Sunday was so gorgeous!! We went out to lunch with Suzanne and Graham and sat on the patio at the restaurant. Then, we took Flip for a hike at Highbanks and wore him out.
The big news is that, I think, the cats are really starting to come around. Flip was hard core asleep after his day of adventures, and the cats came out and wandered the house freely. Schroeder even got right up in Flip's face to check him out as he slept:
WHAT IS THIS THING?
Luna let me brush her and purred while Flip stuffed his nose in her butt. Flip, for his part, is pretty much amazing. He doesn't chase the cats and mostly just watches them with wagging tail. If they run, he thinks it's a game and will stick his butt in the air and hop after them (which, of course, freaks them out even more!) But, when he gets close, he just stops and whines at them to be his friend instead of invading their space. I am thinking within a week they will all be best friends!
Here is Schroeder doing another reconnaissance mission as Flip loses his mind over his bacon nylabone:
Wm was all mad because I banned him from screens for 2 days after he was all bitchy about getting off when it was time to go grocery shopping. So he was in his room pouting. I went up and told him that we were leaving in 5 minutes, so he needed to get his grumps out before then. In about 5 minutes, he came bouncing down the stairs all happy. I go, "well, I guess you managed to get your grumps out!" And he goes, "yeah, I got into Flip's crate and hung out for a few minutes and it made me feel better!" So, basically, the kid is Temple Grandin. But, whatever it takes.
Wm is on spring break next week, so it will be just him and Flip hanging out! Wm was the primary dog walker during the hike - and he did great!! I think he and Flip are going to be super best friends. He actually started crying last night as he was getting into bed and he goes, "I don't like to think about when I'm an adult and Flip and the cats will be dead!" Poor dude has a such a soft spot for those animals!!
We a really fun Saturday! It was suuuuuper sunny and it is warming up, so that was awesome! It started out, as usual, with The Boys ignoring me and doing their thing.
Flip is super bonded and as he sat, plastered against me, Steve goes, "this is your dream come true." So right!!
Speaking of Steve, he has not been able to resist Flip's charms and now they, too, are bonding!!
Buds!
Snuggling!
I knew Steve was a goner when he gently covered Flip up with a blanket as he napped on him.
Caught Steve mid-yawn!
We took Flip for multiple walks, we took him on his first trip to Pet People, and Steve got his overhead runner/trolly hooked up in the backyard. Flip is not the biggest fan of not being able to poop in the way back, but he's coming to terms!
We also had visitors. First, Guy (and Mimi!) came to see Flip in the morning. Then, our friends Melanie and Olivia came in the afternoon. And they brought us cake! Wm goes, "omg...this cake is AMAZING." He talked about it all night.
And, lastly, a couple fun movies of The Creatures.
1. Schoeder and Luna are starting to emerge in little bits. They'll come out and stare at Flip from a distance, and then scurry back to the basement as soon as he moves. He really wants to be friends, so he's excited about the progress.
2. When Flip goes into his crate in the morning before work, I fill a kong with peanut butter and throw it in there. He LOVES it and runs on in, all excited. Well, today, we had an empty jar of peanut butter. Before I threw it away, I decided a certain dog would really love licking it out. And, boy, was I right! He licked it and licked it until it was gone, then carried it up on the couch next to me and just sat there compulsively licking the empty jar. The only way I could him to leave it alone was to give him a bone. Flip is having the best morning of his life!
Wm has started writing a sci-fi novel. I asked him what it was about and he goes, "a distopian future." He has very extensive plot plans. I asked him to run through them for me and it was super complicated. Wm is writing it in Google Docs, so I asked him to share it with me so I can read it. I go, "you can be an author!" and Wm said, "that would be a waste of my mathematical ability." So I told him he can write in his spare time and he goes, "YES."
Flip had another great day! The cleaning ladies came and Flip was awesome. They even swept and he was A-OK. When I got home from work, we went on an hour long walk. Flip LOVES a walk. And I love having a walking buddy!
I took a video of him as he goes. His ears KILL me. Watching them and tell me that Flip is not the PERFECT name for him!
Then, Flip waited very impatiently for Wm to get home from school. He sat at the window and whined every time a kid walked by who wasn't Wm.
His excitement knew no bounds when Wm finally got home! Look at his tail go!
Then he was VERY HAPPY to receive Wm attention. Look at his face - it's a blur of excited motion as he gets belly scratches (notice the huge boxes from amazon that were just delivered and filled with things for Flip - dog bed, pooper scooper, trolly).
Steve (and the cats) are making slow progress in their warming up. The cats now come out, but hiss at Flip every time he goes near them. And, while Steve seems to like Flip well enough, he goes, "Why does he keep licking me? What is he after?" Like Flip is tricking him in some way with kisses.
