Peach is 2!

I was asked by a representative to underwrite a blog post for Dog Fence DIY, who are considered to be the most affordable resource for wireless dog fencing. I decided to mix it together with Peach's birthday post since the timing was so right.

We have had Peach for about a year and a half and a lot has changed since then. The difference she makes in our home is not always enthusiastically accepted by me, but she is teaching me  some valuable lessons about unconditional love and even parenting.

With Peach, our house is more rambunctiously fun.
After she takes a bath (which she LOVES) she gets preliminarily towel-dried and then she does her own spin-dry. She will "Pug Run" like crazy all over the house because she feels so good and clean; it is one of the most hilarious things you'll ever see.

Peach will always give you a hug or kiss, whether you are in the mood for one or not.
I think she just knows better than you do when you need love... which is all the time in her opinion. They call pugs "velcro dogs" because of the way they need to constantly be able to touch you. I'm trying to have more patience with her now with this because soon I'll have a human baby in contact with me most of the day, and I'll need patience for that, too.

Peach teaches us a lot about non-sensical verbal communication.
I know not all dogs have the vocabulary that a masophilic nose affords our pug what with all the grunts, snorts and yawn-bark-cries she is capable of making. That is why it is never lost on us when she makes a very audible "mmhmm!" or one of those yawn-bark-cries that are indescribable... it cracks us up and it opens our minds to communication which is used by no human being anywhere. We can almost understand her; this will help when we have a crying and babbling baby!

As the years go by I'm sure she will teach us more and more. Here's to another year with Peach; our rambunctious, snorty, lovey little Pug.

Happy Birthday, Peach!

Peach + Mama Kitty... a year in the making.

Last year Mama Kitty was in a heavy fog of denial that Peach was indeed a new member of the family and she refused to believe that. She went from smacking to hissing to jeering at Peach every time she walked by in the first few months. Then, something changed. She realized that Peach hadn't gone when she had gotten a new flavor of cat food so she figured that it must have been quite some time that Peach had been there. Mama started to soften.

One day in late June I came out to the couch where I found this scene. Mama even smiled. They weren't touching, but they were being tolerant of each other for the first time.

They even bonded over snuggling with daddy together in July. Or begging for margarita... either way.

Then one day in August we were all on the couch and mama reached out to Peach to just touch her. This melted us.

And now they are outside buddies, too.

I'm so glad they decided to love each other. We coudln't imagine our family any other way than full of animals that we all love and that love each other.

It's Friday, I'm in LoVE!!! #29

Yay, Friday. The week is over! And what a week it was...

We got home at around 6AM Tuesday from the Denver vacation (more on that to come in the next few weekdays) and went right to bed after driving all night. After we woke up around 1PM or 2PM we picked Peach up from Shawn's parents'. After getting home she broke out in a rash of hives all over; usually I'm the only one with that issue! It was everywhere: in her ears, on her belly, on her face. Cool baths and snuggles made them go away that first day but Wednesday night was horrible! She started to get an absolutely puffy face and we could tell she was miserable so we went to Walgreens in the dark of night for Benadryl. Quickly we rushed back home to give her a tablet and it helped! She still wouldn't eat but she would take water. We all got back to bed and slept some more, then woke up to get ready to go to our respective jobs and crates. Then she puked.
And again.
...And again.
So I called into work and told them I'd be taking her to the vet. At our appointment the vet said it looked like a bee sting to her (her one dog reacts the same way) and she gave Peach a steroid shot to make the inflammation go away. 12 hours later she only had a half Benadryl last night before bed and she looks great! She is spry and all Peachy again, barking at bunnies and whatnot. She even went with us to hear (from the parking lot, high-class style) Cake at the Stir near our house. She sat on her blanket chewing her bone and barked at bunnies and people sitting near us... Short Skirt + Long Jacket sounded great live even if we couldn't see the band!

So today, I love me because:

1. That day I said I wanted to love Peach better? It's as if after I said that, she knew I loved her, and we've been, well, peachy ever since; she is my baby buggypug now :o)
2. I didn't drive the ones I love crazy with babycrack this month.
3. I'm getting FABULOUS at letting good things I want just make their way to me... softly.
4. I know I am unique and pretty, and I told myself that yesterday.
5. I am keeping the faith everyday.
6. I am asking for help from others, even if it is just for baby prayers/thoughts/meditations.

Have a nice weekend!

