Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

Yesterday we had to take our 13 year old chihuahua Beast to the vet. I had gotten Beast from a breeder when he was a puppy. He was my baby before I had babies.

Over breakfast we joked about getting Beast a tiny oxygen mask and tiny oxygen tank. We didn't know what was wrong with him, other than a hacking cough, but given his age I already had decided that we wouldn't go crazy with expensive treatments.

We got to the vet and he examined both our dogs (our boxer has had some stomach issues). He heard Beast cough and initially thought maybe pneumonia, but after listening to his heart and lungs thought congestive heart failure. He wanted to do X-rays and we agreed.

The tech said it would take awhile. It was 1:18 so we could go run an errand and be back at 2. We left to run errands. I didn't say goodbye.

When we returned I ran inside to pick up the dogs and pay. The woman at the front desk led me back into an examining room and I knew something was wrong. I thought maybe the vet was going to say he suspected cancer. He came in and said how sorry he was, that Beast had died during the X-ray, that they had tried to revive him, but weren't successful. He thought that Beast had a heart attack or blood clot. My hands covered my mouth in shock as I started to cry.

He asked if I wanted to see him and brought me in back. Beast was wrapped in a blanket. He looked relaxed, peaceful. We talked about cremation as I pet his head and cried.

I paid and the tech helped me outside. Paul saw me coming with just Sasha and got out of the car. The tech told him.

We got back to the hotel and Em kept saying, "Where's Beasty? Where's my Beasty?" She ran all over the hotel room looking for him. We explained that he was in heaven and she asked if heaven was fun. We said very.

This morning she woke up and asked, "Where's Beast?" We told her heaven.

Saying goodbye to an old friend is never easy. I can only remember all the times I've been impatient with him over the last 2 years. I know I gave Beast a good life. I wish I had treated him better since we had Em. Dogs don't ask for babies to come along. I need to remember that a pet only asks for our love.

Telling your children their beloved pet is gone requires patience and repetition. Em is too young to understand and that's ok.

We came to MA with 4 dogs and 2 cats. We are leaving with 1 dog and 2 kids.

RIP Beast. Mommy loves you.

Geriatric Dogs

I called the vet today and scheduled some appointments for our dogs.  You know how when you're single or married without kids you're dogs are your children...yeah we are soooo not in that place.  

Our chihuahua has had a hacking dry cough for months.  For awhile I thought it was radon poisoning from our basement, but when I googled hacking coughs in dogs today it suggested it could be kennel cough or a collapsing trachea which occurs in toy breeds.  What!  I ruled out kennel cough because our dogs don't go near other dogs and we don't kennel them.  

The trachea thing sounded serious.  Of course I am sure the vet will think I'm heartless when I refuse any sort of testing to see if that is the problem.  He's 13.  If it's his time, it's his time.  

And then there's our boxer.  She is having her teeth cleaned.  Again.  Every time our dogs are at this vets office they end leaving with fewer teeth.  Sasha is going to come home with no teeth.  She already only has like 5.  

So, Paul and I were talking about what the future of our dogs would look like when we move.  

I'll be in the kitchen, fixing Sasha up some dinner in the blender because she won't have teeth.  Someone will knock on the door and Beast will hold up his electrolarnyx to his throat so he can bark.  I'll have to plug his trach so he can get some water.  

I'm sure y'all are reading this thinking we are awful, heartless people, but when I say this image made me laugh...it made me laugh.  I had tears streaming down my face and am surprised I didn't pee in the car.  Of course we were also making the electronic barking sounds.  

Roof, roof.  

Wakey Wakey

So my plan to do some sort of cleaning today while Emma napped was derailed by my nap.  During my slumber on the couch both our chihuahua Beast and our Boston terrier Jojo jumped up on the couch.  We usually don't let the dogs on the couch, but I was cold and too lazy to get up to get a blanket so Beast huddled near my feet felt good.  Jojo opted for the top of the couch. 

While I was sleeping I sort of heard Jojo coughing and assumed that he had gotten a piece of food stuck in between his gums and lips (something that happens with regularity) and was trying to get it out.  He stopped after a few seconds and jumped off the couch so I rolled over and went back to sleep.

After a couple hours awhile I thought that I should get up and get some things done before Emma woke up.  I reached up to grasp the top of the couch to help haul my giant self to a sitting position and put my hand RIGHT INTO VOMIT!  OMG!  GAG! 

Nothing will ruin your post nap peace like vomit.  I stumbled into the kitchen, got the paper towels, a wet washcloth, and a plastic bag and mentally prepared myself for the task ahead.  I don't like cleaning up vomit on a normal day.  When I'm pregnant...oh lawdy.  I can almost throw up just typing this. 

