Couch Monster

[Leigha]

I'm putting this in success stories because I think it speaks to how far Dixie has come in the 8 months she's been with us. In the last few weeks we've been trying to teach her how to get on the couch. We're not in the camp who don't let our dogs on the furniture. The only time they have to get down is if we're eating, and they all do this readily. Well, the first time we got her on the couch she was absolutely terrified and lasted all of a minute before she hopped down. Now, she willingly climbs up on the couch will cuddle into us and make herself at home. This morning J was laying on the couch and she crawled up near his head just looking at him like "well, are you going to move or what?" She's become a complete couch potato. In general she's doing really wonderfully. She does things at her pace when she's ready for them which can be incredibly maddening (like J's running late for work and she still hasn't decided she's ready to come downstairs yet) but we let her go however slow she needs to. She comes to us and paws for affection and has learned that belly rubs are sooooo good. She's a dollbaby. Every day when we get home from work we go outside to play with Dixie and Bruiser, she'll come up and try to play with me. For some reason she like when you push at her chest a little, so she and I will play and run around while J and Bruiser play fetch. She only plays with me though, not with J. If he tries to play with her she gets this look on her face like "what the heck did you push me for?" She's so funny and oddly prissy and sensitive.

Here's my couch monster: http://www.flickr.com/photos/detiber/5067798902/

All in all my whole brood is doing great, Bruiser has been making "grown up decisions" (it's what J tells him whenever he makes a good choice--"good boy bru, way to make grown up decisions") and not stealing stuff and keeping it, or trying to eat Kole, or do any of his other not so swell activities. The worst he's done in a while is find a crawfish in the back yard and run around while we chased him for 15 minutes trying to keep him from eating the crawfish. I have no clue where a crawfish came from since I live nowhere near a river or stream, but there was a crawfish in the middle of our jungle and the little bugger found it.

So anyhow, that's how my group's doing.

[Mattie]

Welcome back Leigha, I was wondering how you were getting on, sounds like Dixie is really at home now, you have been through a lot with her and are now seeing the real Dixie. Well done.

[Leigha]

We're all doing really well Mattie The girl I ride to work with is the volleyball coach, so we stay at work 'til 5 or so because she has practice and when I get home I sleep for a few hours then get back up and cook dinner and eat and go back to sleep. I'm having a wonderful pregnancy so far, the only negative side-effect is that I'm tired all the time. That's supposed to go away soon though, so I'm welcoming that. I go to the doctor on Friday, hopefully the little bean will be big enough to hear with the doppler, I'll be 11 weeks 3 days then. We couldn't hear it last time with the doppler, so had to do a TV ultrasound (I'd rather not have to do that again). I think things are starting to shift around a bit, because some of my pants are getting a little tight in the waste but I've only gained a pound or so, so I'm doing pretty well. I'm trying to watch my weight since I was overweight to begin with I'm really only supposed to gain a pound or two during my first trimester and then a pound or two a month for the last six months (normal women get to gain like a pound a week). I haven't really been ravenously hungry or anything, so it's not really been hard. I do miss having the occasional hotdog or sandwich from Jimmy John's. I've just recently come to the decision that if I eat it once or twice during this it shouldn't hurt anything, but I still have a smidge of guilt from eating it after I do and say a little prayer that nothing happens to the bean because I had a hotdog or sandwich (I've only had one of each since finding out I was pregnant).

[maximoo]

Dixie is adorable. Any news if any more of her pups getting adopted?

You might need to start taiking iron for the tiredness--but be warned get the slow acting type otherwise you'll have a horrible taste coming back up & constipation

[Leigha]

Three of the original 7 are still at the humane society. J went into PetSmart the other week to get food and was gone forever, and when he came home told me he'd run into our trainer there and they were talking about the puppies. She volunteers to train the dogs at the HS to help make them more adoptable and she and some high school students (in NC our high school students have to do volunteer hours to graduate) had been working with the puppies and they were doing great. One of the four we'd dropped off was adopted very shortly after getting to the HS, the other three are still there, but are doing well. They've been renamed Lester, Huckleberry, and Jethro. Beau was the fourth, but he's already gone. The others that were adopted by people we know are doing really well. Molly (number 1) has adopted a puppy--her owners went out on a climbing trip yesterday and came home and someone had put a puppy in Molly's kennel. Molly loves the puppy so they're thinking they might keep the puppy too.

[Fundog]

Don't worry, Leigha-- nothing will "happen" to the little bean just because you eat a hot dog or sub sandwich. There is nothing in those that would harm your baby. The issue is YOU and YOUR health, because the little "bean" is actually a little parasite, sucking up your body's nutrient stores. And because you are over weight to begin with, you really need to make wise food choices, and opt for nutrition first-- make every bite count, in other words. But right now that isn't such a huge deal as it will be in your last trimester, when you are constantly hungry, but have no room to put the food because your stomach is squished up by growing baby, taking all the space. I found during my own pregnancies that when I focused on meeting all my nutrient requirements (LOTS of leafy green vegetables!), then I was too full for sweets and other "empty" calories. But you don't need to deprive yourself of a weekly fast food treat. Just make sure you are eating five servings of fruits and vegetables all the other days of the week.

[jacksdad]

I am still laughing about the "teach to get on the couch..." that's too funny.

I am really glade to hear Dixie is doing well.

[wvvdiup1]

Jacksdad wrote :

I am still laughing about the "teach to get on the couch..." that's too funny.

Wait until Jack takes your place on the couch, Jacksdad!

[***Melissa***]

I'm happy everythings going well, with you, the dogs, Dixie, and what not

But...erm...wasn't Dixie suppose to be a foster - untill you found a permanent home for her?

The gynae told me I'm supposed to gain 12 kg (26 or 27 pounds) during the whole pregnancy. At week 28 I already gained 14 kg (30/31 pounds)

[jacksdad]

Jacksdad wrote :

I am still laughing about the "teach to get on the couch..." that's too funny.

Wait until Jack takes your place on the couch, Jacksdad!

Don't actually use the couch that much....but he will sleep with me on the bed sometimes and if gets there first, "forgets" that I need to still slip into bed as he stretches out across my side.

[wvvdiup1]

Jacksdad wrote:

Don't actually use the couch that much....but he will sleep with me on the bed sometimes and if gets there first, "forgets" that I need to still slip into bed as he stretches out across my side.

I know how you feel! Karma is the same way!