Crisis of the missing Lovey...

Baby brother Colt is a good sleeper. He and I are totally on the same schedule. We both go down for the count at about 8:30 together, and sleep through the night until about 8:00 in the morning. We are totally on the same page, we both get cranky if we stay up past our bedtime, and we both like sleeping with the light just so, and our humidifier on. We also both like to sleep with our favorite blankets.

 

Mine is a hospital blanket that Dad gave me when Mom and baby brother Colt were still in the hospital. It is pretty dirty because it stays in my bed and has never been washed, but I love it and sleep on it every night.

Now Baby brother Colt is about as picky as Rhett Bostrom, and Baby Colt has a favorite blanky too. His is called Lovey, and he, like me, can't sleep without his Lovey.

So, you can imagine the panic when Baby brother Colt was tired and ready for bed and Lovey was no where to be found. Not in his crib where it usually it, not in his stroller where it might have been left, not on the couch, or on his playmat, or anywhere it seemed! The house was a very bad place for a few minutes there until Mom noticed that while Wilkes, Rhett and Colt were loud and upset, fur brother Wade was no where to be found...

Because he had stolen Lovey and was sound asleep on the couch!! Lovey is a hot commodity in this house...

Christmas with Weird Cousin Riley

 Well, Grammy and Grampa Bob haven't gotten to TX yet. Mom said they were coming, and even used the excited voice that she KNOWS gets me all worked up, but they still aren't here. I spent a full hour waiting by the front door with my tail waggling at full attention thinking they were coming, but they never did. I got a little frustrated with Mom at that point and may or may not have peed on the baby's clean diaper pile after brother Wade pulled open the changing table drawer and pulled them all out....Wade of course being the genius that he is just couldn't help himself, and apparently neither could I!
So. Back to Weird Cousin Riley. Every year at Christmas Wilkes and I head home to Grammy and Gramps house in Virginia and have weird Cousin Riley to deal with.

Weird Cousin Riley wants to be just like Wilkes and I. Mom says he isn't coming to Texas for this trip, and I am a little sad. I kind of like stealing Weird Cousin Riley's bones and then taunting him, and putting my toys all over his bed while I climb on Gramps lap.

The thing Weird Cousin Riley doesn't have is matching Christmas Jams. Wilkes and I always have a few pairs of matching Christmas Jammies that Mom brings out for the holidays. Green ones...

And red ones for Christmas breakfast...

Of course, now that we have fur brother Wade and real baby brother Colt added to the mix, we don't have quite as many outfit changes as we used to. Mom says she gets too busy during the day to keep us as stylish as we have become accustomed. I mean, this past year we were just all plaid.

Plaid and Sad that is.

Green Eyed Monster... Rhett Bostrom gets jealous.

Last night Dad was away on a business trip, which only means one thing... Everyone gets to sleep in the big bed we are normally not allowed on. Me, Wilkes and Wade got a good snuggle on with Mom all night, but I got sick of the brother love this morning, and took my favorite toy Pink Stick out the dog door for a sun bath on the porch.

And that was when sneaky brother Wilkes moved in for a major snuggle session alone with the baby. I guess because there was no dog brother competition for who could get closer???? Sometimes I get a little jealous when the other dog brothers touch the baby...

 Baby Colt loves his dog brothers, he has been practicing petting us when we walk by him in his baby walker. This morning he practiced petting Wilkes, which is a little upsetting, because I really prefer him to pet Rhett Bostrom, not Wilkes, and not Wade.

 I even heard about some dog to baby kisses going on...

Which I had to draw the line at. Everyone knows the only one who gets to lick the baby is me. Rhett Bostrom. To make up for it,  I made sure to get close, very close, to the baby later in the car to make sure to erase any lingering Wilkes slobber on him. I know Mom must love having the baby kissed by his dog brothers... our breath is amazing.

Whose the baby here anyways????

