So we're starting day 3 of Memorial Day weekend, and so far we're one for one. Day one was great, and the boys and I had fun enjoying the beautiful weather and socializing with our neighbors. Day two, not so great.
It all started when we had this excellent idea of attempting to take Keaton to the neighbor's pool. Quick note- he is fine. That said, I feel like a total idiot for a number of reasons. We put a onesie on him but no diaper, thinking that if he peed, no biggie. If he went #2, well, since he does it so infrequently these days (every 2-3 days), we figured it wouldn't happen. (At this point in the story, I figure you can go a bunch of different directions with this. but the ending will probably surprise you. I would also like to say sorry to any dudes reading this next part...)
I am so used to Keaton having a diaper on that I didn't pay attention when I held him around the waist, and suddenly he lets out this horrible scream. I had basically pushed all his boy parts up inside him because of the onesie. Oh. My. God. I didn't even know it had happened until I got him back across the street to our house and Casey checked him out, which was no more than a few minutes later because as soon as he started screaming we basically booked it back home. Luckily after about 15 minutes, everything was starting to look normal again down there. We called the Pediatrician and they told us what to watch for and that we'd have to come to the ER if there were signs of swelling or fluid build up, but thank the good Lord everything went back to normal. During the time in between when Keaton was getting settled down and not crying as much, I had visions of him not being able to have kids someday, of us in the ER, etc. I can't tell you how terrible I felt. Another lesson learned... not only will we NOT do that again, but it's time to invest in a rubber diaper and whatever else you need so the little guy can enjoy the pool this summer. And on that note, I think we'll stick to the kiddie pool anyway. I am hyper paranoid about being in the big pool with him as it is, and my anxiety about that probably didn't help the situation yesterday. (I am indeed the same person who has only bathed my son a few times on my own because I am so scared of him falling into the water or having something scary happen when Casey's not here. I'm working on it...)
Man, it's hard for me to even write about that. Again, I cannot be thankful enough that he is okay now. After that horrible part of the day, things got much better. We hung out with our neighbors again last night, and Keaton enjoyed watching all the kids roast marshmallows in the neighbor's fire pit. I realize that I am super duper extra paranoid about everything now that I have a baby... I wouldn't let Casey roast marshmallows while holding Keaton because I was afraid that he could get burnt by the fire or the melted mallow. I know, I need to calm down, especially as he gets older. He WILL get hurt someday. He WILL get sick. And I will need to deal with that. I just hope that none if it will happen because of something that's my fault, and I can try to narrow my paranoia down to things like that, if possible. Ha!
Time for me to attempt a bit more sleep before we officially start the day. Baby K is asleep in my arms after his early morning feeding... he's been very consistent about sleeping from around 10 p.m. until 4:30ish, with a wake up call sometime in between for his binky, usually around 1:30 a.m. It's also nice because after he's done eating around 4:30, he goes back to sleep for a few hours. Woo hoo! Getting all of this sleep is starting to make me crave more! But things are so much better than they used to be... I thought I'd never get more than an hour or two of sleep at a time, and now I sometimes get 5! Any more than that might be painful right now... but I'll take whatever I can get.
Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend!
-Ash
Casey, Ashley, Keaton, Nikolaus, & Rowan take on Chicagoland...
Monday, May 31, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
New things
Keaton is sitting on my lap, kicking his legs on sort of an invisible treadmill... panting and cooing as he runs in place. Too funny. He is chatting up a storm this morning, too. Not really sure what the heck he's talking about, of course, but the regular words like "ankoooo" and "whoooooo!" are involved. Love it.
Last night we took Keaton and Charley on a walk, and we put Keaton in the Bjorn facing out so he could see what was going on. He loved it! He especially liked looking and laughing at trees. It was fun to take him out and see his reaction to everything... he laughed a lot! :)
So it looks like I'll be headed back to work soon. I am excited to dust the cobwebs off my brain and interact with people again... and also to have something to talk about other than Keaton! I am scheduled for 2 Sundays in June, with a 2 hour refresher a week from Thursday. It'll also be nice to have a little extra cash. Hopefully I will remember something when I go back and won't have to start from scratch!
That's about it for now. I've already managed to clean up the house a bit, and even take a shower today! Keaton's napping (in his crib!) right now so I'm taking advantage... then I have a bunch of toys he hasn't played with yet to introduce him to. He really is a very observant little guy... and intense, just like his Daddy! Looking forward to teaching him more new things this afternoon. :)
-Ashley
Last night we took Keaton and Charley on a walk, and we put Keaton in the Bjorn facing out so he could see what was going on. He loved it! He especially liked looking and laughing at trees. It was fun to take him out and see his reaction to everything... he laughed a lot! :)
So it looks like I'll be headed back to work soon. I am excited to dust the cobwebs off my brain and interact with people again... and also to have something to talk about other than Keaton! I am scheduled for 2 Sundays in June, with a 2 hour refresher a week from Thursday. It'll also be nice to have a little extra cash. Hopefully I will remember something when I go back and won't have to start from scratch!
That's about it for now. I've already managed to clean up the house a bit, and even take a shower today! Keaton's napping (in his crib!) right now so I'm taking advantage... then I have a bunch of toys he hasn't played with yet to introduce him to. He really is a very observant little guy... and intense, just like his Daddy! Looking forward to teaching him more new things this afternoon. :)
-Ashley
Monday, May 24, 2010
7 Years
Casey and I went out on a date for our anniversary on Saturday night, and Keaton went to our neighbors' house for a few hours. Case and I went to the White Chocolate Grill and had some delicious food, and an amazing souffle for dessert! It was nice to be able to go out together since it's been so long with just the two of us. I, of course, could not stop talking about Keaton, and had to step back a few times and be reminded that we were on a date and I just needed to relax! I finally started to (with a little help from some white zinfandel.. but whatever works!). It was a nice evening and I'm glad we were able to go out together. Shortly before we got home- minutes, in fact, we got a call from the neighbor saying that Keaton was screaming his head off and she thought he was hungry. Doh! We definitely made the mistake of not leaving a bottle for her, and thought we'd get home before he would get hungry. Stupid assumption on our part. Keat was screaming and crying like I hadn't really heard before, so I took him in and fed him... he was pretty ticked off.
I forgot to mention that we started transitioning him to his crib this weekend. Friday night was pretty tough- he woke up every single hour, crying and wanting his binky. Saturday night was MUCH better... after the crying fest earlier in the night and lack of sleep the night before, I think he wore himself out, and slept from 9:30 pm until about 2 a.m. I fed him at 3, and he slept another 3-4 hours. Last night, he slept from about 9:30 until 4 this morning! So yes, things are getting much better. I also think the Snooze Sack we bought him worked wonders as well. :)
I'm blogging completely out of order this time... sorry about that. I wanted to write about our reunion with our Prepared Childbirth class on Saturday. Keaton did great, especially for being sleep deprived. We got to tell our birth story, and meet other parents and their babies (not necessarily from our class- there was a combo reunion for 3 classes). It was pretty fun, and we took some group photos, so I'll post them as soon as the director sends them my way. She also got a few of the three of us, which we don't really have much of yet, so I hope they turned out well. I'm glad we went- it was nice to hear other stories and relate to other people about what we've all gone through so far.
