Emma's Closet

We have lift off

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day.  We did not do a whole lot,but it was 70 degrees outside so for the first hour home we just played outside... and Audrey loved it! She just loves getting to go outside.  Of course today is another story - our high today will only be 37.  Fun for Audrey, stinks for us!

Well, little Miss Audrey has reached another milestone in the short two weeks we have had her, both of her ears are up, Pembroke Welsh Corgi style.. it is so cute

you cannot see it, but she really has a lot of red from her parents on the back of her ears. 

Well, I have got to go get ready for my artic Friday.   The groundhog was definitely correct, 6 more weeks of winter.  Unfortunately, I cannot turn around and go back to bed for those 6 weeks like Phil!

I have no excuse other than I am in-love

Nope, we have not been that busy.  I have hardly crafted anything. No power outages.  No real late nights at work.  Hmm,cannot think of one good reason I have been so bad and have not posted anything lately, well there is one reason I can think of, I am in-love.  Can you believe it?  I am in love ....

with our new little girl.  This is our new little Audrey.  I picked her up on February 2nd.  We have had her for a whole week now.  She is just the best little dog in the world.  We actually get to sleep from 8/9 pm until at least 4/5 am! That is amazing. Emma did not even let me sleep that much until she was close to 12 months old!  Emma was at her dad's the weekend I picked her up.  So, Audrey was a complete surprise for Emma. 

We have just had the best time with her for the past week.  Grandpa took her for her first vet visit (after the whole parvo ordeal with the first one) and she checked out just perfect.  We are just not allowed to take her to any public places until she is 16 weeks old. 

Audrey also loves her big crate.  She sleeps in there like a champ.  I am seriously considering getting her a big pen for the backyard.  That way we do not have to keep her on a leash when we take her out to potty... we had to resort to that because she likes to play and run around - have you ever run around your backyard at 10:30 pm, 27 degrees,in pj's, slippers and no undergarments?   Well, let me tell you that is NOT fun. 

Just love their little rears with their nub tails : )  Well, speaking of, I better go get her so she can go outside, in the freezing rain to potty.  Boy, doesn't that sound wonderful!

New girl on the block

If you have read my blog at all over the past 6 months, you know we went through an ordeal with our first Pembroke Corgi, Audrey.  She was born August 8th and passed away on September 21st.. all due to F strain parvo. 

Well, the wee little one above was born December 18th.  In the photo above she is 12 days old.  She is all ours.  The  breeders have worked really hard to make sure there are no parvo issues with any of their litters.  I am going to take off one week after we pick her up so I can get her used to the house and work on potty training.  Too bad you can't take FMLA..
Below is a picture of Camry, our new puppy's mommy.   She had 4 puppies.  One tri,  two red and whites and one tri blue.  Unfortunately one of the red's and the blue did not make it.  Too bad, because if she had another girl I would have just bought her as well.

Things are better...but popcorn must come with a warning label

Orville Redenbacher should put a warning label on its microwave kettle korn...

WARNING -- MAY CAUSE SMALL CHILDREN TO FALL ASLEEP AFTER INGESTION
I mean, geesh, I leave the room while Emma is eating popcorn to wash my face and when I come back she is flat passed out!  Who would have thought?!

Well, Emma took the news of Audrey better than expected.  I believe Emma is a very smart little girl and knew something was going on.  I know we did not have Audrey long, but I miss her horribly.  We spoke to the vet and to the breeders and we have to wait until Spring to get another dog.  So we will wait until March.  I am seriously considering getting two when we do this.  I will take off work for a week or so, that way I can get them acclimated to their new home.  I do miss all the wonderful things we wanted to do with Audrey.  To have a dog at home for the holidays.  A new little one around at Christmas.  I will miss not having Audrey to share those things with.  I took all of her pictures in to get developed so that Emma and I can work on a scrapbook for her. 

I appreciate all of the kind words, thoughts and prayers sent our way.  I know little Audrey knew everyone was pulling for her.  Her little body just could not handle it.  I know she is with Happy and Ashley (my doggies growing up) and with Miss Alicia's Audrey and they are all taking incredible tender loving care of her.  She will be missed, but as Emma said, "Mommy don't cry, we will get to see her again someday".  Yes my dear little girl, we will get to see her again someday.

Audrey Elizabeth

This morning about 8:22 I got a call from the vet.  I figured she would be calling to let me know Audrey was up and that she kept her food down.  Well, when they came in this morning she was not up ready to greet them.  She was unconscious.  She was breathing on her own, but things did not look good.    This is not the news I wanted to hear.  I spent all last night getting ready to bring her home today. I spent all last night anticipating that we would get to spend a nice quiet recovery weekend with Audrey.

