March of the Penguin

As you all have seen in previous posts, Payton was such a toy killer.  For such a long time after she first came down with PDE, there didn't seem to be a toy on the planet to spark her interest.  Mainly I think she just didn't feel comfortable in her body, but once she got used to all of the medications, it was game on.  We were so excited when she picked up a toy out of the blue and wanted to play.  What a happy day that was!

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I am always excited to get a new toy, especially if it's a skinneez.  Mom and dad delivered with this cool penguin.  Right away my animal instincts took over, and I made sure it knew who was boss around here!

This skinneez has one of those "non-destructible" squeakers, but that just made me try even harder to kill it.  Check out this video of me in action.  (Sorry for the loud background noises...dad was doing the dishes and putting away some pots and pans.)

Sometimes breaking in a new toy can be exhausting.

But I'd say after a full hour of battle, I deserved a little nap.  After all, I did just get more exercise than mom does in a week!  Hehee!

Love,
Payton

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Payton loved to dig for her toys under blankets and in her bed.  She never quite mastered a perfect football hike, but came close a few times.  Her favorite game of hide and seek was with her Cuz.  If she got bored with simply playing fetch with it, all I had to do was squeak it under the blankie on her bed to get her going.  It got tougher to play as her eyesight declined.  We never wanted her to get to frustrated if she couldn't find it, but she was always eager to keep looking.  It still amazes me how much perseverance such a little dog can have.  I wish I was more like Payton.  She was such a bright light in my life and still her spirit shines.

Love,

Christy

Laundry Day

I think there were three primary reasons that Payton loved to "help" me with the laundry.  She loved to lay on clothes straight out of the dryer, the warmer the better.  Given her obsession with sun bathing and heater vents, that probably comes as no surprise.  But if *someone* didn't get to folding the clothes right away, she would keep her eye on the now cold pile and would eventually make her move, climbing to the top as she did in her post, On Top of Mount Sheets.  The higher the better.  Not sure if she had a Princess and the Pea syndrome (she had almost everything else on the planet) or just liked to survey her domain from the highest, most comfortable, vantage point.  Lastly I think she did it because she was unhappy that I wasn't focusing all of my attention on her.  At that moment in time, we weren't playing or eating or napping, so she would get in my way to let me know I'd better get with her program.  These are examples of each of her reasons from February of this year.

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A pug's work is never done.

I am exhausted!

Love,
Payton

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And I am very happy to say that I always succumbed to her wish.  The house chores suffered as a result, but I have no regrets about that.  No worries, I made sure we always had clean underwear.  :-)  

Love,

Payton

The Hunt for the Next Top Bolster

From early on Payton always made sure her head was propped up on something. I don't know if she learned it from seeing us use pillows in bed (yeah, she was that smart) or if it's just pug instinct.  Regardless, she was always adorable resting her head on some kind of bolster.

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If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I love a good chin support, or bolster.  In fact, recently I showed you how I love to lay my head against the armrest of our loveseat in my post Crazy Couch Sleeper.  This got me to thinking about the other things in the house that I can use as a bolster.

Let's start out with the obvious choices like a pillow (quite a while back I actually did an entire post dedicated to my love of pillows aptly named Pillow Girl).

My Bowser Donut bed, always a favorite, is surrounded by a bolster for my head AND feet.

Body parts can be relaxing too.

Shin/knee area

Arm

Thigh/knee area

Yeah, mom is pretty comfortable.  Her stomach isn't bad either, but no pictures of that yet.  I've even sleep-barked while resting on her and lucky mom had her phone handy so she got it on film.

Now onto some ideas that might be a little more obscure.  Like the floor cushion.  You might think to lay on them, but then your head wouldn't be supported, and that just won't do!

Or how about an overstuffed toy?

Lastly, and perhaps the most difficult is a jumbled blanket.  It is so hard to get it just right with the correct amount of "shelf" dimensions.

Regardless of the type of head rest that works best for you, don't forget to live as my good friend Sid says and the world can be your bolster too!

Love,
Payton

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Like the other recent posts, all of these pictures were taken in 2012, some even a week or two before she passed away.  I've been sorting through old fashioned prints, collecting some oldies but goodies to scan and share with you all later.

Thanks for all of your continued support and prayer through this very difficult time.  I am trying my best to get through each day, but it is tough adjusting to life without my girl.  I like reliving these memories and being able to continue to share Payton, but the tears keep rolling down my cheeks...they are just easier to hide in cyberspace.

Love,

Christy

Crazy Couch Sleeper

In her early years, Payton was always on the furniture.  She claimed the back of the couch and the left corner where she could survey the entire house and look out the sidelight windows of the front door.  Then after she hurt her back, climbing and jumping were off limits.  It wasn't until about a year ago or less that Tim and I became a little lax on those rules.  Instead of going back to her spot on the couch, she much preferred the right corner on the loveseat.  Probably because one of us was usually already sitting there and she wanted to squeeze her way on to a warm spot.  And yes, we always moved for her.  I think she also wanted to be with us.  She was particularly clingy the last 6 months or so, and I am grateful for that.  After I lost my seat, I took these pictures of her in February of this year.

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When mom lets me, or when I just do it anyway, I hop up on the loveseat and take my spot in the corner.  Mom thinks it's scary that I can get so comfortable and never kink my neck.

Sometimes I curl up.

Sometimes I stretch out.

Ok, I'll admit, maybe it's a bit scary too.

