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...

THE LOVE OF A CHILD AND HER DOG!

     This is one of those times when I really appreciate life and the gifts I have been given. My husband and I just made a trip to Chapel Hill, North Carolina for a very special appointment. 16 years ago I gave birth to the most amazing wonderful young man on the planet; our son Sean.  Then about two years ago we were blessed with the gift of Guardianship of our niece Brianna who is now our daughter in every way that matters to the heart. She is a gift from above and that spunky little free spirit makes it apparent why being a Mom is the greatest job you could have.  This little girl owns a place in my heart where no one could ever reach before; except for Sean. Even though I did not conceive, carry and give birth to Brie she is mine in every sense, and I could not be a more proud happy blessed woman to be raising this wonderful child who teaches me new things about life everyday.

     Which brings me to my latest post: As I mentioned, Matthew and I went to North Carolina to have an operation which will make it possible for us to grow our wonderful family even more; I had a tubal reversal!  Right now I am in full recovery mode. I had my surgery on Wednesday, June 26th at 9:30 am and from that moment forward we have a new view of our future. As excited as my husband I, and Sean are, Brianna is even more so. She is so excited to be a big sister some time in the future...sooner than later we are hoping - I am no spring chicken.  All went well and we can start working on our new addition in the next few weeks. Brianna is working on containing her excitement but today I witnessed just how excited she is about having a new baby someday.  She was sitting on the couch with her Bella. Notice I said, "her Bella"...Somehow since Brie has found comfort and security in her new life with us, Bella has become her dog and I am Bella's keeper. Bella  watches over this little girl without fail. She makes sure she is always in the same room with her. When Brie is watching TV, Bella is in her lap on the couch instead of mine, when she is playing on the floor; maybe a board game or playing cards with me; Bella is curled up behind her or laying next to her all sprawled out but is careful not to interfere in our play. She is a gentle soul with Brianna but only with Brie. I think she understands because Brie is so small, she has to tread with care. When Bella and I go to bed at night I check on Brie sleeping and Bella always has to come with me. If I put her in her pen before I go check on Brie, Bella will whine and carry on until I let her come along. It is her duty to make sure Brie is safe and sound in dreamland. 

     This afternoon Brie was telling Bella without realizing that I could hear her, how happy she was that she would be a big sister again. She has two younger siblings with her Dad and his wife; they are all beautiful little dolls. I think it is so adorable how there is one of each - the smallest is a cute little red head, the middle child is a little peanut with Snow White-worthy black silky hair and Brie is an adorable little Goldilocks curly blonde! The compliments Sean and Miranda must get when they go out as a family must be numerous.  Three smiling little cherubs. Bella loves to hang out with the girls when they come over to visit. But Brie is her kid!  This dog is in love with this child as much as I am.  It is the fire and spirit she gives off just walking in a room! Bella thrives on playing with Brianna because you never know what sort of mischief they are going to find.  I have come into the living room where I only left five minutes prior to find big forts with blankets and pillows where all I can see is little feet and a tail peaking out from under the camp and I can hear Brianna telling Bella "Pay attention, I am trying to read you a story that Mom read to me"  It is so heartwarming to see a little girl so in love with her dog!  What a beautiful relationship and bond they have.  They also wear capes and necklaces around the house at times. Bella is a great dress-up partner. She will even let Brie put socks on her paws - it is so cute!
   
     As terrible as Bella can be to Suzie our cat, is as wonderful as she is to Brie. It is a tradeoff I accept.  Bella is learning to leave the cat alone and I know there has been progress because as I type this Bella and Suzie are curled up together on the couch sleeping like angels. I am sure when Bella wakes up and realizes how close the cat is she will nudge her or smack her with a paw but it comforts me to see the cat is not at all afraid of our giant baby Bella.  She loves her as we do and just humors her by going along for the chase. 
   