I guess that sums up the weekend. Now I'm listening to Keaton chatter at himself in his swing. Time to finish my lunch and go play with my little dude!
-Ash
Friday, May 21, 2010
Time Flies...
My kid is 14 weeks old today. I'll bet if I took this picture again this week, he'd look even more different. I took the first one the day he turned 3 months old... he is now over 24 inches long and weighs almost 15 lbs!!!!
3 months vs 2.5 months...
vs 1 month...
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Weekend Update
I sit here holding my 14 lb 10 oz child, and I no longer wonder why my back hurts. He has doubled his weight in 3 months. Everywhere I go, I hear, "Wow, he's a big kid!" and wonder if 1) he actually is a big kid or 2) he looks bigger because I am, as I say frequently, the size of a fourth grader. Who knows... I need to get over the fact that I've got a 'big kid' and just need to lift weights or something to keep up. I can carry him just fine, it's the darn car seat that's killing me right now. When I have him out in public, people always run up to help with the door (thankfully!) and almost always comment on his size. I get a little tired of saying, "Yeah, my kid likes to eat" but I don't know what else to say! And I'm over it... just had to get that out.
Our trip to Topeka went well. I was super anxious about how Keaton would do on the plane, but he barely fussed at all. He sucked on his binky and slept in my lap on the way there. Before landing, we fed him a bottle and it apparently helped with his ears because as soon as we landed he was smiling at the flight attendents. What a little flirt! We spent the first night hanging out with friends at my parents' house, then headed out to the Hetricks for bed. He didn't sleep overly well the first night (and neither did I) but Case got up with him in the morning and let me nap for a few hours. Leslie's open house was that day at the Hetricks, which worked out well because all of our clothes were there, so we were able to relax a little bit before people started to arrive. Keaton slept almost 2.5 hours in the Bjorn... I think people were disappointed because he was asleep most of the time, but it put him in a much better mood later in the day, so I didn't worry too much about it. He sat in his bouncy seat when he woke up, and everyone stood there watching him. He must have liked it, because he was smiling up a storm and really interacting with everyone. :)
Sunday was Leslie's graduation. Again, Keaton and I didn't sleep very well Saturday night, but Keaton made it all the way through the graduation without crying, and slept on me most of the time. He woke up when the band started playing right as the graduates tossed their caps... we were very lucky to be able to see the graduation all the way through and did not have to miss watching Leslie walk across the stage. Sidenote, I cannot believe she is going to college now. I met her when she was 6. I got a little emotional at first when we were at the graduation, not only because Leslie was graduating, but because I flashed forward to Keaton's high school graduation. I have a feeling when that day comes, I will think that it felt like yesterday that he was this small. Or "small". Whatever. ;)
After graduation we took a bunch of pictures, then met the Hetrick family at Baskin Robbins for some ice cream. The Shrimplins got to hold Keaton, which was nice since they didn't get to see him much the day before. Afterward, we went to Aaron Brumley's house to celebrate his girlfriend Laura's birthday. We got to meet her Mom, sister, and grandparents, as well as catch up with Aaron's family. Keaton was pretty fussy when we first got there, but after we put him in the car seat to go home, he suddenly became very smiley and happy and started flirting with Laura, and Aaron's sister Laine. He likes the ladies!
Monday morning we took Keaton to my parents house, and Case and I went out for coffee. It was a nice break, and it gave my parents a chance to hang out with Keaton again. I had a hard time making myself not call to check on him, but of course I trusted my parents and knew they would call if anything happened. It was just hard not to think about him most of the time, because he's always near me. It was good for us to get out by ourselves, though. Our 7 year anniversary is coming up next week, and I think we'll get someone to watch him so we can go out on a 'date'. I miss those! But I know I'll miss Keaton during the date. There's never a good balance anymore... when Casey's not here, I'm thinking about him. When Keaton's not here, my mind is on him. And of course since we left CB at Petsmart all weekend, my mind was on him as well. He apparently had more blood in his stool on Saturday, so we got a few phone calls from the vet about new medication they are putting him on. He now has 5 bottles of medicine. I guess it would probably be worse if he was on chemo. The good news is that the medicine seems to be taking care of the problem, and he still has energy and is happy. That's all that really matters.
So anyway, we flew home Monday afternoon. I cannot tell you the stares you get when you walk down the aisle of a plane with an infant in your arms. I got a lot of smiles, and a lot of looks that indicated I was not welcome to sit next to the people giving them. We sat as far back as you could go, right next to the bathroom. He started getting pretty fussy near the end of the flight, but luckily it was only the last 5 minutes on the plane, and you could really tell when his ears popped, because he was almost instantly happy again. Thank goodness!
Tuesday is a big blur to me, as I attempted to catch up on sleep. I got absolutely nothing done around the house. Today's been a bit better. I took Keaton to Cradle Talk this morning (which is where I found out he weighs almost 15 lbs with clothes on). I got some of the dishes done, as well as some laundry. Every little bit helps.
I guess that's about it. We are going to attempt to transition Keaton to his crib this weekend. We started to last night, but that resulted in about 8-10 trips to the crib for binky duty from about 11:45 until 1:30 a.m. I got fed up with it and finally put Keaton back in the bassinet in our bedroom. It will be nice to have Casey home this weekend to help with the binky patrol. ;-/
Well, my little guy is squeaking at me so I'd better go. I think someone is trying to teethe.
-Ash
Our trip to Topeka went well. I was super anxious about how Keaton would do on the plane, but he barely fussed at all. He sucked on his binky and slept in my lap on the way there. Before landing, we fed him a bottle and it apparently helped with his ears because as soon as we landed he was smiling at the flight attendents. What a little flirt! We spent the first night hanging out with friends at my parents' house, then headed out to the Hetricks for bed. He didn't sleep overly well the first night (and neither did I) but Case got up with him in the morning and let me nap for a few hours. Leslie's open house was that day at the Hetricks, which worked out well because all of our clothes were there, so we were able to relax a little bit before people started to arrive. Keaton slept almost 2.5 hours in the Bjorn... I think people were disappointed because he was asleep most of the time, but it put him in a much better mood later in the day, so I didn't worry too much about it. He sat in his bouncy seat when he woke up, and everyone stood there watching him. He must have liked it, because he was smiling up a storm and really interacting with everyone. :)
Sunday was Leslie's graduation. Again, Keaton and I didn't sleep very well Saturday night, but Keaton made it all the way through the graduation without crying, and slept on me most of the time. He woke up when the band started playing right as the graduates tossed their caps... we were very lucky to be able to see the graduation all the way through and did not have to miss watching Leslie walk across the stage. Sidenote, I cannot believe she is going to college now. I met her when she was 6. I got a little emotional at first when we were at the graduation, not only because Leslie was graduating, but because I flashed forward to Keaton's high school graduation. I have a feeling when that day comes, I will think that it felt like yesterday that he was this small. Or "small". Whatever. ;)
After graduation we took a bunch of pictures, then met the Hetrick family at Baskin Robbins for some ice cream. The Shrimplins got to hold Keaton, which was nice since they didn't get to see him much the day before. Afterward, we went to Aaron Brumley's house to celebrate his girlfriend Laura's birthday. We got to meet her Mom, sister, and grandparents, as well as catch up with Aaron's family. Keaton was pretty fussy when we first got there, but after we put him in the car seat to go home, he suddenly became very smiley and happy and started flirting with Laura, and Aaron's sister Laine. He likes the ladies!