Love,
Payton

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She was always a good sleeper, but never snored all that much like many pugs do.  I miss her demanding the loveseat corner, demanding I make room for her on my lap, demanding cuddle time.  She was a great snuggle bunny.  I miss my bedtime partner.  Even if I start out in the middle of the bed, I find myself waking up on the edge where I always did because of some furry bed hog (no need to name names here).  There was always some body part of hers in my face during the night.  Sadly mostly her behind, but often I'd wake up to find her head right next to mine on my pillow.  I miss that.  I just miss you, Payton.

Love,

Christy

Then and Now

This post and it's title have such a deeper meaning for me now.  When Payton conned her way into our hearts with the saddest puggy dog face ever, we could never have imagined the crazy ride that lie ahead.  We wouldn't trade any of it for all the riches in the world.

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This is an old picture, my very first one to be exact.  (I posted it once before a while back in a Flashback Friday post, but I just had to use it again here for comparison purposes.)

June 2003

I'm sure you can see why it was so easy for me to get my 'rents wrapped around my fingers (well, I guess the technical term would be paws) before we even got home.  I can't believe how time flies.

February 2012

But some things never change.

Love,
Payton

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Yep, all it ever took was one look and she had us just where she wanted us.  She was such a cutie even in her old age.  I miss kissing those fuzzy lips.

I hope everyone had a great Easter Weekend.  It was bittersweet for us, but the weather was lovely and I was inspired by Winston's idea to have everyone plant PINK flowers in Payton's honor.  I felt that I too needed to participate. 

 

The calla lilies were my favorite of all the pink flowers we saw at the market.  Very spring.  I wish my little helper was by my side.  Payton would have stuck her face in the bag of dirt and smelled each and every bud.  She loved to smell flowers, especially when she was younger.  Thank you, Winston, for this beautiful tribute.

Love,

Christy

It's my 9th Birthday Bash and 1st Comment-a-thon!

 

Dearest Payton,
I just want to tell you how much I love you and how much I have loved every minute of our nine years together.  All of the ups, and even the down times, are so precious to me.  It is amazing that you are still in our lives, but I thank God for you every single day, and always ask Him to bless us with many more days together.  You are an inspiration, a miracle, and an angel on earth.  Happy 9th Birthday, baby girl.  Enjoy your day!
Love,
Mom

Sorry for the sappy note from my mom, but when she asked for the laptop, I didn't know what she was up to.  I probably owed her one, but now we're even.  Anyway, let's get this party started!!  First up, let me share with you an awesome early birthday gift from the Southern Fried Pugs.  You will not believe what they sent me...the sweetest, most thoughtful thing that has forever sealed them in my dad's heart...and made my mom leaky as she was helping me open the package...  My very own Chicago Bears cheerleading outfit!!

Yep, I'm totally ready for football season to start now.  Go Bears!  Da Bearsss!  Thanks so much Isabelle, Petunia, and Tallulah!!  Mom and dad are slackers when it comes to checking the mail, but they did last night.  There was a bunch of cards and such from even more friends.  I feel so loved...you guys are awesome!  Thanks!  Who knows how long they have been sitting in the mailbox.  Sheesh!  I'll have to tell you the specifics about them later because mom said I might as well wait until tonight to open them, so I will.  Although I don't really have a choice given my lack of usable thumbs, now do I?

Now for some more GREAT news!  My inhaler came in late Monday afternoon so Gammy and Gampy are coming over tonight!!  And mom promised me a very sweet treat!  This is going to be a great birthday party, so I better get some rest... 

Oh my pug, I'm up!  What a dream!  I was traveling the globe in my private jet with my frequent-flyer friends (Lola Pug, Sid, Suki, and Puglet) there to help show me the ropes!  Gampy better come through with his promise of a private jet for me tonight so I can visit ALL of my dear blogging friends, near and far!  My mom said not to hold my breath because Gampy promised her a pool a very, very long time ago and it never happened...although he says that my "training" pool from last summer counts.  Hmmm...yeah, good try, Gampy, but I'm not sure that cuts it.

Anyway, did mom just say it was almost time for my party?

I can taste the nomables already!

I should probably make sure everything is in order!

Mom, get your butt out of that chair and let's get to taste testing all the food before my special guests arrive!

Sheesh!  My work around here is never done.  I hope mom has it all together because I'm so excited!  I'll be sure to post pictures of my party and tell you all about it later this week.

Ok, enough about me.  Remember, this post is also my Comment-a-thon to help out Wilma's "Stuff My Doghouse" project that I told everyone about last Friday!

So please remember to leave a comment on this post today (March 21st) before the clock strikes midnight CST to help a good cause, specifically the Homeward Bound Pug Rescue and Adoption of Oklahoma!  And thanks to those of you who have already donated directly, especially those that said they would do so in my honor!

Love,
Payton

PS.  I just want to give a shout-out to Sid for the inspiration to visualize my dream using the Ken Burns effect!  If you haven't seen his studly potato video, it's a must!

More poses in shadow and light

This is the second post of me posing in the sunbeam that comes through the skinny windows by our front door every winter.  But last time it was a Wordless Wednesday.  Those photos were actually taken around 2006 or 2007 and although it's difficult to see, I am actually missing the hair on the back of my head right between the ears.  On a side note, it took at least a year for that hair to grow back since it was shaved for the MRI and spinal tap procedures when I was diagnosed with PDE.  Anyway, since I love to lay in the sun, I thought I'd give mom an opportunity to update those pictures.

Dad got in on the act too, and took this one of me while I was trying to nap.

He used a special setting in one of his iPhone apps to create the soft yet vibrant quality.  Don't I look like a CGI pug?  Extra cuddly too.

Love,
Payton