Monday, April 16, 2012

The Saggy Baggy Elephant

These are some of the last pictures we have of Payton, taken only a few days before she left us.  Yes, she was skinny, but oh so beautiful.  No sign of illness either.  I mean she really looks good in these pictures, older sure, but even I have a few grey hairs.  Ugh.  You'd think that if anyone would be prepared to lose a fur-kid, it would me, never knowing how this PDE thing would play out.  But the pneumonia came on so quickly and so strongly that it really caught me by surprise.  I needed more time to prepare, more time to spoil her with bacon and prime rib, more time to say goodbye.  I just can't say enough how much I miss my sweet, feisty, sometimes bossy, loving, and beautiful Saggy Baggy Elephant.

~~~~~~~~~~ 

You all may remember a post where I discussed nicknames.  Well lately, mom has given me a new one.  She calls me her Saggy Baggy Elephant.  I know!  How rude!


It doesn't sound flattering, and then she showed me where the name comes from (some of your humans may remember Little Golden Books)...


...and my instincts were right.  Yeah, not funny mom!  I can't help it if my jowls are a little droopy...


...or my belly is a little wrinkly...


...or my hair is a little thin.  I know you don't want me to start coming up with some nicknames for you!


Got that mom?!?  Sheesh!  It's crazy what we have to put up with sometimes, huh?

Love,
Payton

~~~~~~~~~~

It was only since March that I started affectionately calling Payton my Saggy Baggy Elephant, but anytime Tim or I used one of her many nicknames, Payton would always look at us funny, like "you peeps need help!".  Not only was Payton the most beautiful pug, she was also one of the most expressive I've ever seen.  We could always sense what was on her mind.  And it was usually, "I'll have what you are having."  I love my food-crazed, super cuddler, angel of love...THE Pugnacious P.

Love,
Christy

17 comments:

haopee said...

Hi Christy. It's hard. You're actually luck because you have a lot of pictures of Payton. When one of my beloved dogs died, his name was Shark, I only had one salvageable picture of him. That is the one I'm still using in my avatar.

Those are Little Golden Books right? One of the most memorable book I had was the Pokey Little Puppy. I bet if you also gave her such nickname, Pokey Little Puggy she'd stare at you with those big eyes saying "Yep, you're out of your mind."

Huggies and Cheese,

Haopee

tubby3pug said...

Silly nick names are fun. John, the hounds Dad, calls Bob the bulldog a Rhino Pig not exactly nice but he means it in a loving way. He also calls him Baby Beluga, and I am always calling him the Herferlump Im not sure where these names start. Your memories of Payton are all beautiful and we are so glad that you are sharing them with us

Urban Hounds (Kate)

Meredith LeBlanc said...

My favorite nickname for Scarlet is Scarty-Jo Monkey Pants, and honestly I think she always looks at me like I'm nuts. Her face cracks us up, sometimes we just sit and stare at her.

♥♥♥
Meredith & Scarlet

Minnie and Mack said...

These are such happy memories you're sharing with us! Thank you. Our pink daisies are doing so well and we do think of Payton each time we see them.

Love and kisses,
Minnie and Mack

Tamara Watson said...

It always amazes me the abundant pet nicknames us humans come up with. My new one for Rupert is "Kung Fu" because whenever I hold him, and if Cory gets near, Rupert gives him a kung fu kick. Rupert does the same to me if Cory is doing the holding. The nicknames are truly something to cherish.

Payton does look fantastic in these pictures!

Sammy and Neko said...

I don't know what to say... Whatever I say here is never enough to heal your empty spot in your heart instantly...
We continue sending you lots of hugs. It will heal little by little...

Yes, Ms. P was beautiful and smart one.

Love

Two Pugs in a Pod said...

Hey Christy. I haven't had the strength to go through and read your posts since your loss of Payton yet, but I just had to tell you...I'm so, SO happy to see you posting on here, keeping your love and her memory alive. She was beautiful, and so are you both. I hope you're doing well.

xoxo

dw said...

I'm sure Payton knew that each new nickname, even if it was one that led her to think 'you peeps need help!' was just another way in which you showed affection to your little girl. She does look good in these pictures - of course she was probably thinking 'give me the bacon, woman!'

*hugs*

I hope there's been some peace in looking back at the wonderful little life that was such a big part of your lives.

Karen (dw)

Idaho PugRanch said...

Dearest Christy,
My official name is Sophia's Hazelnut Starbaby, but my dad likes to call me "HazelButt". Kinda rude I think, but most of the time they call me "baby girl" although I am now 7 (and more gray now than my picure shows). Mr Bailey's Irish Cream is known as Mister, BaileyMan, or his favorite, Handsome Man!.
We think of you everyday,
Bailey & Hazel

Elgor82 said...

Mama sometimes wonders why we don't answer her when she is talking to us ... with four of us sometimes she calls us the wrong name or something really silly like "punkin" (Peyton) or "rotten" (Webster or Liberty) or "luv pug" (Zoe).

Love Zoe, Peyton, Webster & Liberty

Rae - Say It Aint So said...

haha, i love that nickname. how sweet. we call our girl phyllis "tree stump" sometimes because she has a really spotty weird stomach. we mean it with love!

Tweedles -- that's me said...

Thank you for sharing more photos and memories of Payton. I know it is hard,, but hopefully healing.
She looked just beautiful in the photos... and we love the name you called her..Saggy Baggy Elephant...
so many words filled with love.
We are keeping you in our heart.
love
tweedles

Anonymous said...

My mom says sometimes she thinks that pugs spend their lives learning to be people and begin to even look like humans when they get older. She was a very beautiful girl at any age. Payton's peas have been planted and are growing like crazy. She now holds Pink Cupid Sweet Peas, luffa gourds, which reminds us of Payton's swimming lessons which is when we began to love her, and cantaloupes because she seemed to defy the word "can't".

Chloe & sissies

Michelle + Myko said...

We think she is just perfect. I love how they totally humor us whenever we call them the many nicknames we come up with. Such people pleasers:)

Pug Love!

Hank said...

Awww, she was so pretty. Very photogenic!

Pug Slope said...

I think you look great, Payton - and anyway it's what's inside that counts. I'm a little "saggy and baggy" myself lately - which is why I've been put on this green bean diet. I'm actually OK with it though - I love green beans.

Payton, it's so funny how many behaviors we have in common. You're one of the only other pugs that sits like I do sometimes - like on our actual butts with our back feet in the air (your 3rd photo). The 'rents always laugh when they catch me sitting like that but they don't understand how COMFORTABLE it is.

-Love,
Sid.

Frank The Tank said...

Awwwwwww I really love that nickname and the photos are so cute! She is a saggy little baggy puggy! They are such wonderfully happy memories, she was such a perfect Pug! Thank you so much for sharing these photos and her wonderful world with me! With ALL of US! Deep Love and Prayers to you,Frank xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx