Bella and I are Friends again!

SO IT HAS BEEN AWHILE FOLKS!!!

I am happy to report Bella and I both survived the turmoil of having a little one in the house again and though it has been rough going for us, she and I are now friends again. She was treating Paul as her adversary, nemesis, enemy incarnate - whatever you would describe it as. We have come to an understanding and it has been working well.

Bella is now five years old, fixed, less hormonal and bitchy and more open to accepting a toddler than an actual baby. They are starting to play together and working together to terrorize the household instead of just each other. I have seen a slow moving transition in Bella. She is finally coming around and accepting Paul as part of our family. At first she viewed him as a threat and something to be wary of. I was majorly concerned with her attitude towards me when I was pregnant but she is getting better day by day which in turn transferred to Paul as he started moving around and getting active. It has gotten much better and Bella has learned her place is a little below the tot and not equal to him.

We did go ahead and try about a year ago convincing Bella she is still important and part of the clan when we got her a subscription to Barkbox! She absolutely loves it. It is time to renew soon. She is to the point now, she hears the mail truck and gets as excited as she does when daddy comes home from work. She waits for the packages to be opened and sits there expectantly "OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY - IT IS HERE!" She is very disappointed when the box is from Zulily or Poshmark and is for mommy or the kiddos.

I swear she can tell the difference! Must be able to smell the goodies inside the Barkbox. When it is not for her, she walks away with her head down like she is depressed or something. Very sad to see. Brie always sets her up too. I guess that is the way of a 9 year old pre/pre-teen. "Let's get the dog all excited knowing she is going to be disappointed." 9 year old little girls have a very strange sense of humor! Going to have to keep my eye on that!!!

But back to Bella! She is as playful now as she was when she was a pup but the "No running in the house rule" really ticks her off. I figure I'd rather have a walking dog and a running toddler than a running dog and an endangered toddler.  That is just my thoughts and they are not popular with the dog or the hubby. Why don't men understand the difference between an unhappy dog and an injured child!!! Very frustrating. Bella has a few more rules than she used to. It is part of adapting to life with little ones all over again.

I think sometimes, she has a better grasp on it than the big guy in the house. Bella knows that she has to walk in the house, she can run in her yard but if she didn't take off out of the yard every chance she gets and try to kill other four-legged creatures of all shapes and sizes; she would have more room to run. She is supposed to walk in the house and take her treats and go lay down with them. She still goes on all of the furniture but no longer sleeps in our bed! Thanks be to the LORD!!!  I finally convinced Matthew that she is too big and I swear that dog kicks me in the back just so I will go sleep on the couch. When she was a pup, she would try kicking Matthew out of bed, but since I had Paul, I am the one with giant feet in my back pummeling me out of a sound sleep to get herself comfortable. Enough is enough! I used the excuse of the baby hanging out in bed with me watching TV and being afraid Bella would be snappy or step on him. It worked - she now sleeps downstairs on the couch. Trust me, I sleep on the couch often enough and it is one damn cozy couch!!! She should not be complaining!

Lately she's been spending more time with the baby - I did it again. He is 27 months old and I still call him "the baby". He is a big boy now and working on new things everyday. God forbid I try getting him to let go of the bottle though! He drinks perfectly fine out of a cup with no cover but if I try putting milk even in a sippy cup, it is the end of Paul's happy world! I am battling that one daily. Any ideas would be helpful - of course except the one to throw his bottles out the window driving down the road so he knows they are gone! I don't agree with that "all or nothing/all in/go big or go home" idea with toddlers and IT IS LITTERING! "Come on people - give me something I can work with."  We are also working on getting Mr. Paul to sleep in his own bed without either me or daddy. That is a challenge. Reason being, I cannot open the damn baby gate to get out of the room whereas Matthew works it just fine! Go figure. Paul falls asleep and daddy gets to go in our cozy bed 10 minutes later. I try getting out of the room and after 3 or 4 tries, I give up and sleep in the tot bed all night. My back is so adjusted to the little kid bed that when I finally get to sleep in my own bed once every couple of weeks, I can barely walk because my poor back is not used to my own damn mattress anymore! I think there is something in the way of KARMA here regarding the dog! She got sentenced to the couch and this is somehow the Cosmos punishing me for doing that to Queen B.

Odie well! So there you have it. Bella is getting back to normal, my back will never be the same again and the kiddos are getting along well with the Big Blue Dane.
Check back soon for another installment.
Have a wonderful day all!!!!

