Well, the pregnancy has kicked in. I am tired and very behind on my blogging duties! I've had a partial draft of the blog below for about 10 days. I have pictures to go with it, but I don't have the energy to upload them right now. Could be because I've been in a training class for two days solid and have no 'brain' energy left, but easier to blame on the pregnancy! :) The pics will follow, soon.
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Before we moved to Miami, a good friend told me to make sure we took advantage of the move and experienced all that we could while here. I try to keep that in my mind all the time. We love it here, but I can't imagine living here forever. So, becuase of that, I'm going to do my darndest to make the most of it!
We've had both grandmothers here over the past month, which has been awesome! We love having visitors and Olivia loves being spoiled!! It also gives Kyle and I a chance to get away for a few date nights, which happens much less than it did when we lived 5 miles from Gogi's and Olivia had her own bedroom at her house. So, they are treasured.
As for the rest of the weekends, for not knowing many people, we seem to have a lot going on!! If we do stuff with people, it's one of two families for the most part. I love hanging out with the Herman's. They are the ones we met when we were house hunting this summer and now live two blocks away. They are 'southern' people and we really get along great! Barry loves to cook and is always trying new things. He's a great cook! And, when they come over to our house, I get to pull out all the new recipes I've been wanting to try and use him as my guinea pig! It works out great! Dana and Kyle get to reap the benefits! Perfect.
We've also been 'festival' happy lately. I guess when it's 75 and sunny all the time, you can plan things all year round. A month ago we went to this big Arts Festival down in Coconut Grove. I think I already wrote about this (see note above), so I'll stop there. We have this amazing park by our house. It's H.U.G.E. It has a big park, a river, a hike and bike trail, volleyball courts, circuit training, etc. A few weekends ago, they had this community picnic. There were a dozen gigantic blow up slides for the kids, cotton candy, hot dogs, BBQ, snow cones, music, arts & crafts, etc. And, it was all FREE. We couldn't believe it. We went with Dana, her kids and Harper (Olivia's backyard friend). Everyone had a blast.
The next day, we went down to this Carnivale festival. Hard to explain. It's called Calle Ocho (8th Street in Spanish), although it's on this place called the Miracle Mile. Turns out it's the prelude festival for the real one in Miami's 'Havana'. Tons of Cuban music, food, arts, etc. We decided to bring Eddie. Good place to get a walk in for your dog, right? Apparently not with a vizsla. Everyone. And, I mean everyone, stopped us to ask what he was, if they could pet him, etc. We couldn't walk two feet without getting stopped. Poor guy was so exhausted by the time we left, we had to carry him. Then, he got sick in the car on the way home. Think it was all the man-handling he had to suffer through!
This weekend is the start of Olivia's spring break and we're heading over to Marco Island. Staying on the beach in a hotel. Olivia needs nothing else to get excited! She can't wait. Kyle and I are pretty excited too. Will be nice to get away, even if only for a few days.
Then, in a few weeks, Kyle and I get to get away for a few days. I have a trip in Seattle, so we're heading out the weekend ahead of time. The great part is that we have to connect through Dallas, so Olivia's coming with us on the first leg and staying at Gogi's for 5 days. This will be a great time for all!!
Come visit!! We love visitors!
05 March 2010
Genes Can Look Very Different...and be very underappreciated!
And no, I don't mean the kind you wear. Not a play on words above.
My mom came to visit this past week and I had a startling revelation. One that is very black and white and gives me pause to think about my own child(ren).
My mom was a teacher by trade all of her entire adult life. I say 'by trade' and 'adult life' for two reasons. First, the majority of her career was spent teaching kindergarten, but in addition to that, she taught numerous other ages and studies (science, preschool, summer camps, etc). And, although she technically retired almost 10 years ago, she has never walked away from the field. It is in her blood.
From a very early age, I knew that I would not be a teacher. My high school drill team instructor even stood up at the Senior banquet and said something about my business tendencies as she introduced me. It was evident then that this was my field. I recently found my high school yearbook and in the line where it says 'In 10 years I will be....'. Mine doesn't say 'Married with kids', mine says 'practicing international business.'
But, now I have kids and I wish that I had even an ounce and I do mean an ounce of those skills. They are key to raising kids. They are very important in my child's development, not to mention 'fun' in the process. I get it. I know that at this age, I need to be working on Olivia's letters, small words, etc. But, I don't create fun with it like my mom does. Kids gravitate to her. Kids want to learn when they're around her. She gets on their level. Olivia had off from preschool on Monday and she and Harper (the 5yr old next door) spent the whole day with my mom. Doing. Fun. Stuff. Harper said it was the best day of her life. I don't think any kid has or ever will say that about me. My mom shipped a whole box of 'fun' (arts and crafts) down to Miami so it would be here when she arrived and could create all these fun activities for Olivia and her friends. I really don't think Olivia could ask for a cooler grandma.