I cleaned and gagged, gagged and cleaned and by the time I got back into the kitchen...well, I'm not gonna lie.  I may have thrown up in the sink just a little bit. 

I let the dogs out and since I earlier had noticed that someone had thrown up in their crate overnight I grabbed all the crate towels and threw them in the washing machine. 

By then little miss independent was up and ready to run so I went to get her.  I'm pretty sure everyone has told me that 3 is worse than 2 in terms of terrible, but Emma has decided she is going to start at 20 1/2 months asserting her independence.  She is usually a joy, but when she wants or doesn't want something she is not afraid to let us know it. Boy, does she let us know it.  Yikes!

She gave daddy a run for his money yesterday at Chili's and I'm pretty sure he's never going to take her back.  Although he did take her to Target and let her pick out a dog chew toy, not for our dogs, but for her.  That's how we roll.  He also took her to Chuck E. Cheese's.  He's a  brave, brave man. 

Unfortunately he's working on a special project at work and we pretty much only get to see him on Sundays which sucks for all of us.  Hopefully this phase will be all wrapped up by Christmas and his hours will go back to normal instead of 7:30am to 10pm Monday thru Saturday.  He's so exhausted.  I'm exhausted, too.  Mad props to all the single parents. 

Is it bedtime yet?  My sister is flying in tonight, Paul is picking her up at the airport, and I already told her I'd see her in the morning cause there's no way I can stay awake till 11:30pm.  The joys of being 35 and pregnant with a toddler. 

Oh, and had an ob appointment today.  Baby's heartbeat is great!  One more month till we find out the sex!

Proud Parenting Moments

This weekend I experienced some of my finest parenting moments.  Our friend Ty was in town so seeing as Paul was having a guy's weekend in NYC, Em and I met Ty and his girlfriend and their friends in Boston for lunch.  Em had fallen asleep in the car so she was a sweet treat when we first got to the restaurant.  I think part of the problem is that she LOVES walking (ya know now that she's finally started walking) so all she kept saying is "Up, up."  Of course she also loves to eat so as soon as we gave her some food she was all good. 

After lunch we walked around the North End for a little bit (making a stop at Mike's Pastry--if you've never been you should come to Boston just to get one of their cannolis...amazing!).  We loved seeing Ty and meeting Margaret, but eventually it was time to head home.  We had parked at the Coast Guard station so on the way I decided to let Em run around for a little bit. 

As soon as she beelined towards the water I realized I had made a grave error in judgment, but the only thing to do now was go with it.  Em loves water more than she loves walking or food.  So even though it was a slightly cool day and slightly windy I stripped off her socks, shoes, and pants and let her run free like a gazelle.  Ya know we're from the south, we like to keep it classy here in Boston (imagine this is being said with a southern accent.  It's funnier that way.).  

Look how much fun she's having!

Pre water

Post water


Of course I had not planned ahead so I had no towels, no spare clothes.  I changed her diaper, pulled her pants back on, threw her socks and shoes on, and put her sweatshirt on.  She was asleep before we even got back on I-93. 

Sunday I was exhausted.  All I wanted was to take a nap when Emma took a nap.  She fell asleep and then woke up 30 minutes later.  I was laying in bed and had just fallen asleep when I heard her crying.  I decided to just let her fuss and hope she went to back to sleep.  She didn't, but she did start playing so I left her in there.  An hour later she was still awake so I decided to go get her.  Turns out she had a massive poo and that's why she didn't go back to sleep.  I am talking MASSIVE!  I felt horrible, like the worst mom ever.  To make it up to her, I took her out for froyo and to the park for an hour and a half. 

Whenever we take Em to the pedi, the doctor comments on how for a stay at home child Em sure gets every single kid illness.  At the park Sunday I realized why.  Emma LICKS everything.  There's a big sandbox at the park.  I look over and Em has a toy in her mouth.  We go to this steering wheel.  Em immediately licks it.  Oh lawdy! 

And then last night I'm laying in bed, reading a book, we have the windows open, the dogs are outside, and all of the sudden I can smell skunk.  No, no, no, no! 

Ugh, 2 of our dogs got sprayed by skunk.  2 of our dogs slept outside in their crates last night.  Thank goodness it was a nice day because they stayed outside all day and Paul came home from work to give them a special bath. 

So, that has been our weekend.  Hope y'all have a great week!

Every Time

How come whenever our boxer gets sick in her crate she does it in the back forcing me to crawl into the crate to clean it up?

She is obsessed with Emma's poopy diapers. Today she threw up a diaper wipe.

It's that kind of day in our household.