I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!

What is it I can't take, you ask? THE DOG HAIR!!! MY HOUSE IS MADE OF DOG HAIR!!!

I have dealt with the black hair that Scout leaves behind for 4.5 years now. Every house we've lived in, it's the same story. No matter how many times I sweep, vacuum, change the air filters - it seems to make no difference. I even put up with my child wading through it on hands and knees coating her clothes to where it looked like she wore a black angora onesie at all times. Disgusting.

Recently, we've been talking about improving our little abode. Maybe some new windows, some exterior paint, working on the curb appeal. In a couple of years, we'd like to move somewhere a little more dream-homey. But in that new home, my dream does not consist of layer upon layer of black dog hair all over everything. I told Steven that in the next house we move to Scout will have to be an outside dog. He said she's already conditioned to be an inside dog and she's too old to change that now. I disagree wholeheartedly.

I want to make a few changes now. I want to install a doggy door into the garage, and add a few more dog beds to our lives (in the garage, outside, and in the house). When we do have Scout in the house, I want her to stay on the dog bed - not on the couch, and NOT on our bed!!! She can sleep in the house at night, but during the day and when we are out of the house, she needs to be outside or in the garage (barring there is no bad weather).

I'm a housewife at the end of my rope right now. "This is why we can't have nice things!" Haha.

Anyways, what is your pet situation at home?

More teeth!

Davie currently has 11 teeth . . . maybe 12. She's getting some way in the back. That should account for some of her sleeplessness lately - but definitely not for that outrageous fever. Thank goodness she is over that mess.

Davie has learned to kiss. She lifts her head way up until her neck gets pencil thin, sucks her lips way in her mouth and then smacks them at you. Sometimes she will lean in to actually put her lips on your face, but not always.

I think Davie knows what all kinds of words mean . . . except for Mama. Wouldn't you know it?! The person she spends nearly 24/7 with, and she doesn't know my name! Maddening. I'll say, "Where's Scout?" and she points right to Scout (our dog). "Where's Daddy?" and she looks over and smiles at her dad. "Where's Mama?" nothing. She continues to do whatever she was doing before. It may be because she doesn't hear my name said, because much of the time it's just she and I. Ah well. She'll know it soon enough.

My grandmother is in the hospital with a broken hip. She was doing a little better today, more alert, eating some soft foods after surgery. My mother is having surgery on her gall bladder this Friday. I'm praying for a speedy nausea-free recovery for her also. Lots of things going on right now during this sick season. Everybody try to stay healthy out there!

Babies are resilient.

So Davie's temperature got up to 104.6 degrees last night around 1:30am. The fever made her throw up. I was nearly in tears. But minutes later she was dancing in my lap as her skin nearly melted my pajama pants.

She does not have the flu. It's some kind of virus . . . I guess, the doctor didn't really know. She is not congested, not coughing, no tummy troubles. She is . . . delightful. A little lethargic. A little clingy. But delightful. She just has had a really high fever for more than 24 hours now.

I'll keep you updated. For now, she sleeps.

A Breath of Fresh Air

I don't know how many people can say their 14 month old refreshes them - but I can. She is always surprising me. She is always doing the perfect thing for the situation, and it is usually the least expected thing.

Yesterday my sister had a hard day and with tear-filled eyes she was telling us of her struggles. Davie was standi

ng between us on a bench. She walked over and leaned her golden head on my sister's shoulder. She just pressed into her for quite a few seconds. All the adults looked around each other with sweet shock. Many times that night, she would go and stand by my sister's feet and lay her little head on her leg and pat pat pat her.

Tonight I came home from a long shift working with my grandmother. I had left the house in a mess and so I had lots to catch up on. I had been playing with Davie and we were listening to music as I was doing the dishes. Davie got really upset, REALLY upset. She kept walking around me making the most stressful noise in the world. She wasn't pointing at anything, but I was still getting frustrated thinking she just wanted a little snack and she was being "impatient". I thought, "I'm going to stop doing these dishes, dry my hands, walk in the other room to get her a cookie, and she'll be just fine." So I started to do this and when I picked her up, she started dancing. That's all she had wanted. It was a good song, and she wanted me to dance with her. I grinned from ear to ear, and we waltzed all about the kitchen. It was refreshing. She was saying, "Just take a break, ma. Let's dance for a little bit."

She also does really hilarious things. Like pop a squat on my sister's face when she's laying in the floor.

New Things!!!

Davie has learned some new tricks this past week.

- When she hears the words "hi" or "bye", she waves!

- When she hears the words "yes" or "no", she nods her head, or shakes . . . depending of course.

- When she hears the word "dance", she DANCES!

- When she hears the word "belly" she lifts up the nearest shirt and pats a belly.

- She also points and yells at things that she wants.

- She has learned to SQUEAL repeatedly.

- Oh yeah, she also knows the meaning of the words jump and blanket.

I know these have all been gradually picked up, but they all just seemed to jump out of her this weekend!!! She is changing so fast!

Time for a Video!!

She makes life blissful!!!