New Family Update

Nils and Shawna

At the YMCA Family Festival, there was a chiropractor tent set up that Nils and I checked out. We got a gift certificate to get an consultation, x-rays and free adjustment so two weeks ago, we attended our appointment and had the x-rays done. I already got to speak with the chiropractor who discovered my spine twists to the left down by my pelvis and that there is a concern regarding my neck. I have loss the curve in my neck which is a condition commonly referred to as "military neck". The doctor is concerned since my test shows that on one side I have extreme nerve interference- the same nerves that run to my heart, lungs, and brain. Nils' x-ray examination is on Monday and then we will have one more appointment on Thursday to discuss our course of action (how often we will need to come in for adjustments, what our insurance covers, etc). So a lot is up in the air right now until that Thursday appointment. Man, it sucks getting old! LOL!

Ugg. The holidays have not been kind to my waist line. I am back to 130.6 lbs. I have been avoiding going to Weight Watchers meeting since I only have two more weeks of weigh ins before I am a lifetime member....if I don't gain more than 128 lbs. So I have stayed away until I can lose a few pounds. I never asked what happens when you go over but I am afraid they might tell me I need to start over and get back to my goal weight and begin another 6 weeks of maintence.

Shaylee

Shaylee is developing an imagination. She will tell stories and when she plays with her toys, she has little dialogs to go along with whatever she is going. She makes her hand talk, like you would if you have a hand puppet on, and has us do the same, calling our hand character "my friend" although in her little baby voice, it sounds more like "muffin". So yeah, my daughter talks to her hands, LOL! She will invent little games including one where she is running from a "scary ghost". Its another sign that she is really growing up so fast.

She LOVES her Kindermusik class! Each Saturday she becomes more and more outgoing. We are now making it a routine to listen to the take home CD everynight which Shaylee loves. She is beginning to learn all the words to the songs and danced along to all of them. Its money well spent and we plan to renew our membership when its time.

Whole Family

Our Thanksgiving was very nice. My paternal grandparents came over and had dinner with us. I'll be posting some pics later.

Zoey

Not much new to report about Zoey other than she is teaching the other dogs bad habits. For example, I always bragged about how Cayman rarely barked. He is now copying Zoey's horrible habit of barking when people come into the house. One alert bark to announce their presence is fine, but Zoey has a tendency to bark when she is a room with someone and they stand up. Its really quite annoying and Cayman is starting to pick up on it, barking at my grandparents on Thanksgiving, something he has never done. He is also mimicing how Zoey jumps off the back of the couch which is going to give me a heartattack some day since I am so fearful about his back, being a dachshund and all. Roxy, my parent's beagle mix, is also copying off Zoey's jumping at the french doors to be let back in. She used to just sit and whine and now she is scratching at the woodwork which if not nipped in the bud, could cause some destruction since she is a much large dog with much larger claws. So Zoey is gonna need some work. I just have been reluctant since the time spent trying to teach an old dog new tricks is better used preventing the same issues in the moldable young pup- Cayman, which really isn't fair to Zoey when I think about it.

Cayman

Cayman has gotten his certificate and it is official- we are now a therapy dog team with PAWS Ministry. We have been assigned the Hidden Oaks retirement home and have our first assignment on Saturday, December 6. You can read more about this on Cayman's very own blog: http://doxidoggybloggy.blogspot.com

Sterling

Sterling is her typical self. We see her when she wants to be fed or when she wants in from outside. She is more aloof than she has ever been but I think she is happier since she is able to go outside. She always stays right in the yard, it is fenced in anyhow, and I think that it keeps her from getting bored. There is always lizards, birds, and squirrels to chase and plenty of sunshine to sun herself. So even if she doesn't spend as much time with us, she is definately enjoying life more than she did when she was strickly indoors.