Then, yesterday evening we took Flip to the dog park. We were a bit nervous about how he'd do and didn't want to take him off the leash. But, a bunch of neighbors were there with their dogs and encouraged us to see how he did. And, Reader, I kid you not: he was the best behaved dog there! He ran around like a maniac, but came back and checked in every few minutes, always came when I called him immediately, and was, overall, a bit hit! There was a 1 year old toddling all around and Flip looooved him. He kept going over and sitting in front of him and letting the little guy pet him and grab on his ears. There was also a 6 year old who kept going, "I love you, Flip!" and he was so sweet and gentle with her. Flip loves him some kiddos!
But, he ran around like a lunatic with the other dogs most of the time. Then, he came home and slept like a log. Here he is on the couch with me after we got home:
I'm sure there will be new and exciting Wm and Flip adventures this weekend!
Flip did great yesterday! He didn't mind his crate at all and was good as gold when I got home. He went right outside and did his business and then went back and checked his crate to make sure his kong was still there. :) Then, he had lots of visitors! Mimi came over to meet him - and got some great shots! Here is a Mimi shot of Flip:
Cutest pup!
Then, Suzanne came over and we took Flip on a very short walk (it was freezing, windy, and raining). BUT, Flip did take a walk poo that I had to pick up. I was very nervous about this because it looks gross as hell. But we had special poop bags that I got at Pet People. They are thick (and biodegradable!) so I barely felt anything through it. It was a piece of cake!
Cuddle snooze.
The cats remain leery and have set up residence in the basement. They will come out at night while Flip is in bed and they will come out during the day when he is crated. Progress!
Flip is working on a few things. First, he is a puppy, so he can be mouthy. He doesn't chew anything, but when he gets overly excited, he enjoys nibbling on people's gizzards and/or hands as you pet him. Apparently we are supposed to yell, "OW!" and stop giving him attention for a minute or so when he does it. Luckily, he never, ever nibbles Wm. He seems to know that he needs to be extra gentle with Wm. So Wm never gets excited nibbles. Flip also loves other dogs. I mean reeeeeeally loves them. So much that he jumps all over them. So the feeling is not mutual. We will have to work with Flipster on that too! I am signing up him some dog training classes, so he should be good as gold soon!
He is smart and he's a fast learner! He has already mastered 2 things:
1. When it was time to go out or come in, he jumped all around and I couldn't get the leash on or off. After just a few times of refusing to take him out or let him in until he was sitting, he now sits nicely to get his leash on and off (and paws cleaned off now that it's wet!)
2. After being told "no," he immediately stops what he is doing very nicely. So he doesn't really jump on people or beg for food at the dining table while we are eating after he's been told not to. He's a people pleaser!
We are still figuring this sleeping thing out, too. Flip really enjoys sleeping with Steve and I. But, he also enjoys laying diagonally across the bed and chasing rabbits in his sleep. I spent one night on the couch after Flip stole my spot. And, last night, it was great for me, but he was all over Steve. His dog bed arrives today. Hopefully he takes to that!
Sunday is supposed to be sunny and in the mid-70's. So, Flip gets to go hiking!! Wm is SUPER looking forward to that!
And here is Flip trying his best to contain his puppy excitement after I got home from work yesterday:
Flip is home (and named Flip!) I went to pick him up yesterday after lunch. Steve said he couldn't go because he "had to work." Since it took nearly 2 hours and I had to fill out all the paperwork, I decided I was naming him what I wanted. Boom! So, he's Flip! He's also a genius, because he already comes when you call him "Flip." Here is how Flip, Day One went down:
Flip is a great rider. He hopped right in the car and rode home standing on the arm rest and intermittently licking my face as I tried to drive.
Great rider!
I immediately took him into the backyard, but he refused to go potty. He just sniffed things and was attacked by our neighbor's little yap dog. So then I took him for a 45 minute walk to encourage peeing. No peeing. Or pooping. But, I managed to exhaust him.
Flip has flopped
The cats HATE Flip and mostly puffed up and growled at him and he sadly whined at them to be his friend. They responded by then hiding in the basement all night. Wm got home from school and lost his mind! He was SOOOO excited to see Flip there! They played tug-o-war and Wm threw the ball for him. He even took him on a little walk around the block. (Flip is a GREAT walker and never pulls or tries to run away). Steve was a little more receptive than the cats when he got home, but not a lot.
The face of toleration
But, Flip is a very good boy, and loves his people, so he managed to win Steve over by the end of the night!
Warming up!