 

Gentle Giant

     Welcoming a little one into the home is a blessing and a challenge. I am now learning to baby-proof areas of the home I did not even think of. This little one does not have interest in putting his fingers into the sockets as some children try to do; thankfully. Instead Paul Matthew tries to pull the actual socket cover off of the wall. I have the protective coverings in place but his mission is beyond that. The other day I caught him trying to get his little fingers behind the cover itself and pull it from the wall! Oh my Goodness!!! My husband told me I have to tighten those up a little better so he cannot do so. Who would have expected an eight month old to be so inquisitive? Not this mom! I tightened up all of the socket covers around the play area and blocked the one he seems to have the most interest in. We will see how that goes. Paul is now climbing up on things, furniture surfing, crawling and practicing standing on his own holding onto something with only one hand. This all came in the same week mind you. We went from sitting up to trucking around the entire room in a matter of a few days. Mommy is trying to keep up. Things are a lot different when you are 44 years old versus 26! I do not believe I could be any happier though. 
 

Best Buddies

     Bella has a new set of challenges, unfortunately. Now that Paul is getting around so well, we have had to separate the two. It is no longer safe for Bella to be running around the house at her whim. She likes to run from the back door into the living room and circle to warm up. This is at a very high rate of speed. There is now a gate blocking her path. It is nice to see she has adapted to making a hairpin turn at the doorway to the front of the house. She makes that corner like a race car! She looks like a greyhound on a track. Her circles continue but they are behind the couch near the computer now so that Paul is safe from being trampled. I was just starting to relax a bit and let Bella come into the living room with the little  man but the other day she was not so careful and almost stepped on him so she is barricaded to the other side of the gate again when he is playing on the floor. Poor Bella! I know everyone feels bad for the dog but I cannot allow her to trample the baby! It is funny how smart this dog is. When Daddy is not home, the better part of the time with his job, she does not complain whatsoever about being barred from the living room. When he is home, she carries on like a spoiled brat whining and fussing to get Daddy to let her come in. He does give in sometimes but I kick her right back out. At those times, a fight ensues between me and the dog. She seems to think she can pit me and my husband against each other. She expects him to fully take her side. She will bark at me, growl at me and expect a new outcome besides being barricaded from the living room. 

    She especially likes to pull her Diva act when the baby is falling asleep. If he is in my lap having a bottle half asleep, Bella will come up to the back of the couch and rest her head next to mine and woof quietly in my ear. That is her way of saying "Okay Mom, the little one is falling asleep so let me come in when you put him in the playpen. Don't forget about me Mom." The only problem with this conversation is that it wakes up Paul. Once he sees her, he decides to try and get to her. He loves to play with Bella. I allow them to hang out when he is having meals because he is in his highchair and she is next to him. No trampling possible. If he is in his saucer or playpen, she is allowed to come in too. When he is napping she is allowed in the living room also. When he is on the floor it is a "No Bella Zone".

     Bella has decided it is her job to check on him when he is sleeping in his crib. She used to check on Brie in her room at night too. She will go into our room and try to lick Paul through the crib rails. When that does not work, she whines and tries to wake him up! I had to take her collar off when she is in the house because she will go shake in front of the crib knowing the jingle of her tags wakes him up every time. I do not need her deciding when the baby's nap is over or when it is time to wake up the entire house. I understand she loves Paul, as do the rest of us, but with her big clodhopper feet she could do some real damage. She is not aware of her size so she wants to play like a little dog would. I feel sorry for her sometimes but then something happens; I call them near misses and it makes me a vigilant parent again; overzealous some would say. She was on the couch the other night; I allowed her entry and Paul and I were on the floor playing. Bella decided to join in the fun. She put both big feet on the floor and I had to scoop the baby up as she went to smack me in the head as she does when she is playing. I moved him to shield him from her big feet as she dove right over us and spun around planting herself at my feet. She would have plowed right over him had I not thought quickly anticipating her next move. 

     She would never hurt the little one on purpose. I understand this but a tragedy could occur accidentally as much as intentionally. I love my dog, but again, have to protect the baby. I wish Bella understood her size is dangerous but I know that will never happen. The only thing I can do to keep everyone safe is to keep her separated from Paul while he is little. Once he is bigger, she can spend more time with him. I trust my dog immensely. I had reservations, but I see how much she loves him. She is a gentle giant but the giant part is what could get us in trouble. Bella will have to adjust to a baby as have the rest of us. I am still learning that things interest him that I would never have imagined; like the socket covers and my cellphone. Bella used to have a problem with me ignoring her when I was on my phone; even hid it from me outside one time but Paul wants to push all the buttons and look at the pictures. Between Brie, Bella and Paul I have to keep a really close watch on my phone...and the remote.

