Missing Angus

Our house is quiet now. You may wonder how that's possible with two children under the age of three, but it's true. It's quiet because the white noise of snoring and heavy breathing that has been the backdrop of my life for so long is now missing. Oh how I miss those muffled (and often not so muffled) snores and sighs that used to emanate from the couch, the big cushy chair, and the dog bed. I miss my Gus and my Momo. I'd be lying if I said I don't appreciate the ease of keeping the house clean now and getting through a day without the extra responsibility of taking care of an aging dog or two... but I still miss them both terribly.

Much like Morrison, Angus started having seizures quite suddenly on October 11th- two months to the day after we said goodbye to Mo. His were different than Morrison's; they weren't grand mal seizures where his whole body shook. I'm embarrassed to admit that it took me nearly an entire day to figure out what was going on because I never actually witnessed one of his seizures, I just saw the aftermath which came in the form of copious amounts of drool which just wasn't all that unusual for Angus.

Once I finally figured out what was going on we made a trip to the vet right away. Our awesome vet, Dr. L, was super sympathetic and handled my hysterical crying quite well. She felt that we could control Angus' seizures with medication so I left with a prescription for phenobarbital (a common anti seizure drug) and a hopeful heart. Things started looking up for a while. The phenobarb and potassium bromide (which we added a few weeks later) seemed to be doing the trick. The seizures had stopped, but there were still signs of deterioration in Gus' health. He started having night terrors where he'd wake up in the middle of the night screaming (literally!) and would be so freaked out that he'd wet the bed. After lots of googling, I learned that many veterinarians believe night terrors to be a form of seizures. Angus gradually became more withdrawn and spent most of his days and nights on his dog bed in our bedroom, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the busy house.

We still got brief glimpses of the old Goose occasionally- a playful spark that would have him chasing a ball around the house or wrestling with his daddy, but most of the time he just seemed to keep growing older before our eyes. During the last few weeks he started to loose control of his bladder and bowels and it became very hard for me to keep him and our house clean. Matthew and I began discussing the inevitable- we knew the time was coming but it just seemed way too soon and we weren't ready. I think we were both secretly hoping that he would just pass away quietly and we wouldn't be forced to make this horrible decision for a second time in just three and a half short months.

Thanksgiving weekend was rough and we both knew it was coming soon. On Monday November 29, 2010 I looked into my second baby's eyes and knew it was time to let him go. He was tired and things weren't improving. We'd stopped the seizures, but they were just a symptom of the real problem, most likely a brain tumor. I called the vet to make an appointment and arranged to have my in laws come over to watch the kids. Matthew and I drove Angus to the vet. He rode in my lap and shook the whole time like he always did whenever heading in that direction. Our amazingly compassionate vet met us in the parking lot to give him a sedative. I got to continue holding him in my arms in the car until his shaking had subsided and he'd calmed down. Once we brought him in, the whole thing was mercifully quick. We knew just what to expect this time since we'd been down this road way too recently, and with heavy hearts we said goodbye to our boy for the last time.

I hate to look back on those last few months of Gus' life and remember him that way. I want to remember the little tiny 9 week old puppy that I brought home in May of 2002. A puppy no one else wanted, who'd been sent to the bulldog rescue agency because he had been dropped or stepped on and had a broken growth plate in his leg that required a few thousand dollars worth of surgery. The once broken puppy who learned to race around my living room in circles with his newly fixed up leg. The puppy who actually BROKE a television after launching himself at the animated animals on the screen! The little rascal that Morrison grudgingly accepted even though Angus used to nip at his ears and his hind legs until a fight broke out.

I will remember the Angus who adapted well to his new life in California, who loved the beach and the dog park as well as the mild climate- just perfect for bulldogs! The best snuggler ever with the occasional leg humping session thrown in. An indiscriminately loving dog who welcomed Matthew into our lives and our home and adopted him as a daddy. The dog who loved to sleep on my head and my pillows until we finally kicked him off of the bed for good once we moved to Virginia!

I will remember the indefatigable Gus who used to roam the beach at the lake house in North Carolina; retrieving Morrison's tennis ball when the water got too deep for Mo, biting the waves as they broke on the shore, and charging Matthew in the water when he got splashed.

I will remember the stoic dog who I heard yelp only one time in eight and a half years (when I accidentally scooted the dining room chair onto his foot and sat in it!) The sweet Gus who endured thousands of ear pulls, pokes, and smacks from our two young children with almost no resistance.

I will remember the loving and wonderful dog who was a part of our family for eight and a half years and a part of my heart forever. We love you Gus, and we will miss you always.

