Puppy Love

***

About lunch time today I got home (to the in-laws) and saw two people and two dogs sitting in the front yard. I didn't think too much of it, but as I got out of the car they came down the driveway with the dogs and asked if they were mine.

It turns out that they were just out for a walk when they spotted the two dogs sitting in someone's front yard. On the way back they noticed that the dogs were still out and running around in someone else's yard. They knocked on all the doors in the street and couldn't find anyone that knew who owned the dogs.

They were ready to give up and head home so I took up the challenge. They were so sweet and I couldn't leave them roaming the street.

I put them in the car (much to Max's delight) and took them down to the nearest vet so that she could scan them for a microchip (they had no tags or collars on). Neither had a microchip so she took my details in case anyone asked about them and suggested that I call all the vets in town to see if anyone had reported them missing.

I took them back home and put them in the pool area with a big bowl of water. The escaped within seconds and came up on to the back deck to see me.

I had no luck locating their owners though so I ended up calling the pound and asking them to come out and get them. The guy that came out was super nice, I was really upset to be sending them to the pound, but he said that well cared for dogs like these nearly always get picked up within 24 hours.

Honestly they were the sweetest puppies ever. They didn't jump, nip or bark. It's probably a good thing that they were taken from me I completely fell in love with them in less than 4 hours.

Max and Cooper

***

Cooper is starting to come around to the idea that Max might be someone fun to play with. He's still not 100% convinced, but occasionaly he will take his tennis ball over to Max and drop it in front of him. Max loves it and will do anything to get close to Cooper. So cute!

I figure in a couple of months they will be able to keep each other entertained for hours!

The Dog Knows...

Cooper is on the couch in the front living room, waiting for visitors to turn up. Want to know why?

Because I'm cleaning the house...

Cheeky puppy has realised that these days I only clean up when we have visitors coming.

Hmm looks like I should probably make an effort to tidy up a bit more often.

Lately though every spare moment I have I want to spend with Max, not vacuuming the floors. Do most working Mums have this problem?

He's not the smartest puppy...

***

The Big Man and I just heard Cooper yelping like he was trapped somewhere. We came out to check that we hadn't accidentally shut him in a bedroom and found him on the dining room table.


Silly puppy was too scared to jump down!

He's lucky he's so cute :)

A Guilty Secret

Some nights all I want to do is lie in bed and snuggle with Max. But I don't want to wake him because he is sleeping so soundly, so I snuggle with my puppy instead.

Five Months

***

Dear Max,

Wow, this last month has been so much fun! All of a sudden you seem to be growing and learning so much quicker. It's like everything is happening all at once and I can barely keep up.


By far the cutest thing that you have learnt to do this month is laugh. At first you would only laugh for Daddy, which I completely understand, he makes me laugh all the time too! But a couple of days after Daddy had first told me about you laughing I was lying on the floor blowing raspberries on your belly and all of a sudden you started to giggle. It was so adorable that I started to laugh as well, which made you giggle even more. Did I mention how incredibly adorable it was?!


We think you may also have your first best friend... Not baby Kate or Ethan like we expected. It's Cooper. You look for him when he's not around, smile at him when he is and will spend ages patting him and pulling on his ears. At first it didn't really seem like Cooper wanted to be BFFs, but he's coming around. Now he will happily let you pat him and comes up to you for smooches all the time. Awww puppy love!


Playtime has recently got a lot more fun too. You can sit up for quite a while if we put you into a sitting position and can sometimes sit yourself up when you're leaning back on a pillow. You're really good at holding on to your toys and will reach out and grab them if we hold them out for you. While we play you chat away in your own special baby language. I try to get you to say Mama about a million times a day, but the closest you've managed is 'ah'. Close enough for 5 months I think :)


Your favourite games at the moment are row-row-row the boat, incy-wincy spider and of course your jungle bouncer. When we play incy-wincy you sometimes try and copy my hand movements and always smile when the 'sunshine dries up all the rain'. Probably because you're a summer baby yourself!

Last but not least you have also started to reach out for me when you want me to hold you... and how can I possibly refuse. You are the cutest, sweetest, snuggliest baby in the world.

As always I love you more than you can possibly imagine and will always do so.