     For now, Bella will have to admire from afar. She can be a protector, love bug and guide from a distance. There will come a time when I am sure Bella, Paul and Brie will sit on the floor together reading a book, having a snack and watching TV.  The scenario now is for Bella to watch from the other side of the gate and give Paul a lick now and then to show him she loves him. He loves her too.  It is hard when he stands at the gate and cries for her and she is on the other side whining at him. It is picture perfect and heartbreaking at the same time. They will have plenty of time to be buddies in the future. This mom feels bad but is sure I am doing the right thing. Bella and Paul would not agree.     

That's My Girl

     I cannot get over how quickly time flies when you are a new mom!  Paul Matthew is going to be six months old on November 27th. I am amazed at how blessed our lives are.  Of course, there have been some challenges. When Paul was four days old we had to go into the hospital for jaundice. He was put in his own little tanning bed for 12 hours until all of the toxins were washed from his system. That was very scary but now he is doing great. He is a little tank and full of smiles and giggles for everyone. He lights up when daddy comes home, he has a special laugh for my mother-in-law; he truly cannot contain himself when he sees her. He just busts up into this adorable little belly laugh which brings tears to our eyes. Such joy emanates from this child. It would be wonderful if a bit of that joy were in every person in the World.  Our home is a very happy place. It always has been but since this little guy arrived, the laughs, smiles and giggles just keep coming.

     Bella was very put out at first and actually got herself into a bit of a bind. When Paul was about 3 weeks old, Bella was annoyed by his little noises infants make and decided to investigate a bit closer than I was happy with. The baby emitted a high pitched cry which set Bella off and she actually barked and growled about 4 inches from the little ones face. Needless to say, she ended up on her chain outside for a better part of the day. Over a month or so, she came around to love him as much as the rest of the family.  I think the initial sound hurt her ears and she was not sure if Paul was something to bite, chase or protect. She settled on protect which is a good thing for her sake.

     She was cautious getting too close to him because I won't allow it. I do not like when she tries to lick his face; but he giggles. The first time she did it, he let out a little cry and those big eyes were full of surprise. He was not sure what to make of this giant four legged creature but he has decided she is pretty cool. He enjoys touching her fur now. He sits on my lap and leans over to reach her if she is on the couch with us. He also tries to grab her tail if he is in his saucer when she is playing on the floor. It is very cute.

Bella's rules changed quite a bit since Paul got home and it took her some time to adapt but she is doing well. She is more calm in the house, does not run around in big circles in the living room unless he is sleeping in his crib for a nap upstairs and she does not get up on the couch near me anymore if he is with me. She sits on her blanket at the designated end of the couch. She seems okay with it. She has adopted the little one as another of her wards. She is as protective and caring with him as she is with Brie.

     Speaking of Brie, her and Paul are going to be quite the twosome! I can already see the wheels turning for Brianna.  She is so excited to have someone she can teach all sorts of things to. She reads to Paul and Bella pretty often. She tries to pick books that the baby will like. She goes for lots of color and big pictures with very few words. Bella enjoys it very much when Brianna reads to her. It is the most adorable thing to see a giant dog flopped out on the floor with her little girl sitting next to her rubbing her belly and reading her a story.

     What a life we have!!!  I cannot wait until Paul is toddling around after Bella and the rest of us.  Now Suzie is another story. She was trying to figure out what the baby was far longer than it took Bella to figure out. She chattered at him repeatedly in his first couple of months; like she was ready to pounce. She spent some time in her crate, needless to say. I think her thought process is changing since he has gotten much bigger and he can swat at her pretty accurately. She no longer sees him as prey but as a threat to avoid.  Once he starts booking around she will be hiding again, just like when Brianna was little. That cat came out to eat, drink and do her business. Other than that, she was hardly ever seen.  Sometimes I think people thought I was lying about even having a cat. That is how elusive she was when Brie was small. I think she is starting to see Paul in the same light.

     As for my other four legged child - she is doing great with the newest addition to our clan. Baby George and Lady Bella are going to be just fine regardless of how worried this old mama was at first. All is well and I think it will stay that way.

Bella has proven again that she is just a big loveable child herself and why I love her so much.

So Misunderstood

   OMGoodness! It was not a good start to the morning. Matthew was feeding the baby and planning to make Apples Washington for breakfast. I was going to head out to the Stop & Shop to pick up a few things.  When I was getting out of the shower, a very nervous husband carrying our infant came into the bathroom to tell me that there had been an accident with Bella and Brianna. The child was going to have quite a shiner. How do you think this mama bear reacted?  "That $%^&* dog! How did that happen? I told you I don't want her running around this house like a maniac and she only does it when you're home because you allow it. Now look what happened!"  Now mind you, I did not have all of the facts but assumed the dog was in the wrong instantly.