Angus Martin

March 1, 2002 - November 29, 2010

2.5 Inches of the White Stuff!

Our little corner of Norfolk, VA got nearly 3 inches of snow today and I loved every bit of it! I'm sure I'd be annoyed by it if we lived somewhere that got snow regularly, but I think there's something magical about it when you don't see it often. I made homemade fudge, mac & cheese, and ham salad while jamming out to Christmas music and entertaining the kids. After they woke up from naps we headed out to enjoy the snow in the park across the street from our house. Unfortunately the snow had turned to rain by that point and some of the snow had started turning to slush but we still had a great time!

Nap Time Update

It is 4:14pm on Tuesday December 14th. My kids have been asleep for nearly three hours and I've been sitting on my rear end watching HGTV, being lazy and trying to come up with something to do. I finally remembered that I have a blog that has been so sorely neglected that even I've forgotten about it! Now that I've actually started writing a post I'm certain that my little munchkins will begin stirring any moment now... Murphy's Law and all that!

It's been a busy few months at the Martin household! Henry is a mere three weeks shy of his FIRST BIRTHDAY! How in the world did that happen? He's such a happy little boy and in an ongoing attempt to keep up with his busy big sis, he started walking at 10.5 months! He's honed the skill and is really motoring around the house these days making it even more difficult to keep up with him... especially with a Christmas tree in the house, a bunch of wrapped presents within reach, potentially lethal iron stocking holders (that could be yanked off the mantle with a hard enough tug), and a side table full of china in the dining room (only one casualty thus far!)

Two year and nine month old Ally is a very busy bee! She's in Montessori school three days a week and loves it! She is still getting in home feeding therapy twice a week, but has made some amazing improvements in the past few months after a medication change. Some of her newly discovered foods include: hot dogs, grapes, grilled cheese sandwiches, popsicles, marshmallows, string cheese, crackers, turkey, ham, cool whip, juice, chips, and many others. She loves to read, bounce on the bed, and loves watching Thomas the Train, Super Why, and Horton Hears a Who on the television (which we let her watch way too often in spite of our best efforts!)

Matthew turned 33 yesterday so for the next four months I am not 'the older woman!' We had a lovely family party last night with his parents and grandmother. He's happily finished up his two year stint on the USS Bataan for his disassociated tour and just checked into HSC-2 (the rag) where he will spend the next four or five months relearning to fly his aircraft. At the completion of his training he'll move over to HSC-26 for his Department Head tour.

Sadly we had to say goodbye to Angus, our beloved English Bulldog on November 29th, the Monday after Thanksgiving, only a short two and a half months after the departure of his brother Morrison. Just like Mo, Angus suddenly developed seizures back in October. We were able to control his with medication for a short time, but his health declined pretty rapidly and it became clear to us that we'd be selfish to hang onto him any longer. We're still grappling with the hole in our hearts and in our family, but are slowly getting used to a quieter (and cleaner!) home. Ally still asks about both of the dogs but doesn't seem too distressed over their absence.

As for me, I'm busy! Keeping up with two little ones, running the house, doing laundry and grocery shopping, etc. I don't know how working mothers manage it all! I manage to make a little time for myself here and there and have really gotten into running! I run 3-4 times/ week on the treadmill during nap time and am training for a few races in the spring. I don't know if I'll ever have a 1/2 marathon in me so I'm settling for an 8K and a 10K for the time being.

We're busy getting ready for Christmas which we'll be spending in Norfolk with Matthew's family. After the New Year the kids and I will be making our first solo cross country trip to California to visit with my family.

4:32pm- kids are stirring. Only took me 18 minutes to whip up an update... I should do this more often! Hope to post some pictures soon. If anyone is still bothering to read this thing- Thanks for checking in!

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You See?

Halloween 2010

My friend Jana recently pointed out to me that I totally suck as a blogger. Every week I have the best intentions of getting it updated and somehow I fail. In the interest of appeasing her for a few more weeks- here is a slide show from Halloween and my parent's visit last week. I'll try to do better in the future. Love ya, J!

Remembering Morrison

Two weeks ago today we said goodbye to a dear and loyal friend. Morrison, my first baby, was born on April 24, 2000 to an English Bulldog breeder in Joshua, Texas. He came into my life eight weeks later as an 8lb bundle of joy with the most perfect black mask across both of his eyes. He fit in the palms of my hands.

He survived the Texas heat for two and a half years before making the move to San Diego, CA where he instantly became a beach lover. There was nothing that made our boy happier than chasing his beloved tennis ball up and down the beach. Not long after moving to San Diego, I met Matthew and I'm convinced that Morrison and his brother Angus helped me seal the deal with the love of my life. Matthew fell in love with my boys and even adopted them! (Seriously- I printed out adoption certificates that the boys signed with their painted paw prints! We still have them.)

Some of my happiest memories where at the dog beach on Coronado followed by breakfast at our favorite diner on Orange Ave. We'd tie the boys to our chairs outside and they'd beg pitifully at all the surrounding tables. I think they each consumed several pounds of bacon during each visit!