Omaha Farmer's Market

We made it to Tuesday! Yay!
We had a lovely talk with Shannon last night and we like her quite a bit. I can't wait to meet the other 2 ladies this month and choose a doula! Today is a very exciting day as well: it is the Transit of Venus! It's not happening for over a hundred more years so make sure to take a look if you can see it where you are. Shawn and I are going to an observation area if we cannot see it from our house later. After that, the excitement continues as our friends welcomed a baby girl into the world yesterday. Her name is Nia Lorraine and she came in at a little over 9 pounds! I can't wait to meet her and hold her... you all know how I just LOVE to hold babies. There's also an old adage that you'll conceive if you hold a newborn... couldn't hurt ;o)

Yesterday I forgot to share our trip to the Omaha Farmers' Market with you! We (including Peach) went with my parents (and their dog) and had a very nice time!

Have a great Tuesday! Are you going to watch the transit? Do you have a Farmers' Market?

Happy Birthday, Peach!

My baby is growing up! She is 1 year old today, or 7 dog-years.

We will celebrate with wet food, a walk and sleeping in mommy and daddy's big bed tonight.

She's so cute!

Good News & Mommy-Training

Happy Wednesday! FINALLY!

A lot of you know but some of you don't know that I have 7 animals. Yes, 7: 2 man-rats, 1 ferret, 3 cats and 1 pug. They are a ton of work but Shawn and I work together to make it all happen. I have sold myself short for the last time (as of yesterday) by saying that I don't have an idea of what it's like to have children just by comparing it to the work the sheer amount of animals we have take. I DO.

This was my Tuesday:

• Woke up at 5AM because I couldn't sleep anymore. I just got ready instead of laying there until I was tired enough to sleep but late enough that I couldn't.
• Did not get to work early. Just on time despite having 2 and a half hours to get ready.
• Worked a full day at work.
• Came home and planned to take a nap while the ferret ran around in the room for exercise.
• Instead cleaned up water-diarrhea that the ferret had all over the floor.
• Gave a wiggly, feisty ferret a bath.
• Cleaned up all the residual mess of half-done tasks invoked by weasel scat.

After that fiasco I looked up to see that it was just about time for Shawn to get home.
No nap for mommy.


ANGRY FAAAAACE!

Then I made dinner for our friends and their almost-2-year-old boy who are a delight. Dinner turned out well, we had just enough food and desserts for everyone, and they told me that Peach is more of a PITA than a new baby. And a toddler.

Much more.

After the day I had, to know that if I can deal with Peach that I can handle our future baby (in the eyes of experienced parents), I feel good about that. So good news there.

Cuz Peach is a crrrazy bitch sometimes; even if she looks sweet.

PS: I wore this today and I must say... I look good today. I'm having a "Jamie Moment!"

Mommy and Baby Match!

Last night we went to Petsmart which Peach loves. All the winter sweaters and coats are on sale so we just kind of looked to see what they had left. Amidst the Martha Stewart doggy coats was a black and white houndstooth dog jacket... which matched my new jacket my parents bought me for Christmas. It was 40% off at $24.99 so it should have been about $14.99 (which was expensive), but the thought of Peach and I cruising around in my green beetle in matching coats dismissed all logic. TEH CUTES!!! I thought, TEH CUTES FACTOR!!!
I decided I could use some baby money I had saved up for a human baby in the future; Peach is our baby, too! So we tried on the size that worked best and put it in the cart without double-thinking it. We got to the checkout and the coat ended up being 75% off!!! It was only $6.17! Glad we had a just buy this moment because that is reasonable!

I'll let you all be the judge of whether that was worth the money...

OMG. YES.

Meet the Baby : Princess Peach

We have wanted a pug for almost 2 years.
After seeing everyone lovin' their dogs while we were in Michigan, we decided it was time to get our very own. We searched for a pug in Nebraska and found a little 5 month old gal from Pug Partners in Nebraska. We filled out an application and they got back with us to schedule a home walk-through with the pup and her Foster Mom. The pug was so happy and she ran around like a wild lady at the house! We were in love.
After sleeping on it like the organization suggests, we were in pain without her. We were sure we wanted to care for that dog!

Yesterday her foster parents both brought her over to say goodbye and send her off into our home. I can't imagine how difficult being a foster parent would be to this little girl or any other precious animal! Heartbreaking, to say the least.

I am SO impressed with Pug Partners. They chose a great set of foster parents for our perfect little Peach before she came to live with us. She is the most well-behaved puppy we have ever seen!

We. Love. Her.
Borderline addicted. Ok, over the line.