 My Mom came home from the store today, and started to open a big, colorful box. I got super excited because, obviously, good things come from boxes! But she opened it and gave it to the baby. I was confused, because it was a toy, and everyone knows, Rhett Bostrom loves toys.

 

I tried to be nice about the mix up and take it away from my little brother, but Mom seemed to 

 think it was for him, not me... I mean, can you imagine that ??? A new toy in the house and not for me??

So, I did what any good older dog brother does. I just kept creeping in, and sharing the toy. Mom would move me, I would just come right back in. I mean, this toy is worth it, it sings and moves, its my dream toy... Totally wasted on the baby, obviously.

I mean, does Mom think that the baby will learn to play without my help?? He clearly needs me.

Finally baby brother Colt when down for a nap... And Wade and Rhett got to enjoy the baby play mat and new toy... The problem was, we kind of missed baby Colt after all that, and just sulked until we woke him up with some well placed barking a few minutes later. Turns out, we need our full crew to have fun these days.

About this Grampa Bob character...

 So, about this Grampa Bob character. I first met my Grampa Bob back in '07... I was newly adopted, and mom and I were heading out of New York to Virginia for the holidays. We arrived in Virginia, and I immediately tried to attack Grampa Bob as I lept out of my Mom's jeep, and took off on a major escape attempt through the neighborhood. I quickly figured out that Grampa Bob was the guy to know once they caught me and brought me home, and Gramps and I have become very close over the years...

 From slumber parties, to walks on the ponds,

Gramps and I both like boating,

 And most importantly, napping.

Why am I thinking of Grampa Bob today??? Because I just found out him and Grammy (I'm a little skeptical of Grammy right now because she thought I would attack the baby when he came... clearly she did not think much of Rhett Bostrom!!) will be coming to visit!!! I know some people probably think they are coming to see baby Colt, but I know they are coming to see me. And maybe my fur brothers as well... Clearly, we are who they miss with us all living so far away in Texas!!

 I'm also letting Grammy try to make up for her initial skepticism about  me with baby Colt in the form oftreats and kisses once she gets here... I mean, so what that she saw me almost leap into the baby's crib when they first brought him home?? its not like I haven't done that a million times since then!!Me and Grammy do have a special connection, so I have a feeling we will be doing some major tongue exchanging (my favorite thing) as soon as she gets here.

dog romp

Today was a great day. Mom and Auntie Allison took us fur kids on a super long walk, and then took us over to our favorite place, the dog park. It was a day that was ALL about the dogs, and we really appreciate that kind of effort.

Things started out well, we were running around and hanging out, but then Mom got distracted, and Wilkes and I found something more fun to do.

His name was Tucker, and he was a great new friend who was totally into our favorite game. Group hump. Mom was embarrassed because we just wouldn't stop, even when the other dog owners had to step in. We were confused, because we thought we had found the best new friend ever, and would, not. leave. him. alone....

Where was Wade you may be wondering????

 With the baby. Wade was guarding the baby, so he decided not to play group hump, and instead bark at every dog who came within ten feet of the baby stroller. A lot of dogs came close. There was alot of loud barking.

We think the baby likes it when we bark. See how awake and happy he looks in his stroller???All thanks to brother Wade. Meanwhile, Wilkes and Rhett Bostrom continued our game until Mom caught us and made us go home.

We had a VERY good day.

Wade is a bad dog part II

 Fur brother Wade is in trouble again... Mom took Wilkes out on her daily run, and left me and Wade home alone. Not going to lie, we both got sort of jealous-- I explored this jealousy by making a massive toy pile, and then burrowing into it.

Yup. I'm in there. Maaaaybe a few baby toys made it in there too... but, they were left on the baby's playmat, and I was not about to miss that opportunity. 

But brother Wade was another story... Wade has separation anxiety, and whenever Mom leaves, Wade freaks out!!! Today, for the third time this week, he took it out on the trash compacter. How does he open it?? I'm not sure. If I knew how, I'd probably get involved too, but that's why Wade is just a bit too smart for his own good. Mom was NOT happy when she opened the door and smelled trash.... especially when she saw this.

