This is how much this kid loves his Shaun the Sheep. It's pretty funny...
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Maverick's in Training
Mav is a stud. He decided he wanted to help Danny train for his triathlons, so he came up with this idea. I think if he can ever get over sitting with that helmet on for more than 10 minutes this will be mutually beneficial!
First they had to get the bike ready, so he helped pump up the tires.
Then they were ready to ride!
First they had to get the bike ready, so he helped pump up the tires.
Then they were ready to ride!
Friday, March 11, 2011
A Halfway Unfortunate Update
This is only half bad news, so I'll start with the good: Gibbs is on the mend! He's sounding much better and has his energy back.
The bad news? Now Sparrow has it.
Tell me again how totally and completely different it is to have dogs rather than kids?
Anyway, the vet said that since it spread from Gibbs to Sparrow, he's more sure than ever that it IS NOT Valley Fever. The odds of them getting it at the same time having rarely left their yards are astronomical. This is just your run-of-the-mill bacterial infection. So that makes me feel better! Just a couple weeks of antibiotics for both of them and we should be good!
I don't like having sick pups. They're just so...sad...
The bad news? Now Sparrow has it.
Tell me again how totally and completely different it is to have dogs rather than kids?
Anyway, the vet said that since it spread from Gibbs to Sparrow, he's more sure than ever that it IS NOT Valley Fever. The odds of them getting it at the same time having rarely left their yards are astronomical. This is just your run-of-the-mill bacterial infection. So that makes me feel better! Just a couple weeks of antibiotics for both of them and we should be good!
I don't like having sick pups. They're just so...sad...
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
We're so done with the Veterinarian...
This is Gibbs.
For those of you that may not know him well, Gibbs is the sort of dog that looks like he's got the wisdom of the ages in his soul - up until anything walks past our window, then he's a fiercely dedicated watchdog, no doubt shouting all manner of obscenities at that potential assassin. With Mav he's an absolute pushover who lets the toddler crawl all over him, step on him, and pull his ears and lips without a single sound or movement of protest. He's incredibly sweet, loving, and generally well-behaved.
He's also been the victim of an onslaught of unfortunate situations since we moved down here to Phoenix.
First, last Friday night Danny noticed Gibbs' lip was a little swollen. When he took a closer look, he saw light through the lip. Our dog had a hole you could pass a pen through in his big, floppy lip! I was appalled. I had been home almost all day with him and hadn't heard a peep or seen a thing. We took him to a new vet recommended by friends and he basically told us there's no way to know what happened and really no way to fix it except with time and patience. If they sewed it up, Sparrow would just rip the stitches out and probably cause more damage. So we cleaned it out a few times (with weak tea, which I'd never heard of using before) and he went on antibiotics for a few weeks while it closed up.
We still suspect this one had something to do with it:
Doesn't she look suspicious?
The second ordeal started on Saturday with a little cough that escalated to a horrible, gut-wrenching hack by Sunday night and by Monday he couldn't eat. The vet told us there was the possibility of Valley Fever. He told us this with the obvious expectation that we would be thoroughly alarmed, but since we aren't from around here and it's a local ailment, we were clueless. I guess it's like a really bad cold that humans and dogs can contract from spores. If left unchecked, the sickness can be pretty dangerous. But he wasn't 100% sure, so Gibbs is just back on some antibiotics and a cough suppressant for now.
Poor Gibbs.
For those of you that may not know him well, Gibbs is the sort of dog that looks like he's got the wisdom of the ages in his soul - up until anything walks past our window, then he's a fiercely dedicated watchdog, no doubt shouting all manner of obscenities at that potential assassin. With Mav he's an absolute pushover who lets the toddler crawl all over him, step on him, and pull his ears and lips without a single sound or movement of protest. He's incredibly sweet, loving, and generally well-behaved.
He's also been the victim of an onslaught of unfortunate situations since we moved down here to Phoenix.
First, last Friday night Danny noticed Gibbs' lip was a little swollen. When he took a closer look, he saw light through the lip. Our dog had a hole you could pass a pen through in his big, floppy lip! I was appalled. I had been home almost all day with him and hadn't heard a peep or seen a thing. We took him to a new vet recommended by friends and he basically told us there's no way to know what happened and really no way to fix it except with time and patience. If they sewed it up, Sparrow would just rip the stitches out and probably cause more damage. So we cleaned it out a few times (with weak tea, which I'd never heard of using before) and he went on antibiotics for a few weeks while it closed up.
We still suspect this one had something to do with it:
Doesn't she look suspicious?
The second ordeal started on Saturday with a little cough that escalated to a horrible, gut-wrenching hack by Sunday night and by Monday he couldn't eat. The vet told us there was the possibility of Valley Fever. He told us this with the obvious expectation that we would be thoroughly alarmed, but since we aren't from around here and it's a local ailment, we were clueless. I guess it's like a really bad cold that humans and dogs can contract from spores. If left unchecked, the sickness can be pretty dangerous. But he wasn't 100% sure, so Gibbs is just back on some antibiotics and a cough suppressant for now.
Poor Gibbs.
A Slight Obsession
I'm obsessed with baking. It just makes me happy to create something that is delicious and pretty and takes a little time and effort to produce. It lets me release a little steam (if I've got it) and it relaxes me. I'm not saying, by any means, that I'm a good baker, only that I enjoy it.
