Doggie Dilemma

I've been dreading this day.  No, scratch that.  I've been praying this day wouldn't come.

Snuggles is growing increasingly interested in Taco, our dog. Snuggles loves Taco. When Snuggles hears the *click, click, click* of Taco's feet on the floor, he turns to look for her.  He is fascinated by her.  He squeals with delight when she is near.  So whenever possible, I sit with Snuggles and Taco together, and I show Snuggles how to pet Taco gently on her back.  He reaches for her ears and her tail (because they move), but I always redirect Snuggles to pet Taco softly on her back. Taco has done really well with Snuggles. She gives him "kisses" all the time.

That's why, despite the fact that Snuggles has had problems with small children in the past, I was hoping Taco would be different with Snuggles.  After all, Snuggles is a member of Taco's pack.

Unfortunately, we discovered last Saturday that Taco is NOT okay with Snuggles.

Snuggles and I were sitting on the couch, and Taco was laying on the ottoman in front of us.  I helped Snuggles pet Taco for a few minutes, saying "Nice puppy. Gentle." and guiding him to pet her softly on the back.  Snuggles soon lost interest in Taco, transferring his attention to the remote control.  As he frequently does with his toys,  Snuggles patted his hands on the couch in front of him.  All of the sudden, Taco turned and snapped at Snuggles, baring her teeth with a quick *snarl*.  I immediately pushed Taco off the ottoman with my free hand.  My reaction was almost simultaneous with Taco's action.

Taco immediately shrunk to the floor, tail tucked apologetically.  She didn't mean to snap at Snuggles.  She didn't even touch him.  It was just a reaction, just a warning.  I understood that as soon as it happened.  I know Taco didn't mean any harm.  She was just scared.  But seeing her teeth with lips curled so close to Snuggles' face literally scared me to death!  All it would take is one bite from Taco's teeth, and Snuggles could be scarred forever.

In that moment, my protective mama instinct kicked in. Taco has been a loyal, faithful friend for 11 years.  But she threatened my baby, and that is NOT okay for any reason.

And so I'm faced with this terrible dilemma...  My beloved dog, Taco, has become a threat to Snuggles.  It's only going to get worse as Snuggles becomes more mobile.  At some point, it will be nearly impossible to keep Snuggles away from Taco.  I don't want to choose between my faithful friend and my son.  But it looks like I might have to do just that.

We've come a long way, baby

Dear Snuggles,

When you woke up to eat this morning and we enjoyed our 5 a.m. cuddle, I started thinking about how far we've come together....

• We've come a long way from the day I peed on the magic stick, and literally almost passed out on the bathroom floor when I realized you were growing inside me.
• We've come a long way since your Daddy and I stared in disbelief at the tiny blip on the ultrasound screen confirming that we were, in fact, going to be your parents.
• We've come a long way since the nights when I would lie awake in bed with your little feet drumming a rhythm on my ribs.
• We've come a long way since the day I checked into the hospital with a head cold and laryngitis, and pushed and pushed and pushed (for nearly 3 hours) to bring you into the world.
• We've come a long way from the first time we met. I was too exhausted to even open my eyes, but when they laid you on my chest, and I knew it was you. You had the softest skin I've ever felt.
• We've come a long way from the first few weeks of your life when my tears dropped onto your soft little head as you nursed.
• We've come a long way since the newborn diapers bagged around your tiny bum, and we squirted reflux medication into your (loudly) objecting mouth.
• We've come a long way since those sleepless nights when we sat on the sofa holding you upright for 20 minutes, delirious with exhaustion while you digested your latest meal. 
• We've come a long way from the liquid-disaster-Call-Hazmat poopie blowouts.
• We've come a long way since you hated your bath and wiggled out of the swaddle.

 We've come a long way, baby.

I love you,

Mama

Do we have to go back?

Guitarman and I have been out for two--count them--two dates since Snuggles was born eight months ago. The first post-Snuggles date was when my mom visited us in May. 

Saturday night we went out for our second post-Snuggles date.

We know a few teenie-boppers and tweens we could probably pay to babysit, but that costs money.  Guitarman's Mom is really the only family we have around that I feel comfortable asking for free child care. Unfortunately, she just isn't physically capable of babysitting for long periods of time.

Guitarman's Mom is a gracious, loving woman. Seriously. If I were more like her, I would be a better person. She loves Snuggles with a passion, and if she were able, she would babysit him all the time. Unfortunately though, at 78 years old Guitarman's Mom is legally blind, an insulin-dependent diabetic, and lives in a retirement center. What she can do is hold Snuggles, sing to him, and smother him in Grandma love. Snuggles loves her. While Snuggles is still small enough (and not mobile), we feel comfortable leaving him for brief periods with Grandma, especially when he's sleeping. 

