Stealing Our Hearts

Nova is now almost 8 months old!  She has grown into a beautiful chocolate lab.  (Although, I might be a little partial and all…) 

Back in March when we decided to add her to the family, we talked a lot about the pro’s and con’s.  Were we ready to add a puppy to the mix again?  TanMan was just learning to walk.  It takes soooooo much time and effort.  Housebreaking, chewing, crate training, lots of crazy puppy moments.  I was the eager one for sure.  Ross took a little coaxing to convince that this was right.  I just didn’t feel that our household was complete without a furry critter around.  I wasn’t ready to NOT have a dog again.  It was time.  Ross was easily convinced once he held this furry little butterball in his lap when we went to “Just see” the puppies.  We brought her home that night.

6 1/2 months later… 

Nova has been a wonderful addition to the family.  She is awesome with the boys.  She loves to run with Riley, even though that aggravates him sometimes.  She follows Braden around the yard looking for sticks.  She lets TanMan crawl all over her, even when she might have just been sound asleep.  They are all buddies in one way or another.  The boys love having her around.  They all keep an eye out for her, and I am sure as time goes on she will be the one to keep an eye on them. 

I knew that it would all be good.  Having critters just makes our world right…

She’s growing!

Nova will be 3 months old this week!  Seems like she has been a part of our family forever…  Critters tend to do that here.  They wiggle their way right into our hearts.  Make you forget what it was like before they arrived.  They are members of the family!  That might be why we have dwindled our critter numbers down to one.  No more rabbits, cows, goats, chickens, turkeys, kitties, fish, or anything else.  At least not right now.  I am sure one day more critters will inhabit our property again…  Not until boys are bigger and can help with the chores involved!

Anyway… Nova is growing…  You might remember that cute, wrinkly puppy from a few weeks ago. See those adorable wrinkles again here.   Now, just a few short weeks later, she is looking a lot more like a teenager puppy.And acting a lot more like a teenager puppy…  Is this a preview of what my 3 boys are going to be down the road?  I know it won’t be the same.  After all they are NOT labradors, but…  Loving family, selective hearing, gallivanting, hunting, sad eyes to say sorry…  Hmm…  What do you think?

Let’s Get Out!!!

Did you think we got lost?  I don’t know where in the world the past month has gone!  I really don’t know!  Oh, wait…  Swim lessons 3 nights a week, March birthdays, puppy training, school, playing with the boys, dishes, laundry, and sleep.  That’s right.  Not much extra time left in life right now.

Wild winds kept us inside most of the past week.  UGH!  The wind was so horrible.  During the few times that we did venture out of the house, I thought TanMan was going to blow away!  His little newly walking legs were just no match for gusty breezes.  We made it though.  We even tried to escape to the back side of the house, but that was not really any better.  So, on Thursday when we woke up to calmness, we knew it was time to get out!  Three boys and a lab needed to get the wiggles and cantankerousness out of their systems.

They were soooo ready.  By the time I finally got my shoes on, everyone else was lined up at the door “patiently” waiting.  Bikes needed to be ridden.  Dump trucks needed to move dirt.  T-ball needed practiced.  Swings needed occupied.  Bird nests needed to be found.  Three acres of trees needed explored.  Little legs needed to run.  Voices needed to be loud.  You get the drift.

So we headed out.  Tension lessened.  Laughter abounded.  Boys had a blast!  It felt good.  I am so glad that we spend much time outside.  Imaginations come alive.  Moods lighten.  It just refreshes everyone.

 

Hmm…  Wonder what they were up to?  Looks like they are scheming about something! 

 

 

TanMan had an absolute blast!  He walked those little legs off.  He is certainly on the go now.  It was just about a week and a half ago that he really started walking much.  He had taken a few steps here and there, but had been content to just crawl.  Finally he decided that it was time to walk.  He already acts like a pro!  You know, grass is not exactly level and easy to walk on.  Just try to tell him that if you want to!!!!  I don’t think he will believe you.

         

 

Well… Gotta go catch up with these guys!

 

A little delayed due to another internet issue!  Blah…  So much for trying to be productive yesterday!

Meet Nova

We would like to introduce you to the newest member of the household…

Nova, is a 6 week old chocolate lab pup.  What an adorable bundle of fur!  She has wrinkles on her legs, nose, and face.  Those eyes can melt you in a second.  She definitely loves to be with people!  The family that we got her from had 5 pups and had them all hanging out in their living room every evening.  Nothing seems to bother her at all.  Her favorite thing to do is curl up on your lap.  Little does she realize that there will not be room for 80 pounds of lab on our laps in just a few months.

She has taken to the boys and follows them wherever they go.  The other day they had her running all around our six acres.  She was one tuckered pup.  She did her best to keep those little puppy legs moving so that she could stay right next to Riley and/or Braden.  She usually picked which ever boy was leading the way.  By the second trip back in the trees, I gave her a bit of a break to ride in the bottom basket of the stroller.  She fits right now, but won’t for long.  She liked it but at the same time was not content either.  She could not see those boys then.  Every time she bailed and caught up with the leader of the pack.

The boys are all crazy about her.  Everyone keeps a close eye on where Nova is.  She and Tanner do have a bit of a love hate relationship right now.  As long as things are on his terms all is o.k.  If Nova licks and he is not ready, No good.  If he pets her, all is great!  =) 

Riley helped us pick out the name.  I had a list of some that I liked and planned to show Ross.  Well…  Riley decided the other day that he wanted to ask to take the puppy outside for a while while the other boys napped.  He had been calling her Anastasia because that is what the girls from the family that had her picked as a temporary name.  Well…  He came over and said, “Mom, can I take (Long pause)… Can I see your list of names?”  Looks at the list.  “Nova.  Can I get Nova’s leash and take her outside for a while?”  I told him we had to talk to dad and decide on a name as a family.  He just said that he was calling her Nova until then.  Well it stuck.  =)

Oh, it will be an entertaining spring.