Flip is a major snuggler. He wants to be touching all the time. We had a thunderstorm roll through yesterday night and Flip didn't even bat an eye. This was before the storm, but he never moved from this position throughout the thunder and lightening:
Cool as a cucumber
So, we took Flip out like a hundred times. The dude never went potty. I finally went to bed and he hadn't gone yet!! Steve stays up later and took him out last thing. And...SUCCESS! Flip went #1 and #2 and then promptly fell asleep on our bed and snored all night. I took him out when I woke up and he did his business again. He has the Bladder of the Gods. He only goes like every 10 hours.
This morning before work, I filled a kong with peanut butter and threw it in his crate. Flip ran on in and was happily lapping away when I left - he didn't even care that we were leaving. I also left him his rope and his bone. So hopefully he has a productive day of napping, peanut butter licking, and bone/rope gnawing. I am leaving work an hour early today and tomorrow to just get him eased in to his crate. He is used to being crated for 8-9 hours a day, so he should be OK! I told Steve it's like the first day we dropped Wm off at day care. I'm all nervous and wondering what he's doing all day!
Wm couldn't wait to go to school today to tell all his friends about Flip!
The lone family members who are still warming up to Flip remain The Cats. Here they are, looking super pissed as Flip goes to town on his bone:
Well, we have the newest (and FINAL) addition to the family! Welcome, UNNAMED DOG!
We are currently battling out what to name him. He is an 8 month old mutt who is in foster care after being hit by something (probably a car, not a person) and breaking his femur. He had big-time surgery and has a leg full of pins, but he is all healed up and ready for his forever home now! His foster home has cats and kids and he is great with them both! He is also fully crate trained. He's about 30lbs, and may gain about 10 more - so he's a medium size guy. We met him at Mingle with the Mutts last weekend and Wm really liked him. So, after school yesterday, he and I went to meet "Robby" (current name). Aaaaand, Wm fell in LOVE.
I have never seen Wm with a dog the way he was with Robby. He loved him so much! And the feeling was mutual. You can see in these pictures that Robby is leaning his body against Wm. He always wanted to be touching his people.
Wm even got a chance to walk him!
There is leash there! Just blocked by Wm's body.
Currently, I want to name him Flip because of his flippity ears and personality (his foster mom called him a "free spirit" - I think he has a joy for life!) Wm goes back and forth, but seems to want him to stay Robby. And Steve is partial to Rascal. Speaking of Steve...he is quasi on board. You will notice that when I wanted a dog...there was no dog. But, when Wm wants a dog...suddenly, we have a dog! Wm has Steve wrapped around his little finger! Steve spent all yesterday evening installing a baby gate and assembling Flip Robby Rascal's crate. How could he resist this face:
Look at his white beard!
They were SUPER nice at the dog shelter and let us have yesterday to get ourselves (and the evil cats) ready. So I will leave work at lunch and go pick up the pooch! Welcome to the family, Flip Robby Rascal!
Meanwhile, the cats know something is up. Their food has suddenly moved and they have to slither under a gate to get to it. And much larger bowls and bag of food have arrived instead. They are intrigued by the crate and dog toys that have also shown up. But, for now, they aren't too bothered:
We had to take a nap after the excitement
Schroeder even helped Steve assemble the gate!
Co-captain
And I am really happy Wm will have a companion this summer! He will have a friend, a creature that will force him to leave the house, and a guardian. And Wm is the happiest kid ever! Who wouldn't be with the menagerie of pets he has now?? Wm goes, "I sometimes like animals better than people." Word.
On Saturday morning, Mimi took Wm summer clothes shopping. He got GREAT stuff! He found enough collared short sleeve shirts that he will be good for the first few months of school, when it's still warm, and he needs to meet the dress code of his middle school. We also got him his first leather belt to stay in line with the dress code and he looks very dapper! But, as has become his habit, Wm found an odd thing in the clearance bin and wanted it badly. Then, refused to take it off all weekend. This year, it was an ugly lumberjack hat....
He wore in while eating.
He wore it while computing.
He insisted on lumberjacking in it.
Putting it to use!
Later in the day, it got really nice out! So we went to a Mingle with the Mutts event and then walked Wm's route from his new middle school to my office so he can see what it will be like.
On Sunday, Suzanne and I took a long walk while Steve and Wm went to the park and played. Also, the cats are growing on each other! They have taken to snuggling in their window bed together. It's super cute!!
Best buds
Snoozing friends!
We also got Wm's grade in Math and - again! - he got an A!! Wm is knocking out 6th grade gifted Math. He DEFINITELY gets that from Steve! I told Steve it is the last A he'll probably get until college since his middle/high school does not have letter grades. We were driving yesterday and Wm goes, "I like how there are no grades. If I haven't mastered the class by the end of the term, I just remediate it during J-term." So grown up!
