Finally!

Hello All!

I should be paying attention to the dogs and the kiddo....and instead, I'm blogging. J is trying to study, so like I said, I really should be paying attention. In addition, I should be putting clean bedding on the bed, starting new laundry, getting stuff ready for supper, and any number of other tasks that I am currently pretending don't need to be done. ;)

Should, should, should.

Makes me think of a Shel Silverstein poem:

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,

Listen to the DON'TS

Listen to the SHOULDN'TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS

Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to me--

Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can be.

Okay, so it mentions shouldn'ts and not shoulds. Still, reminded me just the same.

Back to my shoulds, maybe I'll multitask and use blogger's long picture load time to my advantage. I've got tons to share, so might as well! =)

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Okay, time lapse...to Wednesday. Geez. So blogger decided that it just couldn't handle uploading 4 or 5 pictures at once. I have to go through and do it...one...at...a...time. Ugh. I started this on Sunday and here I am just now figuring this out. I'm not sure what has changed, I used to load multiple photos at once, but oh well.

Where to start? Oh yeah, we've had little Alvin and have had so much fun! So much, in fact, that sucker J is extremely relunctant to return the little guy. I refuse to join the Failed Fosters Club on our first try. Meaning: Yes, Alvin is going back to his original foster parents and will hopefully find his forever home real soon. He certainly deserves it! He's a great little dog and we really see all the signs of an awesome family dog in the making in him. He is playful with Bug and learning how to treat him NOT like a fellow puppy (haha), loves to play and cuddle with Paisley, and is extremely people-focused. He aims to please, that's for sure, and with those adorable ears and his snuggle-bum nature, he most often does just that.

His regular foster Mom sent him with this adorable little fleece jacket (just a bit of fabric with little arm holes and then ties under his belly)--so CUTE!


Jeremy calls this shot "the meeting of the minds." ;) Bug was hogging the dog bone and the other two were mighty interested in his plans for their coveted bone.

Last Friday was an absolutely gorgeous day. For MN anyway. ;) J came home early and we headed outside with the crew (minus the cats of course) and the camera.

Bug was rockin' the Farmer Brown look again, only this time without an undershirt. It's a look only a baby can really pull off. =)

Friday night we headed to our dog training facility with Alvin for a puppy playdate. He got beat up by a girl puppy! I guess it was hilarious, but I missed it because J had taken Bug and I over to our trainer's house for a munchkin playdate. ;) Bug got to play with our trainer's daughter Ava who is about 3 and 1/2 months older than him. She's a doll and our trainer Tiffany just loves Bug. And I got wine and pizza out of the deal, so it was all good. Hehe.

Then Saturday came. I thought Grady felt warm first thing in the morning and he just wasn't quite his chipper little self. The weather had taken a turn too and it was drizzly and gloomy out. Bugga ended up going down for an early nap and woke up crying. VERY unlike Bug. It was clear he wasn't feeling good.

We all went in after nap and lounged and played a bit on Bug's bed. The dogs really wanted to just curl up and sleep, but Grady was mostly ready to go.

Not long after getting up and leaving his room though, this was what we had:

A super-snuggly, exhausted-seeming, little guy. We pulled out the ol' thermometer, and sure enough, he was running a fever of 101 degrees. Not major, but for him, pretty big as he had never run a fever prior. The fever ended up coming down by later that afternoon, thankfully, but check out all this drool:

It's a little hard to see now that I look at the picture again, but his chin and neck and chest were shiny with all the saliva running down them and his shirt was pretty soaked too. We think his 12 month molars might be trying to push their way through. Poor guy had a rough weekend and then also ended up with a bit of a cold early this week. He's pretty congested right now.

We're really, really hoping he kicks it before his Memaw and Papaw get here on Friday. They're coming to celebrate his birthday with him and we're really excited! Of course, today, I'm feeling under the weather now too. Hopefully it'll clear out for both of us real soon. And hopefully, J doesn't come down with it too.

Oh, Grady's playgroup has been fun so far. He's gone twice. He's definitely the kind of kid that needs to sit back and take it all in for a good while before he wants to join the fun. The first day it was a good half hour before he moved from the spot I placed him! =) He's the youngest in his little class too, so that makes it interesting. I'm glad to get him around other kids and the families all seem quite nice. It's been a good thing, as Martha would say.

I think that's mostly all for the updates from the Jackson family. Just anxiously awaiting Spring here in MN. ;)