     This afternoon Brianna was telling Bella about the future baby; God Willing of course. I am not taking for granted that it is not 100% guaranteed but if positive prayer and thought have anything to do with it we are heading in the right direction. Brie was telling Bella that she is helping me pick out names for the babies and that she hopes we have one of each; a boy and a girl at the same time. She told Bella that is what Dad wants; two at a time but he wants "four of them". Then she was telling her that is why we went and looked at new cars.  She talks to Bella as if she is talking to one of her little friends and it is really sweet how Bella appears to be listening. She looks at Brie while she is talking, she puts her head on her lap, looks up, puts her paw in her hand, etc. It is as if they are really communicating!  Brie also told Bella that they should tell me they want to go in the hot tub again.  A couple of weeks ago we had a heat wave and I let the girls go in the hot tub with cold water and no jets to cool off. Bella did not actually get in but she cooled herself off and helped herself to a few licks off the faucet.  Brianna had an absolute blast with her dog and we captured it all on video. Today Brie asked me if she and Bella could watch their video from the hot tub.  I said sure. So me and my girls sat on the couch and looked at how much fun we have when it is too hot to play outside. A child's giggle is the most amazing sound in the world and I can still remember that tinkling magical sound from Sean when he was small and used to love watching Blues Clues.  Brie has that very same giggle but it is usually brought on by her beloved companion!

     Sometimes I just close my eyes and wonder how my life turned out so perfect. I sure as hell am not perfect but I have given up on asking myself why and "How do I deserve all of this?" and I now say "Thank you". Then I look over and gaze on my beautiful baby Bella and baby Brianna and know all is right in this crazy world. Throw in my husband, our son, our family and friends and how could it get any better?? Only the pitter patter of one, two, three or four little sets of feet chasing after a Big Blue Dane and Fat Little Cat named Suzie with a big sister chasing behind saying "Be careful and slow down. There is no running in this house"...My little mini-me or I could say mini-mommy to be:) 

CAN SHE DO IT!!!!!!!!

     It has been quite some time since Bella and I have sat down to write a post.  She says "Hello" by the way to everyone interested in hearing about her daily adventures.  I had resigned myself to the fate of having a 100+ pound dog sleeping with us until we are old and grey.  Bella is incapable of accepting that she is a dog.  This is based on irrefutable evidence.  She thinks she is one of our kids!

     If she doesn't like a rule; she breaks it with ne're a care of consequences.  She gets irritable if she doesn't get her snack - like Brie if she loses track of time before bed and does not have her favorite ice cream or some other delectable dessert.  Bella becomes irate if I don't take her for a walk or I leave her home when it rains. This is like Brie if it is raining outside and she can't go to the park.  If Bella is mad about something and doesn't get her way, she tortures our cat to get my attention.  Poor Suzie has been lying on the floor and Bella has gone over and put the cat's whole head in her mouth or just squished her to the floor with one big foot while the cat flails around helplessly.  This is just to piss me off!  Brianna will go punch Sean or throw something at him when she's angry.  They are two peas in a pod.  Scary Mary and Scary Mary Mini. Bella pouts if I change Animal Planet while she's watching one of her favorite programs - "Cat From Hell" or "Dog Whisperer".  This is equivalent to changing "Phineas and Ferb" or "Looney Tunes" on Brianna.  Bella will sit on the couch, throw her head back and howl at me until I either shut off what I am watching or put the channel back where she wanted it.  I kid you not, this dog watches television!  Brianna simply hides the remote after putting her channel back on so I cannot change it.  If I were more Tech savvy I may be able to fix this issue, but unfortunately, I am not. This results in no one watching TV at all.  I do know where the power button is without the remote.  When Bella figures out how to hide the remote, I'm really going to be in trouble.  She's already buried my phone in the yard.

     We have decided that once we become pregnant, the dog can no longer sleep with us.  We are not there yet, but working diligently to increase our happy nest.  We have to make sure the dog is settled into her new digs before a baby bundle arrives; God Willing...

     My husband and I are very good to our animals.  However, I treat them like our children.  If I get kicked in the stomach while carrying a baby, it is not only going to be quite painful but dangerous for our new little one-to-be so I cannot take the risk at the expense of my dog's feelings.  There are some boundaries when it comes to safety.  I am not totally delusional about the risks with a 100+ pound pup.  I had seen a really cute futon bed at Walmart that I thought would be great for Bella.  I decided we could put it at the foot of our bed inside her pen and she would be comfy cozy but not right on the bed.  I guess I hadn't considered the dimensions of the dog pen or that of the futon.