Lots and lots and lots of love,

Mummy xx

Happy Saturday

Things that are making me happy on this beautiful day...

• Knowing that my long weekend it going to be filled with lots of family and friends time

• The in-laws looking after Max this morning so that the Big Man and I could have a sleep in

• The way that Coopers little claws click as he runs across the polished floors at the Big Man's parents place

• Hearing my gorgeous baby giggle when I kiss his belly

• Knowing that my Mum and Mother-in-Law both love reading this blog and getting updates on Max

• Spending the day with my wonderful Sister

What's making you happy today?



Image from here

Cooper and Max

A few people have asked me how Cooper is coping with the new addition to our household and I'm very pleased to say that he seems to really like Max.

Each night, before we brought Max home from the hospital, the Big Man would bring home whatever Max had been wearing that day. He would then sit on the bed with Cooper and let him sniff away to his hearts content. The first night Cooper spent about half an hour sniffing, rubbing his head and rolling on Max's onsie. I wish I had been there to watch, I imagine it would have been so cute! At one stage the Big Man wiggled his fingers under the onsie and Cooper jumped a mile. Awww.


The day that we bought Max home, Cooper jumped into the front seat of the car after we parked in the garage. I was sitting in the back with Max, and although he hadn't seen me in 5 days, Coop completely ignored me and just wanted to sniff the baby.

Right from the start he seemed really relaxed around Max, I think it is because he knew Max's smell well before we brought him home. Cooper always goes up to Max's bouncer and gives him a good sniff (and tries to sneak a face lick in, we're working on that) and whenever Max starts crying Cooper rushes over to check on him :)

The first night that we were home I was sitting on the bed feeding Max, and Coop was on the end of the bed. The Big Man opened the door and walked in and Cooper started to growl at him. I think he might have been protecting me and Max, but he still got in loads of trouble. He knows he's not allowed to growl at friends or family....


Other than that he has been great. Max doesn't really notice Cooper though... I'm looking forward to when Max gets a bit older and they start to interact with each other.

At the end of the day though we still keep a very close eye on Cooper. He might be the best dog in the world, but he's still an animal and they can be unpredictable. But I am very happy with how well he is adjusting.

T xx

38 Weeks (aka 2 days to go)

Wow 38 weeks. I remember so clearly being 8 weeks along and thinking that my third trimester was forever away, now it is not only here, but also almost finished!


It's strange, but I feel like it is all happening too quickly, whilst at the same time I feel like I have been pregnant forever. I've been really emotional today and keep crying at the silliest things. But I think it's mostly just because I'm really nervous and excited (if you know what I mean). For example I cried today when I realised that I wouldn't see Cooper for four days and then I cried again when the baby kicked and I realised that he wouldn't be kicking me for much longer. Silly huh.

I am still getting lots of Braxton Hicks contractions and I have been a bit nauseas in the mornings, but no serious signs of labour. I've still been holding out hope that I might go into labour before the scheduled caesarian, somehow I don't think it will happen though.

The Big Man has started touching up the photos he took at the park yesterday and they are looking really good. I'm glad we took them because I have really fallen in love with my baby bump! Cooper kept trying to get into the photos, so whilst I was over at the car the Big Man did a little mini photo shoot with him too. He is such a poser!

Hopefully I will get a chance to post again tomorrow. If not, I'll see you all on the flipside.

T xx

Only Three Days to Go

After my stress out the other day that I am not getting enough done before the baby arrives, I am now in a completely different frame of mind.

These last three days are going to be filled with relaxation, fun and well, whatever I want really. My turn-around is thanks to two things... 1. A comment that Jeanie made on my last post saying that there is no reason why napping and relaxing shouldn't be at the top of my list. and 2. Fern's post about the five things she should have done more of before having children.

Now, I am known for changing my tack on a very regular basis. But I think I have good reason this time. Both Jeanie and Fern have kids and are both expecting as well. I figure if anyone can give good advice on how best to spend my last couple of child free days it is these two lovely ladies.

The Big Man and I have spent most of the day on the couch, him playing on the xbox and me just mooching around reading blogs and watching him play. He was even nice enough to challenge me to a few games of bomberman so that I wasn't too left out!

