Do You Think We Could Market This?

Doesn't EVERY dog need their very own

PLANTER as a PILLOW!!!???

And Then There Were Ten

The day I posted about losing Zeke, I saw that our cat Little Girl (I did NOT name her!) had a massive eye infection....again!  It's been chronic for years.  It never really goes away...I'd medicate, and it would go away for a while.  But it always came back.  She always had nose issues.  A funky wheeze with each meow.  Snotty off and on.  (Yeah - she was quite a bag of tricks!)

I took her to the vet on Tuesday, and found out her mouth was horribly infected, too.  She was a cat with chronic "immuno-defiency" issues.  The medication was going to be a crazy regimen and schedule in hopes it would help...then more meds to follow and a dental cleaning.  She was old.  And chronic.  I decided it was time to say goodbye to her.  It was a hard decision, but I feel it was the best for her.

She wasn't the most fortunate looking cat....so I ended up calling her "Scrunge".

She was a sweetie.  Never got into trouble.  Talked a lot.  Loved to sleep.

REALLY loved to sleep. And even when her favorite spot (at our old house) got knocked over by dogs or wind...she stayed the course:

Isn't that a hoot?

So, our cat population is now down to 10.  The lowest we've ever had as a married couple...

our hearts are a little sore right now.

Farewell Zeke

Our cat Zeke, you know the one that was Cuckoo for Canteloupe?, he finally had to give in to his illness.

Two days before Eli's big birthday party - we could tell it was time.  He quit eating.  Then he started having labored breathing.  So, the morning of Eli's party (8/22/09), Lonnie took him in to have him euthenized.  We couldn't watch him suffer any longer. 

Lonnie had Zeke for about 12 years.  We had a wonderful 7 weeks with him while he was sick.  We wouldn't trade that for anything!

We buried our beloved pet the morning of Eli's party.  Our graveyard in our backyard if filling too quickly.  We've had four pets die in the last year.  (We've had 4 others run away since we moved here)  It's been hard for us to deal with.  We love our pets...and wish we knew what happened to them, at the very least!

We are now down to only 11 cats.  That's a big deal to us!  We haven't had that low of a census since we got married!  (Lon had 7 and I had 4)  But, since the dog count is now UP due to my mom's dogs coming to live with us...I guess it all works out, doesn't it?

Family - Flesh and Fur!

Does anyone else love pictures of their hubby and baby as much as me?

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Last Saturday, my cousin Love'e and her husband Gary came over to visit. We haven't had pics of her holding Eli in a long time...so we got this great pic!

My cousins took my mom's dogs after she died 3 years ago. It was such a blessing for me. I didn't have to worry about them during that most difficult time of my life. But, their life situation has changed and it was time for my "baby brothers" to move in with us!

I'd like you to meet HARLEY:

and BUDDY:

Harley needs a forever home where he will be spoiled rotten. We hope we can find one for him soon.

Buddy is fitting in really well with our dogs, and we are thinking we might keep him around. We'll see.

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Eli has slept on his tummy, all night, for about two years. He now likes to go to sleep on his side...and I flip him over after he's in a deep sleep. Well, last night he decided to roll onto his back...and he stayed asleep!

My boy is growing up before my eyes, I tell ya!

For now, we can't leave him this way, because if he starts to stir, it will scare him...so not long after this picture was taken, I put him on his tummy.

Then at 1:45 am when I got up to give Eli his meds, his tummy was wet. G-tube/Extension malfunction of some kind. Haven't had that happen before. I had to change his layers on his bed, change his clothes, underpants, re-dress his stoma, and put a new guaze wrap on his belly. That last thing finally woke him up....luckily I was done...so I scooped him up and put him back in his bed, layed down with him and he went right back to sleep. Whew. Poor guy. I hate it when that stuff happens.

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Today, he looked particularly fabulous while long sitting with Tina (his caregiver/therapist).

Of course, I had to grab the camera!

Have a great week everyone! We are starting our countdown to Eli's 4th birthday!

6 MORE DAYS!

Cuckoo For Canteloupe

Zeke is hanging in there. Still eating, drinking, pottying, walking, sleeping, and loving.

Can't put him down when he's just a little old and slow!! Right?

Is it the canned cat food? Is it the cat nip?

I don't know....but I can tell you this.....

ZEKE IS CUCKOO FOR CANTELOUPE!

Life In General

It's been a tough week around here. Both Lonnie and I have been sorting through our emotions regarding his job loss. And to top it off, Lonnie's cat Zeke is not doing well. He's had him for about 12 years...and he has kidney failure. Zeke will get his own special post later this week :)
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Lately, Eli has reverted back to his winter sleep habit of waking up in the 4 o'clock hour! Really. It's not my favorite thing. Like clockwork, he starts stirring every morning at about 4:10. It's obviously his sleep rhythym cycle is ending. Sometimes I turn his pump off, to try and get another half hour of sleep out of him, but today, I decided to just turn his pump down to a slower rate, and he ended up sleeping until 6:15 am! More food and more sleep. Bonus!! Of course, I woke up at 5:52 with a start! Thinking, "what time is it? why is Eli still asleep? Shoot, he needs his Ativan!"

