An Adventurous Ride Home

So, on May 15 we all hopped into the car and drove 1.5 hours to Three Springs, PA (in the middle of nowhere...and you know if I say that, it really is). About 2 miles away I started getting super cranky. It only got worse as we pulled into the place. We both will admit we were turned off by the whole "breeder scenario;" with lots of dogs with lots of puppies in large fenced kennels. It was hot and loud in the metal building and Julsie and I spent the next 1/2 hour waiting outside.
We finally are ready to take her home and John decides she will not fit into the small kennel we brought to hold her while in the car. [At this point, I already wanted nothing to do with her - still feeling like I was cheating on Si and dreading more responsibilities in my life.] Then John says, "you're going to have to hold her." "An hour and a half? " I say. Now, I don't know why I didn't offer to drive because right then and there I knew with everything in me, "She's going to pee on me. I know it. She's going to pee on me." ..... I was wrong.

She was super calm just lying in my arms for the first 45 minutes; just a little angel. She starts loosening up (I think) and starts exploring around the car. Next, she is almost frantically moving around the car. John mentions that she probably needs to pee and I say, "I just smelled her toot." "You did?" "I did." And then it happened, 1, 2, 3 small explosions directly in my lap ... all over my shirt, my pants, my seatbelt. John whips the car off the side of the road, comes to my door, gets her and takes her in the grass. Calmly, I get out, carefully take my shirt off, roll it in a ball and toss it over the side of the hill. On the side of the turnpike, in my bra and jeans, I begin to clean myself and my seat with my ever-present cache of baby wipes. When a passing truck stops to check on me, John realizes my state-of-attire and gives me his shirt. As we pull in to pay our toll with a shirt-less John, two babies in the back seat, me holding a loose puppy and the lovely aroma of baby wipes mingled with "eau d' doo-doo" we can only imagine the thoughts of the toll booth operator.

Meet Jasmine

Yes, we're crazy..... Well at least ONE of us is. Meet our newest addition: Jasmine. (Guess who named her.) We've had her for 10 days now and I'm finally getting around to blogging about her..... Let's just say I wasn't too thrilled about getting another dog. I mean, with two small children!?!? Think of the house training, poor Jules learning to walk with a puppy pouncing, and the inevitable swapping of toys (and hence spit) between the dog and children. Oh lordy, its enough to make me cringe. And it may be selfish, but I was getting used to not having to vaccum every day.

But I'll be honest, from our first date I knew he would always have a dog and we got Si 7 weeks after the wedding. It's been 6 months since he passed and despite my trying to put it off, Toby could just not wait any longer. Like everything else in his life, Tob has thoroughly researched this decision. He spent countless hours on the internet and phone with shelters, breeders, and foster owners. He researched breeds and lines; considered age, trainability, hunting potential and especially demeanor towards children. And what did he come up with as the best possible dog? A good ol' black laborador retriever with both American (for hunting) and English (for looks) blood lines.

Little Tidbits

1. I got the nicest surprise in the mail yesterday. A Mother' Day card from a dear friend arrived totally unexpectedly. It was so sweet and really made my day. She doesn't even have kids! (cuz' other moms may be more apt to do something like that because they are probably more keenly aware of the typically thankless nature of the job [the job we wouldn't trade for the world]) Good friends are priceless.

2. We got Hershey Park season passes today for Nat and me. Luckily, another sweet friend was there with her 3 children and they held our hands (literally and figuratively) as we manuevered our first day at an amusement park. Nat started out being a little clingy and gripping her white stuffed puppy with all her might. By the end she was waving to me as she went by. A special thanks to our special helper, Meredith!

3. Speaking of riding, here is a pic of both of my little stinkers riding Nat's rocking horse. It was Julsie's first time and I think she loves it.

4. Here is a picture of Jules that daddy took. His caption: "Look mama, I can put things on my toes and drool at the same time. Oooh, I can multi-task."
Poor Julsie is getting MORE teeth. She had about 1 week of rest between her last cutting and this one. Luckily the break was the week we were on vaca. She has never drooled before... ever.... and now she can soak a shirt.

5. So our neighbors upstairs totally spoil our kids.... Easter baskets, birthday and Christmas presents and now new bike helmets! Either they really love my kids... or they think I'm a unfit parent not having a helmet for Nat last summer (she just has a trike and didn't pedal then. oops) Nat loves it and had to try it out right away; despite the drizzle.
6. "Wash your hair Julsie!" The other day I was washing Nat's hair and looked over to see Jules doing the washing motion to her own hair. Now, when we say it, she puts her hands to her head and "washes." Here they both are, washing away. Oh, and she can high-5 now too!
7. So we're at preschool on Friday and afterwards, Nat asked the host mom if Nat could play the piano (a real one.) Mom said yes, so I help her up on to the bench and she opens the book of sheet music (uh, duh mommy!) The other mom and I were talking when we stop to secretly listen to the concerto going on in the other room. Nat was "playing" the piano and singing "Twinkle Twinkle" and various songs along the lines of "La LaLaLa." Maybe the boldness was because I told her earlier that week, "Nat, we love to hear you sing, you sing so well." She said, "I sure do."

8. NO MORE MOVIES!!!!!!!! Well, not quite, but just one 'movie' (tv show) per day. We had always been so proud that she wasn't really interested in the TV, but as she grew, so did her love of "movies." After we came back from the beach daddy and I decided it was a good time to start fresh and get the TV watching under control. As Toby said, "we're the parents." It has been AMAZING. They both have been sleeping like logs and falling asleep fast, and Nat is so much more obedient and pays so much more attention to us. We have really had a good week and I feel like such a better and more competent mom. Try it!

Beach Bums

This was Julsie's first time at the beach! I think she liked it. She played in the sand and upon taking a big bite out of Nat's sand castle, quickly learned it wasn't for eating. She didn't get into the ocean because it was a little to chilly, but she loved "swimming" in the hot tub.

Nat, on the other hand, went out with daddy into the ocean, came back to mommy with teeth chattering and once she dried off, begged to go back in.

Like the girls' sunglasses? And check out the sand bucket.... a protein container. How appropriate.

When daddy asked Nat what her favorite part was, she said, "the ocean. I liked the pool too. What was your favorite part?" (right then I realized how grown up she's getting) Daddy said, "probably the ocean.... but the best part is being with my girls."

Wedding in Wilmington

Last weekend we went to Wrightsville Beach, NC for the wedding of one of John's college roomates, Tim, to a beautiful southern girl, Susan. We are really so happy for them. The reception was in an oceanfront restaurant and the ceremony was right on the beach. John was a groomsman and Nat was the flower girl. Everything was so nice. The food was great, the weather was perfect and the bride and groom were such gracious hosts all weekend. Nat just loves Tim (and I think the feeling is mutual)... but she played shy. Little stinker!
We made a little vacation of it, leaving here Friday morning and returning home Monday evening. It actually only took 8 hours to get to the southern tip of NC and only 4.5 hours to get to the VA/NC border. Depressing, but that's how long it takes to get to my parents house in Northwest PA!