A bit nutty

I took these pictures the Sunday and Monday before Payton died.  The weather had just started to warm up again and along with it the airborne allergens were high so her sinuses were acting up.  I know it's not healthy to play the "what if" game, but if I'm honest, I have to admit that I have beat myself up a bit about not taking her in to the vet to see if she still had issues with her lungs from our Texas trip.  Maybe catching something just a few days earlier would have changed the outcome?  I try not to dwell on that.  I know I was a great mom to Payton.  I know that it was common place for her sinuses to get bad.  It's just hard not to go over the details of the last few days and weeks with her. 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

While dad was attending his capstone MBA class this weekend, mom and I went over to Gammy and Gampy's.  Finally, mom said I could have the toy that Suki gave me in Texas, but I was feeling a little under the weather - sinuses.  That is sometimes the downside to spring and warmer weather.  Anyway, so although I ripped into the wrapping (too fast for mom to even get a good shot), I just didn't feel like playing much.  But mom got a few cute pics of me to share anyway.

But don't worry, Suki.  The next day, I went right to my new squirrel as soon as I got up in the morning!

I love, love, love the acorns!  I played with them off and on all day.  Thanks Suki!  You pick out really great toys.

Love,
Payton

~~~~~~~~~~

On Monday, Payton's spunk returned so I figured it must have been all of her sniffling and sneezing that made her so tired the day before.  She even had enough energy that she jumped on my lap wanting me to scratch her back like Tim did when he got home (we showed you that in her rubs and scratches post).  She never did that with me!  I didn't do nearly as good of a job because she stayed upright mostly, but she didn't seem to mind and stayed on my lap for quite some time.  I will never forget it.  We were so close, face to face.  Payton gave me the most loving, gentle kisses.  I miss her smell, I miss not having snot all over my glasses, I miss her bribery attempts for early meals.  It's so funny how it's the little things that you miss so much.

Love,

Christy

PS.  This is the last post that Payton helped me write.  So that means that for the rest of this week it will be just me, but I hope you stop by because I've got a few announcements.

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!

~~~~~~~~~~

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

~~~~~~~~~~

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

Wordless Wednesday...random acts of playfulness

I know that by adding my commentary, I am violating the wordless theme of this post, but I know you all will let it slide.  Payton was an extremely playful puppy, biting, chewing, chasing after Tim with the highest pitched yip ever.  She was always a very aggressive player, totally determined to kill whatever "toy" was in her path, not wanting to stop until it was completely destroyed.  It always struck me as odd behavior for a pug...just never thought of this breed as having any animal instincts since they are bread for companionship.  Her first toy was a rope bone and soon after that a red puppy-sized Kong.  She would run around barking with that Kong in her mouth.  It was like a funny megaphone.  Her most favorite toy was the petite Nylabone Galileo Bone.  We had to get rid of them about 6 months after she was diagnosed with PDE because she chipped two teeth (they were weak because of the prednisone steroid).  I have no doubt that it would have remained her favorite toy forever.  She really mourned it, almost refusing to play with anything else for a couple of months.  I wish I had thought to keep her last bone, but at the time, we didn't want to keep it in the house because we knew she would smell it.  Before she got sick another fav was Surfer Dude, a plush blue dog with Hawaiian clothes and rope bones for arms.  After she got sick, that toy just didn't draw her attention for some reason.  We searched seemingly forever to find a replacement for the Galileo Bone, when thankfully the Cuz came into our lives.  I guess she loved the feet.  She just couldn't get enough of it...whew!  Throughout the 6 years that Payton was sick, playtime came and went depending on her energy level and health.  I think it bothered her if she couldn't do it full out, or she couldn't see the toy well enough.  But oddly in the last couple years of her life, she was the most spunky and the most like her pre-PDE self.  Here are pictures of her having fun, all taken in 2012.

~~~~~~~~~~

I tore the butterfly's head off.  I have no remorse.

