Giving In

Instagram username:  LittleBlueFeathers

In case you didn't know this about me yet, I am 100% completely in love with our pups.  Yes, we are one of those families.  Sometimes I stop and laugh at how normal our interactions with Stanlee and MileyJo have become.

The other night my husband saw Miley and I getting ready for bed and asked if Stanlee was going to join us.  I said I don't know, he can stay out on the couch with you.  My husband quickly replied with, Ok, well I will go ask him what he wants to do.  100% serious, as if to walk back into the living room expecting Stanlee to have a conversation on his decision!  Like I said, one of those families...

Something I struggle with is sleep.  I'm not sure why, but I have always been a light sleeper.  I don't want to be touched, I like space to turn over and I need to have multiple layers to keep me warm.  With that being said, I have been adamant on not having the dogs sleep in bed with us even though we have a big bed.  

Until recently...

The past few months I have been a softie toward these boston terrier's bug eyes staring at our bed waiting for the magic words inviting them up.  I have given in numerous times, and every night turns into the same thing.   Two pups (weighing a combined total of 40 pounds) taking up 2/3 of the bed and leaving this pup momma exhausted the next day.

Why do I keep giving in?!

Stanlee loves to crawl under the covers and every time I worry myself sick that he is going to suffocate under the layers and layers of blankets I have to keep me warm.  MileyJo throws around her body trying to get comfortable every 10 minutes.  I have been kicked in the face, woke up with a butt resting on my pillow and panicked at a lifeless Stanlee that I thought we lost in the middle night.  

But then, some mornings, I get a sweet pup resting her head on my shoulder.  A stanlee face that says I am so so tired and I just can't seem to open my eyes yet.  It's funny how in those first few moments when I wake up in the morning and I see their sleepy selves, that I somehow justify the 9 hours of horrible restless "sleep" they gave me. 

I'm trying to get back to the strong Michelle that said no for four years.  

Time to toughen up...

Dress Up

Today we played dress up around the house and it was a such a fun time!  Stanlee is wearing a witch hat that one of my husband's workers gave to him and Miley is wearing a shark fin.  We have a hard time passing up anything shark related with our last name being Sharkey ;)

I hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween!  

Defeated

Above is a happy picture of the pups hanging out the window of my car.  Happy, healthy pups they are in this photo.
Today, this wasn't the case.

You might remember my post talking about Stanlee (the white boston that does all of my modeling) and his anxiety and allergies issues.  Miley and Stanlee are both boston terriers and both have a history of skin allergies.  For some reason, we happen to own probably the two most sensitive BTs and recently the allergies have been defeating me.

After finding out Stanlee had a severe allergy to a specific mold, we began his immunotherapy injections yesterday to help tame his allergies.  He spent the day at the vet while they monitored his reaction to his first injection, and all went well.  Now it is back every 4-5 days for the next month and a half, and then they will slow down to only once a month.

This morning, our other boston, Miley, broke out in hives all over her face and eyelids.  The poor girl just wanted to play with her rope when we came in from our morning walk and after we ate breakfast.  I had a nice little Tuesday planned...quilting lesson with my husband's grandma, orders to fill and inventory to finish and take to new stores tomorrow.  Well, this put a little set back on my day.  Actually, I wish we could wake up and do this day all over again...

I'm honestly not even sure what happened.  Maybe a reaction to a bug bite from one of the plants she was sniffing?  Maybe she touched a plant or grass that had just been chemically treated at our apartment?  The vet wasn't sure, but something this morning happened, and suddenly we found ourselves in the vet office again having to leave her there all day to monitor her eyes and her swelling.

Let's see, that would be two pups, two vet visits and five shots later...and it's only Tuesday.

Today I let the allergies get the best of me, and I feel very defeated.  

We have adjusted everything possible recommended by five different vets to help our pups live an allergy free life.  Special food, regular doses of Benadryl, fragrance free detergents, air tight food containers, fish oil, not leaving them outside....yep, we've tried a lot of different things.