So Saturday night, Guitarman's Mom stayed with Snuggles while we went on a...... wait for it...... D A T E.  We changed Snuggles into his PJs, left his bottle out on the counter, and left shortly before his bed time.

Since we're totally broke financially challenged right now, we needed a cheap date. So we went to our favorite bookstore where it's free to read.  This was our conversation on the way to the bookstore...

Guitarman: Do you hear that?

Me: What?

Guitarman: Exactly.

*Laughter*

Me: No fussing. 

Guitarman:  No "Da da da. Whaaaaaa!"
 

Me: (imitating noisy car seat toy) No bee-didleee-doot-doo-dooot. Rattle, rattle. 

*Laughter*

We arrived at the bookstore, and I stopped myself as I was about to open the door to retrieve Snuggles and his paraphernalia... We walked inside (sans stroller and diaper bag), and began to peruse the books. We made our selections, and sat down together at the cafe.

I looked at Guitarman's choices: A book on worship and "A Field Guide to Birds".

Me: (mockingly) A Field Guide to Birds?!  *laugh* 

Guitarman: (looking innocent and confused)  What?

Me: An entire store-full of books, and you choose "A Field Guide to Birrrds"?! *laughing*  I love you.

We bought two drinks (frappuccinno for me, tea for Guitarman) just so we weren't completely mooching off the bookstore. Then we sat at a table reading with only the whirrr of the espresso machine to punctuate our thoughts. 

It was lovely.

All too soon the store announced its pending closure. As we reluctantly walked across the parking lot toward the truck, I whined... 

Me:  Do we haaave to leeeaave?

Guitarman: Yep, time to go home to Snuggles.

Me: I know, but it was so nice not being Mom for awhile... I just get so exhausted with the constant demands of parenthood.

Guitarman: Well, we should've thought of that before we did The Nasty.

*Laughter*

Leave it to Guitarman to put things into perspective.

Making a Splash

Last night Guitarman and I took Guitarman's mom out to dinner at her favorite restaurant. By the time we arrived home, it was time to get Snuggles bathed and into bed. I hesitated, wondering if it might be best to skip the bath and put him straight to bed because he seemed especially tired. But then I remembered I had done that the past 2 nights, so I nixed the idea. I feared if Snuggles didn't bathe soon, he would begin to resemble the Peanuts character, Pig-Pen, complete with bugs swarming. Thus, I would be demoted even further down the Mommy food chain.

I love so many things about Snuggles. He is a delicious little package of sweetness that I could unwrap and eat with my fingers.

One of my favorite things about Snuggles is how much he enjoys bath time. Snuggles is never happier than when he's butt-naked in the tub. I have this little sing-songy phrase I always say to him when I first plop his chunky sweet cheeks into the water. "Rub-a-dub-dub... [Snuggles] in the tuuuub!" He shines at me with a big, toothless grin from behind his little balled up fists. That boy can melt this mama's heart like butta.

Last week, Snuggles graduated from the kitchen sink to the bathtub. I've been bathing him in the sink for a number of reasons, mainly because the sink was easier when he didn't sit up well. Over the past several months, however, Snuggles' bath time routine has begun to get more complicated because:

1. He dwarfs the sink like a Cadillac Escalade towers over a Mini Cooper.
2. The moment Snuggles' tooshie hits the water, he commences with a splashing tirade that I'm confident would qualify him for the dolphin show at Sea World.
3. He has morphed into the baby version of Christopher Columbus, exploring every surface, texture and hole he can reach with those chubby little fingers I love to "bite"...
4. As a result of number 3, the counter-height electrical outlets that use to be so wonderfully convenient have now become decidedly inconvenient. 
5. Did I mention he likes to S P L A S H?

Here's a video of Snuggles in the tub.

Does anyone else find it disturbing that Guitarman and I said "Ba Ba Bath" at the same time?!

Thanks, Readers

Until recently, I was beginning to think no one read my blog.... with the exception of a handful of faithful followers.

I started my blog in 2005 intending to keep my family updated. Ironically, the people I created the blog for rarely read it. My parents only read my blog when I call and ask them to read it. I'm fairly certain my brother never reads my blog (because he thinks I'm lame), and I know for a fact my younger sister doesn't read it because she doesn't use the internet. Even my own husband seems to go long periods of time without checking my blog. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure my little sis reads my blog because she's cool that way. She owns a Droid, after all, which makes my Crackberry seem like a typewriter.

Despite my family's disinterest in what I deem blog worthy, lately I have started receiving more comments and e-mails from people who read my blog. I've been amazed by all the nice comments. Some even suggest I should write a book. (That's going a little overboard, I think.) But it's flattering. So here's a shout out to all my "readers": Thanks for following my blog! And to my family: Fooey on you!  [I love you anyway.]