We did get up off the couch once or twice though....

Early this morning we went down to the park so that the Big Man could take some pregnancy photos for me. I was wearing a full face of make-up (which was melting off my face at a very rapid rate) and was all hot and bothered, so I was kind of being a bit of a cranky cow. The Big Man did get some nice photos, but there are also plenty of me midway through saying something nasty or scowling at the camera. Not a good look! I will post a couple of them soon, but the Big Man says that he needs to do some 'post production' work on them first. I hope that means that I am going to look like Demi Moore once he is done ;).

We also installed a pet door for Cooper and Ollie. We made a big fuss of Cooper each time he used the door so that he would want to use it all the time. We might have over done it though, because he then proceeded to jump in and out through the door 12 times, looking very proud of himself every time! Ollie might take a little longer to get used to the door, showering a cat with praise doesn't seem to have any effect what-so-ever. He just walked away...

Anyway I am back on the couch. Not doing much, just waiting for my home-made icy poles to freeze so that I can try and cool down.

T xx

Who's That Dog?

Cooper had a much needed and very overdue haircut today. It has been so hot, and he is so furry. I'm hoping that he will have a bit more energy now that he doesn't have a big thick wooly coat.

Here's a before shot...


When I got him home today, the Cat had a major freakout! It must be because he looks so different and also smells different. The Cat (who doesn't back away from a fight) puffed up his little tail and tried to swipe Coop on the nose. Too cute!

After shots....


T xx

Sand Monster

The other weekend I had some of my family staying with me. One afternoon my Mum, my Sister and I decided to take the dogs and my niece down to the park. There are heaps of parks around my place, but we decided to go to one about a kilometre away so that the dogs could have a decent walk and so that Ava could practice riding her bike.

It was slow going at first, it took Ava a while to get into the swing of things. Mum walked ahead with the dogs and Jen and I helped Ava. Once we got on the downhill stretch (and taught her how to brake rather than fling herself off the bike everytime it got to fast!) it was all good.

Once we got to the park we let Ava and the dogs play for a good half an hour. They had a ball!

It's got me really looking forward to the time when I can take Coop and the little guy down to the park to play :)

T xx

Cooper

I have taken this week off work and someone (who normally sleeps outside during the day) is making the most of it....



T xx

30 Weeks

Yep, 30 weeks! It feels like it has taken forever to get this far, but now that I am here I can't believe I only have ten weeks to go.

My belly has really popped out in the last couple of weeks and I feel really pregnant. The baby is hanging out very low, which means plenty of trips to the bathroom during the night. But I have been really lucky not to have any heartburn so far. I am also getting lots of kicks, baby hiccups and am experiencing braxton hicks contractions about every second day/night.

This week we start our antenatal classes and I am really looking forward to them. The classes will probably help this all feel more 'real'. I still can't quite grasp the fact that in a couple of months I am going to be a Mum!

Cooper wanted in on the action :)

T xx

Cooper Turns Two

It only feels like yesterday that the Big Man and I went and picked up our tiny little puppy Cooper. I still remember it so clearly. I had finally convinced the Big Man to let me have a puppy and I was ecstatic! We were able to choose between three puppies, a sweet little girl, a shy and nervous boy and a super boisterous boy. I let the Big Man have the final say and he decided on the super boisterous, confident little boy. Cooper!


I have been in love with Cooper since the minute we chose him. It hasn't always been smooth sailing though. Over the last two years we have had quite a few challenges, 12 months of toilet training, separation anxiety, a liking for eating his own poop, a shoe fetish and many more. However in the last 2 months it seems like everything has finally fallen into place with Cooper, he has really settled down. The other day we were actually able to let him off the lead whilst we were walking and he stayed on his best behavior the entire time. He seems to be a lot calmer as well and he hasn't had an accident in the house for over 6 weeks. A miracle!

Although it feels like only yesterday that we bought him home, on the other hand I can't remember what life was like before we adopted Cooper. He is one of the best decisions that we ever made and I love him more than I ever imagined that I could!

Happy Birthday Cooper.

T xx

Waiting for Daddy

My two babies waiting for their Daddy to get home....


I wonder if they are also hoping for Krispy Kremes?

