobody's business. (Okay, so sometimes they could be talking about ME there.)

Even still, it's a real eye-opener when you look at it from the perspective of your own child. I don't want my girls to grow up in a world where they are forced to try to fit into someone else's idea of 'good enough.' I hope they always know that they will be good enough no matter how much (or little) they weigh. I've even started noticing some of my daughter's friends comparing themselves to her, pointing out how THIN she is only to turn it around and point out how FAT they are. (The ones who have done it aren't even fat, nowhere close!)

I wish I could sit down with all the teenage girls in the world and help them find SOMETHING that is good about them. The grass will ALWAYS be greener on the other side of the fence. But we might have prettier flowers in our own gardens that we are completely overlooking. The girls who are envious of my daughter's thin build need to keep in mind that they are almost GUARANTEED to have boobs WAY SOONER than she will. It's just a fact. I could spend hours upon hours typing out all the 'flat chest' jokes I heard during my own adolescence. I was teased for being too short and too thin. I guess everyone gets teased about something, even though most of us don't realize that at the time.

I guess I should get off my soap box now and straighten up this house. It's going to be another crazy night where I'm supposed to be two places at once. Dinner is in the crock pot. We're having Cream Cheese Chicken. Again. It's one of my absolute favorites! I actually just toss the frozen chicken breasts into the crock and set it on 'low'...then I use the Homemade Chicken Broth and make up my own 'cream-of-something soup base' that I snagged from THIS RECIPE....then I add all the spices as called for in the recipe to the soupy stuff and pour the whole mix over my chicken. AND IT'S DONE! I still have to add the cream cheese later, but that's no big deal. It already smells AMAZING in here! I'm starting to think that the Crock Pot Lady could have her own line of candles based on her recipes! Mmmm....cream cheese chicken candles. Okay, maybe not.

Have a great night!

Pre Algebra, Skinny Puppies and Cheap Toilet Paper

13YO is in the 7th grade, which means the math she's learning is Pre Algebra...if you can call that math! I guess it's more mathmatical than, say GEOMETRY...but it seems to be more based on logic and formulas than actual math. Algebra was easier for me to figure out than most of my classes...but that was, like TWENTY YEARS AGO. 13YO was having trouble with her homework, and I took a look at it. Typically, it only takes a minute or two for me to glance over her book, throw my hands up in the air and blurt "Ask your teacher" or "Don't you have a friend you can call and ask?" I usually remind her that it's been about 20 years since I've had to do this stuff and that nothing rings a bell.

But, for some reason, the book made sense this time. I grabbed a pencil and a piece of scrap paper and scribbled the problem down. I followed the example in the book and HOLY CRAP I STILL KNOW PRE ALGEBRA!!! From then on, I justified doing my daughter's homework with the fact that I couldn't explain it to her if I couldn't actually figure it out myself! I didn't actually do HER homework. In fact, on my own paper, I raced through the assignment and mocked my 13YO for it every step of the way for not keeping up with me! I warned her, "Wait untill you get to number 11...it's AWFUL!" while I giggled with glee. I was actually ENJOYING THIS! (Sad, I know.)

It then occured to me that, were I to do the 7th grade again now, I would be SO MUCH BETTER AT IT. I would now know that the popular kids have the same insecurites and problems and that we were all pretty much on the same playing field. I think they were just dressed better or slept around, is all. No big secrets there.

On the puppy front, Aly is growing in like a weed! She still hasn't thickened up like I'd like, but she has almost doubled in size since we brought her home three weeks ago. She is up to wanting to eat TWICE A DAY, instead of the one time a day that she wanted to eat a week or so ago. She has an appointment with the vet on Tuesday to get her second set of shots and a checkup. On the phone, they assured me that she was probably fine and boxers are just "on the lean side." I didn't think she'd be going through her 'awkward teenage phase' so young, but it looks like that might be where we are.

First of all, take a look at Aly's back paw in comparison to her head. I guess, when I look at it that way it's easy to understand why she cannot eat enough food to fatten up!

And look at that face! After pulling this picture up on my computer, I realize that she may have gotten dog food in her nose. EEWW!

