Things I Don't Want to See Again For a Really Long Time.

Things have been rocky with our new little pooch in the house. The Pup is utterly adorable and endearing. And playful. And kind of a jerk in a puppy-sort-of-way to The Terd. And The Terd, well... let's just say that she is not a big fan of The Pup. And not in the way of "I'm Not a Fan, But Maybe In Time I Will Be" and more in the way of "Get This POS Pup Outta My House Before I Go Postal and Pee and Poop all over your Pillows Every Day Until I Die". Or something like that.

We are as yet undecided as to how this story will end. I'm not happy with how the two are relating... or not relating as you look at it. The Terd has lost an alarming amount of weight and is pretty stressed. I was holding her this morning and I can feel each rib and vertabrae on her spine. The Pup is fat and roly-poly and has the most astonishing case of diarrhea.

Which leads me to the Aforementioned Title and Accompanying List. Without further ado, Things Which I Don't Want to See Again For a Really Long Time.

1.) Lysol Wipes.
2.) Boiled Rice and Beef in a Blender. Just vile.
3.) Poopy Fur. Also vile.
4.) The sight of puppy poop on my Australian Wool Duvet. Heinous.
5.) Puppy kennel with Poop Enhancements at 2:30am. Wrong.
6.) Puppy kennel with Poop Enhancements at 4:00am. Wrong. Wrong.
7.) Puppy kennel with Poop Enhancements at 5:30am. Wrong. Wrong. Oh so Wrong.
8.) Lysol Wipes. Did I say that already?
9.) Puppy squatting over air register. Dear God in Heaven.
10.) Chocolate Pudding. Seriously. Not interested.

The Pup had her deworming treatment over a week ago. The vet says to continue with the Rice/Beef. She is happy and playful, otherwise, and thankfully is making it to the litter box most of the time during the day.

Nighttime is clearly another thing altogether. She whines and howls pitifully if we keep her down in a room with her litter box. Bringing the kennel up into our room placates her and she sleeps well. The only thing that wakes her is her need to poop. Which is apparently done in stealth and then she sits beside her handiwork (or in it) until the stench wakes me. And let it be known that I have a sensitive nose and most times turn on the light in time to catch her finishing up. You cannot imagine what a treat that is at 3:30am. Really. Just try to imagine. You can't.

Did I mention she is cute? Like, ridiculously so.


This may be the only thing saving her from a long leash in the back yard at nighttime.

Kinda like Potato Chips.

It looks like the Flutterby Household will be adding one more member. Of the furry kind.

No, we're not adding another Mr.F.

That's just silly.

We will be adding another lil dog. We've kinda thrown the idea around for some time, now. And once I got over my "NEED" for a dog of larger stature (which, I begrudgingly agree does not fit in with our lifestyle right now)... it looks like we'll be searching for another little chi or chi-mix. The Terd can use some company and it might help remind her of her Dog-ness. Cause right now she definitely thinks she's People.

Looks like it is true what they say about Chihuahuas and Potato Chips: Betcha can't have just one!


**This pic has been posted for the benefit of certain *ahem* commentators who doubt the level of Adorable possessed by this breed. Turned up to 11!!!**

Crazy Like a Fox

I was going through some old pics and found a couple that I took of two of my favorite models last year some time.

I title this one "Fox"


And I think this is the "Crazy" part...


I swear the Kid gets all his talent from me. lol

Stuff I've Noticed About Having a Puppy.

Just a few things I've noticed lately. Things related to the new little fur-ball in the family and I thought I'd share.

1) There has been significantly more laundry. The odd housetraining accident. A puppy bath, changing the "linens" in the crate. (cause we roll Classy around here, people!) Laundry.

2) I feel the inexplicable need to converse with the puppy when it's just me and her in the house. I'll be doing my thing in the kitchen or whatever and whenever she walks by and looks up at me, I feel like I'd be rude to not, well, SAY SOMETHING. What's that?? It's kinda embarrassing, is what that is.

3) The children have come through with approximately 3.675% of their pre-puppy Promises. 3.125% is due to the Princess. .55% is due to the Kid. This is REAL WORLD MATH, readers. Don't doubt.

4) I have come through with 145% of pre-puppy Promises and 239.75% of all puppy-related obligations. This roughly translates to a rising trend of Alpha Mommy Syndrome. The puppy worships me. When it's not trying to pee on my stuff.

5) Puppy stretches, snurgles and snuffles, and puppy yawns are insanely cute. So cute they could be measured in gigawatts of cuteness.

6) Having a puppy gives you repeated opportunities to walk in the backyard and talk about "taking a whiz" and "going potty". I'm sure the neighbors have never been so entertained.

7) Repeated walks in the backyard at ridiculous hours of the morning, evening and night makes me ever so glad that we don't have much snow at all. I am so loving El Nino at the moment. And so dreading the day when it all hits us like a mack truck of snowglobes.

8) Having a puppy means I am once again stepping over a baby gate and periodically almost killing myself.

9) I cannot leave a garbage bag out of it's receptacle for the afternoon to fill it just that last little bit full before taking it out.

10) I cannot leave anything out.

11) Unless I put it on something higher than she can reach.

12) Thank God in Heaven she is a Chihuahua and not a Great Dane.

13) Puppy feet smell like corn chips.

14) I may have difficulty ever eating corn chips again.

15) I like the *snick snick snick* sound of her nails on the floor. Cute.

16) I have realized that, while I probably am truly a Cat Person, I'm pretty fond of my lil pup. She's pretty precious.

A Hammy Led Us To Her.

Sometimes it seems that the strangest things happen in the strangest ways.

This past Sunday, we took the kids to the local pet store to look at hammies. We were thinking of checking out the fuzzy rodents and possibly stepping back in the hammy game.

We spent some time wandering the store first, being captivated by kittens and puppies and a particularly friendly parrot, finally making our way to the Rodentia area. The kids were speculating about the personalities of the dozing hammies and there were a few already contending for the coveted spot of being the next Flutterbyhouse Hammy. One of the little ones they had picked out was dozing in the corner and I was just pointing out to the kids that I didn't think we'd want to pick him cause he was very skinny compared to the others, when said little, skinny hammy moved laboriously and I could see that something was Very Wrong with him.

His tiny little head turned and it was immediately apparent that he was badly injured. Grossly injured. My sharp intake of breath and girly squeak immediately alerted the kiddos and before I could stop them, they, too had gotten a full view of the carnage done to the little guys' eyeball. The Princess pleaded with me to find someone to help him and I quickly tracked down an employee who also gasped and paled and took that miserable little hammy out of the cage. We were left feeling sickened and heartbroken for that poor tiny hammy. The Princess looked green and said she felt faint. And, in all our adult wisdom... my mother and I decided to distract the kiddos with some time spent with a little puppy in the "bonding room".

And this is what I get for doing so.



I know, right? It's ridiculous. And very Cute. And named Goldie. Cause my kids rock with the Naming Originality like that.

But she is now ours and it's very possible that I wouldn't have it any other way.

I also may have a hammy habitat for sale.