2.5!

Griffin and I went on an adventure today!

I had a meeting this morning, so Grif couldn't come to the office with me. I felt terrible- the separation anxiety is mutual. Olivia went to daycare and all day, I worried about Grif. He was totally fine when I got home and clearly I need therapy, but that's another post...

My car was being detailed today, which sounds uppity, but when you have two slobbering bulldogs that went to the muddy park every day for the past month, professionally car cleaning is not a luxury, it is a necessity. The detail place is only 2.5 miles from my house and since I am training for a half marathon and ran more than that yesterday, I decided to combine my run and picking up the car.

But Grif and I had been apart all day and I couldn't leave him again, so I got out the wagon and brought him with me.

"I refuse to look at the camera"

Griffin walked approximately 1 block before he started limping. He wasn't limping before the walk and he wasn't limping afterwards, but after about 5 minutes of walking, he'd had enough. I was satisfied with his accomplishment ad so was he.

The first mile was pretty easy. Grif got used to the wagon right away and we stopped several times to greet dogs and kids in the neighborhood. Other than refusing to pose for a cute photo, he was very cooperative.

"Why are you taking my picture?"

The second mile was entirely uphill- vertical, thought-I-was- going-to-die vertical. I huffed and puffed while I lunged forward, putting my head down, and concentrated on dragging 60 pounds of dog (and a wagon that is a lot heavier than it looks), while sweating and gasping for breath. Griffin had already drank about half of our water (you'd be surprised at how thirsty you get riding in a wagon in the shade on a nice day), so I only took a sip or two (yes, we were sharing a water bottle). Luckily the last half mile was mostly downhill. Our journey took a few minutes short of an hour and Griffin snored loudly the entire drive to daycare to pick up Olivia.

I was honked at multiple times, laughed at audibly by more than one person and at one point, I felt like I was in a parade because people kept stopping to wave at us. I don't think it will be a daily occurrence, but it was a great adventure for today.

Honeymoon= Cancelled

Last weekend I returned from a work trip and Griffin, who had vomited each day I'd been gone, was cured as soon as I walked in the door. I blogged about my poor anxious baby boy. He and I were inseparable on Sunday, spent the day together in my office on Monday and both days, he was perfectly healthy. My sweet anxious baby just needed me...

But on Tuesday night, once again, Griffin vomited. I wasn't sure why- I thought he was better! On Wednesday night, he ate dinner and almost immediately, projectile vomited all over. It was 5:45 (the vet closes at 6) and I was sick with worry! I debated whether he could make it through the night or if I should rush him to the emergency vet.

I felt like the WORST bulldog mom that ever lived. How self centered could I be? How could I be so dumb and think my immune-compromised, special needs dog (who has a history of eating things he shouldn't) was just being dramatic, when he was clearly he was actually sick all along?! The guilt was eating me alive.

Thursday morning, we rushed to the vet to get his stomach x-rayed and a few blood tests to check his liver and kidney function. I tried to emotionally prepare for another surgery. Nate and my mom were standing by their phones, ready to support me through whatever bad news was coming.

$400 worth of x-rays and tests later, the vet was pretty confident that he had, in fact, been anxious when I was gone and that his little stomach was probably still a bit upset. Tuesday and Wednesday had been "at home days" for the dogs. Olivia didn't go to daycare and I had things going on outside the office, so Grif couldn't go with me.

Is there a clinical term for "mama's boy"?? Because that's what I have.

I am very thankful Griffin is healthy. However, the super extravagant honeymoon I was planning for 8-10 days?? It's going to be more expensive than we'd planned if we have to add in the vet bills that are going to result in Griffin and I being apart.

Are there any tropical resorts or Mediterranean cruises that are bulldog friendly? Never mind long, romantic walks on the beach- Nate and I holding hands and staring into each others eyes... Wagons don't roll in the sand and bulldogs would overheat quickly if they had to walk while wearing their lifejackets.... Ugh. I have created a needy little monster.

Anyway, Grif is fine. We've only been apart an hour or two since Thursday and there hasn't been any more vomit. I am FULLY aware that I created this problem. I'm just not sure what to do to fix it now...

It's Good to be Home

I've been away at a camping conference for the past few days. I missed them almost immediately and I found myself showing off photos of the babies to several strangers that I had just met. 

Olivia was not happy when I brought out my suitcase.

A little snuggling before I had to leave. 

This is actually a few days before I left, but I looked at this photo several
times while I was gone, because I missed this face (mud and all).

Ready for the park, first thing this morning. 

Content after a good park trip (the first in 4 days!)

Snuggling after the park- relieved to be back together

Griffin vomited all 4 days I was gone. I started to worry he was actually sick, but he has been eating normally and perfectly happy since I've been home, so I think it's possible he has some separation anxiety that leads to him projectile vomiting whenever I leave him.

I hate being away from them- I think that the three of us become more co-dependent every day. The next month is basically a count down until camp and then we are headed to the great outdoors for the summer. So I think we will all be fine...