And she sleeps just fine with her head resting in my hand!

And her body takes up twice the space on my lap than it did just a couple of weeks ago!

Lastly, the vet said that she would be done growing when her conehead goes away. Check out the bump on that nugget!

I want to conclude this session of rambling by talking about something that I hold near and dear to my heart: Toilet paper. I mean really...did you know that good toilet paper can make or break your day? Now, I usually do buy the cheap stuff...so long as it's two-ply. But I must say that I've been pretty lucky with my store-brands of choice. I was at a supermarket that I don't usually shop at and I picked up THEIR store brand of TP. Soooo not a good idea! It's thick enough alright. It's not all thin like public restroom toilet paper or anything like that. Instead, the problem lies with with the texture of said TP. When you bend this stuff, it practically breaks. Seriously, I have found this toilet paper to be part of a really bad way to start the day! No amount of good coffee can make up for the fact that it feels like I just ripped off the side of a shoebox and used it as toilet paper.

At least it says it's 'Safe for Septic Tanks' right?

You can lead a dog to her food dish...

....but you can't make her eat!

Aly totally has my number. This dog will soon be running the entire house. Some might say that she already does. First of all, let me tell you that David has always been against having dogs (or cats or anything furry and four-legged) in the house, much less on the furniture.

"Animals do not belong in the house!"

FAMOUS. LAST. WORDS.

Shortly after we were married, David agreed to let me have a couple of cats. They were to be outdoors, but started out having to be indoors after they were fixed. Since he was outnumbered, the cats ended up being indoor/outdoor. We even went out and bought a cat door so they could come and go as they pleased. The day we bought the door, one of the cats came up missing. She never came back. The other cat, Shadow, stayed around for nearly six years. Last spring, David found him dead on the back of the property. It could have been anything that killed him. Living out in the 'sticks' affords us the luxury of seeing opossums, skunks, coyotes, many different kind of snakes, etc. He could have eaten a rat that our neighbor had poisoned with D-Con.

While we still had Shadow, David made that deal with 6YO (then 4YO) about getting her a cat if she finished out her soccer season. Totally his idea, too...that's one fight I wouldn't dare have started! She ended up loving soccer, stayed on the field and followed her coach's orders for every game and everything. That's how we got 'Soccer the Wonder Cat.' He was such a great cat. I say 'was' since he ended up missing at the beginning of this year. Given his easy-going nature and, therefore, lack of survival skills, we can only assume he turned into coyote food. I still ache if I really let myself think about it. We had just promised to get 13YO a cat around her birthday, bringing us back up to being a two-cat family.

Since cats don't seem to do well out here for long and we have NO IDEA how we'd keep one in the house full-time, David thought it best that we give up the idea of having a pet cat for awhile.

We got Lily last summer. Against David's better judgement, she was also allowed to be an inside dog. She fits herself through the cat door and everything! After Soccer came up missing, Lily started acting strange. I think she really did need something else to play with besides her human family.

That's when David got the 'Boxer Ache.' He missed Hogan. So did I. While there will never be another Hogan, he actually possessed a lot of qualities that Boxers are known for. Another Boxer was just the ticket for our family. It was already decided that the new dog would live in the house, something that was important to me. You see, we never really knew how great of a dog Hogan was until we let him in the house his last couple of years of life.

Enter Aly.

Aly is so cute it hurts. She is smart, already sitting on command. (But only for me, which totally frustrates David! HAHAHAHAHA!!!) Even more, Aly has David completely wrapped around her paw, along with the rest of us! She can walk over to the recliner, motion toward it with one paw, either let out a whimper or a sigh, and one of us will immediately lift her up into the chair.

Her highness wants to nap her her chair now...

What cracks me up is that she even does that in our bed. And David grants her every wish. Mister 'kids and dogs don't belong in our bed' now wishes they made a bigger bed than our California King sized bed so that we will all fit more comfortably on Sunday mornings when the kids and dog get bigger. Granted, Aly still sleeps in her crate during the night. She will continue to spend her nights there until she is completely housebroken and past any destructive, rebellious teenage behavior phases we are bound to go through. She doesn't even usually cry when we put her to bed for the night or anything. Around 6:00 am, she starts to stir and bark. She is ready to be out. One of us takes her outside to relieve herself, then we bring her into our bed. And she curls up with us until it is time for us to get up.

