This Weekend!

I volunteer for an awesome local animal rescue called Ruff House Rescue . I go when I can to walk dogs, and bring newspaper and plastic bags, and clean up puppy poop, and we have fostered one dog (so far). With a full time job and a fairly new baby and two dogs of my own, this is as much as I can help on a daily/weekly/monthly basis.

But, sometimes you have to think outside the box!

I have certain (hoarding) talents that lend themselves to yard sales - I'm pushy, I'm a collector who has to get rid of things, and I can do this with a baby in tow. So, with many donations, and a new location - I am helping to host a yard sale where ALL profits go directly to the rescue, who will use them for food and boarding, toys and vet bills and other awesome things for the dogs and cats in their care!

I also made a few totes to sell:

They are simply blank canvas totes with heat and bond appliques in silhouettes of puppies and cats! I thought they were really cute, and had bought the stuff to make them a while ago! I hope we make a lot of dough for a great cause!

Here's Sophie with our foster pup, Reuben, who has already gone to his awesome forever home!

And this guy will be at the sale, too! Henry will give you a smile and a giggle and maybe a snore if he is taking a nap!

If you live on Long Island or close to it, we'd love to see you for a great cause! Or go to their website (ruffhouserescue.com) and check out the awesome animals they have ready for adoption and lists of their adoption events! You could volunteer as a dog walker, which will help YOU get exercise while giving the dogs some MUCH NEEDED attention and exercise! Why are you paying for a gym when you could help out a puppy instead? They need help, and I know you are just the person to do it! If you don't live close to hear, find a shelter in your neighborhood! One morning or evening a week could make such a difference in the lives of animals - sure - but it will get you right in the feels, too!

A little Look at Our Life

Fairly happy baby - teething, drooling, watches the dogs move around, likes to watch the kids move around at Nanas - he smiles a lot!

Baxter, pretty much a lay-about. Always excited for food and drink and likes to pee on the fence, behind which a possum may or may not live.

Sophie has been sick again. She has an auto-immune disease that makes her back legs and jaw especially painful. The answer, unfortunately, is steroids, and everytime we wean her off she gets sick again. We are trying an immunosuppresent, too, but I've got low expectations. Steroids aren't great for her, but her quality of life without them is pretty gross.

Fingers in mouth, mostly.

Hanging with our puppy.

Every morning, Baxter gives Henry some Good Morning kisses!

Drool. 

Time Flies

Easter came and went, with a furrowed brow. He wasn't too impressed.

He's a smiley baby a lot of the time, though he is sick right now, with glassy eyes with purple circles underneath. Babies with a cold are quite pathetic looking.

Going back to work was surprisingly easy, because we have the best Nana-babysitter in the whole world. Quinn told me "Don't worry. We are going to take very good care of Baby Henry today." He is three and amazing. Baby Joe even loves the baby a little...most of the time.

In which there is a baby

This is my Henry. He is six weeks old today. He is a really big deal. He's sort of blond with blue eyes so far, and he likes to eat and sleep. He was almost ten pounds when he was born and we are very lucky because he is a very nice baby. The dogs have accepted him into the family very easily and he is not bothered when they go crazy every day when the postal man comes to the mailbox. I guess he got used to their barking while he was growing in my belly.

So many people have been so generous with gifts, and we are so blessed with handmade items. I'll have to go back to work in a couple of weeks, so I'm trying to really absorb everything that's happening now.

So, it's hard and it's easy and that's weird. And we bought a minivan and that's weird. And some days I can't do more that put on new socks and feed myself and the baby and other days I can do 40 chores, make dinner, bake a cake, take a shower and do something nice for someone else. What's the difference between the first kind of day and the second kind of day? I have no idea. I don't know it when it's happening. It doesn't seem like it's the baby, it doesn't seem like it's me - I don't know. Whole days pass where nothing happens - whole days pass where everything happens. Interesting.