How could I come directly from my mother's womb and lack this very important gene? It was not passed on to me at all. I want a piece of it.
I then start to think too....if my mom was a teacher and I'm a business person....what will Olivia be when she's older? If I had to guess right now, it would be a Hannah Montana impersonator.
My mom came to visit this past week and I had a startling revelation. One that is very black and white and gives me pause to think about my own child(ren).
My mom was a teacher by trade all of her entire adult life. I say 'by trade' and 'adult life' for two reasons. First, the majority of her career was spent teaching kindergarten, but in addition to that, she taught numerous other ages and studies (science, preschool, summer camps, etc). And, although she technically retired almost 10 years ago, she has never walked away from the field. It is in her blood.
From a very early age, I knew that I would not be a teacher. My high school drill team instructor even stood up at the Senior banquet and said something about my business tendencies as she introduced me. It was evident then that this was my field. I recently found my high school yearbook and in the line where it says 'In 10 years I will be....'. Mine doesn't say 'Married with kids', mine says 'practicing international business.'
But, now I have kids and I wish that I had even an ounce and I do mean an ounce of those skills. They are key to raising kids. They are very important in my child's development, not to mention 'fun' in the process. I get it. I know that at this age, I need to be working on Olivia's letters, small words, etc. But, I don't create fun with it like my mom does. Kids gravitate to her. Kids want to learn when they're around her. She gets on their level. Olivia had off from preschool on Monday and she and Harper (the 5yr old next door) spent the whole day with my mom. Doing. Fun. Stuff. Harper said it was the best day of her life. I don't think any kid has or ever will say that about me. My mom shipped a whole box of 'fun' (arts and crafts) down to Miami so it would be here when she arrived and could create all these fun activities for Olivia and her friends. I really don't think Olivia could ask for a cooler grandma.
How could I come directly from my mother's womb and lack this very important gene? It was not passed on to me at all. I want a piece of it.
I then start to think too....if my mom was a teacher and I'm a business person....what will Olivia be when she's older? If I had to guess right now, it would be a Hannah Montana impersonator.
01 March 2010
And They Said We Should Name Him 'Bad Decision'
Nope. Not talking about the baby that will introduce him/her self in Sept. I'm talking about this adorable little guy. Kyle received a text from a friend who will remain nameless, (hint... rhymes with 'Sal') that suggested we give this little guy that name!! 
Isn't this the cutest thing you've ever seen?
Meet Eddie. He is 10 weeks old this week. I actually think he was born Christmas Eve, but I can't remember at the moment.
How in the world did we end up with yet our 3rd Vizsla after my lengthy post a month ago about us not knowing what to do about a dog, you ask? So, here's the funny story. Funny to us at least. A few weekends ago, we went to the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Very cool. If anyone is familiar with the area, Coconut Grove is like the Austin of Miami. A little bit hippie, little bit college town, and quite eclectic. We love it. This Arts Festival is a huge event lasting over 3 days, right on the water. Probably even a little bit more fun when you can partake in adult beverages, but still very cool. We went down and hung out for the day. Didn't buy any art, but did see a lot of dogs walking around with owners throughout the event. As we were leaving, Kyle turned to me out of the blue and said 'Seeing all these dogs makes me think I'm ready again for one.' Music to my ears!! As one not to sit around and wait for things to happen, I took Kyle, his mom and Olivia to Petsmart the following day when they have 'adoption day' from nearby shelters. My chance to strike while the iron's hot!
We saw a few we liked, but none that we really got excited about. There was even one there that was part-Chow and looked a lot like Jackie. Kyle liked him, but we found out he's not good with other dogs. Not ideal seeing as how our neighbors pet sit with their dog when we go out of town. So, we left and drove to lunch. On our way, Kyle spotted a man coming up on the hike and bike trail beside us. We pulled over to watch, like crazy people. We even got excited. Even Olivia. The guy was riding his bike with his vizsla running right beside him. I'm sure he called 9-1-1 after as we were sitting on the shoulder of the road with all our head's out the window! And, we knew. We knew without saying that we just really fell in love with this particular breed and wouldn't be happy unless we had a vizsla.
So, we went on to lunch. On the way, Kyle and I came to the decision that we would just wait until the time was right to get a vizsla. For a number of reasons. It could be 3 years down the road and we were both ok with that decision.