So, we pretty much have the nighttime routine down. We all seem happy, for the most part, with our sleeping arrangements. Which brings me to her eating habits: I don't think she eats enough! I offer her softened dry food three to four times a day. I even started mixing like a tablespoon or so of canned food into it, to make it more appealing. She has fresh water and dry food available all the time. I even watch her to make sure she is eating and that Lily isn't moving in on her meal. Once or twice out of the three or four times I offer her food, she is interested. The rest of the time, she sniffs it and walks away. She will eat treats most of the time, but I cannot fill her up on treats alone!

Her energy levels are amazing. She's still young and still naps quite frequently, but the time she is awake is more and more everyday. When she plays, she plays hard. When she sleeps, she sleeps hard. I just wish she tried a little harder at eating. I don't like seeing my puppy's ribs, even though Boxers are known for being lean.

I feel like I have a newborn baby all over again. When she's awake, I'm always watching her, making sure she's okay. When she's asleep, I worry.

Does this never end?

Surprise Haircuts and Brutal Honesty

6YO had the top of her hair all gathered in a small rubber band. Being the independent soul that she is, she decided to do her own hair. The rubber band had to come out. Since she hates the tugging often required to get the hair band out of her hair, she decided to just use scissors to cut it out herself.

Yeah, she cut it out alright!

(Don't you just love how she's SMILING while posing for the picture that still creates a KNOT IN MY STOMACH?)

Hair today, gone tomorrow!!!

Would someone PLEASE wipe the grin off this kid's face???

I picked up my phone to call David at work and let him know what was going on, and it started to ring. He was calling me. Creepy.

As I told him the story, he started laughing. I guess he's immune to this sort of upset. This is actually 6YO's THIRD OFFENSE. She has cut her own hair three times! When she was three years old, she cut her own hair twice in six months. Since I took her to the same woman to fix it both times, I was sure she would contact Child Protective Services for letting my child play with scissors! I do not LET my child just play with scissors, but the kids seem to be better at finding the darn things than anyone. Many of you (I hope) understand how it is to have an extrememly independent child. Don't get me wrong....having an independent child has its perks. She's been pouring her own milk since she was two! She has also been using the microwave to make her own oatmeal for almost as long. (Yes, I was there to supervise her and she's ALL ABOUT following the rules, with the exception of the whole 'hair cutting thing' that is!)

And 13YO, being all about dramatic openings, told me about her mishap in her own way.

"Moooooooom. Ummm....you're not going to want to see this. Let me just tell you that [6YO] MISSED."

"And what exactly did she miss???"

"Weeeeeeelll....she was trying to cut the rubber band out of her own hair. And she missed."

This is where she pulls the large chunk of hair (still in the rubber band, mind you) from behind her back. I was talking to a friend on the phone at the time and I had to interrupt her a bit and tell her that I felt a little sick suddenly. Then I explained why.

I got off the phone with her to call David. As I'm pushing the first button, my phone rings. It's David. Spooky, I know!

"David? That's weird...I was just about to call you. Umm....[6YO] sort of cut her own hair. Again."

"WHA???"

"Yeah. Well, apparently she wasn't actually TRYING to cut her hair but the rubber band that was in her hair instead. She missed."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

"Why are you laughing? The rubber band was on the TOP of her head! OUR SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAS A MULLET!!!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA"

"I'm really glad you think this is so funny! Our kindergartener looks like she just came from a KD LANG CONCERT and you can't stop laughing!

"HAHAHAHAHA!

She's just making memories, Sweetie!"

I'm glad he sees it that way. I had to haul booty into town to find a place that was open after 6:00. A lot of those places like to be going home about then, and I had a bad experience at Supercuts once myself and knew I wouldn't be taking her there. I found a place where some young guy in skinny jeans and his own mop of hair all leaning in the same sideways direction, defying gravity, was able to fix it the best he could. He really was a nice guy. When we discussed what he'd do, I told him I knew it would need layers to blend it all in. He agreed and we decided to take off quite a bit of the length so the short sections on top wouldn't be so obvious.