T xx

A Weekend in Hervey Bay

On the weekend The Big Man, the Pooper and I went up to Hervey Bay to visit our families and to celebrate the 30th Birthday of one of my good friends. We had a blast!

On the Friday night we went out for dinner and caught up with a lot of our friends for Cat's birthday. She was spoilt rotten and had a great time, so it was well worth it :)

The birthday girl Cat and her best friend Nat

On Saturday I hung out with my sister and niece. We went swimming (got to love 28 degree winter days), played games and started to organise my baby shower. That night the Big Man and I had dinner with his family to celebrate his birthday and his Mum's birthday. Lamb Roast, can't beat it!!

The Big Man and his Family

On Sunday (and Saturday) morning we took the Pooper to the beach. He had so much fun running in the surf, chasing his ball, chasing us, playing with other dogs and rolling in the sand. Then on our way back to Brisbane we stopped in Maryborough to have lunch with friends of ours that are also expecting a baby. It is always nice to spend several hours talking about babies and not feeling guilty about being completely obsessed with all things baby.


Sunday night when we got home our little cat Oliver was completely beside himself. We had left him out loads of food and water, but he must have got lonely. He was so happy to see us and spent the rest of the night crying whenever he couldn't find us. Poor kitty.

We had a great weekend! I am way to tired to be back at work today, but I keep telling myself I only have 11 weeks to go.....

I hope you all had a great weekend too!

T xx

My Famous Babies

Both of my furry little babies have recently made their web-debuts and I couldn't be more proud of them :)

The first up was Ollie. My sister used a photo that I had posted here and added a caption to it over at icanhazcheezburger.com. It was completely adorable, but I didn't think much more of it..... Until one morning, I woke up, got myself breakfast, opened up google reader and next thing you know there was my gorgeous little kitten on the lolcats feed. Adorable, yes?

He has grown up so much since I took this picture!


More recently Cooper had his 15 minutes of fame on Terry Stanley's blog, dog days of painting. The painting is even more amazing in real life and every time I look at it I remember how incredibly cute my dog is!

Random Bits and Pieces

It's been ages since I last blogged and so much has been going on. Rather than ramble on for hours, I am going to turn to trusty bullet points to get you all up to speed* :)

• We decided to call our little cat 'Oliver'. He really is the sweetest little guy and has a very, very laid back personality. Nothing has really phased him yet, not the big angry cat across the road, not Little Miss Ava carrying him around for almost two days straight, not Cooper, not anything really :)

• Cooper and Oliver are best friends already and sleep cuddled up with each other every night. I'm sure they would both rather sleep smooched up with me, but the Big Man wont let them in our room at night. He's a restless sleeper and Oliver loves pouncing on feet!

• We have been slaving away in our garden and we've almost finished all of the landscaping in the front yard. Next we need to get stuck into the backyard. Sometimes I fantasize about hiring a landscaper and coming home one day to find everything finished...... but I don't think that I can justify it (especially since I really do love gardening).

• We still haven't done much in the way of finishing the inside of our house, but we've given ourselves until Christmas to have everything done, so at least we have a deadline now.

• I have given up my bartending job and am going to do some work for the Big Man's parents until I decide what I want to do next. I really loved working at the Pub and I made some great friends that I will keep for life, but I think I'm ready to move on to something new.

• We have a few major things going on right now that I am not quite ready to talk about..... I will keep you posted as there should be some major changes coming this way soon!

• Other than that not much is going on, I'm still spending way too much time poring over design blogs and dreaming about all of the things I will do to the house once my money tree has grown a bit more**

It feels good to be back!!

xx Tam

* This has nothing to do with the fact that I am too lazy to construct legible and interesting paragraphs.

** Ok, I don't actually have a money tree........ and if I did I probably wouldn't blog about it just incase you all work out where I live and climb my fence and steal my money tree.........

Our New Baby

Isn't he cute! He hasn't got a name yet, we haven't been able to decide on one that suits him. I like Frankie and The Big Man wants to call him Tommy the Cat........ Who knows what we will end up calling him.


Cooper is a little bit put out at the moment, all he wants to do is play with the kitten, but the kitten keeps running away :)


More photos soon!

xx Tam