October 9, 2025 - I've Been Busy

 This last week has been a whirlwind.  There have been tremendous ups and devastating downs.  The day after the pups were born I had to go visit the doctor.  I wasn't feeling so great and Mama thought it best to have me seen.  The doctor said he wasn't completely sure what was going on but it seemed like I had a UTI.  He gave me some medicine (antibiotics) and I was back to feeling good after 2 or 3 doses.  

This is Taryn the Tech.   She helped me out.

Meanwhile, during this time, little Mr. Green, who we named Sherman, was having trouble putting on weight.  Mama started bottle feeding him and giving him back to me.  Mama took him to the doctor and he was just too little.  Something about his insides.  I am glad for the time I had with him but will miss him.

Well now for the good and fun news.  The puppies are getting so big!   

At last night's weigh in the puppies were between 600 grams and 795 grams!  Chunky things.

They will be one week old tomorrow!

Signed MJ, lots of milk!

Meet our Children

 There is a story for every one of these pups that I pushed out of my body.  Meet our children:

Puppy #1 Girl born at 12:12 AM on October 3, 2025.  She weighed 15.5 ounces.  She came out head first and I birthed her in the whelping box.  She wears a pink collar.

Puppy #2 Girl born at 2:46 AM on October 3, 2025.  She weighed 15.9 ounces.  She also came out head first but I birthed her on Mama's bed.  She wears a purple collar.

Puppy #3 Girl born at 4:13 AM on October 3, 2025.  She weighed 14.7 ounces.  She came out head first but I birthed her standing in Mama's bathroom.  No judgement until you hear the birth story ;).  She wears a red collar.

Puppy #4 Boy (finally) was born at 5:19 AM on October 3, 2025.  He weighed a hefty 16 ounces or ONE POUND and came head first.  I got back into Mama's bed for that one.  He proudly wears a blue collar.

Puppy #5 Girl was born at 8:40 AM on October 3, 2025.  She weighed 14.4 ounces.   As I was pushing her out I heard Mama say "I see feet, this one's breech".  Mama's friend Kirsten, who is studying to be a human birth lady person (midwife) happened to stop by as I'm pushing this one out.  It was her first puppy birth to witness and her first breech birth.  Apparently, the placenta didn't come out with her right away.  However, thirty minutes later I felt something come out and, voila, a yummy placenta.  She was born on Mama's bed and wears the orange collar.  

Puppy #6 Girl was born at 11:46 AM on October 3, 2025.  She is my biggest and weighed 1 pound and 1/2 ounce.  Thankfully, she came out head first on Mama's bed.  She wears a yellow collar.

Puppy #7 Boy was born at 2:49 PM on October 3, 2025.  He's my smallest at 12.7 ounces.  I braced myself for his birth when I heard Mama say, this one's breech.  He practically fell out of my body on Mama's bed.  He wears a green collar.

When #7 was born Mama says she didn't notice a placenta again.  I thought I saw Mama remove the placenta from me right after #7 came out.  I learned later that it was a placenta that she removed, it was a tiny puppy in the sack.  Mama said it looked to be 5-6 weeks along.  He was tiny and weighed 2.41 ounces.  No collar for this one, Mama said, you don't need those at the Rainbow Bridge.

Mama was getting a little concerned that the placenta didn't come out after 30 minutes like #5's did.  She talked to Dr. Cammi, my most favorite doctor.  She suggested a prophylactic (I'm not that smart, Mama spelled the word for me) shot of oxyclean.  Wait, not oxyclean, that's something Mama mentioned when she was cleaning the sheets after my marathon birth, but I digress.   Mama and Dr. C discussed risk/benefit/alternative, as some do and decided it was best to give a small amount just in case the #7 placenta was still in there.

At 3:45 PM Mama noticed I pushed once.  She gave me a few minutes to see if it was the placenta.  No more pushes, so at 4:35 PM she gave me a shot.  She said it might hurt but it was nothing compared to laboring with 7 (8 if you count my little angel) puppies.  Next paragraph for birth story continuity.

Puppy #8 Boy was born at 5:03 PM on October 3, 2025.  Needless to say, this surprise puppy weighed 14 ounces.  He was born in Mama's bed, head down with no sign of his brother's placenta.  I guess I must have eaten it after all.  He gets the aqua blue collar.

Pops moved the whelping box near Mama's bed and made it nice and comfy.  I was reunited with all of my precious pups.   When all of the sudden - next paragraph for birth story continuity - this is no joke.

Puppy #9 Girl was born at 5:16 PM on October 3, 2025.  She was born breech as Mama scrambled to get gloves on (in case I needed help, which I did not).  She did not see if I ate the placenta or not.  To be fair Mama and Pops were with me the entire 17 plus hours of labor - we were exhausted!  #9 weighed 15 ounces and was given a lovely lime green collar to wear.  

Recap:  3 boys, 6 girls (Mama didn't disturb my angel baby is the sac so we don't know gender.). 

Barney tried to visit but my growl scared him away as it was designed to do.  Pictured here trying to see his little babies.

#5 Orange Girl

I need to go feed my puppies now.  Stay tuned for more stories.

Signed, 

No longer large, but definitely in charge!

MJ

October 2, 2025 Morning Update

 What a night!  I could not get comfortable pretty much all night.  I must be close to having these pups.  Finally around 0300, I snuggled next to Mama and slept for a couple of hours.  My special box has been getting a lot of attention from me and a couple of visitors.  Mama put together some video clips from midnight until about 1045 today.  I'm gonna get back in Mama's bed and get some rest.  Something tells me I'm closer to delivery than I've ever been!  

10/02/2025 at midnight - here I am just looking around.