Tuesday, I'm on the plane heading to Aruba. When I go to the islands I turn off my personal phone until I get back because I get ridiculous roaming charges. Right as I'm getting ready to turn it off, my phone rings with a number I don't recognize. For some reason, I answered (not my normal protocol). It was a breeder I'd emailed a month ago with no response. She had one male pup left (the sex we wanted) and although she lived in the central part of FL, she would be in Miami Thursday for a Dr's appt and could bring him down. Her price was 2/3 of the other quotes we'd gotten and we needed to make a decision by that night.
Obviously, you can tell what our answer was in this situation. And, we LOVE him. He's already an awesome dog and overnight, Olivia has a new best friend. We all do really. But, these two are inseperable. Even though he's a tiny puppy, he picked up right where Sam left off. He goes in with us at night for bedtime stories and stays in there until about 9pm or so. Kyle couldn't find him the other day while Olivia was at school. After searching the house, he found Eddie curled up in a ball on a chair in Olivia's room.
And, this is what he does when he's not getting into trouble.
So, although many of our friends think we're crazy (which is probably true) for getting another vizsla, we are quite thrilled!
16 February 2010
Just When You're Getting Settled......
Things change. I could beat around the bush, play coy or try to give everyone some riddle to figure out. But, I’m not feeling that creative at this moment.
So…….the Lane family is expanding!! Yes, it is official. Baby Lane will arrive sometime around Sept 4th, 2010!! The first Miami-born resident for the Dickinson/Lane family.
How does Olivia feel about this, you ask? Hmmm…..confused, excited, nervous, not-excited, happy…I guess it depends on her mood when you ask. For years, Olivia has been asking (and praying) for a baby in the family. Now that reality is setting in or she’s learning that life as the sole attention-receiver is not all that bad, she’s a little uneasy about this change. Of course, I know she will be both thrilled when the baby is born and ready to send him/her back from time to time!
She’s also dying to know if she’s going to get a baby sister. For those that suffered through the ‘not knowing’ period with us the last time, we have decided again to be surprised and not find out what we’re having. I know…believe me. I can hear it already. Julie’s already expressed her dislike with this decision. :) As much as I like to ‘plan’, I like to test my creative/patience skills more by trying to find that one cute unisex nursery bedding that exists out there! Olivia survived just fine with a green room. Hard to believe.
Outside of this life-changing event, all is good. As Kyle reminded me the other day, going through the summer months in Miami 8 months pregnant will be very pleasant! Ha!! I cannot wait. I think we might relocate to Idaho just for the summer. Stay tuned.
One of the funny things in all this is that my new Dr is our realtor’s son. I don’t know why it makes me laugh, but it just does. My mom said it reminds her of a commune of sorts. I remember talking to our realtor (Mari) about a house the day she was at her son’s graduation from medical school. His name is Dr Roca and he was named ‘Dr McDreamy’ from his medical school (for those Grey’s watchers) and he ended up getting into a practice rather close to our house, so I figured I should just put trust in the whole family. After all, Mari stuck by us like glue for a painful 6 months/300 home tours until we found our house! Kyle and I both really like him and he’s put up with my rather frequent visits in the first trimester, which has been very reassuring.
So, we’ll enjoy the next 6 months of calmness before the mayhem breaks out! Come visit while it’s safe.
So…….the Lane family is expanding!! Yes, it is official. Baby Lane will arrive sometime around Sept 4th, 2010!! The first Miami-born resident for the Dickinson/Lane family.
How does Olivia feel about this, you ask? Hmmm…..confused, excited, nervous, not-excited, happy…I guess it depends on her mood when you ask. For years, Olivia has been asking (and praying) for a baby in the family. Now that reality is setting in or she’s learning that life as the sole attention-receiver is not all that bad, she’s a little uneasy about this change. Of course, I know she will be both thrilled when the baby is born and ready to send him/her back from time to time!
She’s also dying to know if she’s going to get a baby sister. For those that suffered through the ‘not knowing’ period with us the last time, we have decided again to be surprised and not find out what we’re having. I know…believe me. I can hear it already. Julie’s already expressed her dislike with this decision. :) As much as I like to ‘plan’, I like to test my creative/patience skills more by trying to find that one cute unisex nursery bedding that exists out there! Olivia survived just fine with a green room. Hard to believe.
Outside of this life-changing event, all is good. As Kyle reminded me the other day, going through the summer months in Miami 8 months pregnant will be very pleasant! Ha!! I cannot wait. I think we might relocate to Idaho just for the summer. Stay tuned.
