Three Things Thursday

1. Sugar is not a happy camper! She had surgery on Tuesday which included a teeth cleaning, a hernia repair and a spay on top of that! She is wearing the cone of shame and will not eat or drink with it on so we have to remove it so she can eat and drink. She has to wear it for a week so hopefully the time goes by quickly because I feel really bad for her. I am considering buying her a Pro Collar like Kari used for Bungee.

2. I decided that I am going to run the Long Beach Half Marathon and not the full. I was able to go on-line and pay $5.00 to downgrade but I have not received a confirmation from Long Beach yet so it is not official.  This change was down after the 8/31 deadline so I am keeping my fingers crossed that they honor my request.

3. Tomorrow is my birthday!  I am taking the day off because I never work on my birthday.  I don't have any big plans but just don't want to spend the day working. I am hoping to get a short run in tomorrow morning since I have not ran all week due to my shin pain. The shins are starting to calm down so hopefully I can do a little something tomorrow to kick off my birthday weekend. I am sure the birthday celebration will include some of these things that I cannot resist! I know I am bad but YOLO (You Only Live Once)!

Puppy Update: Week One

Thank you to everyone who has asked how the puppies are doing and all of the comments on how cute they are.  They are so adorable and I love them to pieces already. I use the daily bedding change as my opportunity to hold, pet and kiss each one.

The puppies are a week old today and they have grown so much in seven days!! They are trying to open their eyes and they can slither around pretty well. Sugar is exhausted but is taking her daily calcium pills and they seem to be helping her handle the nursing a little better. The bottle feeding is not going so well, in fact is was a failure! The puppies are refusing the bottle and definitely prefer their mommy! We have been trying to give Sugar some time away from the babies since they eat constantly when she is with them. They actually sleep for 2-3 hours straight when she is away from them so we know that they are not as hungry as they like to make Sugar think they are.

Here is a little update on the puppies:

Puppy #1: Current Weight is 10.870 ounces! Her nose is no longer pink and is now black just like Sugar's.  The little pads on her feet are also changing color.

Puppy#2: Current Weight is 12.995 ounces and he is the biggest to date! He is obviously the most aggressive with the food supply so we have to keep an eye on him to make sure that he shares with his brother and sisters. He is also the biggest cry baby. He doesn't like it when I pick him up and give him his daily hug and kiss!

Puppy #3: Current Weight is 12.620 ounces. She is the calmest of the bunch. She loves to cuddle up with her sister and brothers. She is always yawning and trying to open her eyes.

Puppy #4: AKA Brownie: Current Weight is 10.910 ounces and he is the least aggressive of the bunch and usually sleeps close to mama. We have to help Brownie find the milk most of the time so that he doesn't lose any weight and stays healthy. He is the only puppy that we have given a name due to the fact that he is the only puppy that is not white like Sugar.

As I have mentioned before, I have an awesome vet who is helping me place the puppies once they are able to be without mama. She called me to tell me that she may have a home for one of the puppies already. I am happy but sad at the same time because I am already getting attached to them. I am lucky to have such a great vet who is helping me out.  I also feel secure that the puppies will be going to good homes since I know that she would not give them to anyone she did not feel comfortable with.

This is one of my favorite pictures!

This is a full time job but so worth the experience.  I am so glad that we made the decision to care for Sugar and her puppies.

Three Things Thursday

1) I gave in and registered for the Pasadena Rock and Roll Half Marathon.  I missed this race earlier this year due to my injury so I kind of wanted to do it in 2013 just to make myself feel a little bit better about missing it in 2012.

2) I gave in a second time and registered for the Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Los Angeles too! I took advantage of the National Running Day discounts so hopefully things will work out for me in 2013 and I can stay injury free.

3) The puppies are doing great and gaining lots of weight.  We are a little concerned about Sugar since she is a small dog (7 pounds) attempting to nurse four puppies. She seems to be getting weak so we are going to start helping her out with the feedings a few times a day and her vet also put her on calcium pills. We bought this milk replacement for the puppies and hope they will take the bait!

The Dog Log and National Running Day!

I would love to say that my life has been centered around my family and running but lately it has revolved around this family instead:

All the puppies are doing great and Sugar is such a good mommy. She refuses to leave them for more than a minute. Sometimes she comes out to eat but most of the time I have to put her bowl in the family bed or feed her by hand. She runs outside to use the bathroom and then sprints back to the puppies. The pups get weighed daily to make sure that they are gaining weight. We have a log that we keep track of their weight in and I call it the "Dog Log." The puppy that gains the least amount of weight gets watched really closely and we make sure that he/she is getting a spot to eat. So far, the smallest and first born puppy has gained the most weight.  

Did you receive the email from Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series about the $20 discount that they will be offering off any race (Las Vegas and some others excluded) in honor of National Running Day on June 6th? I have been shying away from signing up for any races but with this kind of discount I just might give in. I am considering the Pasadena Half Marathon since I had to sit it out this year and/or the Los Angeles Halloween Half Marathon. I am not brave enough to sign up for a marathon quite yet but this will be a good start for me. 