As frustrating as it is, and as defeated as I feel, I can't help but look at their little faces and feel bad for them and realize that it isn't their fault.  They are great pups and I love them no matter what the issue, cost or adjustments have to be.

I'm thankful tomorrow is a new day.

Best Seat In The House

MileyJo is such an outdoor dog.  She loves looking out windows, sitting on porches, running around outside and sunbathing on the concrete.  This is the only downside to apartment living.  I wish she had a big back yard to run wild in and explore.  Someday I hope we can have a home with a back deck and an acre of green grass and trees to run around.  But for now, a little table pushed up against an open window is the best seat in the house.  

Miley's 5th Birthday

This weekend, Miley turned the big 5 years old.  Part of me can't believe she is five already.  Miley (also known as Mi, MileyJo and Joseph on her tomboy moments) was mine and husband's first boston terrier together, and our first pet.  It was one of those, "oh my goodness she is perfect" moments when we found her.

I think about Miley and Stanlee, and how much I love them all the time.  Isn't it crazy?!  They are dogs, and I never thought I could love a dog this way.  They have given me so much company over the past 4+ years and I can't imagine our home without them.  So, when one of them has a birthday, we celebrate!

Miley didn't just get a little pupcake for her birthday, we went all out and bought a full pup pie.  We are going to eat pie all week. (Because around here we also celebrate birth weeks, not just days).

While Miley inhaled her pie as quickly as she could, I thought about some of my favorite Miley things:

The way she has always taken her treat and runs away from people and other dogs, so they can't touch it.

Her white markings on her face, and her matching white front paws.

The way she scoops her paw and tries to move your arm over to her to pet her.

The way she is able to give me a look of, "I hate this moment" so very clearly.

Her hair color

When she gets that little spark in her and can't stop running around the house.  

The way she likes to share a pillow with you and sleep by your chest if you let her in bed with you.

How she hates having her picture taken.

There are so many things I love about this girl.  Things that are so very different from Stanlee, but that make Miley her.

Happy Birthday MileyJo!

Do you celebrate your pet's birthdays?!  Please tell me I am not the only one ;)

Bath Time

These pups.  They are always making me laugh.

Recently, the three of us were walking in our neighborhood when Miley and Stanlee both decided to stop and sniff the same fire hydrant.  One of them {ahem... Stanlee} decided he needed to hike his leg and leave his mark at the same time Miley tried to walk around the hydrant, resulting in someone peeing on someone else's face.  It was one of those moments when I couldn't stop laughing, yet I felt bad for Miley, especially because she dislikes bath time very much.  After laughing for a couple minutes, we walked back to the apartment and I filled the tub to bathe these two little guys.

What's funny is the way both of these pups feel about bath time. 

One pup, Stanlee, enjoys bath time.  He does a great job holding up his leg for me while I scrub and standing still.  Miley on the other hand is always inching toward the edge looking for a way to escape.  She hates being in the water.  She hates being told what to do and she hates having to be towel dried.  This last photo cracks me up because she is really great at giving glares, telling me exactly how annoyed she is at that moment.

Pups.  Aren't they great?!

Wordless Wednesday: Miss Miley

Does my collar make me look fierce?

When Miley was a baby {I mean puppy} she was constantly going to the vet for allergy issues.  Mostly, it was a skin allergy of some type.  The vet suggested a leather or metal collar for her to try and clear the horrible bumps she was getting on her neck.  So we made the switch from a polyester braided collar to a leather collar.  But a plain leather collar isn't much fun, so we opted for a bright pink, metal studded collar.  Two and a half years later, she I still love it :)

Bling. Bling.

Memories...

Sometimes you find an old photo that instantly takes you back; reminds you of the old days.  This photo was from three years ago.  Mr. Sharkey and I were newlyweds, just moved to a new city a few hours from  our hometown and I was finally living with Miley full time.  It was lovely.  You see, Miley was my buddy.  I couldn't help but love her to pieces.  Not much has changed...