     We went to look this weekend and my husband says "Really!! Not gonna work".  I asked what the problem was and he asked me if I knew what math was.  I said, I thought it would fit and he said "That's the problem, you thought.   Dammit!!!  I want my bed back and I hate it when my husband is right. He is so rude!! I'm so tired of waking up with unexplained bumps and bruises from a dog, but  as usual Matthew's common sense supersedes my unrealistic visions.  We went to the pet section and he says "Ah, there you go".  Of course his unnecessary sarcasm is always at hand when he is right but as usual he was onto something.  He found a therapeutic dog bed which is big enough for Bella but not too big for our bedroom.  Of course, from a practical standpoint this bed makes perfect sense but for my baby's comfort, it didn't look very cozy.  Bella is accustomed to being pampered and loves our bed.  It is a California King that is just melt-worthy comfortable; cloud-like.  I looked at this dog bed and was very unimpressed.  If I were her, I'd go chew up Matthew's boots!!

     Well, "What the hell do I know?"  We determined we would try it out and give Bella the opportunity to decide if she liked it or not.  If it was up to me, it would have remained on the shelf.  We brought it home and she started checking it out immediately. It wasn't even out of the packaging and she was trying to lay on it. We took it out of the box and let her get used to it in the kitchen. When we brought it upstairs at bedtime. she jumped on the bed and was looking at me with this sideways head tilt that said "Mom, why are you sleeping there". I think the dog was letting me know it was for me not her.  Matthew had already brought her pen upstairs so it was pretty clear she thought one of us was in trouble. This dog shocked the bejeezus out of me.  Once she realized it was for her, she went right in and sniffed around then laid down. Bella LOVES HER NEW PAD!!

     The first night was a bit sketchy.  She whined but there was no growling, jumping around or knocking things over, chewing or howling.  She was somewhat perturbed but within about 30 minutes she settled into her new spot.

     Since then each night, she comes upstairs, tucks Brianna in with me and then she goes into our room, inspects her bed to make sure there is no cat laying on it, then heads downstairs with me until it is time to sign off for the evening. She goes right to her pen and waits for me to open it, circles her bed a few times and then plops down 'til morning.

     I am so impressed by this turn of events and the ease at which she got past sleeping with us, that I have to give credit where credit is due:  My husband is a genius.  I complain about the dog not knowing she is a dog and now I understand it is my fault.  I wasn't treating her much like a dog.  I file and polish her toe nails (clear only - daddy would not approve if he came home and she had red toe nails), brush her teeth, Brie and I make necklaces for her that coordinate with her collar, she gets Dunkin Donuts munchkins every morning, and a home-cooked breakfast she eats with me and the kids.  She has hamburg with honey and garlic salt mixed into her food each day; I'm not so sure about the benefits of honey for a dog but she just loves it on her toast so I thought she'd like it in her breakfast as a treat. Matthew tells me all of the time he is convinced I am a crazy person masquerading as normal.  I don't agree.  Why should our children be treated like royalty and our animals not so much.  They are our kids too! 

     My husband treats Bella like a dog and it makes her happy and content. I treat her like one of the kids and she is petulant and stubborn; acting out constantly.  She is downright fresh!!! Go figure... One more reason I married him.  It is so nice to have someone tell you that you are crazy in such a loving caring compassionate way. Crazy wife - happy life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did find one problem with her new-found puppy sanctuary. During the day Bella comes and lays at my feet while I write or sits with me while I do housework. She is always by my side.  Since she is in her own bed now, I cannot get this dog off of me.  She is like crazy glue!  It is one thing to have her beside me but if I leave the room she is right on my heels.  I actually sat on her today which was not pleasant for either of us.  She ended up nipping my butt because she was not pleased and I actually fell off the couch because it hurt.  I was trying to sit down on the couch and she beat me to the spot.  I pretty much fell over her and as I went to stand up that is when I got the shark bite.  OUCH!!  She growled her discontent with the situation and I yelled at her for biting me.  Brie thought this was friggin' hilarious and proceeded to high-five the dog.  Yes, I suppose I am accepting she is a dog...if those teeth are any indication.  Good thing Brie doesn't have chompers like that or we'd all be screwed!!!  Maybe since Bella is in her own bed now I can start working on getting her off the damn couch.  BUT:  If today was any indication;

I don't think I'm going to win that battle any time soon.