Speaking of National Running Day, I will definitely get a run in to celebrate the day. Last weeks mileage was a little less than I would have hoped for (22.06 to be exact) but the birth of the puppies kind of became my priority and I missed a key run on Saturday! I would like to get back to running at least 25 miles a week so fingers crossed that I hit my target this week.

So tell me, are you planning to take advantage of the discount from Rock 'n' Roll? What races are you considering? How are you planning on celebrating National Running Day? 

Final Score: Girls=2 and Boys=2!!

The puppies are finally here! I missed my run on Saturday and we pretty much spent our whole day at home watching these little cuties come into the world.  We were on our way out the door to go to Sam's Club right at 9:00am and noticed that Sugar was panting pretty hard which is a sign that she was ready to deliver soon.  My vet told us that she was probably going to have at least three so I think we were pretty much preparing ourselves for three puppies. We have been reading up on what to expect and we had all of the supplies ready to help her deliver. Today was my vet's last day at work before leaving on a week long vacation so the timing was perfect. Thankfully everything went smoothly and there was no need for an emergency C-Section.

Puppy #1 was born at 9:38 am.  This is the smallest puppy. I thought that the last one was the smallest but I guess not!

Sex: Female

Color: White

Weight: 5.455 ounces

Length: 5.5 inches

Puppy #2 was born at 11:36 am.  This one was the hardest one for Sugar since he is the biggest.

Sex: Male

Color: White

Weight: 7.355 ounces

Length: 6.5 inches

We kept the other puppies warm with a blanket and a heating pad on low setting to keep them warm. The puppies were so cold when they were born and are unable to regulate their own body temperature until they are a few weeks old.  It was also difficult for Sugar to care for them while she was in labor so we played babysitter while the others were born.

Puppy #3 was born at 12:57pm. We heard Sugar yelp while we were eating lunch and peeked in and Puppy #3 was already born!

Sex: Female

Color: White

Weight: 6.985 ounces

Length: 5.5 inches

Puppy #4 was born at 2:20pm. He was kind of a surprise because we thought Sugar was done giving birth. She went outside to use the bathroom and then just just into the bed with the pups.  This puppy was the easiest and fastest for Sugar to deliver and came right out!

Sex: Male

Color: Brown with Stripes

Weight: 6.225 ounces

Length: 5.75 inches

Sugar is being a great mom to her pups.  She knew exactly what to do and handled it pretty well.  I promised myself that I would not name any of the puppies since I am planning to place them all in good homes.  My vet is going to help me place all of them as soon as they are old enough to be taken away from their mommy.

I bought Sugar and the pups a big bed that fits all of them comfortably and this is where they will be calling home for the next 6-7 weeks.

My two dogs kept their distance and I am not sure if they even knew what was going on. The plan is to keep Sugar and the puppies locked up and separated from these two since Sugar is probably going to be very protective. My husband did most of the dirty work because I don't do well with blood!  He was pretty pooped after keeping an eye on Sugar and 5 1/2 hours.  My son suggested that we change Sugar's name to "Sugar Mama." He doesn't even knows the meaning of that phrase but I had to laugh....

It's Time!!

Sugar starting panting around 9am this morning. She let out out a few small yelps and then shortly after Puppy #1 was born.  Puppy #1 was born at exactly 9:38am this morning.  Thus far we have only have one baby but Puppy #2 is trying to make it's way into the world as I am typing this post. Sugar is a great mom and knew exactly what to do! It was quite an experience and a sight to see!

I will post an update once all of the puppies have arrived!!  We are thinking that maybe there are 3-4 puppies total.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Still waiting for Sugar to have her puppies....

I'm Going to Be a Grandma!!

I have the best vet in the whole wild world!  She does so much to help animals and does so much work on her own time and dime! She has saved so many animals from being euthanized and does all the vet care at a local no kill animal shelter pro bono. She is an incredible lady and I am so glad that she takes care of my babies too!  I have to pay for her services but it's good to have your pets being cared for by such a wonderful person who is in a career that she truly loves.

We took Sugar in tonight to see if she was pregnant and yes, she is.  Dr. K looked at me and said "You are going to be a Grandma!" 

Sugar was not on her best behavior tonight so she had to wear a muzzle to keep her in check while the technician took her temperature.  She also growled at Dr. K a little but she put Sugar in her place and she knocked it off.  

Dr. K thinks that Sugar will deliver the puppies in a couple of weeks.  She gave her an ultrasound and saw at least two puppies with their little hearts beating.  She promised to find homes for Sugar and her puppies if I agreed to take care of the puppies until they can survive without mama.  Deal!  I have never seen a dog give birth before so this will be a first for me!  I am nervous and anxious all at the same time but I am so glad that I am able to help a stray dog like Sugar.

Three Things Thursday

1. It has been pretty warm here in Southern California this week!  I have been wanting to get a couple of short runs in but in this heat I'll pass.  My runs have been limited to the gym treadmill (not my favorite method) so my motivation level has been kind of on the low end. I have to find my groove and get back into things.