The other day I decided to try my hand at detailed frosting. I've done a couple easier techniques before, like buttercream and this fun one with just glaze frosting:
But trying to make specific shapes with colored goo is a whole new ball game. Besides my lack of hand-eye-coordination (think about my handwriting, people!), I didn't own any kind of decorating tools. I didn't want to buy any (I'm just that cheap), so I had to figure out a new trick. My solution? A syringe we got from the vet! It sounds a little weird (and possibly quite gross, depending on your tolerance levels - I promise it was thoroughly sterilized) but it was perfect! It was small and had a long, curved tip that allowed me a lot of control. So, with it, I was able to do this:
Not perfect, but not bad for a first timer! The Star Wars cutters are from my mom. She found them at Williams-Sonoma and I LOVE them! Not to mention the recipe that came with them is amazing!
So there's my confession. I'm a baker married to a triathlete. Probably a good thing, or I'd be 300 pounds by now...
The other day I decided to try my hand at detailed frosting. I've done a couple easier techniques before, like buttercream and this fun one with just glaze frosting:
But trying to make specific shapes with colored goo is a whole new ball game. Besides my lack of hand-eye-coordination (think about my handwriting, people!), I didn't own any kind of decorating tools. I didn't want to buy any (I'm just that cheap), so I had to figure out a new trick. My solution? A syringe we got from the vet! It sounds a little weird (and possibly quite gross, depending on your tolerance levels - I promise it was thoroughly sterilized) but it was perfect! It was small and had a long, curved tip that allowed me a lot of control. So, with it, I was able to do this:
Not perfect, but not bad for a first timer! The Star Wars cutters are from my mom. She found them at Williams-Sonoma and I LOVE them! Not to mention the recipe that came with them is amazing!
So there's my confession. I'm a baker married to a triathlete. Probably a good thing, or I'd be 300 pounds by now...
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Little Words
Mav is trying to talk. He's made Mama and Dada sounds for a long time now, but things have turned sincere. He's mimicking our words and sounds! I know what you're all thinking:
"Uh-oh, Maddie. If he's mimicking you, what horrible words is he trying to say?"
Well, he has yet to let loose with a swear, but I'm sure the day is coming and we'll cross that bridge then.
In the meantime, his favorite word lately is "DAD!" Not just a oh-hey-dad Dad, but a rather urgent I-must-find-him-this-very-second Dad! I attribute this to Danny working normal-people hours, something he hasn't had to do very often throughout Mav's life, so Mav had a week or so of adjusting.
When we were appliance shopping last Saturday, whenever Danny was out of sight for even a second, Mav would scream at the top of his lungs "DADDADDADDADDAD!!!" until he returned! This was especially amusing in the rather empty warehouse we visited as it seemed to echo on and on.
His other favorite word right now is "Baby." This is what he says when he wants to cuddle and it's adorable! He reaches up and starts crooning "Baaeeebbeee... Baaaeebbee..." until you pick him up. Then he burrows into you and keeps singing his Baby Song and it just melts you right away.
I've also found it helps when he's yelling really loud at inappropriate moments (as toddlers are wont to do). I just say "Baby" and he gets all soft and wistful.
"Baaeebbeeee..."
"Uh-oh, Maddie. If he's mimicking you, what horrible words is he trying to say?"
Well, he has yet to let loose with a swear, but I'm sure the day is coming and we'll cross that bridge then.
In the meantime, his favorite word lately is "DAD!" Not just a oh-hey-dad Dad, but a rather urgent I-must-find-him-this-very-second Dad! I attribute this to Danny working normal-people hours, something he hasn't had to do very often throughout Mav's life, so Mav had a week or so of adjusting.
When we were appliance shopping last Saturday, whenever Danny was out of sight for even a second, Mav would scream at the top of his lungs "DADDADDADDADDAD!!!" until he returned! This was especially amusing in the rather empty warehouse we visited as it seemed to echo on and on.
His other favorite word right now is "Baby." This is what he says when he wants to cuddle and it's adorable! He reaches up and starts crooning "Baaeeebbeee... Baaaeebbee..." until you pick him up. Then he burrows into you and keeps singing his Baby Song and it just melts you right away.
I've also found it helps when he's yelling really loud at inappropriate moments (as toddlers are wont to do). I just say "Baby" and he gets all soft and wistful.
"Baaeebbeeee..."
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Happy First Birthday, Maverick!!
Due to the move down to Phoenix, we celebrated Mav's birthday a week early (which was his original due date, oddly enough). These are some pictures from his party!
We got this outfit for him while on our cruise in Mexico. It was hard won, but sooo worth it – it’s so freaking cute!
It’s really hard to get two tiny kids to look up at the same time! But aren’t they adorable together?
Yay pirate birthday!!
Opening presents…
Grandma Great!
Group shot as they sing Happy Birthday
He didn’t quite know what to do with such a large chunk of food, so this was his solution:
Dad tries to help:
Eventually, Danny just smashed his hand into it and Mav finally figured it out!
Took the dogs a little while, but they got it all cleaned up!
We got this outfit for him while on our cruise in Mexico. It was hard won, but sooo worth it – it’s so freaking cute!
It’s really hard to get two tiny kids to look up at the same time! But aren’t they adorable together?
Yay pirate birthday!!
Opening presents…
Grandma Great!
Group shot as they sing Happy Birthday
He didn’t quite know what to do with such a large chunk of food, so this was his solution:
Dad tries to help:
Eventually, Danny just smashed his hand into it and Mav finally figured it out!
Took the dogs a little while, but they got it all cleaned up!
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