On the Fourth of July in 2004, Matthew hosted a party at his home on Glorietta Ave. on Coronado. We had three other couples over for a BBQ and between the eight of us, we had four dogs. At some point in the afternoon we realized Morrison was missing. Matthew and I ran down the street in a panic calling his name until someone emerged from the backyard of a home a few houses down the road asking if we were missing a dog. Morrison had crashed another party! He was hamming it up visiting all the guests and we're convinced it was because they had better food! He was quite a hit!

After three and a half blissful years in San Diego Morrison moved to Norfolk, Virginia. We purchased a home with a large yard that was only two blocks away from the beach so our boys could continue to enjoy their water-loving lifestyle. Living on the East Coast provided another excellent benefit- proximity to the Martin family lake house! Morrison spent many happy hours chasing his ball at the lake and the beach.

Sadly, he was a terrible swimmer for a dog who loved the water so much. In fact, I had to rescue him Baywatch-style (i.e.- kicking off my flip flops, ripping off my towel, and running headlong into the water like Pam Anderson (without the obnoxious bouncing boobs and great figure of course...)) at the lake a few years ago because he tried to swim out to retrieve what he thought was his tennis ball but was actually just a buoy!

In March of 2008, our family welcomed our first human baby- Allison Leigh. While our dog Angus tried to hump my leg every time she cried, Morrison took it all in stride and watched over her with quiet curiosity. He stoically endured the pinching and pulling that comes along with a newly mobile child and continued to shower her with love and the occasional kiss. When Henry Nicholas came along in January of this year he continued to be a loving big brother although he did give a few warning growls when Hank insisted on pulling on his 'mudflaps' a.k.a. jowls.

Over the past six or seven months we've noticed that Mo was starting to slow down a little bit. He slept more, snored louder (we didn't think that was possible!), and had a little more trouble breathing and moving around. However he still seemed happy. We're thankful that he wasn't sick for long and that it was very clear to us when it was time. We'll always remember him as our first baby and a loving member of our family. We're still grieving the loss of a good friend and will never be able to replace such a quirky and unique guy.

When news of his passing spread, I received numerous emails and phone calls from family and friends- many of whom shared their favorite Morrison memories. My favorite came in the form of a facebook comment from my former Texas roommates B & B-

"Sweet little Morrison. We were just talking about all the funny memories we have of him: getting muddy at Alice's, when he farted so loud he scared himself and ran 30 laps around the house, and how he would let me spoon him every morning after you went to work... he was one in a million."

It makes me happy to know that others will remember our Mo fondly.

We miss you Mo. We love you and we're so happy that you were in our lives for so long.

Morrison Martin
4/24/2000 - 8/11/2010

These last few pictures were taken on the morning of his last day.

Holy Pictures Batman!!

Holy Pictures indeed! Guess this is what happens when you go for over two months without updating! Since it's been so long, I forgot how to do it properly so everything is in the reverse order. Read the previous post first then start at the bottom of the pictures and scroll up.
Sorry for the inconvenience!

Family picture after lunch celebrating Ray's completion of radiation treatments (minus Matthew who had to go back to work.)
Ray's three grandchildren: Hayley, Hank, and Ally.

Matthew, Ally and Ray walking out of Ray's last radiation treatment.

Ray ringing the bell to signify the completion of his radiation treatments.

Me and my two mates out on a 4th of July boat ride on Lake Gaston.

The bib says it all!

Two patriotic kiddos and their Pop Pop.

4th of July outfits

My handsome boy is getting so big!

After lots of encouragement, Ally was willing to stand on a stationary jet ski.

No lake weekend would be complete without some big air pictures!

Ally loves to jump off the dock!

We were all excited for Ally's first ride on the jet ski but she wasn't too wild about the idea! What a face!

Mommy & Hank on a random photo shoot morning.

Hank hadn't quite mastered sitting up yet in this picture and was in the process of falling over.

Happy kiddos- just chillin' in mommy's chair.

Oh yeah, she's a wild one!

Hank is a big fan of the swing on our porch.

Dee Dee and Hank (in his goofy hat) at the lake.

Hank tasting cereal for the first time at 5 months.

Not a posed picture, just my goofy kid playing in her pool.

Nana and Ally at Cardiff Glen Park

Mediocre family photo at Sea World.

Ally meets Shamu!

At Seaworld outside the dolphin tanks.

By the Powerhouse in Del Mar after a yummy lunch at Jake's.

Hank in his Padres hoodie.

Ally in my parent's backyard

The obsession with watering cans continues...

Princess Ally sportin' her tinker bell tiara!

Family photo on the deck in Cardiff

Cool picture my dad took of Ally coming out on the deck.

Hank with his great grandparents, Bob Bob and Christa.

Martins, Stahls, Kumlins, Chambers, and Coles celebrating Bob Bob's 91st birthday.

Ally and her Papa

Ally and Matthew at our beach.