One of the funny things in all this is that my new Dr is our realtor’s son. I don’t know why it makes me laugh, but it just does. My mom said it reminds her of a commune of sorts. I remember talking to our realtor (Mari) about a house the day she was at her son’s graduation from medical school. His name is Dr Roca and he was named ‘Dr McDreamy’ from his medical school (for those Grey’s watchers) and he ended up getting into a practice rather close to our house, so I figured I should just put trust in the whole family. After all, Mari stuck by us like glue for a painful 6 months/300 home tours until we found our house! Kyle and I both really like him and he’s put up with my rather frequent visits in the first trimester, which has been very reassuring.
So, we’ll enjoy the next 6 months of calmness before the mayhem breaks out! Come visit while it’s safe.
10 February 2010
Can't Stop the Faucet....
Now that I talked about all the randomness coming back to my mind, I can't stop. Slight exaggeration, as there is really nothing that exciting going on in our lives. But, if you know me, my mind does not rest easy.
Anyways, I'm here today to talk about the weather. Not an exciting subject, really. I once heard someone say that the weather and children were the lowest common demoninators. Which means, if you are at a lack of words or small talk, you mention one of these. Knowing this, I laugh to myself whenever I'm talking to someone and either subject comes up...thinking 'Hmm, I guess we are out of things to talk about.'
That, however, is not the case here. I just really need to follow up on an earlier discussion, pre-holiday. There were/are many things about Miami that take getting used to - the lack of the English language, the really, really bad driving practiced here, the traffic, the amount of people at the airport (fueled largely by the cruise ships coming in and out on a daily basis), the lack of Mexican restaurants, the fact that there are no good radio stations, etc. However, the one thing no one warned me about was the weather. And, I'm not from up north. I've lived in HOT places. Arizona and Texas to be exact. For a long time.
But, when it was 85f and November here, I was more than a little homesick. In fact, I was ready to move the hell out of here. We had the warmest 'fall' ever. And, it was really humid. Not a good combo. I was quite sad when all my friends in TX got a snow day before the holidays. That never happens in TX. It was absolutely wonderful to be in NYC in early Dec with cold and snow and then to be in TX for Christmas with cold and snow AGAIN. It was beautiful. It made the holiday.
That has all changed. I now LOVE Miami. I think Jan/Feb in Miami is quite possibly one of the best places to be in the world. If I were a snowbird, I wouldn't come a day before Jan 1st, but I sure as heck understand now why they are here.
Look at these two pictures. The one on top is the weather across the nation as of TODAY. The bottom picture was the one I posted before the holidays.
I've learned this about myself in my blogging diary. I need winter/fall/cooler weather, but I'm sure glad I don't live in Minnesota. Three months later, the temperatures are just about the exact same everywhere. Only Miami has dropped 10 degrees. Back in Nov/Dec, everyone kept saying...'just wait until Jan-Mar, it's the most beautiful weather in the world.' I get it.
For all of our friends and family that need some warm weather and a beach....come visit!!! It's quite nice.
Anyways, I'm here today to talk about the weather. Not an exciting subject, really. I once heard someone say that the weather and children were the lowest common demoninators. Which means, if you are at a lack of words or small talk, you mention one of these. Knowing this, I laugh to myself whenever I'm talking to someone and either subject comes up...thinking 'Hmm, I guess we are out of things to talk about.'
That, however, is not the case here. I just really need to follow up on an earlier discussion, pre-holiday. There were/are many things about Miami that take getting used to - the lack of the English language, the really, really bad driving practiced here, the traffic, the amount of people at the airport (fueled largely by the cruise ships coming in and out on a daily basis), the lack of Mexican restaurants, the fact that there are no good radio stations, etc. However, the one thing no one warned me about was the weather. And, I'm not from up north. I've lived in HOT places. Arizona and Texas to be exact. For a long time.
But, when it was 85f and November here, I was more than a little homesick. In fact, I was ready to move the hell out of here. We had the warmest 'fall' ever. And, it was really humid. Not a good combo. I was quite sad when all my friends in TX got a snow day before the holidays. That never happens in TX. It was absolutely wonderful to be in NYC in early Dec with cold and snow and then to be in TX for Christmas with cold and snow AGAIN. It was beautiful. It made the holiday.
That has all changed. I now LOVE Miami. I think Jan/Feb in Miami is quite possibly one of the best places to be in the world. If I were a snowbird, I wouldn't come a day before Jan 1st, but I sure as heck understand now why they are here.
I've learned this about myself in my blogging diary. I need winter/fall/cooler weather, but I'm sure glad I don't live in Minnesota. Three months later, the temperatures are just about the exact same everywhere. Only Miami has dropped 10 degrees. Back in Nov/Dec, everyone kept saying...'just wait until Jan-Mar, it's the most beautiful weather in the world.' I get it.