Yes, that is a string hanging out of my mouth.  So what?

~~~~~~~~~~

In her later years, Cuz was still a favorite, but after discovering Skinneeez (the stuff-less toys), there was a tie for her heart.  Her flying squirrel and ostrich are particularly beat up.  For those of you that read Payton's guide to toy management, you know she had a stash of them at Gammy and Gampy's house.  Her favorite there was a tiny yellow seahorse.  It remains there by a picture of our sweet girl.  I've been going through the rest of her toys, both the used ones and the rather embarrassingly large quantity of unused that we [ok, I] bought for our pampered princess.  It was equally hard to sort through both.  Memories of toys that saw action came flooding in and regret about not having memories for the others.  A great number will be donated, but there are some special ones we will keep for a memory box and a few that I know Payton would want to give her friends.  I look forward to sharing those.

Love,

Christy

Spring, where did you go?

Last week, I was so caught up with birthday plans that I missed out on acknowledging the first day of spring.  Well, I think that came back to haunt me.  The last few days have been cold again, and rainy.  Yuck.  In fact, since mom had turned off the heat because of the nice weather we had been having, it was only 60 degrees in the house Friday morning.  Brrr!  I headed straight for the vent after mom cranked up the hot air!  Just when I thought it was safe to leave the house without a blanket...

Hopefully the weather people got it right, and today and the rest of the week will be mild and sunny so I can go out to lunch with Gammy!  I'd also like to enjoy the yard like I did on the actual vernal equinox.  What?!?  A pug can't know big words?  I'm smart.

Please come back, Spring!

Love,
Payton

PS.  Two more birthday surprises came in the mail for me over the weekend.  One was a package from the gang at Minnie and Mack's Daily Digest!

Isn't that just the cutest mailer?  And look at all the cool stuff in the package!

Yeah, I was totally getting ready to attack those stuffies!  My man, Mack, gave me the monkey, Minnie picked out the lion, and their foster puggle, Mario, chose the green Holee Cuz.  They all signed a cute card with pugs eating a cupcake, so appropriate!  Oh, but wait, you may have noticed the card on the armrest in the picture above.  That was from DW (Writing Chances), who wrote such a sweet note to me on the inside of that pretty hummingbird card!  Ok, now let's get down to business...

The monkey has a pink shirt that says "Happy Birthday" and he is also wearing a party hat, so he was my first victim...I mean playmate.  Thanks so much to Minnie, Mack, and Mario, and DW too!

The Party

I'm not going to lie, the day didn't start out exactly how I wanted.  After chowing down on breakfast, I went back to bed as usual.  Mom got me up for my 9:30 am pills and then nothing.  Where's my presents, my new toys, my treats...good lord, where are my treats?!?

I double checked to make sure that it was actually my birthday and that's what the calendar on my mom's iPhone said, so I didn't understand why the party wasn't starting.  I thought that maybe one too many screws got loose in my mom's mind or she was having one of her (albeit dark) blonde moments, so I decided to start playing.  Maybe she would get the hint?  I think I went through all of my toys until it was time for lunch.  And then it happened!  I guess all of your comments guilted her into making my food!  I had my suspicions earlier in the week when mom was in the kitchen cooking AFTER dinner, so I stayed close to examine and supervise, but when I didn't get anything right away I had lost hope.

Russet and Sweet Potatoes

Green Beans

Poached Talapia Loins and Boiled Potatoes

I think this is my food.

Mom packaged up 1/3 protein to 2/3 potato and veggies into 1/2 cup servings.  I eat 3 meals a day so she'll cook this about once a week, I guess.  I also still get a tablespoon of the Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon kibble each meal.  YUMMY!  Ok, looks like this birthday is turning around.  Next up I got to open all of the other mail that was for me!

I received such great cards from Meredith/Scarlet (The Scarlet Sutras), Tiffy (It's Tiffy Time!), Zoe/Webster/Peyton/Liberty (A Day in the Life of Pugs), Fred/Pucia/Zuzia (Notes from the Bowl), and Sammy/Neko (Sammy and Neko), who also got mom that cool car magnet you see in the photo above AND this awesome ice cream cone for me!!

So now I was hopeful that there would be more great things in store.  And before I knew it mom was stuffing blue berries in my mouth to calm me because Gammy and Gampy had arrived! 

The treats worked great.  I did get excited to see them and was a bit out of breath but nothing serious or scary for the peeps to deal with.  Whew!  That means I get to see them again soon.  It was time for dinner.  Everyone was hungry.  I ate first (as it should be) and then everyone sat around the table enjoying fillet of beef sandwiches.  I couldn't believe it when mom gave me a few nibbles of her beef.  Talk about nom-able!  Now she is getting the hang of this birthday thing.  Then it was time for dessert, and it got even better!  A trio of grain free cupcakes made just for me.

Three different flavors too.  Apple, carrot, and carob...all with peanut butter frosting.  I got a little antsy and jumped the gun during the picture taking.  Yeah, I know you guys don't blame me one bit!

So after that little "incident", mom cut up pieces from each one and dad served it to me on a plate.

A fitting birthday treat!  Now on to more presents!  Of course, my attention went straight to Gampy.  He better have remembered to bring the jet.  Well, at least the keys!  That's when Gampy pulled something out of his pocket.

I look thrilled, don't I?

Not funny, Gampy!!  Not funny.  It may say "Hawaiian Excursion", but there is just no way that thing is going to get us there.  Sheesh!  Guess mom was right about not trusting Gampy's wild promises.  But if you ask me, I think he better go and buy a winning lottery ticket soon!

Well, that was my birthday.  I had a ton of fun!  Maybe by this time next year I'll have that jet and can fly all of my friends in for a party, pug style!  Hehee!  Have a great weekend!

Love,
Payton

PS.  I almost forgot!  Thanks to all of your kind birthday wishes on my post from Wednesday, my first Comment-a-thon was a huge success!  We purchased a big bag of dog food for Wilma's "Stuff My Doghouse" project!  If you want to help, see Wilma's blog and then check out the Homeward Bound Pug Rescue and Adoption of Oklahoma's Amazon wish list.