I'm still here

It's been a whirlwind of activity lately...  Being a puppy owner, trying to get back to work full-time, summer prolonged April weather, and everything in between...

Saw the neurosurgeon on June 6th in Toronto. My one year zipperversary was yesterday.  I'm good!!  In terms of the Chiari, Dr. G is very happy with the surgery and my recovery, as am I.  I don't need to see him again unless I start having an increase in symptoms.  We're going to keep an eye on things every 18 months with an MRI.  This will also monitor the arachnoid cyst I have in my brain.  I have to return to the ENT who initially diagnosed me with Chiari to have my tinnitus checked again as it hasn't cleared up with the decompression surgery.  In terms of the brachial neuritis, I've got another 6 to 12 months recovery ahead of me, as I do with a full decompression recovery.

I got the full report from the neurologist I saw who confirmed the brachial neuritis.  She doesn't recommend I work full time yet, and my family doctor agrees.  Hurray!!  As the current return to work plan is going to be the death of me! I'm supposed to increase to full time by July 4th.  But I'm exhausted after 5 hours.  Like, go home, need a nap exhausted.  Plus the increase in hours has increased my pain, fatigue and my shoulder blades are winging again...  All signs that the increase of hours is too much at this juncture in time / recovery.

We're still awaiting the arrival of spring and summer.  The weather has only been nice 2 days in a row.  It'll be nice, sunny and warm 24C.  Then it will be cold and raining 12C for 3 or 4 days in a row... very depressing and gloomy.  Makes me cold, miserable and sore.  My gardens are barely growing.  There are only a few blooms on my tomatoes and I am just seeing hints of basil and green onions I planted over 3 weeks ago... Very depressing. We need some heat and dry weather for a few days... or nothing is going to grow!  Which means buying and not picking my own :(   And I down-scaled the gardening this year for 1. my arm's sake and 2. space and 3. a puppy who tries to eat everything!!

And puppy... loving the puppy... Sophie is wonderful.  We are loving every minute of puppyhood.  Including the occasional late night trips outside to pee, the incessant biting as she is teething 4 teeth right now, the defiance when we're trying to train her.  Everything.  She is the only dog I have ever been acquainted with who does not want to go for a walk.  Especially in the morning.  Forget it, not gonna happen.  Treats, pulling, bribing.  Nothing works.  So we don't go for a walk in the morning.  If she's receptive I take her out back and throw a stick or ball.  Or we do training.  Most morning she just wants to sleep or cuddle.  Tonight we will graduate from puppy school.  It's been a great class.  We're learning lots and in fact were instinctively doing some of the things they are teaching us.  (helps that I read everything I could get out of the library on training a puppy beforehand!)  She is also afraid of water.  In the tub.  In the yard.  At the beach.  In kiddie pools at the leash-a-thon... If it's wet and not in her bowl, she wants NOTHING to do with it.  Very unusual for a Weim.  

I'm helping dad fix the back door, honest!!

Water!! Ack!! Nobody told me there was water at the beach!

I'm being swallowed by a boa constrictor... or am I swallowing him?

She snuggled up to me for a nap so I closed my eyes too!

Sophie is a huge attraction wherever we go as Weims are not a popular breed, but they are a very beautiful breed.  She won the youngest pet award at the leash-a-thon and came home with at least 10 bags of treats.  Everyone at puppy school wants to say hi to her.  And wherever we go - walks, the pet store, even just to the corner store - people stop to meet her and ask what breed she is.  We're very proud parents.  She is quick to learn, even if she doesn't always listen or obey.  She sits, lies down, comes, fetches usually without fail.  We're working on no pull walking, going to mat and staying.  She is the love of my life, after hubby of course.  And I wouldn't trade her for the world.

Ten on Tuesday!

Top Ten Things About Owning a Dog I Never Knew Before

1.  You can fall in love in seconds.  And from that point in time you will NEVER be the same person.

2.  Feed a dog once.  She'll poop 3 times.  Laws of physics are mystical here!

3.  Puppy breath (which I'm told everyone LOVES) smells to me like mild skunk.  Just saying... it's not like fresh baked cookies or anything, I'm kinda disappointed!

4.  When she's sick, your life is on hold.  And you are terrified that you broke her.

5.  The smell of puppy treats makes you hungry.  Mostly because you haven't eaten lunch in the past 4 days being too occupied feeding her a lunchtime.

6.  It doesn't matter what it is, a puppy will try to eat it.  Poop.  Rocks.  Concrete.  Dead worms.  Dead leaves.  Grass.  Sofas.  Blankets.  Slippers.  Mum's toes.  Mum's pantyhose (ARGH!! 2nd time wearing them!) and everything else she can get her mouth around.

7.  Puppies are escape artists disguised in furry wrappings.  And when they escape from their kennel while you are at work they are very proud to show off their skills when you find them when you get home.  (Yesterday was a long day... Sophie was sitting proudly on her blanket when I came home.  Not in her kennel where I left her!)

8.  Puppies think running away is fun.  Mum thinks running hurts my brain.  Puppy doesn't know I'm missing part of C1 and I'm not supposed to bounce!

9.  A sleeping puppy moves and shakes and growls and woofs and snores and whines and runs and twitches and does all kinds of funny little movements.  And has no idea she is doing it.

10.  A puppy sleeping in your lap is your own personal heating pad.  Not to mention cute, wonderful and makes you fall in love all over again.

Sophie with her Wubba Rabbit.  She loves her Wubba!

Sophie!

As promised, here are some pics of Sophie when we first got her home on Tuesday.

What's up!

Princess Sophie

Pretty Girl!

Zzzzz.... it was a long morning flying to my new home.

It's MY Wubba Wabbit!

As new parents, I think we're doing well.  Sophie is very energetic and smart.  Three days and she is learning her name and "No!"  She even went to the vet's yesterday.  She wasn't too happy when we first got there, but she is stopped shaking and actually fell asleep on the exam table, then rolled off of it!! I caught her just before she hit the floor.  No harm done, not even a squeak out of her. But scared the life out of mummy!  And she met a few of the people I work with after the vet's.  Everyone loves her.  It was suggested she become the new office mascot.  Somehow I don't think the managing partners will go for it!

We love her.  Plain and simple.  From the moment the airline attendant brought her out to the counter we were in love.  Pictures don't do her beauty justice.  

Introducing....

I'd like to introduce you to Breica's Don't Wanna Miss a Thing, aka Sophie!!!

Sophie - stacked - awesome conformation!!

She was born to championship parents Macy and Kai on March 4, 2011, in Southern Ontario.  And tomorrow morning she will take the biggest steps of her life and fly to our home a couple hours away!!  We've already been told she will need some heavy sucking up to once she is off the planes!  We're beyond excited, and we're nearly exhausted already, but it is all worth it for her!!! 

We have been EXTREMELY busy!!  Shopping, puppy proofing, fixing the fence - which frost heaved at least 8" in some spots this winter!  installing puppy proof garbage cans, moving things out of the "chew zone" etc.  And more trips back and forth to the pet store and H. Depot than I care to count!

The night we decided on which puppy and which names to give her hubby asked if I was happy.  I gave him the duh-stupid look.  The second happiest day I can every remember, so I know tomorrow will be even more memorable!! Only my wedding day surpasses my current emotions!!

Sophie at 4 weeks - first trip outside

Sophie - 8 weeks

I will post more pics of our little girl once we have her home!