Monday morning we took Keaton to my parents house, and Case and I went out for coffee. It was a nice break, and it gave my parents a chance to hang out with Keaton again. I had a hard time making myself not call to check on him, but of course I trusted my parents and knew they would call if anything happened. It was just hard not to think about him most of the time, because he's always near me. It was good for us to get out by ourselves, though. Our 7 year anniversary is coming up next week, and I think we'll get someone to watch him so we can go out on a 'date'. I miss those! But I know I'll miss Keaton during the date. There's never a good balance anymore... when Casey's not here, I'm thinking about him. When Keaton's not here, my mind is on him. And of course since we left CB at Petsmart all weekend, my mind was on him as well. He apparently had more blood in his stool on Saturday, so we got a few phone calls from the vet about new medication they are putting him on. He now has 5 bottles of medicine. I guess it would probably be worse if he was on chemo. The good news is that the medicine seems to be taking care of the problem, and he still has energy and is happy. That's all that really matters.
So anyway, we flew home Monday afternoon. I cannot tell you the stares you get when you walk down the aisle of a plane with an infant in your arms. I got a lot of smiles, and a lot of looks that indicated I was not welcome to sit next to the people giving them. We sat as far back as you could go, right next to the bathroom. He started getting pretty fussy near the end of the flight, but luckily it was only the last 5 minutes on the plane, and you could really tell when his ears popped, because he was almost instantly happy again. Thank goodness!
Tuesday is a big blur to me, as I attempted to catch up on sleep. I got absolutely nothing done around the house. Today's been a bit better. I took Keaton to Cradle Talk this morning (which is where I found out he weighs almost 15 lbs with clothes on). I got some of the dishes done, as well as some laundry. Every little bit helps.
I guess that's about it. We are going to attempt to transition Keaton to his crib this weekend. We started to last night, but that resulted in about 8-10 trips to the crib for binky duty from about 11:45 until 1:30 a.m. I got fed up with it and finally put Keaton back in the bassinet in our bedroom. It will be nice to have Casey home this weekend to help with the binky patrol. ;-/
Well, my little guy is squeaking at me so I'd better go. I think someone is trying to teethe.
-Ash
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Anxiety should have been my middle name...
I just laid Keaton down for a nap out in the travel crib in the living room. Since he doesn't normally nap there, I moved the baby monitor out so I could get some things packed for our trip to Topeka tomorrow. I was in the bedroom getting my clothes together when I heard a really strange noise in the monitor. I thought, "Man, Keaton is really breathing weird!" so I poked my head out to look down the hallway and see what was going on. Charley had plopped down next to Keaton's crib and was breathing into the monitor! Thank goodness... I thought we were going to have to take Keaton to the pediatrician!
Sidenote... I don't know how many times I've almost said "vet" instead of "pediatrician". I also don't know how many times Casey and I have called Keaton Charley or Charley Keaton. Ah! Oh, another sidenote- I actually managed to get video of Keaton laughing at Charley last night... it was hilarious! Wish I could post it on here!
Charley is doing well. He's down to one full Prednisone a day now, until next Wednesday when he starts on 1/2 a pill. I am a little nervous about leaving him this weekend, but I figure he's better off at the vet for the weekend than he would be if we had someone dogsit for us. That way if anything happens, he's got the doc right there. We definitely would have taken him with us if we decided to drive this time, but that would have been a bit crazy for us, so I'm glad we're flying. I really hope Keaton handles the plane well... needless to say I'm pretty anxious about this trip and how he'll do. It's his first real trip anywhere!
My Mom and Mother-In-Law bought Keaton some clothes right after he was born, and they finally fit him... today he's wearing an adorable sleep and play outfit that looks like a baseball uniform with "Handsome" on the front. I took some pictures but I'm not going to take the time to post them right now since I should use my time wisely today and get some packing done. Of all times to plan ahead, I really need to on this trip. I know the 3.5 days we'll be home will go really fast... I almost wish we could spend more time there and I anticipate people getting upset because not everyone will get to see the baby. But that's how it goes, and we're going home for a graduation, so hopefully people will understand. We would love to be able to be home longer and see everyone, and maybe even relax! I don't really see us relaxing much this weekend, but I do hope Keaton's sleeping and eating schedules aren't totally thrown out of whack, and that he doesn't get sick... next week may not be so fun if that happens. Holy Anxiety, Batman!
Since my mind keeps drifting back to all the things I need to do today, I should probably stop blogging. I am really excited to be home very soon and introduce Keaton to everyone we have the pleasure of seeing this weekend! I'll surely update next week when we get home, and hope to have good news about the trip. For now, I'm going to go be productive, and try to calm down. ;)
-Ash
Sidenote... I don't know how many times I've almost said "vet" instead of "pediatrician". I also don't know how many times Casey and I have called Keaton Charley or Charley Keaton. Ah! Oh, another sidenote- I actually managed to get video of Keaton laughing at Charley last night... it was hilarious! Wish I could post it on here!
Charley is doing well. He's down to one full Prednisone a day now, until next Wednesday when he starts on 1/2 a pill. I am a little nervous about leaving him this weekend, but I figure he's better off at the vet for the weekend than he would be if we had someone dogsit for us. That way if anything happens, he's got the doc right there. We definitely would have taken him with us if we decided to drive this time, but that would have been a bit crazy for us, so I'm glad we're flying. I really hope Keaton handles the plane well... needless to say I'm pretty anxious about this trip and how he'll do. It's his first real trip anywhere!
My Mom and Mother-In-Law bought Keaton some clothes right after he was born, and they finally fit him... today he's wearing an adorable sleep and play outfit that looks like a baseball uniform with "Handsome" on the front. I took some pictures but I'm not going to take the time to post them right now since I should use my time wisely today and get some packing done. Of all times to plan ahead, I really need to on this trip. I know the 3.5 days we'll be home will go really fast... I almost wish we could spend more time there and I anticipate people getting upset because not everyone will get to see the baby. But that's how it goes, and we're going home for a graduation, so hopefully people will understand. We would love to be able to be home longer and see everyone, and maybe even relax! I don't really see us relaxing much this weekend, but I do hope Keaton's sleeping and eating schedules aren't totally thrown out of whack, and that he doesn't get sick... next week may not be so fun if that happens. Holy Anxiety, Batman!