While everyone else is bundled up, shoveling snow, staying indoors and suffering through blizzards, the Lane family is going to the park, riding our bikes outside, taking walks in the neighborhood at night, having BBQ's, and playing in the water park at the zoo.
Life is not bad afterall. It's in the 70's during the day and in the 50's at night. Amazing. And, the bluest skies imagineable. I'm learning to like this place.
Here was a surprising conversation with my husband on Saturday while we were watching Olivia play at the playground.
Me, "You know, I really miss the Tx hill country."
Kyle, "There is not a thing about Tx that I miss" (now imagine my jaw on the ground)
Me, "What, really, nothing at all?"
Kyle," Look at this place? Are you kidding me? There's nothing more perfect than this right now." (It was 70 and sunny).
Tough to argue with that one.
For all of our friends and family that need some warm weather and a beach....come visit!!! It's quite nice.
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Side note: Blogger made some good updates on the 'underside' of the blog. However, I just noticed that they took away the spell check function. I'm not quite sure what to do. I have mispelled words. If I have any from here on out, please accept my sincere apology!!!
09 February 2010
In the Blink of an Eye
Our little girl is growing up and I'm not quite ready for it.
I know that every other parent who has been here says the same thing. I'm just doing it for the first time. And, no one really prepared me for it. I would imagine it's similar to the first time you come home from the hospital with a newborn...no one really can prepare you. But, a heads up would've been appreciated!! :)
I think I need to move back to Dallas so I can attend Dinner Club on a regular basis (you're still meeting, right??) I seemed to get some good perspective on this subject. Now, I'm just flying blind and it's a little scary. Have I told anyone I miss my girlfriends??
Olivia is not even 4 1/2 yet. Isn't it a little too early for the independence 'bug' to be hitting? If you would've asked me a year ago for this phase, I probably would've screamed with joy. But, now that it's here, I want it to go away. I want the little girl back who cuddles up with me at night or in the morning and is just content with hanging out with her parents. I know, I know, this freedom is great. Sometimes.
See, the thing is we live in a 'real' neighborhood now. Yes, we lived in a full blown neighborhood before, but much to our surprise, it wasn't a close-knit community and there were zero kids Olivia's age. Zilch. Except the kid across the street who happened to be born into a home with crazy parents. He wasn't coming over. Now, we have kids everywhere and are involved in a school where the parents all know and like each other. It's the whole reason we liked the area. Olivia's two favorite friends are Harper and Ann Marie. Ann Marie lives two blocks over and is part of the family we met while house hunting. We love them. Hang out together a lot actually. Harper....well, Harper lives directly behind us. We like Harper's family a lot too, but we live REALLY close to them and the way our yard's back up, they know when we are coming and going. (Read between the lines here....we have little space). So, Harper and Olivia yell between the bushes to see if one or the other can come over the play. And, Harper is a package deal. These people live on an acre lot with a house 3 times the size of ours. But, for some reason, all three kids (ranging in age from 13-5) want to be at our house. Sometimes it's just Olivia and Harper, but often not. And, we're having to kick them out because ours is the youngest and can't always keep up late into the night with 'tweens'. Nor does she sleep til 10am like Spencer and Morgan!!
I digress....this scenario above is part of how/why my daughter is growing up so fast. It's like she suddenly has 3 brothers/sisters and wants to be with them ALL the time. Which is great. Sometimes. Kyle and I took Olivia to the zoo last Saturday so we could have a little family time. I've been traveling a little lately and really need some good quality time with her.
Olivia's remark half way through the day 'When are we going home so I can play with Harper?' Guess I'm chopped liver. Mom is no longer cool.
Here are some other things Olivia is doing that is evidence to me she's not my baby any more. Good part - these are 'bonuses' that come with age!....She gets ready for school on her own (except when we're debating about her definition of 'matching'), she cleans her plate and loads the dishwasher after meals. She sets the table for me. She is totally self-sufficient for snacks and drinks. She loves to help me cook. She entertains herself playing in the morning when she wakes up. She now 'reads' to me at bedtime. (You have to hear it, hilarious!)
I know I sound like a first time parent. I'm a rookie.
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Side note....still have not found the time to fix my Internet connection on our home laptop. Good thing Kyle and I each have our own. Problem, however, is that all my pictures and the software to upload the new ones on my camera are on the home computer. I swear I'll make the time soon. Guess if I were completely blocked from the outside world I would be in a bigger hurry. My itunes, however, is also only on this computer and I'm in desperate need of some new 'tunes', so I will get it done...soon! What fun is a blog if you can't see everyone, right?