A little background if you are new to this page: Bella is a 100 pound three year old Great Dane "puppy". This dog is as hyper as anything you have ever seen when she gets excited and she only curbs it when Matthew is not home. Unfortunately, he does not buy into my idea that a 100 pound puppy needs to be in control around children at all times. He lets her be her natural dog self and I am always fearful something like this will happen. It is a major point of contention for us.

I finished getting ready and called Brie in to inspect her injury. Her eye is definitely going to be black and blue and her cheekbone looked pretty bad too. I called the emergency kids center in Rhode Island that we use. I was bound and determined to get her Xrays and prove to my husband, once and for all, the dog could not be "a dog" in the house!  Once I calmed down and got the whole story from the child and the teen who laughed when he witnessed this incident, I discovered the dog had not done anything wrong. I owed my husband an apology; well not a total apology because he did allow the dog to have her ball in the living room which I do not allow because of potential accidents. It was a simple issue of the dog and child playing on the floor when the dog dropped the ball and the child lunged for it. The dog lifted her head to get out of the way of the child and the child got hit in the face by the dog's retracting head.  Simple accident with a resulting shiner and bruised cheek.

It is difficult to blame the dog in this instance. Bella and Brie were being themselves. They were doing what a child and her dog do -- PLAY!!!  Bella was not being rough or aggressive, she was simply enjoying her time with her kid. The tragedy is that I am too nervous to allow Bella to be her natural puppy self in the house because of her size. It is not her fault she was not born a beagle.  During the week when Matthew is not home she is great, or I should say she knows she will be in trouble if she does not follow the rules set by me. Of course, she begs for food, she comes in the kitchen to inspect for scraps after meals and she is sometimes too pushy when people come to the door but overall she has adapted very well to an infant in the house and has taken to her new rules quite well. I feel bad for Bella sometimes because she was always my "baby" but I have to protect the human children before the happiness and carefree longings of the pooch are taken into consideration.

Today was a perfect example of how quickly things can go wrong with two parents having different guidance parameters.  This proves Matthew and I must get on the same page with Bella. She is one of our kids. We have to treat her like a dog but I also have to take into account she does have feelings and her size is not her fault. I also have to learn that even though the child should not have been on the floor grabbing the ball from the dog, it is natural for her to want to play with her dog. Why did we get a dog if she is not allowed to be a dog? I have to learn to be cautious but not overbearing and once in a while there will be instances where a bump or bruise in the course of play is going to happen whether it is between the kids or involves the dog. I am so afraid of one of my children being injured that I tend to suffocate them sometimes and overprotect them. This is not doing them or Bella any good. I have to find a happy medium somehow.

My mom and I had a similar conversation on another topic involving children and how innocent they are. You cannot shield them from the World and you cannot always be there. You teach and guide. Then you hope for the best. A parent is there to ease the pain of the shiner, clean the cuts and scrapes, apply pressure to a bleeding wound, and comfort to a broken heart. We are not supposed to stifle them from or punish them for being who they are. Just as you cannot make a dog not be a dog. Within reason I have to accept that my dog is a big, dopey, playful, and loveable pooch (with her family that is) who is longing for love and affection. Her kids make her happy and she wants to make them happy. She accomplishes this through play.

Eventually the on-call physician called me back and assured me Brie is fine. He told me as long as she can move her eye, is not falling asleep or is listless and her facial muscles move without pain, she will be fine. No need for an X-ray. When he asked me what happened with the dog, he kind of chuckled and commented on how big dogs can be a curse and a blessing. I felt much better after getting off of the phone.

Fast forward a few hours.  Brie is playing outside with her cousin Joshua and the worries of this morning are long forgotten. Again, we have a happy, innocent child with not a care in the World...as it should be. We also have a crazy-normal dog napping on the couch who will most likely do something in the future that will result in a bump, bruise or scratch on one of her kids while showing them how much she loves them. You also have a very thankful and blessed mama bear who needs to learn to relax a bit and not consider a monster or tragedy around every corner.

Since I became pregnant and now have a beautiful 10 week old little boy as a result, my dog has become a bit of a caution sign for me. I have to look at Bella the same way I looked at her before we had Paul and before Brie became her best friend; whom she longs to be a real dog for. All Bella is trying to do is show the kids how special they are to her. I have to keep in mind that she is also very special to them. Lately, I have been treating her more like a nuisance than a part of the family. She deserves to be cherished and respected too.  Just like the rest of us.

Baby Here We Come!!!