I read an article recently that cautioned bloggers to avoid providing too much personal, traceable info on the internet, especially about children. That got me thinking about my son's safety. The article suggested bloggers with open access (like my blog, which is accessible to anyone with a search engine), should use nicknames for the blog's featured characters. In my case, that's my husband and my son. This practice protects the innocent... or guilty... whichever applies.

So I've been trying to come up with nicknames for my husband and son over the past couple of weeks, and I finally made a decision. 

Without further ado, I would like to introduce Guitarman (my wonderful husband) and Snuggles (my adorable son). *Pause for applause*

July 4th Weekend

It's been a week since Jackson and I returned from Indiana, so this vacation report is long overdue. Sorry. 

[For those who didn't notice my 2-week absence from this blog, I was out of town for a few days, and then recovering from the vacation after we returned.]

Jackson and I visited family in Indiana over the 4th of July weekend. [Unfortunately, John was unable to come with us because he only has 2 Sundays off per year, which basically prevents him from traveling on weekends. Don't get me started on that... If you want to exhaust and frustrate your employees, allow them 2 weekends off per year and you'll be off to a good start. I'm just sayin'.]

First things first... I was so  worried  panic-stricken over the prospect of traveling by myself with Jackson. But my worry was unfounded because Jackson did really well on the plane. Nevertheless, I was exhausted when we landed in Chicago, mostly because I had been stressing myself out about the whole traveling-solo-thing. But we made it safely and with all my hair intact. 

Jackson's Papa was so excited to see him! (My dad hadn't seen Jack since he was 6 weeks old.)

Papa was worried at first because Jackson fussed when he picked him up.
Jackson ended up fussing a lot over the weekend.

I can only assume he was out of sorts because of the new environment and the literally hoards of "strange" people who wanted to hold him, touch him, talk to him and just all-around smother him with love.

We barely made it to Elkhart before Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma Wolf headed over to see Jackson.

They couldn't wait to get their hands on him. They hugged him and kissed him.

And held him some more.

One of the most exciting things for me was to meet my nephew, Jacob ("Jake") Benjamin Fisher. He is eight weeks younger than Jackson, and we had not seen him yet.

Of course, I also got to see Carter Bear (A.K.A. Jake's big brother).He is really growing up!

Carter is like the Energizer bunny. He keeps going...

and going....

barely pausing to recharge....

Before he gets going again.

Thankfully, Jackson does require some rest. (Otherwise I'd be in trouble.)

 

Walks in the stroller did the trick!

 Apparently other members of the family needed rest, too...

 including Papa

which reminded me of this...

Jackson's first time in a pool was at Nana and Papa's house.

Jackson loved the water!

So we swam until we were water logged.

 Jake likes the water, too.

And so does Carter!

Jackson got to visit with Great-Grandpa Pool and Great-Grandma Pool.

It was fun to watch them interact.

Jackson especially liked Great-Grandpa Pool,
who enjoyed reciting nursery rhymes to Jack.

We enjoyed lots of time with family and friends. Here is Jackson with cousin, Crystal.

And a close friend of our family, Darcy Anderson.

And, of course, Aunt Michelle, who is great with him.

Jackson couldn't get enough of Nana...

 

or Papa.

I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

 

Jackson really liked the swing...

So did Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma Wolf....

and all the grandkids

I've never seen Grandpa and Grandma more happy.

Jackson tried out the tractor, although he isn't quite big enough to drive yet.

So, Aunt Danae showed him how it's done.

I got some great shots of Danae with Jake.

And Nana with Jake.

And Tim with Jake.

And Michelle with Jake.

 Jake is just very photogenic.

 

Too cute for words.

It was a great weekend, a time for me to recharge my batteries as only family can do. It was a good thing. But I think the weekend may have overwhelmed Jack because:

1) He was fussy

2) He wanted me (and only me!)

3) He didn't sleep well over the weekend. 

This resulted in a very tired mama.

On the way back to Idaho, our flight was "weather delayed" in Chicago for three hours.

[It's important to note here that I was sitting next to a window in the airport when they announced the airport was closed to all incoming and outbound planes "due to weather in the Chicago area". I didn't see any weather except a rain shower. No wind. No thunder. No lightning. So I'm not sure why they shut down the Chicago airports.] 

Despite the 3-hour "weather delay" in Chicago, thankfully our connection in Denver did not require us to change planes. [Most everyone on our flight missed their connecting flights, and they were stuck in Denver overnight.] So we did make it home... at  the butt crack of dawn  3:00 a.m. Boise time (5 a.m. Elkhart time). We were absolutely dead tired, but....

This was worth every bit of the exhaustion.

The trip was so great that I have refused to unpack my suitcase in an effort to hold onto the joy I felt during the trip... That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.