SCHOOL HOLIDAYS... OH FRIGGIN YA.

The kids are home for the next 2 weeks.  It is going to be a long 2 weeks.
And I have to go out today to get Miss Brylee something for her birthday... she's 12 tomorrow... and I have no idea what she wants.  Nor does she.

GREAT.

While I contemplate what to do today... here's some cheesy photos of the pups:

ABOVE:  I think this is Pepper's face!  Yeah, it is ...

 ABOVE:  the little pile of puppy's from a different angle, and that is Pepper on top.  She's got a large roundish spot on her left side.

ABOVE:  Clearly that little love is a boy... and it is ... Chilli.

ABOVE:  there is always that ONE who has to be different eh?  Five wee bodies pointing this way, and one... NOT.
*smiles*

When I am feeling a little down, all I have to do is look at these gorgeous wee babies and I feel so much better.

I can't wait until their eyes open (in a few more days) and they start getting around better, instead of slithering on their bellies.

I'm probably going to do some sewing today too... on to the next project...

ONWARD...

Right.  After I got up really early to check on the pups/blog etc... I went back to bed.  The kids and I slept in until 10 am.  It was bliss.

But now I'm up and I'm crabby as hell.  It's better than being down and moody I suppose.  Seems I have two emotions in my repertoire right now:  down and crabby.  I think I prefer crabby, at least that way I'm bound to be more productive!  I sure feel productive.  

I'm going to make a start,  catching up on blog reading... like right now.

Because I'm in a right royal shitty, I am going to say this to who ever it is applicable to:

If I say NO... you cannot visit with your pre-schooler (who is bound to upset Coco with her pups so young) I mean NO.  It does not mean you can come up and stay with someone else and STILL expect to come and visit.  That is just being manipulative and annoying.  NO MEANS NO.  

Yes, we like having visitors... but not if it means we are left feeling annoyed and pissed off cos you didn't listen, or chose not to listen.

I have said over and over again.  NO you cannot visit while our pups are so young.  Are you bloody deaf? 

PENNY:  this DOES NOT apply to you.  You are an adult, who understands that going near our pups might upset Coco, and I know you will respect our house 'rules'... *smiles*  See you on Wednesday.
Right, one glitch working again... using the PC in Griffin's room.... and it finally let me into me posts.  *sigh*... I always get a sick feeling in me tummy when I can't get into me own blog! 

So.. I have been thinking of what to do/get for Brylee's 12th birthday tomorrow... and I've come up with a plan.  I will share it LATE tonight, after I've made a few things.....  I'm feeling really good about her birthday now.  It is so hard buying for a kid who has NO IDEA what they want!!!

ABOVE:  he's rather funny.... he whimpers and gives little yaps now and then.  I am going to change the blanket later on today, when someone can give me a hand with the pups and lifing the whelping box up.

BLONDIE: the beauty of my pups is that they stay small dogs... and have the most gorgeous natures. 

Lacy and I had a bit of a spat yesterday... but luckily all is resolved now.  I have wee Keera for a few hours today... and Lacy is coming over for dinner, then we can take her and Keera home again afterwards.

I got some cute photos of Keera too... will show you tomorrow what she is trying to do now!
AND... something is changing with the puppies too... again.. I'll show ya tomorrow.

End of Day: I probably ruffled a few feathers today, but I am sticking to my guns.  NO means NO.  Respect my decisions, they are made for a reason, and it's my right to decide what goes on in my house.
nite nite

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YAAAA..... A FINISH AT LAST

Last night I finally finished the Cot Bumper Set... and I'm really happy with it:

ABOVE:  yep, I got to sit and do the hand sewing while keeping an eye on our babies...

ABOVE:    Taa Daa... done!  Now I just have to wait for 

A) the Quilt that matches the bumpers to come back from the Quilter's and ...

B) the BABY!  lol

I think I'll leave (B) up to Bex somehow.

Daylight Saving started this morning, so we lost an hour ... takes a bit of getting used to.  I much prefer when we turn our clocks BACK so I get to sleep in longer.

I'm not sure what we have on the agenda today... maybe just pottering around at home... there's a few outside jobs that could be done, like water blasting the concrete... it gets so yukky looking over winter.
As for me... well I might just do some more sewing ... and clucking over the puppies.