I know that every other parent who has been here says the same thing. I'm just doing it for the first time. And, no one really prepared me for it. I would imagine it's similar to the first time you come home from the hospital with a newborn...no one really can prepare you. But, a heads up would've been appreciated!! :)
I think I need to move back to Dallas so I can attend Dinner Club on a regular basis (you're still meeting, right??) I seemed to get some good perspective on this subject. Now, I'm just flying blind and it's a little scary. Have I told anyone I miss my girlfriends??
Olivia is not even 4 1/2 yet. Isn't it a little too early for the independence 'bug' to be hitting? If you would've asked me a year ago for this phase, I probably would've screamed with joy. But, now that it's here, I want it to go away. I want the little girl back who cuddles up with me at night or in the morning and is just content with hanging out with her parents. I know, I know, this freedom is great. Sometimes.
See, the thing is we live in a 'real' neighborhood now. Yes, we lived in a full blown neighborhood before, but much to our surprise, it wasn't a close-knit community and there were zero kids Olivia's age. Zilch. Except the kid across the street who happened to be born into a home with crazy parents. He wasn't coming over. Now, we have kids everywhere and are involved in a school where the parents all know and like each other. It's the whole reason we liked the area. Olivia's two favorite friends are Harper and Ann Marie. Ann Marie lives two blocks over and is part of the family we met while house hunting. We love them. Hang out together a lot actually. Harper....well, Harper lives directly behind us. We like Harper's family a lot too, but we live REALLY close to them and the way our yard's back up, they know when we are coming and going. (Read between the lines here....we have little space). So, Harper and Olivia yell between the bushes to see if one or the other can come over the play. And, Harper is a package deal. These people live on an acre lot with a house 3 times the size of ours. But, for some reason, all three kids (ranging in age from 13-5) want to be at our house. Sometimes it's just Olivia and Harper, but often not. And, we're having to kick them out because ours is the youngest and can't always keep up late into the night with 'tweens'. Nor does she sleep til 10am like Spencer and Morgan!!
I digress....this scenario above is part of how/why my daughter is growing up so fast. It's like she suddenly has 3 brothers/sisters and wants to be with them ALL the time. Which is great. Sometimes. Kyle and I took Olivia to the zoo last Saturday so we could have a little family time. I've been traveling a little lately and really need some good quality time with her.
Olivia's remark half way through the day 'When are we going home so I can play with Harper?' Guess I'm chopped liver. Mom is no longer cool.
Here are some other things Olivia is doing that is evidence to me she's not my baby any more. Good part - these are 'bonuses' that come with age!....She gets ready for school on her own (except when we're debating about her definition of 'matching'), she cleans her plate and loads the dishwasher after meals. She sets the table for me. She is totally self-sufficient for snacks and drinks. She loves to help me cook. She entertains herself playing in the morning when she wakes up. She now 'reads' to me at bedtime. (You have to hear it, hilarious!)
I know I sound like a first time parent. I'm a rookie.
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Side note....still have not found the time to fix my Internet connection on our home laptop. Good thing Kyle and I each have our own. Problem, however, is that all my pictures and the software to upload the new ones on my camera are on the home computer. I swear I'll make the time soon. Guess if I were completely blocked from the outside world I would be in a bigger hurry. My itunes, however, is also only on this computer and I'm in desperate need of some new 'tunes', so I will get it done...soon! What fun is a blog if you can't see everyone, right?
07 February 2010
Complete Randomness....
Many times throughout the week, I think of things to blog about. And then, when I find the time to sit down at the computer and write, none of them come to mind.
Since I haven't written in awhile, these will be in no particular order.
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The 'dog' situation has become much more difficult than I expected. As hard as it was to put Sam down (despite not having a choice) I figured it would be a matter of weeks before we got a new puppy. I've always been a dog person. I couldn't even date a guy, much less marry one, who didn't love dogs. I always knew they'd be a part of my life. They always had been. We had a dog, Sam (although she was a girl named after Samantha the Witch), from before I can remember. We put her down I think when I was in Jr High. For the next few years, my sister and I would go to the pound, picking out what was the 'perfect' dog for our family. It took many dogs to get it right. And even then, I ended up getting it from a friend. Their dog had mated through the fence with another dog and one lonely puppy came out of the litter. My mom drove me over to pick him up and 'Scotty', despite how ugly/cute he was, he was the dog that became a part of our family.
I only lasted two years in college and was then given Jackie for my 21st birthday. Thankfully, Kyle acted like he loved Jackie even on our first date. So, given that I'm now 36 (for a few more months!), I've had 1-3 dogs of my own for the last 15 years. I don't know what to do without a dog in the house. Although I'm not the best at keeping up with my fair share of the 'dog care', it just doesn't seem right around here. Kyle, much to my surprise on the other hand, is thoroughly enjoying life without a dog. (See above about how I don't help out on the dog care). A life without scooping poop or worrying where you walk in the backyard is GREAT in his mind right now.
