Photo Capture: Swaddling 101

xox m.

List Is Getting Shorter

So does that means the baby is coming soon then? Actually I am just on a kick to get things done and ready for the big day.

There are now 44 items (up from 40) on the list and items have been getting crossed off left and right.

1. paint nursery - thanks MIL!

2. hang crown molding

6. make crib bedding - thanks again to the MIL for that one ;)
7. Find a crib that we like.
8. Make Christmas Tree skirt If you missed it, check it out here!
10. decorated house for Christmas
14. find a rug for the babies room - You can view here.
16. Power wash the side of the house.
32. create Christmas card and send out - WahoO! I didn't think I would make it in time, but I did! Here are a few photos that my brother took from Thanksgiving. He is an amazing photographer and I am so happy he took these for us. Also if you did not get a x-mas card from us, I apologize. Let me know if you would like one next year and I would be MORE than happy to send you one from the Bach's (family of 3+one fur puppy!)

40. Make baby sleepers.

And the most recent check off was #33. Make 2010 Christmas Card Book. I even made this years 2011, so I am on top of my game!

Next up on the list? Figuring out the nursery lighting, closet organizer and possibly even starting on the baby book! EAK! :)

xox m.

Poor Toaster

Tovi is really such a great dog. He is awesome.

Tovi relaxing after he got shaved.

He....

• Loves to play with the neighborhood kids, but does not like when they pull his tail. When they do pull his tail, he whips his head around to look at them and give them a Tovi stink eye. Seriously, it cracks me up.
• He is a leaping lizard! He will jump from sofa to sofa just so he doesn't have to get off and touch the ground. And if there is a box in his way.... no problem! He thinks, 'no need to go around it when I can just jump over it.' Problem solved!
• In the morning, he always makes sure to give Steve a kiss before he goes to work. (I think he picked that up from me - ha!)
• Every time we return home, he is SO happy to see us. When I say SO happy, I don't mean the happy where he just wags his tail and then goes back to what he was doing. This boy wiggles so hard it is hard for him to stay still, then you can see that his heart is just exploding with excitement which sometimes leads to a few jumping jacks. Then sometimes he even gives a little whimper/howl to let us know he just feels over the top that we are home. (Some might feel that is just too much to handle when walking in the door.... but please tell me the last time you were greeted by someone who was THAT happy to see you. BONUS: it happens every time!)
• I'm bias... but he IS the cutest dog ever.
• His sleep positions are too funny. One leg relax out to the side like a frog.... another shooting straight up into the sky.... and the others pressed straight out. Comfy! ;)
• If there is water, he is in it. He LOVES to swim. When we head down to the river, he is the first one in. We barley make it out the car door and he is already booking it for the water.
• He stays in our yard and listens really well. We don't even need to put a leash on him. He prefers to be naked 24-7.

But.... Tovi does have a few things he needs to work on.

• Going bananas over the UPS and FedEx truck. We have NO idea why he barks at them, but he does.
• Jumps up on others when he gets too excited. Shame on us, but we are working on it.
• And his latest craze.... gnawing on your arm. HA. Ok, not funny. But our neighbor let him do it once, and now it's a thing of endearment. However, it's not so enduring when he goes up to random people and wants to suck on their arm. Hmm....

Ok so the whole reason for this post was because my poor Tovi is the sweetest, but yet seems to be an underdog in the 'pound life'. Every time we take a walk and another dog comes up to us, he will just lay down and submit....e-v-e-r-y  T-I-M-E. It's cute... but NOT good. It's good when other dogs just come to sniff him and then he gets up and starts playing... but it's BAD when other dogs just come to attack.

A few weeks ago he got attacked by 2 German Shepard's and got bit on his neck really bad. We shaved the area and cleaned up the wound, waited a few days and then took him into the vet when it wasn't healing. Turned out, we did everything correct and that was that. So wahoo for us as doggie parents, but so sad for Tovi.  (See healed bite marks below... looks like he got bit by a vampire! ha-ha)

After the attack, when we would go for a walk, each time a dog would approach us (leashed or not leashed) Tovi would be soooo scared. He finally got comfortable again, and then out of nowhere, a German Shepard (diff. one from before) came out and started to attack Tovi! I tried to intervene and then I just started screaming at the owner to get his dog, because he didn't even notice what was going on, but then the dog just ran away. Tovi was not hurt, but it was scary, for the both of us.

Now... I'm a HUGE dog lover. However, I am now apprehensive around German Shepard's. Ugh... I really dislike it, but I just get so nervous.

Anyways.... so last night Steve and I were walking Tovi and guess what happened?!? Tovi got attacked... AGAIN!  (by a boxer this time)

My poor pup. Does he have a sign on him that says 'kick me'?
I honestly feel like my dog is in Jr. High and is getting beat up on the playground every day and there is nothing I can do about it.

Well nothing came about the attack. It was more of the dogs being territorial, but that was all. Well... and I got a nail puncher wound on my foot and my big toe nail got bent back and was gushing blood. But that didn't hurt until the middle of the night. Well.... and then this morning, we saw a scab under tovi's neck so he actually got bite this time as well. Seriously... tov is the sweetest puppy and loves life, and these bigger dogs just love to pounce on him. 

All in all, he has not be phased by the trauma UNLESS we go walking (which he loves to do every day).  So we will work on that, and pray these are the LAST of the attacks that we both will have to deal with.

xox m.

Puh-leaseee

Tovi's puppy dog eyes. How can you say 'No' to this? I obviously can't....

Oh and yes, he is resting his chin on my leg.


xox m.

Scar Face

One evening Tovi was laying on the sofa with all 4 paws straight up in the air. Cute right? Well I thought so too, so I snuggled my way onto the sofa and was cuddling him for about a second until some loud noise came from the basement. Tovi got startled and then this happened........

Craziness right?

Well the next morning all that was left was a little scratch under my eye and a tender lip (he gave me a bloody lip - which I didn't take a photo of).  So all in all I'm lucky because this welt went away and there was no damage that was done. Woo hoo!

xox m.

Flip It

 

xox m.

PAWS Walk Chicago

Last Sunday we went to the PAWS 4K Walk in Chicago. Our friends Nick, Tara and Boston and CJ and Fergus joined us. We had a blast even though it was a little cold and really windy. All the fur babies loved the agility course, the bags of treats/goodies, all the free butt sniffs from other dogs, and running around in the sand.

Fergus loves the tunnels!

Boston in action!

Boston protesting the tunnel. Ha!

Fergus loves the freedom! :)

Tovi got let off leash at the dog beach. He made some new friends.

It was a bit windy.

Can you hear me now? Good....
(AT&T bars anyone?)

Tovi got the buzz and was running around Steve in circles. Ha-ha!

Tovi was pooped when he finally got home. Then we went on a little bike ride later that afternoon and he ended up passing out in our bed all night long. It was a first! I loved it, Steve tolerated it. :)

xo m.