our poor puppy...

isn't that the most pitiful site?!?!?!

about 6 weeks ago russ was giving cobb a little attention and saw that one of his ears was swollen.  almost like a puffy pocket on his ear flap.  strange.  so we took him to the vet and they said it was a hematoma and needed to be drained.  poor guy.  they took care of it and had his head wrapped.  he had a check-up in a week and wouldn't you know it...the darn thing came back. 

so...week 2 at the vet and this time they put him under and basically sliced his ear open and cauterized all the vessels in his ear so none of them could bleed.  poor baby.  he had to have his head wrapped (because he kept bleeding) and was sent home with a huge e-collar, or lampshade as my girls call it, for 3 weeks.  one week post-op we had a check-up and they ended up keeping him for about 4 days because his ear wouldn't stop bleeding.  turns out he had an infection in his other ear and they think it was itching so much that he kept shaking and making the "trouble ear" bleed.  and supposedly this is all because of allergies.  ugh.......

post-op week 3 check-up and he's looking great.  they remove the stitches and he's officially lampshade free!!  this lasts for less than 6 days until he goes out back for 10 minutes, rolls in the grass, shakes off the morning dew and pops another vessel.  within 30 minutes that darn ear was all puffed up again.  damn it. seriously. damn it.

he got to go back to the vet on monday, they did the surgery AGAIN and when it was time for russ to pick him up that evening...yep, he went crazy again and started bleeding all over the place.  they kept him over night and i picked him up on tuesday.  he's in the lampshade for another 3 weeks.  let's hope this is the end of it.  but seriously, not holding my breath...

btw, each time russ has picked him up after the surgery cobb's ear has started bleeding like crazy.  the vet's best answer...when that silly dog see's russ his blood pressure sky-rockets and he gets excited so excited the ear goes crazy.  he doesn't get to pick him up anymore.  doesn't happen when i pick him up :)

i feel so bad for this dog.  he's so sweet and just can't catch a break with this ear lately.  he really has been a good patient but this is seriously reeking havoc on my family. j has decided she should be his nursemaid and is the first to get after him for shaking or trying to scratch his ear.  c is mesmerized by the collar and can't stay away from him.  i am just waiting for him to say "enough!!" and snap at her.  hope he doesn't, but wouldn't blame him at times.  e....well, the poor kid has been traumatized.  she won't go near him.  is all jumpy around him and man should you see this kid when she has to come with me to the vet for a check-up.  he has to sit in the front seat with me and there have been moments of pure hysteria at the vet's office.  it's exhausting.....

a couple of typical scenarios at my house these days...

would you leave that poor doggie alone?!?!

how she sits whenever he moves...you would think he was contagious :)

a picture's worth a thousand words....

 BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 oh gosh that fountain looks like fun!! grandpa can try and hold me back but he's going to have to work hard :)

 seriously mom...i sat quietly forever.  let a girl have some fun!!!!

 REALLY???!?!  I can go play?!?!?!?!

 hot dog!  This was worth it  :)

a ballerina in boots...nothing better :)

   

dance recital 2011

i'm off to get donuts as a surprise for my beautiful ballerina's but have to take a minute to brag on my beautiful girls... the big girls have been in dance class all year and we've been talking recital for months...yesterday was the big day!!

i admit to being nervous pre-show...would they get on stage and do their thing or are they going to look like deer in headlights.  will they even go on stage?!?!  my girls are so tough to read...j was meant for the spotlight but there are moments when the "unknown" causes her to freeze up and not try new things.  e....well, she's three.  a big stage, lights, costume, make-up...it can all be overwhelming.  i get that.  and on top of all of it...little miss c got to attend two dance recitals in one day. 

what a day.  the forecast called for rain so i was cool with t-ball being cancelled. at least we would have one less thing to fit into the schedule...so i wake up waiting for sound of rain drops but for a change there was sunshine.  so...off to t-ball, home to eat, change and head off to show #1.  elle belle in her first dance recital ever!!!  she was such a peanut.  my heart just squeezed.  she was so precious and did absolutely fantastic.  my goodness i love that girl :)

after show #1 we went out to take pictures in the beautiful weather.  headed home, changed out of show #1, ate, got ready for show #2 and on to j's turn to shine.  and oh wow did that girl shine.  that kid discovered her natural stage talent.  she's such a ham when she loosens up and let's herself enjoy new things.  she did a fantastic job doing her dances and oh my did she enjoy the paparazzi of pictures and flowers after the show.  she was on such a high.  who knows what's in store for her now?!?!?!