ONWARD...

I tried Alpine Tea... for fluid retention...

ABOVE:  says it all really!

ROSIE63:  lol.  Steve is drinking the alpine tea for just that reason... he's on codeine for his sprained ankle...and we all know what codeine does to you!  
And the other day I was 'bound up' too... so I was taking it for that too... but shit it's vile! (lol at the pun)

I just gave Teddy a haircut:

ABOVE: yes, there is some left on him!.... 

ABOVE: well ... it's not perfect, but it's done... and I just saved $65!

ABOVE: he's gorgeous, and feeling a bit neglected right now... cos it's all about the puppies and Coco right now.

Talking of Coco, Steve leant over into the Whelping Box before and Coco came over to the box and barked at him!  She was very clearly saying "Get away from my babies!"  Too cute.

WOW I just managed to trim Coco up a bit too... she is so hard to do!  She either fights me every step of the way (normal for her) or she goes like jelly, which she did today!  Very hard to shave a dog that flops and wobbles like jelly!  At least I got the bits that really needed trimming, like her tail and ears and around the 'nether regions'.  

End of day:  well it's been a bit of a so-so day... some up's and down's.  Dinner was nice though, I made pizza for everyone.  Haven't made pizza's in ages... time consuming ... but nice.
nite nite

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DAY OF REST, ONE HOPES!

I don't think we have anything pressing on this weekend.
Steve is at work today, so it's just Stew, the two kids and I here all day.
Oh... and the dogs and puppies of course.

Cos I've got nothing better to post ... I give you a couple of darling photos of our pups and Coco.

ABOVE:  how darling is this!

ABOVE:  That is wee Poppy snuggled up by her Mum Coco.  I can't get enough of looking at them, they are just so cute.

ABOVE: after me visit to the hairdresser's yesterday.  Next time I go I'm thinking of getting blonde/chocolate stripes... I've had that before and liked it.

I might be able to leave the pups in Stew's care today so I can get some sewing done.  I've not managed to do any in the last week... puppies an' all that eh?  *smiles*

ONWARD...

BUGGER DAMN AND BLAST IT... me laptop died last night, so I'm having to use the PC in Griffin's room... AND if Steve can't get it going again I will lose all me contacts, blog address's, photos etc!  

On a brighter note, all the puppies are doing well this morning... getting to be fat little buggers! 

Most shitty job of the weekend... DONE.  Grocery shopping.  AND OMG it was a mega shop this time too... we had run out of a lot of 'staples'... so the bill was over $700 !  *sigh*   I hate to think what our grocery bill will be like over summer, with lots of visitors!   

I felt very brave leaving the pups and Coco for the hour and a half it took to do the shopping.  They are all fine, thinking I should stop worrying so much!

I think we are going to have a quick easy lunch then go over to Botany for Kiwiyo again!  Yaaa.

I'm a happy girl ... we had Kiwiyo for lunch, then we came home and I had a 'nana nap'... which was much needed I have to say.  I've been getting up twice every night to check on the puppies, and after a week I was a bit tired!

Oh and then I cooked dinner, we had a pasta dish and little sausages... which was very nice for a change.  I bought some pre-prepared pasta things (ravioli?)... and cooked them then added some pasta sauce... delish!

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sick to death of my dinner repertoire... it needs changing.  I cook the same dishes over and over again... gunna get the cook books out and find some new inspiration.  

Steve got home from work and fixed me laptop... the battery has died.  That's OK cos I run it via the power cord anyway... it just needed the battery to be taken off altogether. So relieved, cos now I can get a shit load of DVD's and copy all me photos... from now on when I get me camera card full I will take it in to have the photos put on disc.

This evening I am sewing... Stew can puppy sit for me. They are all looking great, growing well and seem to be perfectly content.

End of Day:  yaaa... finally got some sewing done... and by tomorrow I will finally have the Cot Bumper Set for Steve and Bex's baby finished.  Then I can get on with another project that is half done.
nite nite.