My six-year-old now has a more modern cut than I do! I played with the hot air brush this morning and was able to come up with something that (hopefully) will work at school.

Where did that smile go???

She still has a little section on top that is no more than an inch and a half to two inches long. That cannot be fixed and it was decided that we wouldn't try to make any more hair that short to try to even it out. For the time being, we will be using lots of clips and hairspray. It actually looks like it will grow into a really cute layered cut. Luckily, her hair tends to grow pretty quickly.


Right after she realized she cut her own hair, she decided to try to smooth it all back with hairspray to cover up her mistake. I couldn't take her in with hair like that and I needed a shower myself, so I hopped into the shower and had her join me to get her hair washed really quickly.

That was the last time that child will ever take a shower with me. Now, she's old enough to judge me.

"Eeewww...Mom...that's really gross. You should shave that. Oh...those are gross, too. There are two things that are gross about you. No wait...there are three things that are gross about you. Nooooo...okay, so there are FOUR things that are gross about you...."

"I'm going to stop you RIGHT THERE before you NEVER GET ANOTHER ALLOWANCE EVER AGAIN."

Somehow, my temper was a bit shorter yesterday than usual.

I CANNOT IMAGINE WHY....

Acceptance, Overindulgence, and Lycra

I call this picture 'Acceptance.' This is the first day that both Lily and Aly have napped together in the recliner. They both love it and it has sort of turned into a competition of sorts as to which one gets to nap there. Aly can't get up there by herself yet, but she is able to make it very clear when she feels like being in 'her chair.' Until today, Lily's presence in said chair would cause an uproar from Aly, who would be on the ground at the time. If Aly were in the chair, Lily would just pace back and forth around the chair until it was vacant once again. But today, Lily finally decided that she wanted to lie in the chair badly enough that she was willing to share it with THAT PUPPY. Aly is just happy to have another warm body to snuggle with.

We had a terrific Easter! How about you?

It's the last day of Easter break here, and the kids are starting to go a little stir-crazy, I think! We didn't go to the library today. We really should have, but we have so much to do and school starts back up tomorrow. And once again, I can't see the floor in the girls' room!

I put the movie 'Flipper' on for the girls. It's just ending now, but it's nice to introduce them to things older than Hannah Montana! They seemed to enjoy it and even cheered for Flipper.

Now that the television is off, we will check the status of the girls' room. 13YO helped them clear the floor a bit. I can't expect perfection, but I do expect to be able to walk across the floor without having to step over things or walk right over them. If things are better, we might go for a walk. The girls are itching to go somewhere and I'm itching to not be annoyed on my last full day with them!

Plus, my thighs can't rely on lycra forever. I might have to actually get myself moving to get where I want to be. Easter candy, cookies, and Red Vines left over from the slumber party are not helping the situation either!

Now, just when did I last wear my tennis shoes?

Slumber Parties and Portion Control

Good golly I love food!

I used to be a really picky eater, once upon a time. Now, though I really have a hard time dealing with picky eaters, I sort of envy them in a way. I was SO MUCH THINNER when I was picky! Even as an adult, when I expanded my palate by leaps and bounds but could not cook, I was so much thinner than I am now. (Okay, so the whole 'three pregnancies thing' could also have some bearing on this but it's just more fun to blame my kids for the shoes in the floor or the mysterious melted chocolate that was found inside the door handle of the Saturn!) I would sometimes eat McDonalds for two of my three meals a day and I was way thinner than I am right now.

Sad, I know.

Now that I can cook, I have found ways to make foods I never cared for taste good to me. And, of all the things in my life that I feel like I'm never going to finish (laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc.) I can, without a doubt, finish a meal. The one thing that will always be cleaned is MY PLATE. And you can take that to the bank!