Bella May Never Find True Love :(

     I was so excited at the beginning of the school year for Bella.  Each morning Bella and I drive Brianna to her Kindergarten and every so often we'd see in another truck, a big beautiful black Great Dane.  He is just the most gorgeous male Dane I've seen!  He is as handsome as my Baby Bella is beautiful.  So of course, as a future Grandma to Bella's pups, I had great hopes that this handsome gent would be the Pop of her pups.  Well, I guess Grandma Patti needs to accept the fact that Bella hates all other animals and is never going to find TRUE LOVE!  Yesterday, the Black danes daddy stopped and asked me what kind of dog Bella was and I told him, "Yes, she is a Blue Dane and you have the black male!"  I was so thrilled when he then asked how old she was and told me how beautiful she is.  It was going through my head how many adorable little black pups and blue pups we would have.  Some looking like their mom and some looking noble like their dad.  I told him she was almost two years old and he says, "Oh mine too".  I am getting more excited by the minute and asked if he was going to "breed him", then I felt stupid cause the real terminology would be "stud him out" but nonetheless the dad knew what I meant and dashed part of my hopes and dreams and says.  "No he's fixed!"  UGGHH!!!!!  I said, "Oh dammit, that sucks"!  That wasn't exactly eloquent for having just met this man but Mama's frustration was utmost at that moment.  The handsome black Dane was not with him so as I said, "Well, that's too bad, we'll have to keep looking.  Have a nice day."  I was still hoping that maybe Bella could have a playmate.  My plan was next time I see this man (forgot to get his name) I'd mention how maybe Bella and his boy could get together for a play date.  Bella doesn't get along with any other animals, especially those smaller than her but I was thinking since he is larger than her and he's a Dane maybe she'd make an exception and have someone to pal around with on a walk here and there, or we could meet them at the dog park and I could meet the black Dane's mom.  I was thinking life long Dane loving pet owner friends.  COOL!!!
     Well the rest of my hopes and dreams were shattered this morning.  Bella, Bella Bella!!!  Here we are in line again dropping Brianna off at school and here comes the handsome black Dane and his dad to drop off their kid.  The dad stops along the side of our truck so they can meet; Bella and this handsome giant.  What does my daffy dog do!  She turns into CUJO and tries jumping out of the truck while her future friend stares at her quizzically from his window wondering if this girl needs medication!  She is an absolute lunatic and he's calm as a cucumber looking at me and then his owner like; "What the hell did I do?"  Poor guy.  He just met an unstable crazy female!


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     All I can picture is Petco all over again.  I'm wondering if when I go to pick up Brianna today, the school officials ask me if I can leave the rabid dog home from now on so she cannot scare the children and staff.  What am I going to do with this looney tune of a dog!  She failed puppy school, tries to attack every animal she sees; including larger Danes than herself I now know, and refuses to even make an introduction such as a normal dog butt sniff, like most other non crazy animals do.  She goes for the jugular before even determining whether it is friend or foe.
     I hate to say it, but the likelihood of my beautiful girl ever having pups is pretty darn slim.  I am starting to think she may just end up an old lonely spinster with run of the house, access to all furniture and anything she deems a chew toy.  I believe until her old age, she will still be sleeping in our bed between me and Matthew, chasing poor Suzie every chance she gets, scaring every delivery person who comes in our yard, being barred from PetCo forever unless Daddy is with us, and chasing Vets when they try giving her shots.
     What is a Mama to do?  I don't think they will actually do artificial insemination for a dog but I'm tempted to look into it because I really want to breed her and keep a pup.  We would love to have another Bella running around but one with a less temperamental disposition.  My other option is to find out if I can get her into Doggie Therapy and figure out what her issue is with all other living creatures.  Where does this anger come from!!!  Good thing she loves all of us or we'd be in real trouble on one of her bad days...then again, maybe she is just happy with her life the way it is and doesn't want any other animal stepping on her turf.  Who knows.  All I can say is I love my Baby Bella and puppies or no puppies, she is the best darn dog in the entire world!!!   It took her Mama almost 40 years to find a soul mate and love of her life, so maybe; just maybe, there is some hope for Bella to find True Love.  I won't be holding my breath though...  

Bella Knows Best - I Think???!!!

I recently completed my Associate's Program from home through the University of Phoenix, Axia program.  Bella is a major contributor to my success.  Not only did Bella help me remember to put my research material away but she also reminded me over and over again, when it is time to study is not during the afternoon when she wishes to play.  You see, this is very important going forward in all future endeavors for me because I have determined I will be a better writer than business manager.  Mind you, I get plenty of practice at home refereeing a 15 year old and 5 year old day in and day out.  I am always multitasking and giving redirection to these two children who are polar opposites in every way possible.  I swear if Sean is going to say something nice, Brianna is going to report it as he was being rude to her.  I have had to figure out how to be diplomatic in delegating punishment.  I was unaware at how well happy little five year old children develop a knack for lying in order to show their power over a teenager who they consider a nuisance.