It has been far too long since I posted anything about poor Miss Bella. I am sorry to all of her readers. We are a few days out from Baby George coming into this world. It has been quite an interesting ride with Lady Bella.  In my first Trimester she was super bitchy! She started to become more aggressive, more belligerent and less apt to listen to me. I was getting concerned due to not only her size, but her attitude. She already does not like other animals and strangers so how would she react to a new baby in her house??  My husband, brother-in-law and mother-in-law assured me it was just a phase; so to speak. The explanation I received is that she could sense a change in my hormone levels and she was confused so that is how she reacted.

It has been a very difficult pregnancy so having the stress of the angry dog on top of it was not going to be a good thing. Fortunately, as time has past, she has relaxed and gotten back to her mischievous, loving self! Unfortunately for her and everyone else around me - I HAVE NOT!  Being pregnant at 26 versus 43 is a whole different ball game. For one thing, I only gained 13 pounds with my Sean and a whopping 40 Plus with this little guy.  "Total Gym and daily walking here I come as soon as I am cleared for take off!"  I feel sorry for people who have chronic back pain because this is just horrendous! I don't know how people function.

I was going to a chiropractor for a few weeks but then it was too uncomfortable on the table and the baby doesn't like it. He starts kicking up a storm and it is too painful so I have been icing at home. Problem is Bella likes the ice packs and steals them from me. If I leave them on the counter for a second, I turn around and "POOF" where did it go??  I cannot exactly chase the dog so I wait until she is done tossing it around and licking it - luckily she hasn't popped one yet. I have the Gel kind so they are still useable when I get them away from her. Usually by the time I do, it has to go back into the refrigerator to get nice and cold again. It is my own fault because she loves ice cubes as a treat. Since these are as cold as an ice cube she thinks they are hers to take.

I have to give this dog a lot of credit because I have been as bitchy in my second and third trimesters as she was in my first trimester. Lord help everyone!  I had morning sickness almost from the pregnancy confirmation with the little white stick and right up until about 34 weeks. Thank goodness for Ondansetron! This helps to get rid of the nausea and morning sickness whether it is severe or mild. Mine was very severe and lasting all day. This was not available 17 years ago but that is how far medical science has come. Bella would lay outside the bathroom and whine for me to come out. She knew something was wrong but not sure how to react. What a good girl. But do you think I praised her at those times. NO! My reaction was "I cannot deal with a clingy damn dog right now!" LEAVE ME ALONE!!!  Poor baby. She has been by my side since she was a pup and now she has started to pull away a bit because I have not wanted her on top of me all day long. She has her own spot on the couch now and only comes to lay with me if I let her. I guess it is a good thing, but sometimes I feel like I have not been fair to her.

One thing I realized with this baby coming is my relationship with Bella is changing. She was my baby and now she is going to be a different priority level for a bit of time until we get acclimated to a newborn in the house. I also think about the other children. Sean is 17 so he understands that newborns and babies take up all of your time, but Brianna is only 7 and I want to make sure she does not feel left out or neglected; as Bella does sometimes.  My husband started telling Bella "Mommy doesn't love you anymore." This breaks my heart because I do love her but I need her to be better behaved with a baby around. In the first trimester, I was worried she could hurt the baby and be aggressive but that is not my fear anymore. I am afraid now, if she is too excited and trying to get to me, she could knock him over, step on him, nudge him too hard, etc. That is why I need to stay on her for following instructions. My husband just feels I'm being too hard on her.

I am torn: Do I let Bella be "Crazy Bella" or do I listen to my gut instinct as a mom and make sure she tows the line and understands her place? It is just like reteaching a belligerent or out of control child that there are consequences to their actions. I don't know what else to do.  I guess the best way to deal with it is to be consistent in my reactions to her behavior and consistent in her consequences to set a precedent of what is expected of my big girl.

I suppose I need some advice from moms of dogs and babies. How do I keep the balance of showing my dog she is number one still but she is not more important than the little one. How do I make sure our relationship is not changed forever and she feels like I don't love her anymore?  This is very important to me because I don't want her to resent the baby and do hope for him to have as special a relationship with his Big Blue Dane as the other kids do. She is a very integral special part of the family but does not always agree with following rules.

The Cat - now that is a whole other problem. I have told my husband she is not allowed in the Nursery whatsoever. We have put the Bassinet in our bedroom, and of course, the little guy will be in there for quite some time before being switched to his crib. Suzie, the Cat has decided sleeping in the Bassinet is her new spot. I THINK NOT!!  My plan is to ban the cat from the bedroom altogether when the baby is in his Bassinet. 1 -2 hour feedings will be the routine for the first couple weeks, I am sure and I don't want the cat anywhere near the baby.  Again, my husband thinks I am being cruel to the animal. How do I explain that this is an incredibly important aspect of keeping the little one safe. I am not saying my cat is mean. I am not saying my cat would intentionally smother the baby; but it has happened often enough where it is of major concern and my thoughts are: "Why not just be proactive and avoid the potential for disaster?" So again, to moms of kids and cats: How do I convince my husband I do not hate my cat but want to protect the baby??