We went shopping for Easter dresses today. (Not for me, but for the girls) Every time I passed a mirror (and I always seem to notice so many more of them when I'm unhappy with my appearance!) I would cringe. My tight pants are no longer a fashion statement. They are tight-fitting partly out of necessity, party due to my stubbornness. I flat refuse to buy a pair of jeans in a larger size! It might be tough to breathe sometimes....and the world gets to see more of my 'muffin top' than I ever thought I'd share, but it is what it is.

13YO had a slumber party last night. We survived. David maybe spent 5 minutes in the living room from the time he got home to the time he threw a couple of pizza slices on a plate and ran back to the bedroom to hide from all the estrogen. Five giggly 12 and 13-year-olds all playing with each other's cell phones and playing Mario Kart on the Wii. I actually had a really good time, believe it or not! It was really very cool to watch these girls sit around and talk. I found myself wanting to just sit near them and absorb some of that innocence and those carefree outlooks they all seem to have. It also helps that THEY. ARE. FUNNY. Seriously, the things they think about and say are just hysterical.

Though you couldn't pay me enough to go back to my middle school years, they don't seem as miserable as I remember being. They seem to be doing it better, if that makes any sense. Perhaps they are better at being a 'tweenager' than I ever was. And all we can hope is for our daughters to be more successful in whatever they do than we were.

Well, staying up late and our shopping trip today have worn me out. It's time for me to get to bed. It's not like I can do anything else anyway...since I'm NEVER EATING AGAIN and all! I did break down and buy myself a new pair of pants for Easter. After all, I'm bringing COOKIES to the dinner, NOT MUFFINS!!!

Aaahhh...the Night Life

Like most newborns, Aly seems to have her days and nights confused. From what her original family told me, the puppies slept great at night, all curled up in a crate in a big pile-o-love. Since she now has to get used to having her 'own room' without any warm bodies to cuddle with at night, things just aren't as easy around here.

Every evening, Aly is called by her name. Well, we call her 'Aly' or 'Puppy' or even 'Baby Cakes.' Whatever endearing thing that comes to mind seems to fit her perfectly. I've been known more than a few times to call her 'Princess Alykins.' She is so cute that it hurts and it's amazing to hear all the mushy things that come to mind when I see her. Toward the end of the day, that is!

When morning finally arrives, we are pushed to calling her slightly less endearing things. 'Madame Yelps-a-lot' is one of them. She now spends all night making a fuss and very little time sleeping. Instead, she plays for about a half an hour during the day and then passes out for a good two or three to recuperate. She sleeps most of the day...so she can rest up and howl and yelp and bark and whine all night!

David was the first one up this morning and took her outside before he was able to jump in the shower to get ready for work. Since everyone else was still asleep and he didn't want to put her back into her crate, he locked her in the bathroom with him while he showered. I was just barely conscious enough to remember hearing the shower running, the dog carrying on as if her life was about to end, and him half-begging and half-scolding her to stop making so much noise. Personally, I don't bother saying things to creatures that won't listen. But, it was pretty entertaining to be able to hear him trying to bargain with a screaming 8-week-old puppy!

Eventually, she will get used to being alone in the crate. She will even find it her 'safe place.' We just have to keep doing what we're doing and stay strong. Had I not raised three human babies, I might find this a lot more difficult than it really is. The yelping doesn't bother me....not too much, anyway! Luckily, our family consists of pretty good sleepers and no one has actually lost any sleep over it. She does have a bad habit of napping right before we are going to bed. Then, she is waking up and ready to play when we are going to bed. I guess that there a few things we could be doing differently...and it does feel sort of like having a baby again.

And I'm happy to report that this is as close as I'm ever gonna get!

Anniversaries and Cute Things

As of today, David and I have been married for seven years. We are just considering this puppy our anniversary gift to each other. Incidently, today is also the day that Aly turns 8 weeks old.

Yesterday was the first day that Aly really got to perk up and play. She was so tired when we brought her home on Saturday night that she didn't want to play much. She barely even whined during the night from her crate. We are crate training her and she will spend all nights and the days where we are not able to watch her in her crate, just as Lily did. As you can see from the video, Lily is warming up to her. Slowly, but surely. Lily enjoys other dogs much more when they play 'chase' with her but don't actually try to touch her. This puppy is in her face and all up in her business all the time! Lily really acts as if she's going to kill Aly, but hasn't actually caused any harm to her yet. Plus, I think it helps that Aly came from a home where her father played really rough with her. She takes a tumble and never misses a beat!

