Fat Albert

As of tomorrow I am on Puppy Watch. Leeloo isn't actually due until March 16 which is next Friday but because her last litter pre-labour started 5 days early I'm not taking any chances. Leeloo is mortified that this is happening all over again and frankly I feel very guilty for putting her through this again. I have made many promises this is the last time and if she understood, I'm sure she would thank me. I've never been pregnant but what I have seen of friends, family and dogs, it seems like it just sucks. The final trimester of pregnancy, in dogs anyway, is grotesque, undignified, uncomfortable, annoying and as far as I can tell a big fat hassle for the animal experiencing it. They don't like it and I can't say I blame them. I look at my svelt and  perfectly beautiful baby Cora and think "Do I ever want to do that to her body?" Time will tell.

Back to the mother of the hour - I sort of anticipate her to go into pre-labour tomorrow night with puppies arriving in the middle of the night on Monday. I can't be sure this is how it will play out but from now on I am checking her temperature 3 times a day instead of just 2 (per undignified) and I took time off work tomorrow to stay home with her. I'm reasonably sure that she won't have the puppies tomorrow but I just know how the day will go - I'd be at work with a perfectly calm exterior but for 7 hours, in my head, I'd be freaking out. I prefer to just save myself the anxiety and stay home.

Most of the time she is sleeping, she doesn't want to go for walks anymore and when we do she just meanders and looks resigned to this ridiculous outing when she could be home sleeping. The puppies are kicking up a storm in there, eager to make their appearance I guess. I routinely take a moment to give Leeloo a scratch all over her body with an old spaghetti ladle (you know, the ones with the 'fingers') since she loves it and she can't scratch properly anymore.

There's Cora's jamming her long legs into her mother's tummy. Perhaps she is saying STAY IN THERE to her siblings since once they arrive, for a little while a least, she will not be the Puppy of the House. Never mind Cora, you will always be my Baby Booble.