I love my animals as anyone who reads this blog knows. Maybe I worry too much but how can I not? Advice and feedback would be so welcome right now. Monday morning, we are going to be induced so I would say by Wednesday we will be home starting life with a new little guy named Paul Matthew George! I want everyone to get along, I want as little stress as possible and I want my animals to adjust to the changes coming as much as the rest of the family.  Stay tuned...

All I Want For Christmas...

     As some of you may know, Matthew and I are expecting a baby in June of next year. Everyone is very excited about this but the little ones are really taking advantage of my bouts of pregnancy related woes. By little ones I do not mean the children. I mean our four-legged children. This would be Bella and Suzie. I am not sure what has gotten into either of them lately, but they are absolute terrors; both of them. My animals realize there is something not quite the same with Mommy and they are using every lacking ounce of energy I have to get into trouble and wreak havoc in this house. My wonderful husband is lucky enough, lately anyway, to be on the road during the week so he misses most of the drama. He comes home and both of these little shits act like they are innocent little angels. It annoys me to no end!!! I started taking pictures and texting them over to him so he can see the spoiled creatures in action and he wouldn't think I belong in a looney bin.

     I understand children act out when there is a major change in their lives and a new baby can bring on some stress and uncertainty but our two-legged kids are thrilled. They are quite helpful, compassionate and understanding when I am having a hard day. Sean and Brie are both very happy and excited to meet their new little brother or sister next summer, but these animals think they can run me over like a Mack truck when I am having a bad day. My new-found exhaustion and morning sickness is giving our four-legged children the notion that they can run hog wild and do whatever they please.

     Suzie has taken to actually knocking the garbage over and inspecting it for herself on a pretty regular basis. This cat is around seven years old and has never done this before. She manages to get her plump little rump on top of the dryer and dives head first into the garbage. I was not sure who the true culprit was; she or Bella, but the other morning I came downstairs for a drink around 4 AM and there she was, my fat little butterball of a cat walking out of the laundry room batting around an empty yogurt container. She proceeded to put one paw inside while holding it steady with the other one and started licking the yogurt from her paw. I could not believe my eyes. I stood there stunned because I had been blaming Bella for weeks. I kept reminding the kids to shut the laundry room door so the dog would not get into the garbage while we were sleeping. It did not occur to me that it really could not have been the dog. Bella sleeps upstairs in our bedroom and I would hear her get up and go downstairs. My Prego brain just did not register that fact.

     The dog is not innocent though, by any definition or term.  She has decided that it is her right to lick the kitchen island as she pleases, steal food if it is something that she wants and again, started sticking her whole big head in the freezer to get her ice cubes. She is supposed to wait for us to throw the ice cube to her like a regular treat but has decided she will get her own. This is so gross! I do not want dog drool on my ice cubes. We have to be careful that we block her way when we open the freezer. Twice in the past week I have had my hand slammed in the freezer by Brie who is aware of this problem and is "helping" me get the ice really fast to keep Bella's head out of the icebox. All I can say is "Damn Dog"!!! Now I really need ice for my hand not my water!!!

     I have resorted to Time-Out for the animals, as we used to mediate to the kids. Sean actually had a little time-out chair when he was small and Brianna used her little recliner. The rule is one minute for each year of the child. Suzie gets seven minutes and Bella gets five. I know the dog is not five but it is just not fair that the little hellion gets less time than the cat when she gets into more trouble than the cat. Both of them ended up in time-out recently because, again, I think they were working as a team to throw off me and the kids so they could hijack dinner leftovers. I had made baked chicken, potatoes and corn. It was a very simple, tasty meal that the kids enjoy. We were finishing up dinner when the two predators starting circling. First we heard the baking dish scraping across the island in the kitchen so I immediately got up and peeked around the corner to see Bella licking the side of the dish and using one paw to try and push it towards the end of the counter. I guess she figured I would not hear Pyrex hit the floor. My dog is not very quiet when she is confiscating food. I screamed "Bella get the hell away from that counter right now!" She was so busy trying to accomplish her task that she had not noticed me coming. Startled, she took off for the living room and jumped up on the couch, "sitting ladylike" as if she did not know why I yelled at her. In the meantime, her partner in crime had gone into the dining room and was busy swiping chicken off of Sean's plate while he was cleaning up the counters in the kitchen. Brie was beside herself giggling up a storm watching the cat across the table from her steal the chicken right off of Sean's plate.