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A SURPRISE AND ... ODDS 'N' ENDS

Late yesterday afternoon I got a really lovely gift delivered to my door:

ABOVE:  A gorgeous bunch of flowers, wrapped in BLUE of course!  So pretty! So lovely of Paula down in Christchurch to think of sending me flowers to cheer me up.  THANK YOU CHICK.... and hmmmm... how did you get my address???  *smiles*  I know now.. you became a stalker!  LOL  Well done on your detective work. 10 outta 10.

SAGE'S corner of the garden.  Now she has company too...

ABOVE:  I'm happy with her spot now.

ABOVE:  I love the little 'mushroom girl'.

ABOVE:  see the happy little tails?  Too cute.  I'm going to love these wee buggers to bits too.

TODAY:  last day of Term 3 for the kids.  They will be home for the next 2 weeks.  Yaaa... I get to sleep in?  Yeah... in me dreams.  At least I will get a break from making lunches first thing in the morning.

I am getting my hair done this morning, so is Bex.  Lacy is coming over to 'puppy sit'... so I can relax and not stress out about them while I'm away.  I hope this excessive worrying eases soon!

DEBBIE AND GLENYS:  I posted your parcels yesterday, so Glenys your's should arrive in about a week, and Debbie your's will be a few days longer... cos you are far, far away!

ONWARD...

I stand corrected (Thanks Wombat!)... it's a 'Strawberry Girl' not a Mushroom Girl.  Either way, she's cute.

Hair took 2 and a half hours today... it was tedious, but *sigh* it's the price we pay for vanity.
Bex got her's trimmed and washed too... she doesn't like her hair too long.

Lacy did a great job of caring for our babies (human and puppies)!  She sent me text's to let me know everyone was alright... which was lovely.

I know that in a couple of weeks the pups will be that much bigger and I will stop worrying about them.  They are all making good weight gains each day too... with no obvious 'runt'.  Last time our little Tulip was the runt, but she had the BIGGEST  personality to make up for it!

I wonder who will be 'boss' of the litter this time?  *smiles*

Bex preggy photos:

ABOVE:  she's getting there!  3 months to go.

WHOOPS!  I forgot the date.. Stew just got home and said to me : "Happy Anniversary"!
We met each other today, 27 years ago!  He always remembers, and I always forget.  He likes that.

End of Day:  well a totally lazy day really.  All good with our wee puppys, thank goodness.
nite nite

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CAN'T RELAX

After our sad loss yesterday I kept jumping up and checking on the pups over in the far corner of the lounge.
It wasn't working for me... I was up and down every 5 minutes.
So I moved the whelping box:

ABOVE:  Bex holding the pups while I moved the box...

ABOVE:  now I can keep watch while in my chair!  I hope they hurry up and grow so I can stop stressing...

ABOVE:  the kids and I stood watch while Stew buried our wee girl.  In the next few days I will buy a Sage plant to put here too.

TODAY:  seriously?  I doubt I will be doing ANYTHING except watching the pups!  I'm too nervous to go and do anything.

I've got a hair appointment tomorrow... sheesh might have to get Lacy to come and 'puppy sit'.

I decided not to sleep in the lounge last night too... even though I was petrified about losing another puppy... I figured if we did there would be nothing I could do about it anyway. 
I got up twice during the night and checked on them, and they are all OK.  

Time for me to make the lunches now... then it will be housework time!  Friggin yaaa....

ONWARD...

I'm feeling a bit better today.  Just sitting watching the puppies sleeping... is reassuring to me.
MY APOLOGIES for not visiting any blogs in the past week... my mind has been elsewhere and to be honest, my heart just isn't in it right now. All I want to do is hover over the babes.  I will probably feel more relaxed in a few days and can sit still long enough to visit you all.

I must be shattered!  I fell asleep in my chair sometime this morning... and when I woke ... bugger me!  It is 12.30??   Whoops.  I had intended to vacuum the entire house before anyone got home.  Steve has today off work, so he and Bex have taken themselves off for the day together.  They don't get much private time together in this house!  I think they just wanted some space for the day  ... and NO ... not for hanky panky!  Just for being together.  *smiles*

It really isn't that crash hot falling asleep midday eh?  Now I need a nurofen... or two.

OUT of the blue... tears now.  Can't believe how many of you left me a comment expressing your condolences about our wee Sage.  I know she was just a teeny tiny puppy, and not even here for long... but I loved her.  THANK YOU each and every one of you for your lovely words and kindness.

