From Russia With Love

April 19 Day 40

Quiet/Quite a day today.

Had an agility lesson for TinTin... first one in a YEAR! OMG. It was fabulous. I just adore my instructor Andrea Dexter . She's the one, btw, who did the herding and jumping films. She is a Zen Master in all that she does. I left the lesson inspired to get back into training. TinTin will be in the Poodle Agility Trial next weekend and that's the main reason I scheduled the lesson. I figured (duh) that we should at least re-familiarize ourselves with a course :0G TinTin will be competing in the Excellent Level. She's been incredible as she's Qualified in almost every trial we've participated in... despite the lack of practice. She makes me look good :o) Anyway, It was a gorgeous day and after the lesson I took all the kids to a local dog park for a romp.

At the park I met an interesting women from the Czech Republic. She was there without her dog; a 17 year old Giant Schnauzer. Wow. As we chatted we found out that we'd both lost our husbands in 1995 and that it had been our beloved dogs that had kept us a live. It was quite a tearful and inspirational conversation. She asked me about puppies but admitted that she was too much in the midst of chaos to get one. It was therapeutic to meet someone else who was still so emotionally effected by a loss so long ago.. and to have had her dog 'save her life'... just as I had with Corsa. Our dogs are amazing beings.

Anyway... Here's Big Mama playing with Little Big Man:

April 18 Day 39.. cont...

I spent the day cleaning out the Whelping room.. Wow had it gotten filled with clutter in the past year! Nickel spent most of the time laying directly in my way. She seems to know that this room is for her. Not too much of a surprise since she was born in this room! and her sister delivered her litter in it last year... same whelping box. Of course last year Nickel spent a great deal of time watching her sister, Ico's litter growing in the very same spot. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't some residule smell on the box.

Nickel practically battled for her position while I rebuilt the whelping box. LOL... she really wanted center stage this time round ;) I repainted the lavendar walls; this time we have pink and blue (it's left over paint from the Pink Poodle Parlor and exterior house paint). At least we know that these pups will be frugal :)

Here's Nickel hanging out in the Whelping box last year... She certainly was ready to be a mom. As you can see.... she spent a lot of time outside the box as well...

Nickel in Ico's Whelping box (last year) ... ah....just trying it out :)

Nickel outside whelping box.. watching Ico's puppies

Ico (the REAL mom) on the left and Nickel (the WANNA be Mom) on the right

Nickel (top) and TinTin (bottom) out side Ico's Whelping box... It Takes A Village...

In the following pictures I'm in the process of painting the Whelping Room from Lavendar to Pink and Blue... Nickel didn't seem to think that having the room painted should stop her from settling into Mother-Hood! As I constructed the Whelping Box Today, Nickel tried to take central control ;) Before I even had the sides up she circled around the 'Whelping Nest' and settled into position. The 'Whelping Nest' is the black circle. It's a heated pad that will maintain a steady temperature of 95 degrees for the puppies. For the first ten days the puppies wont be able to maintain their body temperature and this heating 'dish' will keep them safe. If they get too hot they can crawl off the dish.

April 18 Day 39

Didn't get her hair brushed out after her swim... oops

April 17 Day 38

Belly measures 23 1/2 today

We're all going swimming today since it's Corsa's water therapy day. I figured that Nickel will enjoy the warm water. She didn't swim in the cold lake with her mother and nephew yesterday.. the little wimp...LOL. I know that both Ico and TinTin enjoyed swimming when they were pregnant. I think it feels good to get the exercise and take the weight off their feet at the same time. I'll try to take some pictures today.

I learned about Dog Water Therapy years ago when I started bringing Corsa to Cindy Horsfall. Sadly for us she moved to Sequim but in 6 Degrees Of Separation she is now friends with Stoli and Belle's owners Joanne and Jack. It's a small world. If you want more information about Cindy's work and her spa Click Here.

April 16 Day 37

Well some of the poos when swimming today and although it has nothing to do with pregnancy... I had to share just because I couldn't believe they'd go in on a day like today! AND it was Mica's first time in the water. He went right in after his Gramma TinTin. Of course in the areas where TinTin was full-out swimming, Mica was simply wading.. ha ha ha.

April 15 Day 36 Begin Week 5

Mean and range of the gestational age at the first

ultrasonographic detection of the fetal structures

Embryo 22.80±1.03 21-24

Heartbeat 23.00±0.94 22-24

Limb bud 29.70±0.82 28-31

Fetal movement 30.40±1.64 28-31

Stomach 33.40±1.07 32-35

Gall bladder 32.90±1.73 31-35

Urinary bladder 34.90±1.19 33-37

Skeleton 35.10±0.73 34-36

Lung 36.10±0.51 35-37

Liver 35.40 ±0.70 35-37

Nickel's waist measured 22 1/2 inches this morning

April 14 Day 35

Nickel has actually been back to *near* normal level of playing, retrieving and some rough housing. She definitely seems to be feeling better. In between her activities she sleeps Very deeply. Here she is on our walk this morning:

Since I had no case at work, I'm still recovering from the flu and Mica is visiting Auntie Cat, I decided to crawl back into bed after our walk. Hummmmm.... none of the girls argued with me :) I got my lap top and started working and Nickel and TinTin snuggled in beside me. I get a kick out of the way TinTin 'mama handles' Nickel. Reminds me of a little old lady babying her 250 pound 50 year old son around..

Later today I hope to load an assortment of Nickel pics... from puppihood til today. Stay tuned!