Ten minutes later, 10/02/2025 at 0010 - Don't quite remember but I'm guessing I came to smell something I saw just 10 minutes earlier.  Mama is by the box and gave me nice scratches on my head.

10/02/2025 at 0214 - just checking to make certain everything is in order.

10/02/2025 at 0430 - while I was sleeping Gracie was looking to see if I had the puppies yet.  Fortunately, she didn't try and steal one of my blankets.

10/02/2025 at 0520 - Barney got curious and wanted to see if I put my blanket back in the box.   Pops did!

10/02/2025 at 0705 - that's me making sure Barney didn't steal my stuff.  Everything is as I left it.

10/02/2025 at 1029 - I feel a strong need to make sure things are perfect for my pups.  This is the 5th time I've visited the box in the last 10 hours.  More than any other day!

10/02/2025 at 1043 - Gracie again, checking out the space.

My temp was 99.1 this morning, I have periods of panting and heavy breathing and restlessness.  Fingers-crossed - these kiddos will be out soon!

Signed, 

MJ aka Large and in charge!

It's Getting Close...

 October 1, 2025 at 1830

So, Mama took my temperature again this evening and it's down to 99.1 degrees.  I really don't understand why she is doing it.  I have been super clingy today trying to let her know it's getting close.  I spent almost two whole minutes getting the box ready.   Check out how I rearranged the blankets - pretty nice, huh?

You know at first I was upset with Mama and her dumb cameras but I had to apologize.  Not long after I rearranged the birth space Barney stuck his head in the box to check it out.  I thought, how sweet of him.  He's probably just making sure our babies have a safe place to be born!

Little did I know!  That stinker!  Caught red handed stealing my blanket!!!  Just you wait Barney.

Mama said something about forgiveness and what not.  She said she'll get the blanket and put it back in the box when he's not looking.   She sure does love me!

October 1, 2025 While we are waiting...

 Hey again!  It's me MJ.   Mama tells me we are getting close.  She keeps checking my temperature and if you don't know how that's done, well, I'll spare you the details.  Mama wrote all the temps down and took a picture: 

While we are waiting for labor to begin, let me share some highlights of the last few weeks.

This is me with two of my favorite humans:  SP and PS.  Taken this summer when I still had my girlish figure.

This is Barney, the father of my pups.  Cute, isn't he?

August 25, 2025 -  Day 25 Mama did an ultrasound to confirm my pregnancy.

September 8, 2025 -  Day 38 Mama's good friend, Miss Lori, helped with this ultrasound.  

September 16, 2025 - Day 47 Time for our check ups!  

That nice lady is our Dr. Cameron.  She has a nice company 

called Happy's Vet and they come to our home!  Look at Barney, he's such a flirt!

September 25, 2025 - Day 56 That's me looking for the treat jar.  Don't judge!  I've got pups to feed :)

 

September 26, 2025 - Day 57 This is Erin.  She is a nice lady who works with Dr. Cameron at Happy's Vet.  Today I had x-rays done to see how many pups are in there.  Mama thought maybe 50.  Grateful she was wrong.

Here is the x-ray.  Honestly, I can't figure out heads from tails.  I had Mama circle one of the heads.  Maybe you can see all the heads in there!

September 28, 2025 - Day 59 "Large and In Charge" is what they are calling me.  I feel like the lady in the commercial for some gadget - "help, I've fallen and I can't get up". 

October 1, 2025 - Day 62 I've been checking out the whelping box for a couple of weeks now.  Barney stuck his head in there to see what's up.

Alright, I suppose everyone is caught up now.   I've been restless today, I think it will be tonight or tomorrow.  We shall see!

Signed - Large and in charge, MJ

Dog-o-pause and other falsehoods

 Most of us have heard a story about the woman who was "done having babies", only to find herself pregnant and having a baby, also known as the surprise baby.    I suppose the same can be said about dogs.  My human mama said she  was done raising puppies.  Heidi, she tells me, had a hit web cam channel for all three of her litters.   Mama said it's hard to believe but one of her babies is still alive and well at almost 17 years old!  

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Meadow Jules.  I am a sweet 4 year old.  I mean, technically, I am 4 years,  and 3 months old.  About a year ago Mama brought home this handsome young lad names Barnes Franklin, though most of us refer to him as Barney.  He's pretty cool and handsome too!

Back in December many jokes were made about Barney and I from Mama's best grandchildren.   You see I was what humans refer to as being "in heat", which is kind of a dumb term.  I wasn't that warm at all!  Anyway, let me just say, Mama said we were fortunate to get through that without me getting "with pups".  Jokes and memes were made.  This one from a pretty amazing and creative teen, Mama's oldest granddaughter -  CDL.

Created by CDL

Fast forward to our particular situation.  August 1, 2025, day one of my fertile window (my "in heat" time), Mama instructed someone who shall remain nameless (I call him Pops) to keep a close eye on me and Barney.  He left the room for what seemed like an eternity and honestly I thought we were all gonna die because there were no humans to be seen.  Anyway, one thing led to another...   I overheard Pops the next morning making a confession to Mama, "I left them alone for two minutes, Sharon, just two minutes..."  Well, come on, we were left alone to die - what else were we supposed to do???

The bottom line:  I am due on October 2, 2025, with what the vet and radiologist are estimating to be 7 or 8 babies, okay "puppies".  Oh boy am I looking forward to birthing them (can you hear my sarcasm???)  

Anyway, go subscribe to Mama's YouTube channel if you care to follow my birth and ongoing puppy shenanigans!

Signed - large and in charge, 

MJ

Sad News

Hey, this is Beau.  I've been asked by Cassie to make an announcement for her.  She went to the vet today to get a check up and it appears the puppies didn't develop past 40 days and maybe earlier (32 days).  She's doing okay - just a little sad.