Since my mind keeps drifting back to all the things I need to do today, I should probably stop blogging. I am really excited to be home very soon and introduce Keaton to everyone we have the pleasure of seeing this weekend! I'll surely update next week when we get home, and hope to have good news about the trip. For now, I'm going to go be productive, and try to calm down. ;)
-Ash
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Belly Laughs
This morning, as I was holding Keaton and giving Charley his meds, Keaton really noticed Charley. He watched him intently as Charley drooled over the peanut butter encasing his Prednisone. As soon as I gave him the spoonful of PB, and his tongue started going full speed, Keaton let out a huge, hilarious laugh! He kept laughing while Charley licked his chops. His own, not Keatons, FYI. ;) This is the second time since Sunday that Keaton has laughed at Charley Brown... I have to get this on video!
Keaton is officially 3 months old today! Ridiculous. I can't believe it. Now I'm starting to get looks of pity from other people as I lug the huge car seat with the semi-huge kid around. Keat has got to be almost 13 lbs now, which is also ridiculous. My little boy is growing up! I think he's going to outgrow me! I need to look this up, but I didn't think he was supposed to double his weight already... I hope I'm wrong! I also hope he slows down a little bit. He needs to grow into those cheeks! ;)
He was getting sleepy so I just put him in the travel crib to take a nap, but now he's talking to himself. He's making really funny little noises these days... he makes this little laughing 'whoo hooo' noise fairly frequently, and he just started making this high-pitched squealing noise when he's super excited about something. He'll flail his arms and kick his legs, and sometimes he's so excited that no sound comes out for a minute, then you hear, "WHoooooOOO!" Casey and I stood and listened to him last night while he was on the changing table... that's when he talks the most. He will hoot at Ernie the Owl, and then giggle and talk to me. He still isn't saying a whole lot to Casey yet, but I'm sure he will soon. I think he and I have the best conversations. I have no idea what I'm saying in Keaton language, but he seems to really like it. He laughs at me all the time! I make crazy faces at him or put silly hats on my head, and he snorts and hoots at me. He thinks it's really funny when I put his binky in my mouth (backwards) and spit it out at him. Things like this are the main reasons why I get nothing done around here until Casey comes home... among other things...
Well he's having a meltdown now so I should go... more later!
-Ash
Keaton is officially 3 months old today! Ridiculous. I can't believe it. Now I'm starting to get looks of pity from other people as I lug the huge car seat with the semi-huge kid around. Keat has got to be almost 13 lbs now, which is also ridiculous. My little boy is growing up! I think he's going to outgrow me! I need to look this up, but I didn't think he was supposed to double his weight already... I hope I'm wrong! I also hope he slows down a little bit. He needs to grow into those cheeks! ;)
He was getting sleepy so I just put him in the travel crib to take a nap, but now he's talking to himself. He's making really funny little noises these days... he makes this little laughing 'whoo hooo' noise fairly frequently, and he just started making this high-pitched squealing noise when he's super excited about something. He'll flail his arms and kick his legs, and sometimes he's so excited that no sound comes out for a minute, then you hear, "WHoooooOOO!" Casey and I stood and listened to him last night while he was on the changing table... that's when he talks the most. He will hoot at Ernie the Owl, and then giggle and talk to me. He still isn't saying a whole lot to Casey yet, but I'm sure he will soon. I think he and I have the best conversations. I have no idea what I'm saying in Keaton language, but he seems to really like it. He laughs at me all the time! I make crazy faces at him or put silly hats on my head, and he snorts and hoots at me. He thinks it's really funny when I put his binky in my mouth (backwards) and spit it out at him. Things like this are the main reasons why I get nothing done around here until Casey comes home... among other things...
Well he's having a meltdown now so I should go... more later!
-Ash
Monday, May 10, 2010
Charley's Birthday & Mother's Day
Saturday was spend spoiling Mr. Charley Brown (again) on his 6th birthday. We had to take him back to the vet for his recheck on his ears, and spent some time talking to the vet about him and what to expect with the Lymphoma in the weeks to come. There's no real timeline for this whole thing, we just have to keep an eye on him and make sure he's not in any pain, and that his lymph nodes are staying small. After seeing his 'people', he got to go to downtown Naperville again and go to Two Bostons, and got to run around with Daddy. Keaton and I stayed in the car part of the time because the weather was COLD! It felt like Fall... I thought we were done with that season already! Charley got a bunch more treats at Two Bostons, and Keaton enjoyed looking around while Daddy carried him from place to place.
When we got home that evening, we fixed dinner, then gave Charley a few pieces of his cake, which he proceeded to eat too quickly. I thought I was going to have to give him the Heimlich Maneuver! I have video of him eating the cake, and me slapping him on the back... kind of funny now because he was fine, but at the time it was kind of scary!! Anyway, he loved the cake and all the treats. He's been eating his food more the past few days, and drinking a ton of water. The downside to that is that Saturday night, he apparently crawled up in bed with me and fell asleep, and peed on our comforter. He did the same on the floor. So we are trying to monitor him better now and take him out to the bathroom frequently. It's a weird concept when we're used to a dog who could go 8 hours without having to go to the bathroom. I'm just glad that he seems to feel better, and minus the potty incidents, he's still very active and happy.
Keaton and Casey (and Charley) gave me a very nice Mother's Day yesterday. I got cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and a card from each of them. Casey got me a massage (to be cashed in later) and they both took me out for dessert. We spent a nice afternoon together in downtown Naperville. It was a little bit warmer, so we walked around for an hour or so by the riverwalk. We also got to see both families on Skype yesterday, which was a nice treat. Finally, we took Keaton over to the neighbor's house last night to drop something off, and he noticed Charley playing with two of their dogs and started laughing louder than he ever has as he watched them play! I thought that was a nice gift, too... even if it wasn't meant to be. I could listen to that kid laugh for hours! :)
I can't believe how quickly this weekend went. In a few short days we'll head to Topeka. Thursday night we are taking Charley to the Petshotel at Petsmart, and he's staying there until we get back on Monday evening. I am excited to take Keaton home to meet all of his family members. I really hope the flight goes well and he doesn't cry! I should also mention at this time that we are fairly certain he is starting to get teeth. I felt his upper gums on Saturday and definitely felt little ridges starting to form... I am not ready for that yet! All I know is, if that's the case, the breastfeeding days are probably numbered! ;) Maybe not, but it sure doesn't sound like very much fun, for either of us!
