Our Little Leo

I have known this day was coming.

But that doesn't make it any easier.  We lost Leo.  He passed away in his little crate last night. Bob found him this morning. 

I found Leo at a clients home before we were married.  I was a social worker in my previous life and the family was being evicted.  They were Meth users.  They had this litter of puppies that were the cutest most unhealthy little animals I had ever seen.  When I asked them what they planned to do with the puppies they shrugged their shoulders and said they were just going to leave them.  So I did what any good social worker would do.  I walked around the neighborhood trying to find homes for the puppies.  I placed all but 2.  I called Bob on my way home from the visit.  "Why do I hear dogs in the background?"  I didn't reply.  "Kare.  Did you get a dog?!!!"  "Well, I have 2 dogs."  "What?! 2 dogs?!  What are we going to do with 2 dogs?!"  I wasn't sure.  I just knew that I could not leave them in that box.  Especially Leo.  He was so small and barely moving.  He just looked up at me with these eyes.  These big sad eyes and I could not leave him. 

We took them to the vet.  Leo was 3/4 of a pound.  He fit into the palm of my hand and he was infested with fleas.  The vet told us us he probably wasn't going to make it.  He was about 6 weeks and too young to be away from his mother who hadn't been making milk anymore because she was so malnourished.  I cried all the way home but was determined to love this little dog.  The other dog, now known as Chester, was eventually given to my sister.  But Leo was ours.  We bottle fed him.  He slept curled up next to me in bed.  (I heard about this).  There were night time feedings and potty breaks. I just loved him. 

And he made it. 

Leo was a little shit.  It was impossible to train this dog.  I eventually was able to get him to go potty on the puppy pads, but this would set us up for Leo thinking every area rug or mat was his own personal pad.  Which was a bit infuriating.  He wouldn't sit, or lie down, or roll over.  But he would spin.  Oh Leo could spin.  I wish I would have taken video of it but I will never forget his spinning for treats.  One of the best things about Leo is that he didn't seem to know at all that he was the runt, or how small he really was.  We lived next to some pit bulls.  Badly trained pit bulls.  And Leo would taunt them.  He would stick his head under the fence and pull it back just in the nick of time.  He had balls this little dog. 

We will miss you Leo.  No one could resist you.  Thank you for being a part of us.  I'm sorry for every time I yelled at you for peeing.  I wish I could take them all back.

I love you.

Mama.

Family Pictures!

Got

Got our family pictures done! Should get the cd in about 2 weeks. Here's a preview!! Love you Mom and Dad!

Family Photos

Photo from our session today! I'll post more when I get them!

Grant's 5th birthday this year was at Chuck-E-Cheese. They should really just hand out Xanax to every adult as they enter.  You know that island of little boys in Pinnochio where it seems super awesome and fun until you realize you have a tail and are a donkey?  That's chuck-e-cheese.  The first hour or so you are swept up in your kids excitement and it feels like the most fun place on earth.  And then at some point you have spent all your money and feel like you are at the gates of hell.

Aid wants his birthday party to be at Chuck-E-Cheese. Fantastic.

But Grant had a blast.  He ended up having a duel party with his little buddy from the gym, Alex.  Alex's Dad was in the hospital and there are some family issues and his mom was feeling very guilty for not celebrating his.  So we added him to the cake.  They had a blast.

Grant's best friend. Who is smiling until you say, "Alex say cheese." And then he gives you this look. Every time! lol

Thank you Costco lady for relenting and adding Alex's name to the cake!

Obsessed.

See? He's smiling.....

Weird, awkward rock out. They tried to get them to do it again and they both refused.

hahahaha!!!!

They were supposed to go in separately but Grant wanted Alex to go in with them. Aid was like, "Are you crazy?! You will get less tickets!"

But it's always more fun with a friend isn't it?

This says it all.

Birthday cake round 2.

And ended with a sleep over and "special ipad night." Which means they get to play with them in bed.

Happy Birthday Grant. I love you so much.  And I can't wait for him to be able to celebrate his birthday with my family too next year!! I can't promise it won't be at Chuck-E- Cheese.....

Tooth #2.

And he tried to tell me that he get's $3 since it's his third tooth.  He couldn't remember what the second tooth was that he lost, but is convinced that he's on his third.

Tooth fairly left him $1.

Basketball player

Bob's dream has come true.  Aid not only loves snow boarding (Dad ask Laura to see the video on facebook, it won't let me upload on here for some reason) he LOVES basketball.  I love watching him dripping with sweat when he's done playing.  He is getting so much good exercise and he genuinely is having fun! He works really hard, has a positive attitude, and is improving with each practice and game! Right now practices are 2 evenings a week and games on Saturdays.  He had a double this Saturday and so he ran for about an hour and a half up and down that court! He even scored! His first shot!

SO competitive. He must win every lap.

Dribbling is getting better. he practices it a lot!

Go Aid!

I love how they are all watching as their teammate scrambles for the all all by himself! lol

Right before he hit a shot! (Of course I missed the shot. Stupid slow camera.)

And he asked to pass it in this game! confidence is growing!

We're so so so proud of you Aid!

Am I A Grown Up Now?

This is a little sad to say out loud.  But this is the very first Christmas I have been solely responsible for.

Huh. Let that sit for a minute.

Let me back track.  We both come from families with some pretty solid traditions.  Our mothers are both very territorial creatures.  I don't say this with judgement.  I can see how we mother's hold onto what is ours and struggle with letting that go. We usually go to Portland for Christmas and we have the Bures Christmas a week before.  So we always bring whatever presents we have to each side's of the holiday.

But this year we aren't going to Portland for Christmas.  And we already had the Bures Christmas.  So this year it is our responsibility to make sure Santa gets here and the boys have the great Christmas morning they have grown accustomed too.  There is a bit of pressure here.  I have also grown accustomed to my parent's Christmas.  And they can go a bit overboard at Christmas time.  So I really have to fight against not just buying every single thing they point out to me.  A) I can't afford it.  But B) I don't want them to get every single thing they have asked for.  The big ones, sure.  The ones I have heard about over and over and over again. (This year it was the Nintendo DSL. THANK YOU MOM!) But that's not how life works. You don't get everything you want.  So when I first look at the tree I panic thinking I haven't gotten enough. 

Truthfully I still got a lot of help.  My mom sent quite a few boxes to the house. Enough I felt like I needed to tip our mail man on top of the gift card I got him.  But tomorrow morning will be just us.  Just our little family.  Will it feel quiet?  Sure.  Do we all love hanging with whatever set of cousins we are with? Absolutely. Do I miss my sister? Duh.  But I'm also excited to start a new tradition.  I like the idea of spending Christmas morning with just us.  These three people are the people I love most in this world.

And Christmas isn't about the gifts that are around the tree, it's about the loved ones around your tree.  (As long as the loved ones don't touch our tree because it was dead on arrival and if you blow too hard on it, it disintegrates. )

Merry Christmas ya'll. I hope you are surrounded by the people you love most in this world.