 She knew it wasn't me, because I very smartly stayed nestled in my toy pile. Wade on the other hand, had a veeery guilty look on his furry face... he is not good at deny, deny, deny like me. Poor Wade, in trouble again.

Rhett Hearts the Baby

We've had some news here... Baby Colt has a flat head because he, like the Tatum (and Bostrom) cocker spaniel fur brothers sleeps for 10-12 hours a night. Apparently when little babies sleep for that long in the same position, it flattens out one part of their head... We fur brothers are finding this confusing, because we sleep in our (ok, sometimes in our parents) beds for that long, and our heads don't get flat...

But anyways. Baby Colt's head got flat, so he has to wear a baby helmet for 8 weeks. A special helmet called a DOC band that Mom has informed us costs more than our three dog vet bills, food bills, everything! for the year. Now, the baby is supposed to wear the helmet for 23 hours a day, which means, one hour a day, no helmet. (Mom won't let me get in the tub with him, yet, but I really want to get in. He has great toys, and Rhett Bostrom loves toys...)

 I was a little confused by all this helmet stuff at first, I mean, he looks different in it! And I really, really wanted the chance to soft jaw that helmet when the baby had it off in the tub... But then I gave him a good sniff and realized its the same baby! I still love him... maybe even a little more now that it looks like he has a permanent toy on his head!

Wedding Bells

 So, Mom was organizing her wedding photographs, when it suddenly hit her. Rhett Bostrom never got to wear his Tux to the wedding. You see, originally Rhett Bostrom was supposed to be the ring bearer for the wedding, but after a long argument that lasted about six months, Grampa Bob (more on him soon) won out, and I was excluded from the wedding. Mom was sad, especially since my Tux had already been custom ordered, and I was already mentioned in the printed wedding program... So Mom and Rhett had re-wedding date night.

 

I'm a little concerned that Mom only dressed me up so she could have an excuse to wear her dress again, but at the same time, I love wearing clothes and getting attention so much, that I don't really care why I got it! I know I look good in my Tux, I my quick haircut before we started really added a fresh element to my look. Mom and I sure have had a long, blissful 5 years together so far!!

I think Dad gets jealous when Mom and I spend too much time together excluding him, so I try to make extra sure I spend time with him after. Sometimes Dad acts like he doesn't want my drooly, smelly tongue all over his face, or my dog bottom all over his pillow before he goes to sleep, but I know he's just pretending-- really he can't think of a better slumber buddy.

 Besides, Dad and I have been known to get close once we got to know each other. 

 Very close.

A VERY bad dog

Today has been a very bad day.

Fur brother Wade, the smartest dog in the world, has learned how to open the trash compactor... Wilkes and I were SO excited when he opened it up and showed us, and we all happily spread trash around the WHOLE house. The trash was totally full too-- old food, dirty diapers... all the good stuff. We dragged everything around on the carpets while tearing it up, so the house smelled really good too. We were so proud of ourselves, that when Mom and Dad came home, we barked and ran to greet them, and then remembered. Mom and Dad do not like it when we tear through the trash. We got in trouble.

And so, what was the very best day, quickly became the worst day. So, all I wanted to do was snuggle on the couch with a stolen baby toy, because after all, it was Wade's fault not mine!! Even though I smell like a dirty diaper (Rhett Bostrom may or may not have been in charge of dirty diaper shredding... I think my diaper breath/shreds of diaper left in my teeth might have given me away...) it was all Wade!!

But I got yelled at again for stealing the baby's stuff! And my Mom found out I had peed on the baby's playmat while we were romping in the trash today. I don't know how she found out since it was all dried up, but she did. Rhett Bostrom is now planning to sulk for the rest of the night until Mom feels bad and apologizes... I mean, with this face how can she possibly stay mad????????