I'm going through over 250 pictures taken just since last week, so I will try to post more soon. Casey fixed my computer now, too, so I can finally add pics to the blog again! :)
-Ash
When we got home that evening, we fixed dinner, then gave Charley a few pieces of his cake, which he proceeded to eat too quickly. I thought I was going to have to give him the Heimlich Maneuver! I have video of him eating the cake, and me slapping him on the back... kind of funny now because he was fine, but at the time it was kind of scary!! Anyway, he loved the cake and all the treats. He's been eating his food more the past few days, and drinking a ton of water. The downside to that is that Saturday night, he apparently crawled up in bed with me and fell asleep, and peed on our comforter. He did the same on the floor. So we are trying to monitor him better now and take him out to the bathroom frequently. It's a weird concept when we're used to a dog who could go 8 hours without having to go to the bathroom. I'm just glad that he seems to feel better, and minus the potty incidents, he's still very active and happy.
Keaton and Casey (and Charley) gave me a very nice Mother's Day yesterday. I got cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and a card from each of them. Casey got me a massage (to be cashed in later) and they both took me out for dessert. We spent a nice afternoon together in downtown Naperville. It was a little bit warmer, so we walked around for an hour or so by the riverwalk. We also got to see both families on Skype yesterday, which was a nice treat. Finally, we took Keaton over to the neighbor's house last night to drop something off, and he noticed Charley playing with two of their dogs and started laughing louder than he ever has as he watched them play! I thought that was a nice gift, too... even if it wasn't meant to be. I could listen to that kid laugh for hours! :)
I can't believe how quickly this weekend went. In a few short days we'll head to Topeka. Thursday night we are taking Charley to the Petshotel at Petsmart, and he's staying there until we get back on Monday evening. I am excited to take Keaton home to meet all of his family members. I really hope the flight goes well and he doesn't cry! I should also mention at this time that we are fairly certain he is starting to get teeth. I felt his upper gums on Saturday and definitely felt little ridges starting to form... I am not ready for that yet! All I know is, if that's the case, the breastfeeding days are probably numbered! ;) Maybe not, but it sure doesn't sound like very much fun, for either of us!
I'm going through over 250 pictures taken just since last week, so I will try to post more soon. Casey fixed my computer now, too, so I can finally add pics to the blog again! :)
-Ash
Friday, May 7, 2010
Happy Times, and 12 weeks
Here's to a better day, and a happier post. (That's for you, Lilli!)
Early this morning, a pretty decent thunderstorm rolled in. Keaton, who was having his normal tummy issues and sleeping on my chest, was completely unphased, but Charley Brown ran into our room and jumped up on the bed to cuddle. For a guy who just days ago would not get up on the bed for anything, I am happy to report that the Prednisone is making him feel better. His lymph nodes are almost completely back down to their normal size, and he seems to have more energy every day. Right now he's sitting right under the desk as I write this, waiting for food to fall down at him as I eat my lunch. :)
We've slept a lot today, but we've all slept cuddled up together on the couch. Yes, even Charley. That's the first time I've seen him get on the couch in about a week. Keaton's been pretty fussy today, but as usual it's his stomach, so I've tried to hold him and comfort him as much as possible. I think Charley's been comforting me. :) I have a ton of things to get done around here, but so far nothing's gotten done and it's 3:00 p.m. If Keaton will allow it, hopefully I'll be able to do something so the rest of the weekend isn't spent cleaning, or making Casey feel overwhelmed that nothing has gotten done. I have been too distracted this week... strange how quickly Friday arrived.
Tomorrow we take Charley back for his check up, and then we're probably going to do various things to celebrate his birthday. We have a birthday cake, and I'll definitely take pictures of him eating it... that should be fun for all of us. They told me it's made out of peanut butter, banana, and yogurt... all things he loves.
I will also take more pictures of Keaton, who officially turned 12 weeks old today! The kid is getting more fun all the time. He definitely flirts now, and bats his little eyelashes when you're talking to him. I can't get enough of his giggles and coos. He's really smiling at me now, and we have little conversations all the time, especially when I'm changing his diaper. Sometimes that's the happiest place for him... probably like most boys, he enjoys being naked. :)
I guess that's about it. We had a great day yesterday. I got to spend more quality time with Chuck while Keaton took a nap, so I went outside and laid in the grass with CB and took some pictures. My computer is screwed up right now and I can't upload those pictures yet, but I'll try to update and post later. I've taken a ton of pics of the boys together, though. We also went on a really long walk with our neighbor and her son, Tyler. I got to take pcitures of Chuck with some of his favorite neighborhood kids. He has got to wonder what the heck is going on right now! Either that or he probably thinks I'm taking another photography class and he's the star... it wouldn't be the first time.
Well that's all for now, I just wanted to write a happier post today since the rest of this week has been pretty depressing. Sorry to write such blue entries... I guess I got caught up in all the emotions and didn't think about how it might affect people reading it. Blogging is such an outlet for me that I think I forget sometimes that people are really reading this... hopefully the entries will be happier from this point forward for a long, long time.
-Ash
Early this morning, a pretty decent thunderstorm rolled in. Keaton, who was having his normal tummy issues and sleeping on my chest, was completely unphased, but Charley Brown ran into our room and jumped up on the bed to cuddle. For a guy who just days ago would not get up on the bed for anything, I am happy to report that the Prednisone is making him feel better. His lymph nodes are almost completely back down to their normal size, and he seems to have more energy every day. Right now he's sitting right under the desk as I write this, waiting for food to fall down at him as I eat my lunch. :)
We've slept a lot today, but we've all slept cuddled up together on the couch. Yes, even Charley. That's the first time I've seen him get on the couch in about a week. Keaton's been pretty fussy today, but as usual it's his stomach, so I've tried to hold him and comfort him as much as possible. I think Charley's been comforting me. :) I have a ton of things to get done around here, but so far nothing's gotten done and it's 3:00 p.m. If Keaton will allow it, hopefully I'll be able to do something so the rest of the weekend isn't spent cleaning, or making Casey feel overwhelmed that nothing has gotten done. I have been too distracted this week... strange how quickly Friday arrived.
Tomorrow we take Charley back for his check up, and then we're probably going to do various things to celebrate his birthday. We have a birthday cake, and I'll definitely take pictures of him eating it... that should be fun for all of us. They told me it's made out of peanut butter, banana, and yogurt... all things he loves.
I will also take more pictures of Keaton, who officially turned 12 weeks old today! The kid is getting more fun all the time. He definitely flirts now, and bats his little eyelashes when you're talking to him. I can't get enough of his giggles and coos. He's really smiling at me now, and we have little conversations all the time, especially when I'm changing his diaper. Sometimes that's the happiest place for him... probably like most boys, he enjoys being naked. :)
I guess that's about it. We had a great day yesterday. I got to spend more quality time with Chuck while Keaton took a nap, so I went outside and laid in the grass with CB and took some pictures. My computer is screwed up right now and I can't upload those pictures yet, but I'll try to update and post later. I've taken a ton of pics of the boys together, though. We also went on a really long walk with our neighbor and her son, Tyler. I got to take pcitures of Chuck with some of his favorite neighborhood kids. He has got to wonder what the heck is going on right now! Either that or he probably thinks I'm taking another photography class and he's the star... it wouldn't be the first time.
