Random Wigness

Every year there's usually at least one present I'm super excited about giving, mainly because I felt inspired about it. Like it was a really clever gift for that person. This year that person is my Grandpa V in Iowa. Are you excited, Grandpa? I am!!! I'm also really excited about the presents I made for people. I've never made quite so many gifts as this year. I was telling Ben how making gifts helps me grasp a better understanding of God's love for us. All the effort I put into making something isn't my effort to top other gifts (sometimes it actually feels cheesier to give a homemade gift "Oh, it's another one of Becca's bags! heh heh), but rather to give the person a glimpse of how much they're loved. The whole experience gives me a tiny glimpse of how much God loves us and it overwhelms me.

I found my first gray hair today. I'd been praying it would go white, not gray, but we'll see. Looks pretty colorless, can't tell.

Atticus (aka BooBoo)

I just made a bed for my dog, Atticus, in the bathroom. Ever since Juju was born Z's love for the dogs has turned more and more violent. Scout quickly found respite in our bedroom during the day. We kick her out for nap time, then she goes right back in afterwards. Anywhere Z is, she is not. Finally, Atticus, the slower, slightly special one figured out that he's happier alone in the bathroom upstairs than downstairs amidst the chaos. It's a sad existence for our poor dogs right now. Especially compared to their previous life as our sole babies. Someday, Z and Juju will be their best friends and life will be better than ever for them, but for now they're in purgatory and it stinks.

Scout as a puppy

I haven't mentioned our dogs much as I started this blog after Z was born and he completely overshadowed them, but they're actually very special dogs. They're American Hairless Terriers. We bought them in Spotsylvania, Virginia from a wonderful breeder who is very selective about who she sells to. We made the cut somehow, but were given lots of rules. We actually had to promise not to tattoo our dogs. We have to bathe them weekly and cover them in lotion afterwards. They don't get fleas and if they would get a tick, it would be easy to spot. When they've gotten a cut, it's easy to put neosporin on it and a band aid if in a spot they can't reach.

Dogs donning freckles

Yes, they get cold, that's where I started my sewing career. It was way cheaper for me to make outfits than to buy them custom made at $35 each. Most doggie outfits at the store don't cover enough to keep a hairless dog warm enough. So, I made long sleeve, long legged, turtle-neck outfits that covered most of their bodies. I made a bunch before Z was born and I haven't made any since. I recently bought fabric to do so as their coats are starting to wear thin. They wear them year round as the air conditioning is pretty cold in the summer. Some people ask us why they wear clothes when it seems fairly warm outside and we explain that if we're wearing clothes, they need clothes. Only when it's so hot we wish we didn't have to wear clothes do we take theirs off. Yes, they need sunscreen. Another funny thing about them is that they develop freckles in the sun that cover their whole bodies. They lose them in the winter.

Scout just after Z was born.
She's had post-partum depression ever since.

They're good tempered dogs and easy to train. Surprisingly, they're not test-tube dogs, but rather a naturally occurring species that was just born of a rat terrier! If you're interested in learning more, here's a link to their history.

Now, for those who were thinking, "I want to hear about the kids, not the dogs!" I'll throw you a bone. Juju got weighed yesterday and was 14 pounds and 24 1/4" long! The doctor said over and over how big she is for almost 3 months. Juju holds her head up consistently and rolls from belly to back and from her back to her side. She loves to stand up like a big girl and lifts her knee like she's doing a jig. Her favorite thing is to have conversations with people. She likes eye contact and will responds to being spoken to with great enthusiasm.

Z who is almost 2 1/2 years old now, weighed in at 37 lbs. Not sure how tall he is, but he's slimming out a lot. He's the best big brother ever and kisses the baby and nuzzles his face to hers everyday. He cries whenever she cries, which is not fun for us. We're very eager to retire his car seat and move to the booster, and we're just a few pounds away. He's absolutely, positively smitten by Thomas the Tank Engine, which is why we got him a Geo Trax Train set for Christmas. It has a remote control for toddlers! He likes everything that "goes" be it cars, planes, tractors, boats or trains. He's very social and loves to play with other kids at our Play Group and play dates with friends. Oh, and if you've ever called our house, you know he loves to talk on the phone. He has a pretty big ornery streak and I just found that he's been painting my bathroom wall with liquid hand soap as I typed this. At least the one thing in the house will be clean!