After yesterday, I think she was feeling much closer to us and threw a FIT when we put her in her crate for the night. She got over it...eventually. I think this whole process is going to be tougher on David than it is her! He caved, at one point, and took her out of her crate. I teased him that he probably just bought us another half an hour of yelping. (Which he DID...)

She plays so hard...and then it seems like she's practically in a coma for a few hours afterward! After this clip was filmed, she was worn out for the next couple of hours. I'd forgotten how much a puppy was actually like an human baby! They rest about as much as they're awake...maybe more!

Well, we are getting ready for our weekly library trip and still have quite a bit to do.

Enjoy your Monday!

What have we gotten ourselves into???

Spring is in the air.

Seriously, do you feel it?

It seems that everywhere we look, new life is around us.

So many people are pregnant or just had a baby. The trees all around me are budding with new growth. The children in 6YO's kindergarten class are bouncing off the walls with 'Spring Fever.' Suddenly, all of the girls' pants seem to look too short or starting to get holes in the knees. Luckily, the warmer temps have given us the added benefit of being able to pull out the skirts and things that were put away last fall. The girls are very happy to get to wear the things they'd rather wear all year anyway.

This all seemed to happen overnight, too.

I guess it's no wonder that David and I would be bitten by the 'baby bug' about now. As most of you know, David visited 'Dr. Snips' last summer. Believe it or not, we don't have a single regret about that. That still doesn't keep us from wanting a baby, though.

So, we just had to do it. We couldn't fight the urge any longer. We had to have another baby of our own.

So, on that note, I present to you our new baby:

She's a purebred Boxer and she will be 8 weeks old tomorrow. We are over the moon with excitement about our new addition. She was the most alert of the female puppies in her litter. Her parents were both on site and gorgeous. We just love the breed itself and she already seems so smart.

Lily, on the other hand, is less than thrilled about the new puppy. Once she sniffed her, she jumped back (practically out of her skin) and barked once, as if to say,"I AM NOT RAISING THAT THING!" She growls whenever the puppy comes close to her. And the puppy does that a lot! She is used to other dogs and of course she wants to be near the only other four-legged creature in the house. Lily has kept her game face, however, and really wants this puppy to know just who the boss is around here.

Hmmm....I wonder if Lily is aware that this puppy will, one day, be three times her size....

So, that's the news from around these parts. Believe it or not, this entire deal was David's idea! I am not one that prefers puppies to adult dogs. Not normally, anyhow! But, this puppy just gets to me. We love Boxers. You might remember Hogan.

*sniff*

There will NEVER be another Hogan. However, all the things I read about Boxers tended to list all of Hogan's good points as typical Boxer traits. And those are traits that fit well into our family. Lily will enjoy having another four-legged friend around. Eventually. And I don't think she'd actually hurt the puppy. It will just take some time for her to warm up to the whole idea!

OH! And the puppy's name is 'Aly.' Well, that's the name her family gave her so they could have a way to tell them apart. We can totally change it...but I'm not sure if we will. While I can't wrap my head around the cruel tongue-twister that would come about when trying to call both dogs' names, the name is sort of growing on me. The girls all like it, as does David. It is a little odd that we know people in real life that are actually called 'Aly'...but what can you do about that? We kept Lily's name that the pound had given her. Besides, I usually end up calling Lily my 'Lilykins' and will probably be calling the puppy 'Alykins' anyhow.

We'll just have to see what happens. In the meantime, we have a birthday party to get ready for. We haven't put Lily in her crate in a few months, so the puppy will be using that crate until she outgrows it.

It seems easier to me to potty train a child than to properly housebreak a puppy. But, David is so 'on board' with this that I heard him cooing and babbling to the puppy in a way he NEVER spoke to our children when they were babies.

Yeah, he's smitten. I guess you could say we all are.

More stories to follow, I'm sure!