Well that's all for now, I just wanted to write a happier post today since the rest of this week has been pretty depressing. Sorry to write such blue entries... I guess I got caught up in all the emotions and didn't think about how it might affect people reading it. Blogging is such an outlet for me that I think I forget sometimes that people are really reading this... hopefully the entries will be happier from this point forward for a long, long time.
-Ash
Thursday, May 6, 2010
No Regrets
I am trying to figure out how to deal with the death of a dog that is still alive. Alive, and from what we can tell, feeling pretty great thanks to the Prednisone. I honestly have no idea how to do this. He is right here in front of me. I can still touch him, talk to him, play with him. But I know it is all temporary, and we have no idea how long this part will last. I can only hope that we have months instead of weeks with him, but nothing is promised to us at this point. We just have to take advantage of the time we have right now.
I never deal well with loss. I never have. I get so attached to things the way they are, and when change happens, I usually freak out. I have a hard time saying goodbye, even if I know it's not 'the end'. But this time it is. I really don't know how to process that right now. I do realize that I just need to spend as much time as I can with Charley, and take a lot of video and pictures. Some day I will get to tell Keaton all about Charley, and I will have some really fun stories to tell. I wish more of them would include Keaton, but I understand that it's not meant to be. We are just thankful that we've had Charley this long, and have so many stories to tell.
Spoiling Charley yesterday was very bittersweet. I dropped Keaton off at the babysitter, and found myself second guessing the decision to leave him... then I realized that I need to do this, both for myself and for Charley, so I pushed the guilt out of my head and tried to enjoy myself. It was really hard, though. I let Charley be my co-pilot, like old times. It was a little tough looking over at him, remembering all the times he'd sat there with me before, making people smile when we stopped at stop lights. Licking the window. Drooling if I got fast food, and begging for french fries. Scaring the crap out of car hops at Sonic, to the point that they wouldn't bring us our food. Haha... for a dog that might look intimidating, all you have to see is his back half wiggling and most people knew he wouldn't hurt them. I will miss that wiggly butt.
Anyway, I took him to downtown Naperville to Two Bostons, and got him a birthday cake for his 6th birthday this Saturday. The hard part was when people would see him and say, "How are you, Charley Brown?" and I would burst into tears. The same thing happened when I took him to Petsmart to see 'his people'. I cried off and on all day yesterday, as I knew I would. It was tough because so many people are attached to him... I guess it's comforting to have so many other people grieving with us. It makes it a little easier, but not much.
So I guess all I can do at this point is just try to be realistic, but still enjoy every moment with him that I'm blessed to have. Looking back at times I've dealt with loss, guilt is something I always feel. I always wish I would have spent more time with them. Now that I have it, my goal is to do all that I can so I will have no regrets.
-Ashley
I never deal well with loss. I never have. I get so attached to things the way they are, and when change happens, I usually freak out. I have a hard time saying goodbye, even if I know it's not 'the end'. But this time it is. I really don't know how to process that right now. I do realize that I just need to spend as much time as I can with Charley, and take a lot of video and pictures. Some day I will get to tell Keaton all about Charley, and I will have some really fun stories to tell. I wish more of them would include Keaton, but I understand that it's not meant to be. We are just thankful that we've had Charley this long, and have so many stories to tell.
Spoiling Charley yesterday was very bittersweet. I dropped Keaton off at the babysitter, and found myself second guessing the decision to leave him... then I realized that I need to do this, both for myself and for Charley, so I pushed the guilt out of my head and tried to enjoy myself. It was really hard, though. I let Charley be my co-pilot, like old times. It was a little tough looking over at him, remembering all the times he'd sat there with me before, making people smile when we stopped at stop lights. Licking the window. Drooling if I got fast food, and begging for french fries. Scaring the crap out of car hops at Sonic, to the point that they wouldn't bring us our food. Haha... for a dog that might look intimidating, all you have to see is his back half wiggling and most people knew he wouldn't hurt them. I will miss that wiggly butt.
Anyway, I took him to downtown Naperville to Two Bostons, and got him a birthday cake for his 6th birthday this Saturday. The hard part was when people would see him and say, "How are you, Charley Brown?" and I would burst into tears. The same thing happened when I took him to Petsmart to see 'his people'. I cried off and on all day yesterday, as I knew I would. It was tough because so many people are attached to him... I guess it's comforting to have so many other people grieving with us. It makes it a little easier, but not much.
So I guess all I can do at this point is just try to be realistic, but still enjoy every moment with him that I'm blessed to have. Looking back at times I've dealt with loss, guilt is something I always feel. I always wish I would have spent more time with them. Now that I have it, my goal is to do all that I can so I will have no regrets.
-Ashley
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Fears Confirmed
The oncologist confirmed our worst fears yesterday... Charley has gone from Stage 1 to Stage 3 Lymphoma in just 3 days. They could already feel the lymph nodes hardening in his groin yesterday. They explained our options, saying that even if we did the most aggressive chemo treatment, he probably wouldn't make it a full year. At this rate we will be lucky if he survives a few more months. So with very heavy hearts, we decided to give him a steriod treatment of Prednisone that will temporarily kill off the cancer cells, and will make him feel happy and healthy for at least a little bit longer. Eventually the cells will become immune to the drug and the cancer will come back, but if it works, we may have bought him a few more months... at least he'll not be in pain.
Now we are going to spoil him as much as we possibly can. I am taking Keaton to my neighbor's house this afternoon for a few hours so Chuck and I can go do fun things together. This will be Keaton's first time at a babysitter, but I am so distracted about the dog that I don't think I'll worry about him much. Plus, our neighbor has 4 girls of her own, so he will be in great hands.
My plan is to take Charley to his two favorite places today, get him treats, and let him see his people. I'm sure I'll break down as I have off and on the past 4 days, especially when I tell them the news. Sometimes I'm numb, then it will just hit me. I really wish I could talk about it without crying, but he means too much to me, and it hurts. No reason to hold back emotions at this point! I've had some really great moments with him the last few days. Early Tuesday morning I was out in the living room feeding Keaton, and when I went back to the bedroom, Charley was laying in my spot. I curled up next to him, between he and Casey, and we slept for a little while together. This morning I shared about a quarter of my bagel with CB, without regret. He laid on the bed next to me, drooling everywhere. I didn't care for once... the sheets can wash. He's been following me around more the last day or so, and he hasn't done that in awhile, so I am sure to talk to him and pet him whenever I don't have my hands full of baby. Okay, and sometimes even when I do. He seems to like to come in when I'm changing Keaton's diaper and lay on the floor in the nursery. I'm just glad he has enough energy right now to want to be where we are... you just never know how this will affect an animal. Luckily he's still the same great dog we've known for almost 6 years.