This brings me to why I feel it is best I have Bella here 24/7 even though she gives me grey hair more rapidly than I think it would develop naturally.  I really cannot prove my theory since I get my hair colored without fail every five weeks.  I have to or I look like Broom Hilda after more than six weeks, and manage to scare the children and the hubby too.  Bella is always sniffing around my work area.  More than once I have left papers out that I highlighted important information on only to come home or back in the room in some instances, to find nothing but shredded slips of the words I was working on adding to my memory folder.  She has also decided that pens are a tasty treat beside her BBQ flavored dog bones.  In the past two weeks, I have found the carcass of many a blue and black gel pen around the house.  Luckily, I have not seen any evidence of splattered ink on the living room carpet.  I believe she is smart enough to bite down on it once she is in the kitchen where for the most part, it is impossible to see a stain.  I love industrial looking concrete flooring.  It is so manageable.  Okay, back to Bella sorry.  I am not worried she is eating the pens; which is a good thing.  We are making progress.  We have found something she merely chews up and spits out; something she would like to do to poor Suzie.

You are all probably wondering what the correlation is between a five year old who is learning that fibbing is a good way to avoid a timeout or losing video game and TV privileges, and a dog who cannot speak and should be nicknamed DEMON.  Well, it is a good thing the dog can be vocal in other ways or the five year old was going to scam one over on me today, and the 15 year old would have been in hot water without doing anything; this time.  I keep finding empty pop tart wrappers all over the living room lately.  There is no eating allowed in the living room by the kids.  I had enough with empty fruit snack and go-gurt sleeves to last a lifetime.  We put our feet down when we moved in the new house a couple years back that there was to be no eating in the living room.

I decided to gather the evidence and confront who I thought was the culprit.  I was reprimanding Sean for lying about leaving the pop tart papers around and for eating in the living room.  He was adamant it was not him.  I did not believe a word he said, because like Judge Judy preaches "When a teenager opens their mouth, it is a lie!".  Those words resonate in my skull every time I confront Sean about something I know he is guilty of. This time I was dead wrong.  While I am getting more aggravated by the moment and determining in my head how long he is going to lose privileges this time, Brianna suddenly says "Mom, I have to go get something upstairs." and races out of the room with Bella on her heels.

About two minutes later I give up berating Sean and tell him to go finish his chores. We will discuss this later if it happens again with his father.  All of a sudden, here comes Bella running full throttle down the stairs, into the living room and drops a mouthful of empty fruit snack wrappers, candy wrappers, a half eaten pop tart and an empty D'animal's container at my feet.  This dog has a big mouth and really proved the carrying capacity with this haul. 

Sean is just walking out of the room and sees this and yells "I told you it wasn't me!"  I was totally dumbstruck.  Brianna is now on her little knees trying to push the evidence under her hands so I won't see the inventory.  Bella lays down and starts licking her hands and trying to nudge Brie's hands away with her head in protest of trying to hide the contraband.  Sean starts laughing and says "FINALLY!"  I did not know what to say.  Had Brianna not been so frazzled trying to hide the content of that mouthful, I would have naively believed Bella had gone into Sean's room and brought me more evidence to build an even tighter case of misconduct by the teenager.

The dog was trying to do the right thing.  She was making Brianna face the music by bringing her fibbing into the light.  Not only had she been hiding wrappers in the living room; so apparently sneaking snacks, but also bringing food upstairs!  That is a major NO NO in this house. Bella was doing a good deed by keeping a watchful eye on events as they must have occurred and when the little culprit tried to get rid of the evidence while the big one got blamed, Bella stopped her in this felonious act.  When confronted, Brianna tried blaming Sean and Bella.  She stated that Sean took the treats at bed time for a few nights but she was trying to be a good sister and not be a tattle-tale.  She didn't want him to get in trouble.  Her story is Bella was actually stealing the treats from Sean's room and putting them in her room so she'd get caught instead of Sean.  The dog was trying to make her get in trouble.  She said "It's not fair you believe the dog instead of me!"  LOL

The moral of this debacle is trifold:  I have learned five year old children do actually lie, teenagers do tell the truth sometimes, and crazy dogs are really really good to have around.  She may chew up my school work, and now freelance writing research once in a while (3 -4 times per week if I'm not careful) but she makes a really good mediator and fact-finder in this house.  I think her asset quality ratio far outweighs her liability status one hundred times over.  Not only does she make sure I keep my paperwork in good order but the children as well.

