Bailey Girl

Today we are hurting. Today we are crying a lot. Today we had to say goodbye to our dog, Bailey. It hurts, worse than I ever thought it would. Our house all of a sudden got too quiet. There are no ticks on the slider door with Bailey wanting in. Our house feels a little less secure without our fierce looking guard dog. How do dogs turn into family members? They are just dogs right??

Our last picture of her from the other night while we were all making smores. She was excited because it meant a graham cracker for her.

We got Bailey in the middle of trying so hard to have a family. We were not having any luck having a baby so we decided we would get a puppy. I never thought I would be a dog owner. I grew up around cats and farm dogs. Give me a cat any day but a dog no way. But we had friends who had a Rottweiler that was the best behaved dog. So I started falling in love with the idea of a dog. But I don't do hair so a Rott was not for us. I feel in love with the boxer breed. Before long we had our tiny little puppy with skin way to big for its body and when it got running too fast would flip over her own body. Bailey went every where with us. She was the BEST dog. 

When w bought the girls home she let them fall easily into our life as long as she got to still go on her beloved walks. Then we added Drew and she was still happy because now there was a boy who liked to wrestle a little rougher. Than we brought home two cats and she was super in love with them because they were someone that she could mommy. Then to throw Bailey one more fast pitch we added four babies at one time and life was good. 

Bailey was a neighborhood dog. Everyone knew who Bailey was because Bailey was happiest sitting outside on the front driveway watching everyone go by. She never left the yard unless a neighbor called her to come play. If we were trying to tell someone from the neighborhood where we lived they would eventually get around to 'oh your the house with the boxer'. The UPS man stops many times a week at our house. Not to leave a package but to give Bailey her treat. I always joked that he needed to take her on a ride along because she matched his truck. 

We all hurt tonight. As Aubrey said 'she was the best first dog'. We all agree. Paul took her for a normal run we do with her last night. It was warm but nothing she hasn't run in before. Nothing and I mean nothing gets Bailey up faster than saying the word 'walk' at our house. Her tail just wags and she can hardly contain herself. She acted this way last night and she was so excited for her bike/run with dad. Paul came back alone and said Bailey went down and could not get up. He took her to the emergency vet and her temp was 107 so they thought heat stroke but they also quickly realized she was blind and soon after she had a seizure. She needed plasma and fluids and lots to stabilize her. At three this morning things were looking better. She regained her vision and her clotting factors were beginning to normalize. This morning she was still showing small signs of improving but was still critical. The big kids and I went to see her and she nuzzled my hand like Bailey does so I knew she knew I was there but she had no tail waggle. I could tell she had some healing to do but the vet was optimistic. I got the call this afternoon that she was not doing well. Her gut took a huge hit and her clotting factors were off the charts again. They felt it was more than heat stroke because she was way too sick for what her temp was. They were thinking brain tumor. Did we want to continue because things were not looking good? She was already turning bluish and they suspected internal bleeding. We asked them to continue what they were doing til we got there and as I was hanging up the dr said she was coding. I was alone with all the kids and had to tell them their dog went to heaven because I couldn't hold myself together. 

I got to the vet and they were doing cpr on her. She had seized again. I asked them to stop and let her go home. And home she went to run endlessly. Oh Bailey I pray you are having the time of your life up there. We will miss you so much. We hope you see the picture Aubrey colored for you. Please, please continue to watch over us as you have for the last 6 years. And keep your tail wagging for me because then I know you are happy!

Summer

The different seasons have different meanings for all of us. I love fall because of the colors and smells and it is probably my favorite time of year. I love summer too but I think I love it more for my kids than for myself. There is nothing better than having the windows open and hearing the voices and giggles of kids playing outside. To me it is one of the best sounds ever and I hope when I get to heaven these are the sounds that I hear.

To me summer is:

Fresh Cut Grass, Swimming, Later Bedtimes,

Fairs, Smores, Sun,

Grilling, Friends Over, School Out,

Picnics, Shorts, Naps Forgotten to Play Outside,

Babies Dressed in Onesies Only, & Otter Pops.

Summer gives us all a chance to be a kid again so take full advantage of it as you suck on a Popsicle or slide down a slip-n-slide. Summer only last a short time; what does summer mean to you?

We have movers

We use to have four little munchkins who when you would put on a blanket would just stay in one place. At one time we could fit all four on one 3ftx3ft piece of fabric with a toy overhead and they would all fit with not a one caring that another sibling was next to them. Those days are long gone. We now put down a twin size comforter that my Aunt Renee and my Grandma Lorraine made me for my high school graduation and it takes 2.2 seconds for all four babies to roll of said blanket. They now get stuck under tables, twisted in swings, or hung up on a bouncy chair. We often here from the older girls that they need to rescue so and so. One of Tate's favorite activities is to roll off the blanket and paint with his spit-up on the hardwood floor!

Can you spot all four babies?

We also now have sitters; well 3.5 sitters. Rylan only gets a 0.5 because he tends to quickly tell us he does not want to do it and would rather go explore Bailey's bed. Isabella has become our best sitter and she loves it. They often crash on top of one another but they really don't care unless they are getting kicked in the face or having their hair pulled. I love having babies with hair but lately I have wished for bald babies when I am untangling someones fist after they have reached for those oh so tempting locks of hair on their sibling for the 14th time that day.

He didn't get enough for lunch apparently because he was chowing down on his sister's foot.

I think I am ready for movers. Not 100% sure but I think it will be a very fun adventure over the next couple of months as the quads really start exploring their world. I am just hoping it is a long time before they can come find me when I get ready in the morning. All I want is 30 minutes each day to get ready by myself. I have a hard time already with three that the minute the shower turns on a force pulls them into my bathroom. What is with kids and a million questions when one is showering?

We are trying to avoid the baby quarrels that I don't think my Type A personality could handle. Our house is pretty much baby proofed as is so besides going through some of the big kids toys and getting rid of small choking hazards we are ready for the next phase of crazy.
 

Her eyes are huge. They give her a 'stunned' look in every single picture of her.

She is so little. Nine months and just hit 13 pounds!

Finishing up the Q&A post so one last chance to get your questions answered.