The hardest times are realizing that soon he won't be here anymore, and there are so many things around here that remind me of him... it is going to be so hard. Last night when Casey came back from running to get Charley and Keaton's meds, I said "Daddy's home!" (as I always do) to which Charley did his normal activity of jumping up and running to the door to greet him. I couldn't help but get sad. I also think about his little face at the window waiting for me when I go run an errand. So many times I've pulled up in the driveway and saw his face there, then saw him disappear when he realized that I was coming inside. A few times I would cuss because I would trip over him when I had my hands full, but he was always so happy to see me when I got back- it was hard to be mad at him. I could be gone for 5 minutes and he would always have the same reaction. I will miss how much his butt shakes when he's excited to see you. He definitely would have done well as a Walmart Greeter. :)
What a hard time in life right now. I am very lucky that even though yesterday was a highly emotional day for Casey and I, Keaton was SO good. He actually smiled and laughed almost all day yesterday, which was a blessing in many ways. It was a great distraction when we were sitting in the exam room at the oncologist, hearing all the bad news. It's almost like he knew we were sad, and he would laugh and smile to make us happy. I'm so thankful for that.
I'm also very thankful that we have this time with Charley. We are going to make the most of it.
Love,
Ash
Now we are going to spoil him as much as we possibly can. I am taking Keaton to my neighbor's house this afternoon for a few hours so Chuck and I can go do fun things together. This will be Keaton's first time at a babysitter, but I am so distracted about the dog that I don't think I'll worry about him much. Plus, our neighbor has 4 girls of her own, so he will be in great hands.
My plan is to take Charley to his two favorite places today, get him treats, and let him see his people. I'm sure I'll break down as I have off and on the past 4 days, especially when I tell them the news. Sometimes I'm numb, then it will just hit me. I really wish I could talk about it without crying, but he means too much to me, and it hurts. No reason to hold back emotions at this point! I've had some really great moments with him the last few days. Early Tuesday morning I was out in the living room feeding Keaton, and when I went back to the bedroom, Charley was laying in my spot. I curled up next to him, between he and Casey, and we slept for a little while together. This morning I shared about a quarter of my bagel with CB, without regret. He laid on the bed next to me, drooling everywhere. I didn't care for once... the sheets can wash. He's been following me around more the last day or so, and he hasn't done that in awhile, so I am sure to talk to him and pet him whenever I don't have my hands full of baby. Okay, and sometimes even when I do. He seems to like to come in when I'm changing Keaton's diaper and lay on the floor in the nursery. I'm just glad he has enough energy right now to want to be where we are... you just never know how this will affect an animal. Luckily he's still the same great dog we've known for almost 6 years.
The hardest times are realizing that soon he won't be here anymore, and there are so many things around here that remind me of him... it is going to be so hard. Last night when Casey came back from running to get Charley and Keaton's meds, I said "Daddy's home!" (as I always do) to which Charley did his normal activity of jumping up and running to the door to greet him. I couldn't help but get sad. I also think about his little face at the window waiting for me when I go run an errand. So many times I've pulled up in the driveway and saw his face there, then saw him disappear when he realized that I was coming inside. A few times I would cuss because I would trip over him when I had my hands full, but he was always so happy to see me when I got back- it was hard to be mad at him. I could be gone for 5 minutes and he would always have the same reaction. I will miss how much his butt shakes when he's excited to see you. He definitely would have done well as a Walmart Greeter. :)
What a hard time in life right now. I am very lucky that even though yesterday was a highly emotional day for Casey and I, Keaton was SO good. He actually smiled and laughed almost all day yesterday, which was a blessing in many ways. It was a great distraction when we were sitting in the exam room at the oncologist, hearing all the bad news. It's almost like he knew we were sad, and he would laugh and smile to make us happy. I'm so thankful for that.
I'm also very thankful that we have this time with Charley. We are going to make the most of it.
Love,
Ash
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Quality Time
Last night we took Charley to the vet for more bloodwork. On Saturday, only his left lymph nodes on his back leg were swollen. Only two days later, the right side is starting to harden, and the glands in his neck are swelling, too. The vet was trying to stay positive and tell us about chemo treatments, saying that her own dog went through them and lasted another 5 years. This would have made me feel better had he not had blood in his stool last night when he went to the bathroom, after we left the vet's office. We may take him to the oncologist today instead of waiting until tomorrow, because from what Casey read last night, he may have jumped to Stage 2 or possibly 3 of 5, in just a few days. We will see what the doctor says, because you can't always believe what you read online, but if it's moved to his GI tract, it's obviously not looking good.
After we got home from the vet, we took the boys on a walk around the neighborhood. That's when the bloody stool thing happened. It was getting dark out so I can't be 100% sure, but there's almost no doubt in my mind about it. When we got home, Case looked things up online so we would be a little more informed when we go to the oncologist, and then we took both boys in to our bed and just hung out together as a family. It actually took a bit of pleading to get Charley on the bed, which never happens. He's not getting up on the couch much anymore, either. I honestly thought he was sleeping on the floor more now because the weather's been warmer lately. Could I have totally missed the signs? I do thank God for his latest ear infection, because without it we wouldn't have taken him to the vet Saturday. At this rate he could have just gone totally downhill and we wouldn't have had any warning... although if this is progressing as fast as it seems to be, it almost feels that way already.
I really hope he makes it to his 6th birthday on Saturday. I guess we'll find out the probability of that today or tomorrow. He stills seems in good spirits, and if he's in pain he's not showing it yet. I really wish Keaton had more time with him. Keaton did smile at him last night, though, which was adorable. We got some video and pictures of the boys together last night. For now we're just trying to spend as much quality time with Charley as we can.
More later,
Ash
After we got home from the vet, we took the boys on a walk around the neighborhood. That's when the bloody stool thing happened. It was getting dark out so I can't be 100% sure, but there's almost no doubt in my mind about it. When we got home, Case looked things up online so we would be a little more informed when we go to the oncologist, and then we took both boys in to our bed and just hung out together as a family. It actually took a bit of pleading to get Charley on the bed, which never happens. He's not getting up on the couch much anymore, either. I honestly thought he was sleeping on the floor more now because the weather's been warmer lately. Could I have totally missed the signs? I do thank God for his latest ear infection, because without it we wouldn't have taken him to the vet Saturday. At this rate he could have just gone totally downhill and we wouldn't have had any warning... although if this is progressing as fast as it seems to be, it almost feels that way already.
I really hope he makes it to his 6th birthday on Saturday. I guess we'll find out the probability of that today or tomorrow. He stills seems in good spirits, and if he's in pain he's not showing it yet. I really wish Keaton had more time with him. Keaton did smile at him last night, though, which was adorable. We got some video and pictures of the boys together last night. For now we're just trying to spend as much quality time with Charley as we can.
More later,
Ash
Monday, May 3, 2010
Test Results
I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason. This belief has gotten me through a lot of tough times in life. So when Casey called today to let me know that the vet said Charley's cells were consistent with lymphoma, a big part of me already knew it. We go back to the vet tonight for more bloodwork, and then to the oncologist on Wednesday to see what we do next.