     To say I am fed up with these two little monsters is an understatement.  Thank goodness for winter coats for dogs because Bella is just too large to put into a cage or crate. Her punishment is to go outside on her chain for five minutes. Now you say, "Hmmm, outside on her chain for five minutes is a punishment?"  It is because this Prima Donna of a Pooch hates the winter weather in New England. I have never seen a dog pee so fast in my life. In the cold weather she goes no further than the side of the front porch. She squats, pees and dives right back to the door barking to come in. Five minutes to her is like two hours for another dog. By the time her five minutes are up, she is literally howling like a coyote and scratching at the door as if the Hounds of Hell were after her. Anyone driving by would think someone is trying to kill her. It is so embarrassing. She is such a big baby!!! Mind you, I do not put her out with no protection from the elements. She wears her fleece coat for these time-outs. I am strict but I am not cruel.

     The other problem child is not so lucky. She avoids the cold but her time-out is more confining and a wee bit longer. The trick is to catch the feline to get her into her time-out. We still have Bella's crate that she was sent to us in from her first Mom. It is where the cat gets to spend seven minutes whenever she acts up. She is not as loud as Bella but if you get close to her while she is in there, you would think she is a rabid squirrel. She tries to bite you through the cage! It is funny because she cannot get her head out to do so but tries her darndest to get your finger. I make sure Brie is not bothering her when she is in there because it is not nice for the two-legged child to tease the four-legged child when she has done something wrong. I also know this cat will get revenge on Brie if she irritates her too much. Once Suzie gets off of her punishment she bolts upstairs and we do not see her for the remainder of the day. It is her way of protesting, I suppose.

     Even though I have put the hammer down on these two little troublemakers, I do not see an end in sight. No matter how many times I try to correct their behavior, they continue it. Bella has gotten to the point over the last few weeks that if we do not give her table food she refuses to eat her dog food. She gets hamburg mixed with honey and garlic salt in her dog food every day. To turn her nose up at cooked hamburg is really making a statement. I swear she is protesting via hunger strike. This is her new thing. I do not like having my hand forced so she better start getting the picture that I am the boss or she is going to be one of those anorexic looking dogs you see on TV. Trust me, she is not starving but she refuses to eat so the kids and my husband feel bad for her and keep giving her table food. I cannot break her bad habits if I have no support from the rest of the family. Do they not understand they are reinforcing her poor behavior?

     She is the most stubborn spoiled dog I have ever known. I have to get back to my child right now though, because she is laying here barking at me from over on the couch and I cannot think straight, let alone try typing with no errors! The kids just went upstairs after having their snacks for bed. She is letting me know that she wants a snack too. I was thinking tonight I may have a Granny Smith apple sliced up and dipped in peanut butter. Looks like Bella is having the same thing....well I cannot let her simply starve. I guess if you can't beat'em then you give in. That seems to be the popular vote around here anyway where the Big Blue Dane is concerned. All I want for Christmas is two well behaved animals! I have a better chance of getting a new SUV at this point. Goodnight all. Baby George is getting restless, Mommy is getting hungry and sleepy, and Bella is getting angry as usual.

Check back soon to see how the troublemakers are doing. If I cannot manage another post between now and Christmas, everyone have a wonderful holiday!!!

Merry Christmas from the George Family and the Big Blue Dane!!! 

She Is Very Put Out Tonight

It amazes me sometimes just how spoiled my big blue baby is. Last night Brianna had a sleep over with her two little sisters. Their parents had a trip to go on so I offered to take the girls.The girls are five and two. I babysat for them last year for a short period and Bella got very used to having three little ones to play with instead of just Brie.  Needless to say, Bella was in her glory.

This dog believes she is one of the girls! She insists on coming outside to run around the yard with them, she tries to steal whatever object they are playing with because Keep Away is by far her favorite past time and of course lying in the grass cloud-surfing just like a kid, imagining what the clouds look like. Yesterday we found a T-rex, a frisbee, a volcano and a boat. I wonder what Bella was imaging them to be; maybe a big chew toy or pig ear?

Dinner went well except for the fact Rori, the youngest child is too small to fit in the dining room chairs so we dragged Brianna's kid-size recliner into the kitchen and made do with that. The older two sat at the island in the swivel bar stools and we used the two empty ones to cage off Miss Bella so she could not steal any of their goodies. Try as we might we could not have a conversation or discuss our movie options for the evening because Bella was irate being stuck behind the chairs and a baby gate for food safety. She carried on the entire time telling us why she should be part of the gathering in the kitchen. I am sure if she could actually speak English, she had some valid arguments. The girls were giggling so hard due to Bella's awful behavior, that they were actually dropping bits of food before it reached their mouth.  This caused quite a kick for the youngest and she laughed so hard she spilled her drink right on the floor.