So, I got up and this is what I found:

Now to the untrained eye, this is just a picture of a kid sleeping in a bed. To us, this is the sign of a kid learning to move his own body into comfy sleeping positions! These pictures have more to them than meets the eye!

• He started out with his head about a foot higher than it is here.
• His pajamas pants are now shorts, because of the skooching down!
• He LOVES to kick his covers off so his little feet are out!
• Just a few months ago, he learned to get his arms down by his side! So cool!
• This isn't new, but for some reason he likes to sleep with his head almost face down. I turn it whenever I check on him, but he always goes back to the "suffocation pose". Not my personal favorite!

(FYI: He sleeps on lots of layers, including a hospital pad, just in case there is a problem with is feeding line....if it ends up leaking, we don't have to change all his bedding. Just the top layers! Shoot - I could do a whole post about those mishaps. Ugh. Not fun to wake up in the middle of the night and your poor baby is drenched in formula. Worst part is, it was usually MY fault because I was so stink'n tired I left a port open or something! Bad memories!)

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Next is our Peanut boy. So cute tucked in the [spider infested, no doubt] bushes on the side of the house. Lon found him and took this picture:

Today, I was trying to get a good closeup of my sweet cat Piper, but ended up getting a great one of Peanut!

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NOW THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL A "HEAD" OF LETTUCE!

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The huge dandelion finally bloomed in our yard, and I was able to get some of these cool shots. I've seen other photographers take them and just loved 'em - so was anxious to get some of my own - now that I know how to use the macro feature on my camera!

Last week, Lon and I were able to go on a date using some movie money I got for Christmas. We went to see My Sister's Keeper. I liked it. It's a total chick flick! If you are in need of a good sinus clean-out go see it. The critics dogged it. It's totally heart-wrenching and very dramatic. Lon thought it was way over the top. To a man it probably was.

But, as the mom of a special needs kid, I saw things in it that the average movie-goer probably doesn't catch in the same way. I don't want to tell you stuff, in case you want to see it. But, I do have to give kuddo's to Cameron Diaz. She's never been my favorite actress or anything, but she did an awesome job in this show as the mom. I can't get the final scene out of my head. Totally worth the $6 matinee price!

Hillbilly Valley Parade

After moving into our house last August, Lonnie and I realized we'd moved to what we now affectionately call: "Hillbilly Valley".

Why you might ask?

Oh, could it be that one neighbor raises wolf-dogs that bark/howl all night and sound like they are eating live animals?

Or maybe all the school busses parked on the hill behind us? It's in the middle of the pic!

(click on the picture to make it larger)

Oooh...how about the neighbor who lets his goat run around the neighborhood?

No, I've got it...maybe it's the fact that most people out here have garages built, that end up bigger than their mobile homes they live in!!

LOL!

Lon and I joined in the fun yesterday.

Wednesday is garbage day. We have a very long driveway, so Lonnie puts the trash can in the little trailer we haul behind a four-wheeler. We have to have our can down at the road by 6 am!!

So, I hear Lonnie come back in the house and say, "I need your help. I need you to steer the four-wheeler back up to the house while I tow it. It died."

I said, "Ok, I'll be right out." So, I start walking down to the end of the driveway, expecting Lonnie to bring the truck down. When all the sudden I hear the lawn mower start up!!

Seriously.

So, here comes Lon on the mower....mowing a path down the side of the driveway while he's at it, no less. He comes down and hooks up to my four-wheeler....WHICH IS HAULING A LITTLE RED TRAILER, REMEMBER.....and we slowly head back up our driveway:



OMIGOSH!! I'd give anything for a picture of that. I cracked up the whole way back to the house! It was our own "Hillbilly Valley Parade" I tell ya! I was looking around for someone to wave my 'princess wave' to! (elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist)

Enjoy some more pics of our neck of the hills:

The neighbors friendly, and lonely, Llama.

My sweet Sam dog giving kisses!

Mr. Llama....hamming it up! :)

Sunshine, Swings, Doggy Love, and Easter Giraffes!?

Mr. Sun finally decided to warm up our valley - and it's currently 70 degrees!

I'm wearing shorts and loving it!

Eli is not wearing pants....and [I hope] loving it.

When Lon came home for lunch today, he took Eli outside to

check out our new swing!

(It was a house warming gift from my step-dad)

Then they sat in the grass. 

 I immediately hollered, "you can't sit in the grass with Eli, the dogs will lick him like crazy!"

Before I could finish the sentence, Sam and Lou Lou were on duty!

Doesn't this look like fun?  LOL!

It is so beautiful out today.  I'm getting ready to take Eli out again.

We have the house windows open, doors open, and

I'm in heaven!  Spring is my favorite season and 70 suits me fine!

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Who would ever think you get a GIRAFFE in an Easter Basket at the store!?

Woo Hoo!  I was so excited!  Thanks Animal Planet!

Now, can you find a new manufacturer?  I don't like buying Chinese products....

I've gotta get serious about my boycott!  It will save us a lot of money...

because there will be NOTHING to buy!

But for today, I am thankful for the cute little giraffe puppet

 to add to Eli's collection.  He now has 26 giraffes!