I'm not sure what this week will bring, but for some reason this all feels like it's supposed to happen right now. I can't really explain why I think that, I just do. Charley has been this intrigal part of our lives. He came at the best possible time, and although it was hard at first to have a whining puppy who would be at the vet off and on the entire first year we had him, mainly for eating things he shouldn't, I know that he's made my life so much better while he's been in it. I remember Casey and I fretting and wondering if we made the right decision just a few months after we got him, mainly because we had no idea vet bills could cost so much! We spent well over $1000 in the first year of his life with everything he had going on. But all of it was totally worth it, because he has brought so much joy to our lives over the last 6 years. He is definitely one of the most hilarious dogs I have ever met. He thinks he's human, and sometimes I think we believe it, too. I just can't believe he might not be with us much longer.
Sorry, my brain is pretty foggy right now and I'm not sure if any of this is coherent. All I know is that we're probably going to learn a lot in the next few days, and I'm a little scared about what that will be. He's here right now, and that's all that matters. I just hope we can make him as happy as possible and that he won't be in any pain, if we can help it. I feel so sad for the kids on our street... they love him so much. For some of them, this may be the first time they deal with something like this, and that makes me even more sad. I think about all the people at Petsmart that love this dog and will be affected by this, too. He's just such a wonderful guy that has touched so many lives. Anyone that ever says a dog is "just a dog" has never met one like Charley Brown. I'm sure there will probably be a lot more entries like this... as I've said before, he was my first 'kid', and as reality sets in I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories and pictures to post about the guy. I'll update more later when we find out details. For now, my heart just hurts. :(
I'm not sure what this week will bring, but for some reason this all feels like it's supposed to happen right now. I can't really explain why I think that, I just do. Charley has been this intrigal part of our lives. He came at the best possible time, and although it was hard at first to have a whining puppy who would be at the vet off and on the entire first year we had him, mainly for eating things he shouldn't, I know that he's made my life so much better while he's been in it. I remember Casey and I fretting and wondering if we made the right decision just a few months after we got him, mainly because we had no idea vet bills could cost so much! We spent well over $1000 in the first year of his life with everything he had going on. But all of it was totally worth it, because he has brought so much joy to our lives over the last 6 years. He is definitely one of the most hilarious dogs I have ever met. He thinks he's human, and sometimes I think we believe it, too. I just can't believe he might not be with us much longer.
Sorry, my brain is pretty foggy right now and I'm not sure if any of this is coherent. All I know is that we're probably going to learn a lot in the next few days, and I'm a little scared about what that will be. He's here right now, and that's all that matters. I just hope we can make him as happy as possible and that he won't be in any pain, if we can help it. I feel so sad for the kids on our street... they love him so much. For some of them, this may be the first time they deal with something like this, and that makes me even more sad. I think about all the people at Petsmart that love this dog and will be affected by this, too. He's just such a wonderful guy that has touched so many lives. Anyone that ever says a dog is "just a dog" has never met one like Charley Brown. I'm sure there will probably be a lot more entries like this... as I've said before, he was my first 'kid', and as reality sets in I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories and pictures to post about the guy. I'll update more later when we find out details. For now, my heart just hurts. :(
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Charley Brown
Today Casey took Charley Brown in to the vet for an on-going ear infection. It was his 2 week check-up and they were supposed to only check his ears, but luckily someone noticed that one of his back legs was swollen where the lymph nodes are located. We don't know what's going on yet because it will take a little while for the test results to come back, but the vet has reason to believe it could be Lymphoma, which is very common in Boxers. If so, we will not be able to put him through Chemo because the toxins in his urine can be very harmful to kids, not to mention the procedure is very expensive. In addition, I would not want him to live somewhere else while going through it, because that would all be tramatic for him. So if it is cancer... well... yeah.
I am trying to stay positive right now, but it is hard. Charley was my first 'kid'. He was the first puppy out the door to greet us when we went to the breeder to pick one out. He kept me sane when Casey was in Japan. He has licked my tears away, and kept my feet warm at night. He is my first dog and I doubt I will ever have a dog, or pet in general, that is more attentive, smart, and happy as Charley. Everyone that meets him (even a few cat lovers) end up liking him (minus all the licking!) because of his personality. We can take him almost anywhere and know that 1) he'll be on his best behavior, and 2) he'll get a lot of attention. When we take him to Petsmart to see 'his people', he has to greet everyone in the store. Most people there don't know our names, we are just "Charley's parents". Not sure if I would have it any other way.
I knew that someday I would have to come to terms with this, I just figured Keaton would be walking and talking by that point. I still picture Charley sitting under Keaton's high chair, waiting for food to drop. I see him helping Keaton learn how to walk. I see him really enjoying his own kid instead of borrowing all the neighborhood kids. It's hard not to feel guilty right now because I realize that for 11 weeks, Charley has been second string to Keaton, and I regret not spending more time with him when I could have... I will now because I'm reminded that nothing lasts forever and I don't want to waste anymore time if we don't have a lot left. I regret getting so upset with him when he would lick Keaton or get in the way when I was trying to do something. All I can do now, besides hope for the best, is try to make up for what I haven't done for him that last 3 months. He really has been the best friend a person could have- loyal, trustworthy, and always around when you need him.
Charley will turn 6 next Saturday. I really hope he lives to see many more birthdays, and that this is just a wake-up call for us and he gets through it. I'll keep the blog updated about him. Hopefully the next entry will be good news.
Love,
Charley Brown & Keaton's Mom
I am trying to stay positive right now, but it is hard. Charley was my first 'kid'. He was the first puppy out the door to greet us when we went to the breeder to pick one out. He kept me sane when Casey was in Japan. He has licked my tears away, and kept my feet warm at night. He is my first dog and I doubt I will ever have a dog, or pet in general, that is more attentive, smart, and happy as Charley. Everyone that meets him (even a few cat lovers) end up liking him (minus all the licking!) because of his personality. We can take him almost anywhere and know that 1) he'll be on his best behavior, and 2) he'll get a lot of attention. When we take him to Petsmart to see 'his people', he has to greet everyone in the store. Most people there don't know our names, we are just "Charley's parents". Not sure if I would have it any other way.
I knew that someday I would have to come to terms with this, I just figured Keaton would be walking and talking by that point. I still picture Charley sitting under Keaton's high chair, waiting for food to drop. I see him helping Keaton learn how to walk. I see him really enjoying his own kid instead of borrowing all the neighborhood kids. It's hard not to feel guilty right now because I realize that for 11 weeks, Charley has been second string to Keaton, and I regret not spending more time with him when I could have... I will now because I'm reminded that nothing lasts forever and I don't want to waste anymore time if we don't have a lot left. I regret getting so upset with him when he would lick Keaton or get in the way when I was trying to do something. All I can do now, besides hope for the best, is try to make up for what I haven't done for him that last 3 months. He really has been the best friend a person could have- loyal, trustworthy, and always around when you need him.
Charley will turn 6 next Saturday. I really hope he lives to see many more birthdays, and that this is just a wake-up call for us and he gets through it. I'll keep the blog updated about him. Hopefully the next entry will be good news.
Love,
Charley Brown & Keaton's Mom
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