Bella was all set for cleanup duty at that point. It does not help that Suzie will come and sit at the far end of the island while we are eating so she can gauge the quickest scoop-and-run retreat. It makes me feel bad for Bella but not bad enough to let her into the kitchen. Once the cat got up on the island, out of my swatting reach mind you, the dog lost it. The kids were hysterical and started making Bella noises. While I was wiping the floor and the girls were content being mini-Bella superfans, Suzie swooped in stealth-like and went right for the easiest prey at the table; Gabi lost two pieces of ham right off her plate.  "Damn that CAT To Hell!!!"  The cat did a quick grab with one paw, scooped and ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs. By the time we were getting ready to clean up there were tears streaming down my face because I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe and it really hurt. Chest pains at 42 years old are no laughing matter. Often they lead to my paranoid worrying and a mini-panic attack. For the record -- that really sucks!

Once the dinner festivities came to a close, each child took a bath and then it was movie time. We settled on Toy Story 3. I happened to be the only one that had not seen it so each of them took turns letting me know what would be coming up next. I gave up 20 minutes into it and just resigned myself to the fact that I was going to be well-versed on the next scene, and the next, and the next... Bella was getting upset the entire time. At night she curls up on the couch with me and goes to sleep or if I am working on the computer, she lays at my feet at the desk. Tonight I was scrunched in the corner of the couch, Brie, Rori and Gabi next to me consecutively - then Bella was stuck on the other side of the sectional and kept trying throughout the movie to fit between each of us systematically until she made it to me and Brie. After being told to stay on the floor repeatedly and sent out of the living room to go lay on a blanket in the hallway; truly shunned, she came up with a new strategy. She began to whine like the poorest lost soul you could ever imagine. Brie said, "Mommy Bella is crying. Can she come back and lay in here on the floor?" So I said "Sure" and went to get the pathetic faker. I swear that dog was smirking when I brought her back into the living room.

The content demeanor of the dog only lasted until she figured out she still was not sitting with Mama. Barking ensued; loud, loud, nail biting, ear splitting barking ensued. Brianna is used to this and just cranks the volume on the TV. Gabi and Rori were not sure what to make of this stubborn pooch. Rori's solution was to scream at this 100 lb monster of a pissed off dog "SHUT UP BELLA! I WATCHING WOODY AND BUZZ!" This coming from a two year old was probably the funniest thing I have heard in a very long time. It actually shocked the dog into being quiet for about two minutes.

By the time the movie was over Bella was staring at me with a look of pure anger in her eyes. If she ever considered biting me seriously instead of a love nip as I usually get here and there, I would have been dog-meat for sure. Her anger was directed right at me. She knew the girls were not to blame for her banishment to the floor but it was me. The girls decided to sleep downstairs, pretty much where they were during the movie. We got pillows and blankets and they settled in for a bedtime story before going to sleep. Bella finally dozed off while I was reading to the girls. I tucked them all in and went to work on my computer. Bella decided to get up on the couch but wanted the spot Rori was fast asleep in because it is the center of the sectional and she always sleeps there. I guess she was too mad at me to lay at my feet while I worked.

She was slowly belly crawling her way to the sleeping child to figure a way to recoup her favorite spot on the couch. I banished her to the floor again with a bribe, I mean treat. She was pretty tired by then and after a few pulls on the collar to remove her from the couch, I got her to stay on the floor after I went and got her bed upstairs. When I finally was ready to catch some sleep, I curled up on the far end of the couch and Bella refused to give in this time. I let her up on the couch and something funny occurred to me. This dog thinks she is really and truly one of the kids. Whatever Brie is doing she wants to be doing too, whatever we are eating she wants some too, whatever family time we are sharing, she parks herself right on the couch with us or out in the yard with us depending what we are doing for the day and whenever we have company, she wants to be part of the fun too. I think tonight I hurt my dog's feelings. I made her feel like she was not part of the family. Shame on me.

She really is one of my kids. Just because she has four legs instead of two, a long tail that will leave a mark like you just got snapped with a wet towel, has terrible table manners, and she cannot speak human, she is as much a family member as any of the rest of us are. I guess I may need to reconsider her rights next time we have a sleepover. Maybe we can arrange ourselves around the big blue dog instead of the dog rearranging her habits around us.

Something to ponder...