We both really miss Sam and I think that's part of the problem. He started out as kind of a pain-in-the-rear puppy. He was a lot more 'needy' than what melded into our house/lifestyle. But, in the few short months without Jake around, he turned into THE best dog anyone could ask for. The transformation was miraculous. He became everyone's buddy. He helped Kyle with the yard. Ran right next to him while he mowed - even in the front yard. He took turns sleeping in different kids' rooms over at our neighbors when they dog sat for us. He put Olivia to bed every night. I miss that little pain-in-our-rear.
So, in this search of 'to have a dog' or 'to not have a dog', we've been talking about what to do IF we get a dog. We always thought our next dog would come from the pound. I grew up with pound puppies/mutts. They live longer, a great plus seeing as our dogs lived shorter and shorter lives with each one. So, we went to Petsmart the other Saturday where they supposedly have 'adoption day' for shelter dogs. The whole time there, I just kept thinking they sure seemed like puppy mill dogs, not found-on-the-street dogs. Don't ask me why. There wasn't one that just felt right. I realize this might take time, but then it got us to thinking about vizsla's again.
We did some research. The more I researched them again (despite owning two and knowing very well the pro's and con's of a vizsla...), the more I just felt like this was our dog. We didn't need to search anymore, we just needed to find one. For those that knew our dogs, you can surely attest that there are many pain-in-the-rear attributes about a vizsla. As Drew Leakey would quote from a dog show 'this is one high energy bitch'. Referring clearly to the female version. I can't remember what you call a male, but we had that 'high energy' version!! Clearly! They remain puppies much past the medical definition. Vizsla's demand a lot of attention....and won't settle for anything less. They get into mischief. A lot! Especially if your name was Jake. But, on the other hand, they are the most loving dogs I've ever seen. They truly want to be a part of your family. Their temperament is never an issue. They are SMART dogs. Vizsla's want to be a lap dog as much as they want to be running in the biggest field you could ever find them. And, they are just plain adorable.
Have you seen anything cuter than this? I think what I love about the idea is that I know exactly what we're getting in to. I don't have to wait for the big surprise of what this dog is going to turn out to be in life.
And, Kyle is pretty much on board with getting another vizsla. So, what's the problem you ask? For starters, this breed has increased in popularity immensely since we first picked out Jake. 4x more popular!! I'm talking about the price. We got Jake and Sam for less about 1/3 of what it would cost us to get another vizsla (our breeder cut us a deal on Sam...go figure!). And, we now live in Florida, not Texas. This is not Kansas. Or, at least not 'hunting' territory. Despite the increased popularity of vizsla's, breeder's are still quite protective of the breed and they are rather difficult to find. The closest I've been able to find one is Pensacola, which is a 12 hour drive from Miami!! And, we still have to come to terms with the price issue. Which, honestly, just does not fit into our budget. The breeder's try to tell you to amortize it over the length of time you have the dog and then it comes out to nothing....do they realize ours did not make it past 9 and 7?? And, it doesn't include the cost to travel to pick up the dog.
So, I've taken all this dear time out of your day to tell you that we are back to square one. Kyle can't decide when he'll be ready to get another dog. Olivia and I are asking daily, but yet understanding that since I lack in the dog-care category, my vote is not a full vote. I've attempted to claim that I will be better in this area, but since we all now that is not realistic, I'm giving Kyle his time. Do we find some way to justify the expense of another vizsla or do we continue down the 'hunt' for a good pound puppy? How do you know what you're getting in a pound puppy? Are you playing with fire? My family included, I know too many people that have had to take pound puppies back because they were not a good fit for the family for one reason or another. Dear friends....we need advice!! Truly!
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Randomness Part II coming tomorrow.......the thoughts have come back, but I clearly took up way too much space with just one topic. I must learn the 'less is more' lesson.
Since I haven't written in awhile, these will be in no particular order.
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The 'dog' situation has become much more difficult than I expected. As hard as it was to put Sam down (despite not having a choice) I figured it would be a matter of weeks before we got a new puppy. I've always been a dog person. I couldn't even date a guy, much less marry one, who didn't love dogs. I always knew they'd be a part of my life. They always had been. We had a dog, Sam (although she was a girl named after Samantha the Witch), from before I can remember. We put her down I think when I was in Jr High. For the next few years, my sister and I would go to the pound, picking out what was the 'perfect' dog for our family. It took many dogs to get it right. And even then, I ended up getting it from a friend. Their dog had mated through the fence with another dog and one lonely puppy came out of the litter. My mom drove me over to pick him up and 'Scotty', despite how ugly/cute he was, he was the dog that became a part of our family.
