The Fur Baby

Almost daily I'm asked if Andi is our only child.  I always respond, we also have a fur baby at home, Maddux.  Maddux is our first baby, our biggest baby.  Yes, we're kinda silly about him, but he's our baby boy and Andi's big brother.  I think Mad is really excited to be a big brother to his "Sissy".  Apparently, when I was in the hospital recovering from the c-section, everytime Maddux heard my truck pull up in the driveway, he'd go nuts!  When I finally came home, physically beat and emotionally exhausted, it felt like Maddux could sense that something wasn't right.  Mad always follows me everywhere, clings to my side and "protects" me if Cory's cheering on his team on TV... he's my little shadow.  However, these past 15 weeks, he's been just a little bit more than his usual greatness.  Maddux is a dream to come home to.  He's excited to see me each and everytime.  He's sad when I leave each morning.  He dances for food.  He trots around the room showing off his rawhide bone.  He presents his toys, as if to ask you to play with him.  Best of all is his big gigantic smile.  He smiles when you take him for a walk to the park.  He laughs as he trots around the park, unleashed and crying, 'freedom!'  He has great manners, and loves to socialize.  Mostly, he loves to play "baseball" and "tennis".  He will run onto the empty baseball field and run the bases as I point them out. No joke.  If I ask him if he wants to play tennis, he'll run onto the tennis court - and I'll ask him to find the ball.  Some days he actually does find a ball.  He also loves to play tetherball, although he tries to grab the rope in his mouth, and I worry about him knocking his teeth out!

MADDERBEAN!

Madder-Bean is 4 1/2 years old now.  He's also had four surgeries.  Two TPLO (ACL surgeries), one elbow displacia clearing and the de-maning of the d-o-g.  He's our pride and joy. 

I can't wait to reintroduce Andi to Maddy.  As she grows up and grows stronger, it should be a lot of fun.  Andi is doing well, although she sounded like she was coming down with a cold earlier today.  She has had some snot sucked out of her nose, and has had some "raspy" breathing.  Not good, at all.  Although, this evening she sounded a lot better.  Respiratory came in and blew some special med's at her face for her to breathe in, to help her lungs.  She was a little fussy, but her nurse put her in a vibrating bouncy chair, and she seemed to dig that.  I think we'll be buying one soon.  We have quite a few gift cards I probably still have failed to write thank you notes for...  In fact, we have so much baby junk that we have yet to have a chance to use yet.  It sounds like the Bean is being fast-tracked to come home this week! We are working on bottling, today she took 5 ml and 8 ml, although keep in mind, she was a little dopey from her med's and a little snotty sounding... so, it can only get better!  We're only allowed to bottle for 5-10 minutes... so, that will get a lot better quicker, I just know it. I think the goal is 60ml/per hour.

So, her chest scar is peeling and looking rather good for being only 10 days old.  She's still a bit cranky and will be med-dependant for quite awhile.  The pharmicist came in to work on our preferred med schedule for when we come home, and there were nine med's on Andi's list.  Nine.  I'm used to about six.  Nine seems like a lot.  But, slowly and surely, those will drop away and pretty soon, we're going to have an Andi Bean we've been anxious to meet.  In the meantime, I am enjoying our precious time together.  I love staring at her and she stares at me.  It's a love so deep, I think even Madder-Bean is starting to feel jealous.