I am going to be looking at installing child proof locks on the cabinets in the kitchen.  The only problem is I think the five year old will be able to remove them and I won't.

WE WANT OUR BED BACK!

 

     It is bad enough trying to figure out what to get the kids for Christmas ensuring that their most important items end up under the tree.  It is even more difficult determining what to buy for a dog who chews up every bed she has had, destroys plush critters in a matter of minutes and excretes far too much saliva to have a good game of fetch with rubber balls unless you wear gloves to keep a good grip.  The only thing that seems to work for this dog is a tennis ball.  This may last a few weeks before she tears the fuzz off and tries to eat the rubber underneath.  I've given up on most tug toys because Bella works at the knot until she is able to shred the twine or cotton and then proceeds to eat it.
     I am a total sucker when it comes to this dog and it is pretty certain I'm going to try her with a new bed for Christmas.  We bought her the Kong bed which we were told was virtually indestructible by PetSmart...not so much.  I was still working at M&M when we got that one, and from my two minute morning commute to coming home for lunch about 4 1/2 hours later, there was only a bit of stuffing left that was not strewn about the house and the rubber bottom half looked like a school of piranha had fed on it.  We determined then, letting Bella sleep on the couch or in bed with us would be the best way to save money.  Her Kong bed ran us about $85.00 and lasted less than 24 hours.  I'd have been better off to take that money and buy Sean and Brie video games they do not need.  It would have actually been more practical. 
     Being such a push-over Mom that I am, I started researching better options for Bella in the bed category.  Short of purchasing her a twin size bed like Brianna's or a Tempur-Pedic of her own that may be comfy like ours so she won't decide to chew it all to hell, I found this really cool dog-house; tent-like contraption that I think may actually please the Queen of Danes.  I haven't been to a Sam's Club in quite a few years but I'm pretty sure ordering it online this time of year would probably be smarter anyway; what with all of the holiday shoppers.  The Cool Cot Dog House has gotten great reviews and I really think Bella may like it.  If I can talk the hubby into us putting out another C-note on this dog for inconsequential items it may keep her out of our bed.  That would actually be my selling point.  Poor Matthew...Bella does not sleep downstairs unless Mommy sleeps on the couch.  I do sleep on the couch a lot when Matthew is on the road.  I stay up pretty late and don't want to wake the kids going upstairs in the middle of the night.  Bella is a big clumsy dope when she runs up the stairs so sometimes she'll wake the kids and Brie is crabby enough in the morning without having her restful night interrupted too early by a dog.
     When Matthew is home, Bella refuses to sleep downstairs by herself.  She HAS TO sleep upstairs in bed with us or she will bark and whine until we let her come up. Spoiled does not begin to describe my dog.  Matthew has worked his way into bed with us without being attacked anymore.  Now she doesn't actually try biting him but lays right in the middle of us, on her own pillow to keep us separated.  If we move towards each other; whoever the offender is gets a big paw across the kisser.  She is very specific in keeping us on opposite sides of the bed.  This Cool Cot Dog House may just be what we need to keep her out of our room.
     It is supposed to be for outside use but I'm thinking about being creative.  We could set it up in the living room and let her have full run of the downstairs but get her used to nap time in her house instead of on the couch.  The trick is getting Matthew onboard with my idea.
     If any of you have had problems with a spoiled rotten dog who refuses to sleep on the floor or not in your bed, send me some feedback.  I'm willing to try just about anything to get her out of this habit.  I love her to pieces but she's taller than me so she's always kicking me or scratching my feet in her sleep, snores, hits me in my sleep causing me to wake up with bruises I didn't have when I went to bed, kicks me off the bed sometimes and adding insult to injury, drools on MY PILLOW - not her own.  This Cool Cot Dog House seems like a great solution.  It would actually be for me not the dog! 
I love my dog like one of my kids but I don't need her in my bed anymore!  It was cute when she was a puppy letting her sleep on the bed but now she's a hundred pounds and thinks she is the size of a poodle.  We will have to figure something out before she reaches full size or Matthew and I will have to take turns sleeping on the couch.  That is another thing.  If we don't go to bed at the same time, she goes to bed with whoever heads upstairs first...to reserve her spot.