2. My niece will be flying in from South Carolina on June 2nd so I am really excited to see her!  She will be visiting for the entire summer so I am busy planning lots of fun things for us to do. We will definitely be making an appearance at Disneyland, Universal Studios and Raging Waters.

3. Sugar is sill living with us and settling in quite comfortably.  She will be going to the vet tonight because I suspect that she is pregnant.  Her belly had grown quite a bit in the last few weeks!   

I have another three day weekend! Hooray! I am hoping to get a couple of decent runs in this weekend and get myself back on track.

Meet the Party Animals

Yesterday was my dog Roxy's 12th birthday and we celebrated. I bought her a peanut butter flavored doggy bone cake from Three Dog Bakery. Sprinkles cupcakes is next door to the dog bakery so I decided to treat myself to a cupcake so I wouldn't be left out of the party!

 No, all of the party animals don't belong to me. Cinderella, the smaller Pom that looks very much like Roxy, belongs to my daughter and I am still thinking of what I am going to do with Sugar. She is getting really attached to us so I have to formulate a plan quickly to avoid breaking her heart. I would like to say that Roxy (top left), Buster (bottom right), Sugar (bottom left) and Cinderella(top right) had a blast but it was kind of a fiasco to say the least. Cinderella is a barker and all of the other dogs don't really care for her behavior so they got nervous/excited and started scrambling/hiding and things got kind of chaotic.

The good news is that they all loved the doggy cake, especially Cinderella. She was able to scare all of the other dogs away with her barking and eat most of the cake herself.  The party was officially over when Cinderella pooped in the middle of the living room! Nobody wanted to get blamed for that one!

  Roxy has been part of the family since she was a few months old and she is the best dog ever.  She is so sweet and super smart. She knows how to do lots of things other than the standard sit, stay and lay down. Roxy knows how to play dead,  roll over, finds things on command, and brings you specific toys when you ask her for them. Roxy does not like baths, nail trims or teeth brushing but she loves to eat her doggy beef jerky and any kind of table food that she can con you into giving her!

I noticed a few months ago that Roxy was starting to lose her hearing so I took her in for a Senior Wellness Exam to make sure she was in good health.  The vet gave her an exam, did some blood work, a urinalysis and cleaned her teeth.  Roxy is starting to lose her hearing but she can still hear us when we are within close range of her. Other than the issue with her hearing, she is a pretty healthy girl! 

Happy 12th Birthday Roxy Girl!!

Three Things Thursday

1.Sugar has yet to be claimed by her rightful owner. We put up "FOUND" posters and still to takers. She is getting used to us and has decided that living indoors and having her own bed is not so bad after all. When we first found her, she insisted on being outside and sleeping in one of our patio chairs but not anymore!

2. Since yesterday was Administrative Professionals Day, the management team took our Department Secretary out to CPK (California Pizza Kitchen) for lunch. I had "The Original BBQ Chicken Salad" and it was pretty darn good.  I had it without the tortilla strips and skipped the herb ranch dressing but added avocado and it was perfect.  I did steal a piece of my boss' pizza and it was pretty tasty too.  I think I am a CPK fan now!!

3. Running is going so so!  After my run on Saturday, my shin starting acting up again.  I get this strange feeling/pressure in my left shin when I run and it doesn't seem quite right. It seems like I take one step forward and one step back so I am beginning to wonder if the OC Half Marathon is really going to happen.  I am bumming about it but what can I do?? Recovery sucks!!


Congratulations to everyone who was selected to run the Nuun HTC and the NYC Marathon!! Both of these races are on my "Race Bucket List."

Tell me about the races on your Running Bucket List!  

Besides the two I mentioned above, I also want to run these marathons: Big Sur, California International, Eugene, Chicago, WDW Goofy Challenge and a Ragnar Relay!

Look What I Found!

For those of you who do not know this about me by now, I am a sucker for animals.  I have a soft spot for strays and been known rescue any that cross my path.  This sweet little girl followed my son home from the park on Friday and spent the weekend with us.  I think she is a Chihuahua. Correct?

I just found a stray back in November, Buster, and ended up keeping him because there was no response to the flyer I posted. The stray dog loves my son and he already named her "Sugar."  I swear I am not going to keep her!!  She is a good dog and is even potty trained but I can't keep three dogs. I am going to put some posters up tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed that her owner comes forward.  I don't want to take her to the shelter because I know that she will be euthanized if she is not adopted within a few days.

I was able to run 6.67 miles on Saturday morning.  It was warm out there!!  I actually stepped off of the treadmill for this one and it felt kind of nice. I took several walk breaks since I didn't want to take a chance running the stretches of my route that were slightly hilly. I tried to keep my pace around 10:00 and that felt pretty comfortable. I took today off from running in hopes of getting a longer run in tomorrow.

Congratulations to my co-workers Shawna and Hershal who ran the Angels 5K today.  They had a great time but I wish I could have been out there running it with them. I guess there is always next time :)

How was your weekend?  Did you race or get a long run in?