About 9:45 the vet called and said Audrey was not any better, actually Audrey was trying to die.  I had to give permission to put her to sleep.  I just could not bear the thought of her suffering anymore. The vet said Audrey was fighting it with everything she had, but the parvo had just depleted her.

This has been an extremely trying day to say the least.  I could not wait for Audrey to come after yesterday.  That wonderful little creature in such a short time had won over my heart.  It broke my heart to have to do what I did today, even though I know it was the best thing for her.   I have had two other dogs in my life.  I know for a fact Audrey's death has hit me harder than either of the other two.  It has just be awful.  My head understands what has happened, but my heart does not want to hear it or believe it.

Emma has a birthday party/slumber party to go to this weekend so I am not going to tell Emma until she gets home on Sunday.  I don't want to ruin her slumber party. 

I am not sure when we will get another one.  I know we will.  After you have a dog in your house, you cannot bear to not have one.  There is too much of a stillness when there is not one.  Things are out of place.  Some warmth is missing from your home. And I know for sure  I will have an empty spot in my heart as well as my home now.

So now we wait, and we pray for Audrey.  Pray she is okay and being taken care by my Grandmother Audrey and Miss Alicia's Audrey, for I know they will all get along famously well.  Our little Audrey was a firecracker, and I would like to think all Audrey's live up to that title as well.

Goodbye little one, we will always love you and treasure the time you spent with us.  We will miss you something awful. 

Update for Day 2 for Audrey

I called first thing this morning to check on Audrey (not knowing my dad was going to go by there and check on her as well).  The vet tech said she did throw up last night some and had some diarrhea, but she was stand and waiting for someone to get there.  Amanda said Audrey more than likely heard her car and then heard the keys in the door -- thus company.

They say with Parvo if the dog can make it through the first 3-4 days there is a really good chance they will fully recover.  Now, if you get them home too soon and they get stressed, they can relapse, which if they do that is usually worse than the original start of it all.  I say, keep Audrey there as long as needed.  We can come visit.  I would rather her be there and have her fully recover than bring her home only to have her get worse.

I just feel awful.  Here she is, her mother no where in sight, her litter mates gone, and she away from her newly adopted family.  I just hope all the thoughts and prayers magically get to her and she finds some comfort and doesn't feel too alone.

If she gets through tonight we will be on day 3 tomorrow.  So, please magically pass on all thoughts and prayers for the little one. 

Not so Good News

Well, I have bad news today.  I knew something was not right, just knew it..  for once in my life, I wish my gut feelings did not match what is really going on.

Little Audrey has been doing this retching thing since Friday.  I was not sure if it was stress.  Saturday I got really worried because she slept a lot and then had some blood in her poop.  I called the breeder and they said one of Audrey's sisters had blood in her poop so they took them in.  The vet tested stool samples on Audrey and her two sisters.  Nothing showed up.  I did call the emergency care line of the vet, but no one called me back.  Sunday, Audrey was up and running.  Just playing and eating and drinking.  BUT, she had yellow poop - then poop with a little bit of blood.  I was still worried.  I thought, "we are taking her to the vet tomorrow, just to make sure".  Well, my father took her in this morning.  He called about 11 am to tell me she tested positive for Parvo and coccidia!  The vet said the incubation period is 3-5 days for Parvo. So, when we went to pick her up she had it.  That beautiful little girl was handed to us with Parvo.  She is at the doggy hospital with an IV and antibiotics.  My father is at home spraying the backyard with bleach and after soccer we will be soaking our shoes, towels, blankets, floors, etc with bleach water.

Her Parvo test came back positive and she had her first shot on 09/16 and the manufacturer said a false positive can show up for two weeks after the vaccination, but Audrey should be treated like she has it.   

I am at work and trying to not cry.  Puppies have about a 80% chance of making it, but they still grow up to be weaker dogs.   I have to go home and tell my big-hearted little girl that her new wonderful puppy may die.  This just f*(*&^ing sucks.  Sorry, I am just so mad.  Audrey does not deserve this at all and neither does Emma.   Also, if she does not make it, we will have to wait a while to get another for fear of the virus "hanging around" our house and yard, which will be probably about a year. 

I know her sister's have to have this as well.  If I picked her up on Friday and she showed signs of it Friday night, I just cannot imagine they do not have it as well.  After reading all I can on it, I do not know why anyone would release a puppy until they are around 10-12 weeks old. 

I am just having a very hard time wrapping my brain and heart around all of this.  Please keep little one in your thoughts and prayers. 

Finally All Together

Friday we picked up Miss Emma's Audrey Elizabeth Salwaechter.  Emma did not know we were going to do this.  She thought we were going to pick her up on Saturday.  Talk about one surprised little girl!