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Peanut is getting a little too comfy on Eli's blanket lately!  Sheesh!

H A P P Y    S P R I N G    E V E R Y O N E !!!

I {heart} Faces

I Love Blogging.

I Love Taking Pictures.

So, when I found out about a blog that features a weekly contest of pictures of FACES in different categories, I just had to join in!
 

In the Category of "I LOVE KIDS: POUTING FACE", I give you Eli:

I call this picture "Tearjerker" in my scrapbook!

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And in the category of "PETS:  ANYTHING GOES", I give you Sam "the licker":

Visit:  http://iheartfaces.blogspot.com/ if you want to participate!

Wordless Wednesday - Cat Nap

My darling little cat Piper, snuggling up with the boys for an afternoon snoozle!

Puppy Love

Ok - they're not puppies anymore, but I couldn't resist

snapping up some pictures when I saw

Sam and Lou Lou snuggling yesterday!

Who's ready for Spring???  I AM, I AM!!!

This crazy snowy weather can go away now!

I'm ready for S U N S H I N E ! !

Doesn't a nap in the shade sound good?

(Tigger loves to lay like this!)

Bailey Kazoo

She's a papered Seal Linx Point Himalayan Persian.

This is Bailey.   

Her papered name was Kazoo - so we call her Bailey Kazoo...or BK....or Bales...or Belly Button...

She was an inside cat for 12 years!

Last summer when we moved, we decided to let her outside...and she loves it!!!

She loves exploring in the trees, pooping in the grass, laying in the sunshine :)

and running!!  I love to see her enjoying the outdoors.

We desperately would love to find a new home for her though. 

She is a very social cat, not a lap cat!, but she'll follow you everywhere...because she just wants to be by you.  We just can't let her in the house anymore.  She got very jealous after we had other cats in the house, and she starting going potty in the house :(

She really needs to be the only animal in the house. 

Do you know anyone who could love on this beauty for her last years?

My Baby and Me, a Cute Little Octopus, and Dog named Cliffy

I've ended up making it a tradition for Eli and I to have a little "self-portrait" photo shoot together on Valentine's Day.  Since we don't really get our picture taken together unless I take it...it's special to me to have them each year to look back on, compare, and reflect. 

Can you believe I don't have a single picture of us on a Mother's Day!?  Hello!!

Each time a do a photo shoot, I probably take at least 20 pictures....in hopes of one or two "good" ones.

WELL, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS:

Seriously, folks.  Could he be a model, or what?

This is one little handsome dude God created right here!

(But, why does the camera have to not focus on such an amazing shot, though?  Grrrrr!!!)

Hugs and Giggles.  Who could ask for more?

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When introducing a new toy to Eli's World, we usually play with it just a little at a time and let him get used to it slowly.  He's never liked a toy the day we brought it home!  Then we place it on his blanket...so he can see it often....and roll over to touch it if he chooses.  We bought the Octopus for him in October.  Just this month he's decided to start grabbing onto one of his legs....and just hang out with it. :)  Is that cute or what?
Eli doesn't usually hold on to anything longer than a second or two.....but with Mr. O - he'll lay there like this for a few minutes!  It's a pretty cool toy.  If you press the top of his head he plays songs....and then each leg is a piano key.  Hopefully Eli will get strong enough to squeeze the leg and hear the sound it makes!

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And then there's Cliffy.

If you'd like to adopt him he's available through Wags to Riches Animal Rescue.

Physical Therapy Fun

Last week in PT, Laura and Eli sat in the ball pit and played.

This is a swing, believe it or not.

It's a large platform base with an innertube on it.

There's a boppy and a seat base in the middle,

which is then covered with a sheet.

Eli LOVES swinging in this.  The faster the better!

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Any idea why our cat "Little Girl" (I DID NOT name her!)

likes to sit on this tote and face the corner?

What a weirdo!

Goodbye Sweet Nellie Girl

If you had ever been to our house...you met Nellie!

She was the friendliest little welcome wagon around!

She loved to attack any shoes left by the front door!

She had a lot of medical issues over the years...I shudder to think how much money we spent...but if you knew her...you would have loved her enough to do it all, too!

She showed up at our house in September 2003.  Just as our rescued kittens Peanut and Emmett were ready to come out of the rescue room....uh...I mean bathroom!

She was the best surrogate Momma to them!

She immediately took them under her care, giving them baths and loving on them.

I'm gonna miss her so much.

She had been acting lethargic the last few days, and Wednesday afternoon we decided we'd take her to the vet on Thursday.  By evening, she was in the box we have on a table by the front door...struggling for each breath. We called the vet, and he met us afterhours.  He thought she was severely anemic.  He put her on oxygen, which calmed her breathing a little, and they drew blood.  Then they put her in an incubator to keep her warm and on oxygen.  He said he'd do x-rays next.  I decided to go home and wait for him to call with the results.  His call 20 minutes later said she had a massive tumor pushing the air out of her lungs, and filling her chest with blood.  I said, "I'll be right there...don't put her down til I get there."

When I got there 10 minutes later...she was already gone...

my heart is broken.