I only lasted two years in college and was then given Jackie for my 21st birthday. Thankfully, Kyle acted like he loved Jackie even on our first date. So, given that I'm now 36 (for a few more months!), I've had 1-3 dogs of my own for the last 15 years. I don't know what to do without a dog in the house. Although I'm not the best at keeping up with my fair share of the 'dog care', it just doesn't seem right around here. Kyle, much to my surprise on the other hand, is thoroughly enjoying life without a dog. (See above about how I don't help out on the dog care). A life without scooping poop or worrying where you walk in the backyard is GREAT in his mind right now.
We both really miss Sam and I think that's part of the problem. He started out as kind of a pain-in-the-rear puppy. He was a lot more 'needy' than what melded into our house/lifestyle. But, in the few short months without Jake around, he turned into THE best dog anyone could ask for. The transformation was miraculous. He became everyone's buddy. He helped Kyle with the yard. Ran right next to him while he mowed - even in the front yard. He took turns sleeping in different kids' rooms over at our neighbors when they dog sat for us. He put Olivia to bed every night. I miss that little pain-in-our-rear.
So, in this search of 'to have a dog' or 'to not have a dog', we've been talking about what to do IF we get a dog. We always thought our next dog would come from the pound. I grew up with pound puppies/mutts. They live longer, a great plus seeing as our dogs lived shorter and shorter lives with each one. So, we went to Petsmart the other Saturday where they supposedly have 'adoption day' for shelter dogs. The whole time there, I just kept thinking they sure seemed like puppy mill dogs, not found-on-the-street dogs. Don't ask me why. There wasn't one that just felt right. I realize this might take time, but then it got us to thinking about vizsla's again.
We did some research. The more I researched them again (despite owning two and knowing very well the pro's and con's of a vizsla...), the more I just felt like this was our dog. We didn't need to search anymore, we just needed to find one. For those that knew our dogs, you can surely attest that there are many pain-in-the-rear attributes about a vizsla. As Drew Leakey would quote from a dog show 'this is one high energy bitch'. Referring clearly to the female version. I can't remember what you call a male, but we had that 'high energy' version!! Clearly! They remain puppies much past the medical definition. Vizsla's demand a lot of attention....and won't settle for anything less. They get into mischief. A lot! Especially if your name was Jake. But, on the other hand, they are the most loving dogs I've ever seen. They truly want to be a part of your family. Their temperament is never an issue. They are SMART dogs. Vizsla's want to be a lap dog as much as they want to be running in the biggest field you could ever find them. And, they are just plain adorable.
Have you seen anything cuter than this? I think what I love about the idea is that I know exactly what we're getting in to. I don't have to wait for the big surprise of what this dog is going to turn out to be in life.
And, Kyle is pretty much on board with getting another vizsla. So, what's the problem you ask? For starters, this breed has increased in popularity immensely since we first picked out Jake. 4x more popular!! I'm talking about the price. We got Jake and Sam for less about 1/3 of what it would cost us to get another vizsla (our breeder cut us a deal on Sam...go figure!). And, we now live in Florida, not Texas. This is not Kansas. Or, at least not 'hunting' territory. Despite the increased popularity of vizsla's, breeder's are still quite protective of the breed and they are rather difficult to find. The closest I've been able to find one is Pensacola, which is a 12 hour drive from Miami!! And, we still have to come to terms with the price issue. Which, honestly, just does not fit into our budget. The breeder's try to tell you to amortize it over the length of time you have the dog and then it comes out to nothing....do they realize ours did not make it past 9 and 7?? And, it doesn't include the cost to travel to pick up the dog.
So, I've taken all this dear time out of your day to tell you that we are back to square one. Kyle can't decide when he'll be ready to get another dog. Olivia and I are asking daily, but yet understanding that since I lack in the dog-care category, my vote is not a full vote. I've attempted to claim that I will be better in this area, but since we all now that is not realistic, I'm giving Kyle his time. Do we find some way to justify the expense of another vizsla or do we continue down the 'hunt' for a good pound puppy? How do you know what you're getting in a pound puppy? Are you playing with fire? My family included, I know too many people that have had to take pound puppies back because they were not a good fit for the family for one reason or another. Dear friends....we need advice!! Truly!
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Randomness Part II coming tomorrow.......the thoughts have come back, but I clearly took up way too much space with just one topic. I must learn the 'less is more' lesson.
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