Steve and Bex arrived home...

 ABOVE:  they got a Sage plant...

ABOVE: yep, I'm evil... only Bex will appreciate THIS photo! *snigger*

ABOVE: now all I want is a little 'SAGE' herb marker... you know, the one's you can get from a garden centre made of pottery.  I will find one  somewhere.

I received a lovely surprise this afternoon... more on THAT tomorrow.

End of Day:  feeling much better today... the sick feeling in the pit of me stomach has eased.
It WILL be a better day tomorrow.
nite nite

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BLOOD TEST... TRAIN... BABY... AND DOCTOR

BLOOD TEST:  Bex has to do a glucose tolerance test this morning... so she will drop Steve off at work and go do that.

Meanwhile, I will pick Lacy and Keera up this morning and drop Lacy off at the train station.. she needs to see her lawyer in town again.

Keera will stay with me.  I plan on taking her with me to the Doctor's... my doctor expressed a desire to meet our Miss Muppet, so today she will.

Well.. that pretty much covers the entire morning.

Once I've finished at the doctor's I plan on going to the mall to post a couple of parcels, pick up my photo CD's and then go home!

Hopefully Keera will behave herself! She is pretty good at being out and about actually... which is great.

ABOVE:  Steve being a twit last night... trying to see his baby moving.  Awwwww.... babies always stop moving when you don't want them to!

ABOVE:   looks weird eh?  All that came off... 

ABOVE: this head!  He's like a bloody sheep... all my son's have thick heads of hair.  

ONWARD...

I AM HEARTBROKEN.   SAGE died overnight.  I have no idea why.

ABOVE:  Sage.  RIP beautiful girl.

I've been to my 'depression Dr' this morning.  It was a VERY LONG appointment.  I am a bit down obviously.  

Coco seems OK... maybe a bit stressed.  I took the puppy out of the whelping box and she didn't even follow me when I left the room.  She knew.
I am 90% sure puppy got smothered by accident.  She was not the one gasping the other day, so now I'm so scared another one will pass away.

I am fighting back the tears... I'm so sad about Sage... and so worried about the rest of them.  I've wrapped Sage in some pink polar fleece fabric and we will bury her when the guys get home.  I am dreading telling Brylee and Griffin.


I have made an appointment at the Vets for this afternoon, so Coco and all the pups can be checked.  JUST TO BE SAFE and be reassured there is nothing else going on ... like Coco might have an infection that is affecting the pups?  I don't know.  I want them checked.

VET VISIT:  The vet checked all the puppy's and said they were all healthy, she could not find anything amiss with them.  

Then she checked Coco, took her temperature, palpitated her tummy and could find nothing wrong.  She gave her an injection to help her uterus contract some more, as she is still 'losing' from there.

Then she checked our deceased Sage... and said it looked like she might have aspirated some milk into her lungs as she had milk around her nose ... or Coco accidentally smothered her.
Either way we will not know for sure.

I still feel so worried we might lose another one.. hopefully everything goes well from here on.  I know I am not going to relax about them for a good long while!

The kids.. well I told them we had lost Sage and yep, we had tears and questions.  Hopefully they are up to the 'funeral'.... Sage is going into one of our gardens... and I will grow a sage plant near her.

Poor Griffin... he can't stop crying... it has broken his heart losing Sage.  He's such a soft hearted boy.

End of Day:  well clearly it was a right suckful day!  I think I will be sleeping near the puppies tonight!  If I wake up to another dead puppy I will be beside myself!
nite nite

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I'M GOING OUT TODAY...

Coco has been managing just fine in looking after her pups.  She's a lot better at caring for them this time around, and she's not so stressed out over them either.

Now when one cries, she doesn't start crying too!
And if one strays from the 'huddle'... she just noses it into place again!
It's darling to see her mother her pups so well.

So, I feel confident that she can look after them while I'm out.

I have a few things to attend to... like prizes for the winners of me little 'PUPPY' competition!

Until I get back, here's a couple of photos:

ABOVE:  Steve after having his X-Rays.  That hand rail attached to the steps Steve is holding onto was really wobbly, you could easily have an accident if you relied on it for support!  Not very smart of an A & E Medical Centre if you ask me.