on a non-dancing note, my little c ended up at both dance recitals with us.  she loved the music and dancing.  she did great sitting quietly through all of e's recital and was cute as a button.  she was so good i just couldn't resist the plea for water time in the fountain during pictures for show #1.  call me a sucker but she was SO HAPPY and what does a little water hurt?!?!  she's 19 months old.  if we strip her down to a dry diaper for the ride home, who cares?!?!  show #2...different story.  poor kid barely napped, barely ate and was dragged to another recital.  who can blame her.  she lasted for about 8 dances and russ had to take her out.  he got to see all his girls dance and that was the most important thing.  you could just see it in her face...been there, done that, no more.

and on an audience note, we are so blessed to have family live near to us, who care about these girls and their activities.  we had a full house of grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins.  even a great-grandma was able to come watch the show!!  i love the support and unconditional love my girls are learning family provides.  i can guarantee there were three boys in st. louis that were bored out of their mind but they were so excited for the girls and couldn't stop taking pictures of their little ballerina's.  LOVE.

so this supposedly short note turned into a novel.  really am off to get donuts.  pictures will be posted soon.

here's another one...

i tell ya....those 5 year old's really come out with some funny comments.  they are old enough to start seeing the big picture and really say it as they see it :)

....as we drive by a senior living bus/van....
e:  "what's that mom?"
j (who obviously considers her answer as good as mom's!!): "oh, e - see, when you get old and can't live by yourself and can't drive by yourself, then if you're rich you live someplace where that will drive you where ever you want to go..."

funny girl.  i don't have any idea where the concept of "rich" has even come into her vocabulary.  yes, we have talked about all our blessings and how we should help others who have LESS....we've bought cups of coffee for the homeless, etc. but we have NEVER discussed rich vs. poor.   could this truly be a result of peer interation?!?  kind of makes me stress over what she's going to hear/learn next year with her kindergarten/elementary school environment...ugh.   

on a lighter note, my first two thoughts after my "where in the world did that come from?!?!?!" were 1) since great grandpa rides one of those buses on occasion i guess he could qualify as "rich"...wouldn't he get a kick out of that :) and 2) i guess i should start dropping hints that some times it's up to the "old people's" children to support them in that lifestyle :)  let's hope she makes some good life decisions!!!

god bless her. 

easter 2011

just found this in my list of posts that never got loaded.  guessing i started and was distracted by something (easily happens these days).  thought i'd go ahead and finish it off.  some day we will have a good laugh over our children's inability to look at a camera at the same time!!

what a great easter this year.  we did easter on saturday with one side of the family, including easter egg hunt at church, easter baskets and lunch at grandma and grandpa's.

sunday we headed to church and then down to terre du lac for brunch, easter egg hunts and a nice afternoon with grandma and poppy and the barrett's.

about the best we do with all three together :)

gets even harder when we make it all 6 of them...but there you go.  the motley crew :)

our daily conversations...

we've been busy around here and i haven't had a chance to post much, but i thought i would recap a couple of conversations the girls and i have had this week.  they just make me giggle :)

j (as we drive down 141): "mom, see that ice cream place out your window? i'd like to go there some day.
me: "oh yumy. i'd like to try that too. can i come with you?"
j: sure.  in fact, when i get married we can go there after the wedding and i'll buy everyone ice cream to celebrate.
me: "sounds like a plan.  make sure you mention this to your dad.  he will be thrilled to have a reception at Youngs Fried Chicken and Ice Cream!!!!"

me: "it sounds like there are a bunch of kids from school going to the zoo tomorrow.  we're going to have a great time."
j: "mom, I've got a great idea.  maybe we can break up into two groups so we don't lose anyone."
e: "yeah!  I've got it....all the moms can go in one car and all the kids can go in another!!"
(sounds like a GREAT plan to me :)  i'm still trying to figure out how we could pull that off!!!)

me: "c, are you ready to eat lunch?"
c: "nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooo."
me: "how about a drink?  are you thirsty?"
c: "nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooo."
me: "do we need to change your diaper first?"
c: "nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooo."
you get the picture...