Baby Stuff

We have been setting the apartment up for when the baby comes. We also bought a small baby doll to get Drake and Kaylee ready. We walk around the house carrying the doll and also put it in the baby cradle too. We are hoping that exposing them to these things now will make it easier on them when Nicholas does show up. They seem to not mind things too much. I know there will be an adjustment period...here's to an easy time caring for the dogs as well as the baby.

Winter 2009

We've gotten our fair share of lazy days during this winter...


These were the stockings, Drake and Kaylee's are on the left. As you can see they were very interested in their assorted treats and toys were fun to watch them play with (or destroy).

The wife didn't dissapoint again this year. She bought me a gift certificate to Barley Corn Brewing where I get to make my own beer. You cook and do all the crafting in their store (so you don't get your house messy) and they store it for the 6 week period. Then you go back and make your own beer labels. I am looking forward to doing it very soon.

This was the worst snow storm we got hit with during winter of 2009. Yep that's my Impala on the left.

But as you can see Kaylee and Drake didn't mind the snow at all.

So, my dog is a pothead...

Nope not this one...

this one. So the story begins on Wednesday evening. Kaylee got sick 4 times after dinner. We weren't sure what caused it...but Letha had taken both of them to the park earlier in the day. Yesterday (Thursday) we came home from the park and I found a weed bud in the back seat of the car partially hidden under the blanket we cover the backseat with. I also noticed very green drops of dried up slobber all over the backseat as well. I can only guess since everything was dried that it had been from the day before. So that's our guess as to why my dog threw up all over the place on Wednesday night.

Good thing I didn't get pulled over on my way home from work yesterday..."honestly officer, it's my dog's not mine."

And just for Mike...

It's been a while since I have posted any new pics of Drake and Kaylee...so here you are Mike!

So...

I have been up to a lot recently.

First, Drake did only have one testicle removed and is going under the knife again. Thanks Alliance for Animals...or should I say TORTURE for Animals? How hard is it to count to 2? On top of that, he also has some skin issue right now, that we have to go back to the vet for...there's another $100 most likely.

Second, I had fun in Indy while there last weekend. Got to meet Lee and Laura's baby Layla. She's a cutie and has some really beautiful eyes. We had lunch with Shane and McNear before heading up to Anderson/Pendleton area. We did the rehearsal thing and then watched Michael Phelps win his 7th gold medal (thanks to DVR). Then Saturday came and I was the photographer at my sister-in-law's wedding. I had a lot of fun, and would think it would be a great job...lining people up, telling them how to stand and when to get the hell out of the way.

Third, the fantasy football draft is this weekend...looking forward to picking a good team, hopefully.

Last, Justin and Fallon (with Giles) are coming to visit at the end of this month. We hope to have a lot of fun while they are in town.

Poor Drake...

So Drake has had some complications from his surgery. It is possible that they only removed 1 testicle from him. We have to go back to the Vet next week to find out for sure. Right now, we are only hoping that he gets better and that the Doc is wrong. I don't want to take him back to the shady place (Alliance for Animals, a clinic) to finish a job they should have done right in the first place. What's worst (for them) is that now Letha's pissed. One person you don't want on your bad side is a smart woman who (along with me) treats her dogs like her kids. She was a premed major and for fun pokes around at legal stuff.

Still hoping for the best...not just for us, but mainly for the little guy.

More pics...

I love you guys...
Mommy's girl...
I CAN fly, I can FLYYYYY...
I like to contemplate my existence...
When do I get my food...

Pics for Mikey...

You scream, I scream...we all scream for ice cream...

I was being a good boy Dad...

It was her fault, she started it...

So...can I tell you MY version...

Well then you came home...

WARNING: Too cute...

I wish I would have met Drake when he was this small. I picked Letha up from the airport (she flew home with Kaylee) last September and even when I saw Kaylee from a far distance I was so excited to have a puppy of our own. She was so much fun and we were so happy to have her.

These two are adorable and I can't imagine life without the other. They turned 1 year old on June 23rd. We celebrated by taking them to a specialty store for dogs called the Polka Dog Bakery. Here you can buy everything you need for a dog (toys, beds, food, treats). They even have birthday cakes for them. We decided to buy them each a special cookie (King/Queen for a day) and a bag of treats. It's a nice place, and realize the neighborhood it's in is a nice place for it. It's a little pricey...

So...happy birthday to my dogs...I hope to celebrate many more with them.

More pics for Mikey...

Pics for Mike...

Ladies and Gentlemen...

I have a new dog, and his name is Drake. I hope to post some pictures of him soon.

We got home from Indiana on Wednesday morning at 4 AM and with us came a new puppy. My sister in-law was going to surrender him to the pound...Letha and I didn't like that idea and had my brother Mike watch him till we got there (since we were driving to town for the half marathon).

Drake is a bundle of energy. He loves his sister, Kaylee (his ACTUAL sister, same litter), and his female owner Letha. He is over protective of both of them. I believe he looks at me as the Alpha Male in the house hold and really tries to not upset me. He doesn't always deliver. For instance, he has started waking my wife and I up at all EARLY hours in the morning (the poor guy was never housebroken) to take him out. I do prefer that he do this instead of pee his crate and lay in it for hours...but it's taking it's toll on us (both of us are getting sick caused by lack of sleep). He use to sleep through the night at Mike's, but we know he was being underfed (by accident) and I suspect that he was dehydrated (by accident too, but with good reason, as he would have just peed all over Mike's kitchen) which if there is nothing in his system to get rid of then he wouldn't need to go to the bathroom so much.

The issue is that we have to treat him as if he's a puppy. We just got Kaylee to the point where she's fun and trained...and we have to start all over from scratch with Drake. All because (some) people don't think things through before they commit to them, they are only it for their own selfish needs. Dogs (or better yet puppies) are a LOT like children. It is a commitment for the dog's life (10-15 years). You don't just get a dog and then get rid of it...you should be researching what kind of dog you should get for your house, but America is a society of the non-committed. "I don't like ___, it doesn't matter how long we've been together (or how longed I've owned said item), I don't like ___ anymore." If the going gets rough, don't push through and triumph, just give up and go a different way.

It's the American Way!!!

Now don't get me wrong, I like Drake a lot...and one day I'll be proud to say I love the little guy but it's just taxing right now. The good news about the situation is that I can tell he's happy to be with Letha and I (not that he wasn't with my brother Mike, but I didn't see a whole lot of him then). I can't help but think of all the dogs that ARE surrendered to the pound because someone made a quick decision. At least when Letha gets pregnant, I'll have months of reading and prep work before the baby comes. (Most) People don't take the time to find out what kind of animal fits their lifestyle.

The whole experience has been an eye opener...can't wait to see the dog Drake is going to be.

New Addition to the family...

So Letha and I have been talking about getting a puppy for a while...so without further ado...it's

KAYLEE!!!!!!

She's a black lab mix born June 23rd. She is being watched by her Grandmother (Letha's Mom...THANK YOU DAWN!!!!) until Letha can bring her home on Labor Day.

If you want to, and I hear she loves people, anyone is more than welcome to come visit her and her parents when she gets here. She told me she's sad that she can't be in town for Mom and Dad's wedding.

She's soooooo cute, isn't she?

And here's another pic...