We have had one wonderful weekend.  I wish I did not have to go to work tomorrow, but Audrey's grandparents will come and check on her during the day.
I will say this.. we are going to have one spoiled little girl on our hands.  Everyone just waits on her hand and foot.  Then there is Truman, the Pembroke Corgi next door.  They are really good with each other.  Truman actually "protects" her like she is his.  If Audrey lays down, he is right there.  He will put his head over her, but not lay down on her.  If you go to turn Audrey over on her back to tickle her belly he about goes berserk!  He starts barking at you and only quits when you quit for good.
I never realized or just forgot how much puppies sleep... wow.. wish I could sleep that much!
I read puppies sleep anywhere from 18 to 20 hours a day!  But boy she sure looks cute doing it!

Enjoying the Non-Melting Hot Weather

Last weekend was a beautiful weekend.  Oh my.  I do not think I have seen the sky that blue in a while.  It has either been raining or just so hot we were having ozone alerts and hazy skies.  Thank goodness for Fall inching ever so much closer.

Good thing about fall the early morning walks.  Went on Saturday and scored the dining room furniture!  A Whole $2!  I also scored about 5 yards of this funky 70's rayon and 5 yards of pink batiste.  I could not believe it.  After that walk, I took a shower and sat outside to crochet for a while.  It was just wonderful.
I did not get the back to the sweater finished (Emma picked out the yarn), but it was just nice. I wish I had a hammock.. I could have slept in the thing.. a pillow, a light cotton blanket or two and a good book.. oh yeah, and some ice tea.  That would have been heaven.

I have some advice for all you gals out there...  be careful while ironing.  I was ironing Saturday before last.  Reached for something, got distracted and was rewarded with 3rd degree burns.  Only about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide, but none the less. It hurt.  It turned really red.  It would not start to heal.  So last Friday I finally went to urgent care.  Well, holy cow, it was 3rd degree burns and infected.  I have had to take oral antibiotics and use cream for burn patients.  Everyone thought I had cut myself, even the nurse when I checked in.  She had to tell me they do not do stitches there.  I kind of laughed and then told her.. "nope dippy me burned myself".   Now, there will be no pictures of that!  But there will be pictures of our Audrey that will become a new member to our family at the end of the month.

P.S. I wanted to add this... most days I never leave my building at lunch time.  I just simply do not have the time.  BUT, I used to read everyone's blogs when I had a free moment or two.  It was my one luxury.  Well, the company I work for has locked down security and now we cannot look at blogs!  I understand the reasoning, but that was my one break : (  I try to get to everyone's blog when I can and read, but it was sure nice to steal a few moments in the day time and catch up with everyone!

Heatwave

  Well, we are in the middle of a heatwave.  Really it is over 100 with the heat index around here.  It was so hot today that around 4:30 when I opened the back door and stepped outside I could barely breathe. Tomorrow and Tuesday we are supposed to be at 103 and Wednesday 105 -- and that is before the heat index is figured in.  The first day of school, Thursday, is going to be 103 again.  I know it wasn't that hot last year. 
I have no idea how all those people made it at the PGA, which by the way, I am so happy that Tiger Woods won.  That had to be hard to play in the excessive heat. 

Since it was so hot outside, there has not been a lot to do around here.  We watered, Emma played with Truman (next door neighbor's corgi), and I baked muffins.. .lots of muffins.  Cinnamon Swirl, Banana Crunch and Chocolate Chip.  Thought I would get a jump on things since school starts this week.  I made enough to last three weeks.  One weeks worth stays out, the other two weeks goes into the freezer.  I want to sew, but the sewing machine is at the sewing machine dr.  I am working on a sweater for Emma, but hard to get motivated to do that when it is 100+ outside.  We did watch a little of Ice Road Truckers , which was really quite interesting.  I never knew De Beers had a diamond mine that close to the artic circle/Yellowknife, Canada.  These drivers head from Yellowknife to the mines over frozen lakes!  Yeah, 32 inches of frozen ice separates big rigs loaded with millions of dollars of equipment and freezing water.  These guys can earn up to $30,000 in two months of work, but it is considered the most dangerous job in the world.

Well the newest member of family, Audrey, was born August 8.  She is a tri-color little Pembroke Corgi.

I am hoping we can go see her at the end of the month.  She will be ready to bring home after September 19th sometime.  I cannot wait.  I think I forsee a little robin's egg blue cashmerino doggy sweater......

I would like to add this -- I looked up Welsh girl's names, and I really really love the name "Taffy" - in Welsh this means "Beloved"..... I think that is so cute.  But Emma will have the ultimate decision on the name... and well, her great grandmother's name is Audrey (maiden last name Beth) as well.  I figure if this is how it stands, little one's complete name will be, "Miss Emma's Audrey Elizabeth Salwaechter".  I still like Taffy... hmmmm.... maybe another corgi at a later date for Mommy will be in order.  Little Miss Taffy : )  I also really like Myfanawy = My fine rare one.  Then we could call her "Fannie".