Today was a very sad day for us as we had to say good-bye to our sweet Marley. A heart defect caused her heart to enlarge and eventually it compressed her lungs and she could no longer get enough air. I think we gave her a good and happy life and I hope she knows how much joy and fulfillment she brought to ours.

It was September of 1996 when we rescued Marley from the San Diego animal shelter. It was love at first sight. Adopting Marley was the first big thing Ken and I did as a couple. We were a family instantly and never looked back. Over the years Marley endured military moves and several different homes. She always took it like a trooper even though she never liked change very much. I think Marley was thrilled when we moved here. Even though we have stairs and mostly tile flooring downstairs, I think she loved her final home. She really enjoyed being able to take her time outside wondering our yard and sitting in the sun when she could. Marley was a very routine oriented girl. Every night at 11pm she'd stare us down telling us, "um, yeah, it's 11 and that means you let me out for "last chance" before bed. I don't really care that you're not going to bed. It's 11 and that means I go out, so get you butt off the couch and let me out". Another quirk of Marley's was drinking. Sometimes she'd drink water and drink and drink and drink until she'd have to throw up some because she overflowed. I remember many times catching her drinking too much and I'd have to say "Marley, take a break" Usually that saved us the throw up situation. Even though there were occasions when Marley wandered away from home, she'd never be far and always come home. Marley was very loyal and I think loved us very much.

In the past weeks, Marley was moving pretty slow but, she'd still sometimes play with a toy and was always getting up on the couch, wagging her tail and showing happiness. Last night that changed and we really began to worry. I took her to the vet this afternoon who told me the grave news about our sweet dog. Thankfully my Uncle Bruce went with me to the appointment so I had help with both Link, Marley and a shoulder to cry on when the Dr. told me the sad news of her condition. I called Ken but was too distraught to talk to him so the vet took the phone and explained to him the situation. There was a very expensive treatment option but at best it may have given her 2 more months but, they wouldn't have been pleasant ones at all. Marley's condition was making her feel like she was drowning and we couldn't ask her to suffer just to give us a little more time to prepare. I arranged to take her home and spend some last moments with her while waiting for Ken to come back up north from work. My Uncle Bruce drove me and Marley back to the vet where we met up with Ken and Billie. I was so thankful Billie met us there. She was key to helping us through the process at the vet which was one neither Ken or I had been through. Since she used to work there she was allowed to stay with Marley while they placed the catheter in her paw. Then Ken and I were allowed back into the room while the vet administered the injection. Marley went very peacefully. I held her head in my hands the whole time as Ken was petting her. Billie said that while they placed the catheter Marley didn't seem to mind at all. She never flinched or made a sound. The vet and Billie both explained how it really was the right choice and the same one they would have made if it had been their dog. Ken carried Marley out to the truck where I had her head on my lap as we drove to Billie and Alan's house to bury her. Ken dug her grave and placed her gently inside. We covered her with the soil and topped her grave with stones. She's laying right next to Sebastian and the rest of the family pets where we can visit her often. We are so thankful to Billie and Alan for offering a place for Marley there.

We love you Marley and will miss you every day for the rest of our lives.

Gwendolyn's Update

Gwendolyn will be 3 next month and that is absolutely impossible as far as I'm concerned! She is absolutely amazing and reminds us just how much every day.

Gwen is getting very articulate. It's so great to hear what she's going to say next. I could listen to her talk endlessly. She says hilarious things that make me think, I need to remember to write that one down somewhere. Since I seem to never manage to do that (I know, bad mommy!) I'm glad I do the next best thing and always call Ken or whomever she's talking about to tell them instantly whatever hilarious statement she's uttered.

I'm not sure where she gets this (LOL yeah right, she comes by this so honestly it's ridiculous) but, Gwen is incredibly particular. Everything has a way, a purpose or an order and if you screw it up or try to get her to forgo doing it because you're in a hurry or being impatient, you WILL hear about it! She doesn't care at all what you think the agenda is or if you wanted her hair in a ponytail that day. She has zero qualms about getting to that playdate at whatever time she gets there and her hair will be in "piggies" (2 pigtails placed exactly where she points on her head) whether you like it or not. On a rare occasion I can get her to wear her hair differently or convince her that yellow hair ties, socks and shoes doesn't go with everything in her wardrobe but, it's not a battle I choose very often. This winter she decided she wanted to wear a dress and tights pretty much every day. Luckily we are having an amazingly warm and dry winter.

Gwen's favorite movies are Beauty and the Beast and both of the Madagascar movies. She'll watch "Super Why" episodes anytime you will put them on for her. Sesame Street and Little Einsteins are definitely up on her list of television entertainment as well. When we go to the park, she'll swing until you have no choice but to deal with the tantrum of taking her off and giving another child a turn. Another thing Gwendolyn loves to do is draw and play with playdough. She loves to accessorize! All bead necklaces are chosen carefully. After she puts the gold (yellow) one on herself, the rest are handed out carefully to the appropriate person depending on color. Gwen will also sing at any moment. Her favorite song is the ABC song but she's often singing excerpts from the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack as well. Not surprising, everyone has a song in which they can sing and it's in your best interest to not sing someone elses song. Yes, she's very particular indeed about everything! LOL Someday's she'll show some flexibility but, luckily the things she's not very flexible about, aren't really very important.

What's important in Gwen's life as far as she is concerned is when can she see her cousins, grandparents and friends. If she gets to have a sippy of chocolate milk while on the way to play, she's a happy camper indeed!

Link's Update

Next week Lincoln will be 6 months old and I can hardly believe it! There's no way that much time has gone past! I'm starting to feel nostalgic about the newborn days and having my baby swaddled up but, I'm thoroughly enjoying watching him grow. This picture was taken less than a month ago and if you can believe it, he's even fatter now! LOL :o)

Link is such a joy. He has a very easy smile and a pretty easy cry. Although both of my children are sensitive, I think Link is more so. He's more demanding then Gwendolyn was as a baby but, we seem to handle it ok. That said, if he can't be held for some reason, if you give him his "lovey", he's likely to be content for a bit. That's one of the areas he differs from Gwendolyn. She's never really attached herself to anything to comfort her aside from her fingers and twirling hair. Every once in a while she'll like a particular object but it's usually short lived and has nothing to do with comfort.

Link loves to laugh and giggle and he'll do it readily for you. All you have to do is say "Hi" with a smile on your face and his will light up for you in return. He really seems to enjoy any performance you give him whether it's singing, dancing, good or bad, he loves it all the same. Luckily he's not a hard audience.

I keep taking movies of him thinking he'll roll over but the bottom line is, he hates to be on his belly. Now that he's sitting up really well, he sees even less need for being on his belly and has decided he'll skip the whole rolling over bit. I'm not sure if he'll skip crawling and go straight to walking just yet. He does have this amazing gerth about him and I can't imagine crawling would be very easy with your belly hanging on the ground! ;o) LOL From the moment he was born he's been interested in going, going and going. If he's on his back, he's doing a constant crunch up to get going. If you're holding him, he's looking all over the place and will move your head where ever he wants it, I think in hopes to get you to go in that direction.

Link is very curious about everything. He's swipes and will grab whatever he can reach and if he can't reach it he'll continue to try. It's very important to keep the radius around him clear of anything that's not his or it will become his in a matter of seconds.

I'm pretty sure his first tooth will be popping through any day now. He wants to teeth on almost anything and prefers our fingers although a frozen washcloth is a good second choice. Link is way more drooly than Gwendolyn ever was even when he tooth was cutting through. Also, he spits up more than Gwendolyn ever did but, it's nothing next to my friends who have babies with reflux trouble so, I really can't complain.