ABOVE:  Coco took a few minutes off baby duty to sit on Stew's lap last night... but as you can see... she did not take her eyes off her pups!

ABOVE:  see... still keeping her eye on them!

ABOVE:  me garage now.  There is still enough room to get around, and I still have my sewing space... it's just a bit smaller now! 

ONWARD...

Getting out and about didn't go quite to plan today.  Yes, I went out.  I picked up Lacy and Keera and we went to the mall.  Once there Lacy felt a bit ill... silly girl had not eaten for almost 24 hrs!  So we had lunch and I took her home.
I did manage to pick up a few items I wanted... so now I am having a quiet afternoon on me own before the kids get home from school.

ABOVE:  they may have only been here for 3 days, but I am already getting good at telling them apart.  I can't wait for their little personalities to show... if they are anything like our first litter, the girls will be the stroppy ones!

End of Day:  another day done and dusted.  Time to hit the sack... tired as per usual.
nite nite

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INVASION OF THE SNAILS ... AND OUCH!

Last night Stew went out the glass sliding door in our bedroom to trim his hair on the grass ... he uses an electric shaver... anyway, he called me to come see something:

ABOVE: Snail invasion!!!  Like, where did they all come from... and why are they congregating outside my bedroom?  Weird, and slightly gross.

Now, what else?  Oh yeah.  Steve went down to Hamilton to get all of Bex's stuff, they said she "only had a little bit of stuff"...

ABOVE:  Well bugger me!  That's a full truck load if ya ask me!   And now it's all in me garage.

ABOVE:  Steve twisted his ankle while unloading that truck load.... 

 ABOVE:  minutes later... you could already see the swelling starting!

ABOVE:  somehow I think he's going to be fit for bugger all at work for the next few days.   This ankle has had this sort of damage done to it before.  I hope it gets better quickly.

Today?
Housework.
Puppy watching.
Sewing.
Puppy watching.
Eating lunch.
Puppy watching..... YOU GET THE DRIFT!  *smiles*

One of the pups was acting quite weird yesterday... lying on it's back gasping ... quite a worry... so I'm keeping an eagle eye on her right now.  edit:  she seems to be OK today.  Big relief.

ONWARD...

Steve went to work.... I am betting they will send him home!  His ankle is killing him.  Sprained?  Ligament damage ... or both!  *sigh* edit:  he's working!  Not lifting stuff though.  I still think he should be home with his leg up!

Coco is doing really well... this morning she had a quick run around the house, said 'Good Morning'  to Steve in his room, checked out the kid's rooms, ran outside for a piddle then raced back to her pups.   It was really funny watching her.  She sure can move fast without those pups onboard!

*** PEPSI UPDATED *** PEPSI UPDATED *** PEPSI UPDATED ***

HOW DO I TELL THE PUPPY'S APART?

ABOVE:  Simple!  Like this... body markings and face markings  ... all at a glance at the Puppy Board!   lol

OMG I just watched a taped episode of 'One Born Every Minute'.. and I ended up crying my eyes out!

There was a lady who's baby girl got stuck by her shoulders during a forceps delivery... and it brought back my delivery of Steve... he too got stuck by his shoulders.  It just brought it all back... how awful it was, how scared I was, how he could so easily have died from oxygen deprivation or having his chest crushed.
He was 10 pound 12 ounces afterall.  We are rather lucky he came out OK!

My maternal Grandmother lost her first born son when he got stuck by his shoulders too.  He was 11 pound 3 ounces.  I remember she was so worried when she heard that I'd had the same problem as she did.  But Steve was OK, and after 25 years... I finally got the damage his birth caused fixed!  lol

Afternoon did not go as I expected.  I ended up dropping Brylee and Griffin at Lacy's and taking Steve for an x-ray on his ankle.  Luckily it's not broken, just a very bad sprain.
The kids had a nice time at Lacy's... I asked Lacy to be a bit more tolerant of their behaviour as they are, after all... kids!
Apparently it went well, they didn't come home crying!  lol

End of Day:   well I've had a busy day doing the housework etc.  Time to relax soon... just have to cook dinner!  Butter chicken on rice.  Should be nice.
nite nite.

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