Best Buddies

Even though Betty Boop and Macky are true brother and sister the closeness was never like it is with Mia and Macky. Both girls are always protected by Macky but he is more of a companion to Mia. When she first joined the family she would antagonize to no end and he was always very tolerant of her…well most of the time. I think the picture speaks for it self as to the buddies they have become.

Studying the Situation

The little ones hung their mittens for Santa to fill with treats. Mia loves her Texas Toothpick stick and over did it giving her a tummy ache. So I had to take it away for a while you can see it on the shelf above her mitten. For the longest time she just laid there looking at it trying to figure out how she was going steal it and discovered that a squeaker was up there also ( I have it as a back up) another favorite of hers. Determination took over and after several attempts she was able to steal her stick back then went back again to retrieve the squeaker. There’s no stopping her when she wants something.

Day After

It’s the day after Christmas and the kids are exhausted. With all the family and friends over to celebrate Christmas with us they were not able to get in any of their naps. Of course that was their choice they had to be sure they didn’t miss anything, or get lucky should something good drop on the floor. So today Mia & Macky were my little couch potatoes, Betty Boop remained on her down pillow on the bed.

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone Merry Christmas. Its been very warm here so I didn't dress the little ones up this year. But I always enjoyed these two photos of betty Boop and Macky that I took from a Christmas past, and since its Christmas I'm sharing them.

Eyeing It

While we were all in the dinning room enjoying our Thanksgiving dinner Macky wanted to be sure that the rest of the bird wasn’t going anywhere. He sat there the entire time keeping his eye on it.

Spell Check

Betty Boop does not like it when Vince is on the computer. She doesn’t like to share him with anything or anyone. So when he gets on it she starts to dance around and bring him toys anything to regain his attention. So at times he has to keep her on his lap while checking while on the computer. Maybe she could learn to do spell check and how to do the typing for him so she could be his personal assistant.

Three Little Pigs

The little ones love Halloween because they get a few special treats without having to do any tricks. However this year they were not at all happy about the costume choice I made.
I was planning on entering a parade with them and I was to be the Big Bad Wolf, since that didn’t happen I had them wear their little pig costumes anyway. I wasn’t too happy with the picture but then they weren’t happy with the costume. The only one that was really good about it was Macky that just might be because he really is a little piggy when it comes food so the costume was appropriate for him. It is for Mia too but she gets insulted when I call her Miss Piggy. Happy Halloween!

My Beach Boy

I took Macky to the beach he really loves running on the beach. He’s too small to run outside at the house because of all the birds of prey inland, where as the birds at the beach are only interested in fish. So when we go to the beach it’s a treat for both of us, he gets his freedom to run and I get to enjoy watching how happy he is in doing so. However today a Blue Heron landed at the waters edge in search of a fish dinner, well Macky wasn’t going to have anything encroach his beach. So to my surprise he took off charging at this huge bird and chased it down the beachfront. At one point the bird went to land and Macky got so excited he even fell while running and still wouldn’t give up got up and continued running. He was so proud of himself.

March of the Penguins

Last night I thought I’d watch a movie “March of the Penguins”. It was soon brought too my attention how upset Macky had gotten when he didn’t get a part in this movie. He thought he was a perfect fit for the lead roll. Needless to say after seeing the disappointment on his face again I decided I’d rather not watch it and play with him instead. I think he has chosen not to try out for any more movies, it’s not his forte.

Princess Mia

Today is Mia’s birthday, she turned two. So tonight she will get something special and extra treats for all to celebrate her birthday. Betty Boop and Macky are happy that they don’t have to dress for the occasion.

Fleece

Macky’s just loves to be in one of his fleece bags or under the fleece blankets. I don’t know which one he is in or under at times. But Mia always seems to know just where he is; she likes to annoy him sometimes when he’s in the bag….and he does get annoyed. The more he gets annoyed with her the happier she gets….it is something to see.

Swim Lessons

With all the flooding we hear about in some areas I thought I would get the little ones a life jacket and see how they do with it. It was very interesting to say the least. I finally found one that was small enough to fit the girls. I first tested it on Betty Boop who is a good swimmer but has a short endurance. Boops may be only 2.4 lbs. but boy is she strong, she was a real Houdini and escaped the lifejacket while swimming, she is so amazing. Macky refused to wear it, thought there was no need for him to try it since he is my personal lifeguard already. As for my little Mia she does not like the pool especially since she fell in it, but was a good sport and gave it one try…..and once was enough for her.

Nap Time

Mia has a schedule she likes to follow which pertains to sleeping. After she gets up in the morning and we have playtime for a while she is ready for her morning nap. The other day I took her shopping with me which interfered with her nap time. I was disappointed that I didn’t have my camera with me for the shot. I placed my purse in the shopping cart where kids would sit and placed Mia on it, and then I strapped her in putting the straps through her harness so she couldn’t jump out but could still move around. She loved all the attention she was getting from everyone. I continued my shopping but Mia wasn’t interested in shopping, we weren’t in the treat aisle. Anyway as I looked down at her she had made herself comfortable and was fast asleep in the cart she wasn’t going to let anything keep her from her morning nap. It wasn’t the comfort of home so when we returned she quickly got into her sleeping position and took a real good nap.

Bored

I think Mia is still missing the girls. I walked into the family room and caught her up on the chair just staring out the window. I stood watching her for a bit and she wasn’t even aware I was in the room. Makes one wonder just what was going through her mind. I bet she was thinking how nice it would be if the girls were still here to play with her.

Betty Boops Bed

I had this bed custom made to match our bed a few years ago for Betty Boop. She does use it, but it seems to be of interest to Macky lately. He has slowly started to encroach a lot of her territory. However Betty Boop loves to go where ever there is some sun, so he never goes in any of those locations. Neither he nor Mia are fond of the sun.

So Good

Every morning the little ones get a baby carrot, there's no way one can forget to give to them because Betty Boop will bark at you until she gets it. They are very particular as to what brand they will eat, and more unusual is that if I don't have any baby carrots in the house they will not eat a regular carrot no matter what I do to it or how I cut it. Mia is always looking to see if the others have left any pieces or if she can steal and extra one. They love them so much that I expect to see them hopping any day now.

Aqua Aerobics

My neighbor sent me this picture of her sweet Basset Hound Lucy, and I wanted to share it with all my blog viewers. The Basset Hound is known as the gentle giant. The number one item on a Basset’s list is to please everyone around them. They achieve their goal by doing clownish things every day of the week, often dubbed as a half-witted, clumsy dog. But they are actually very clever and have unexpected agility in their movements and are also very gentle and have a lovable temperament. The reason they are called "Basset" is derived from the French word "bas set ", which means low-set. So, in English, Basset Hound really means Low-set Hound. They are usually a very joyful dog despite their melancholy face. They love people so much and always want to do what everyone is doing, and in this case Lucy wanted to join in on the pool activities. Way to go Lucy! Now I have too see if I can get Mia to do this, she certainly needs the exercise.

Movie Time

Grandpa and the parents went to a movie, and we had our own movie time here. The girls were watching “Peter Pan” and Betty Boop was watching to see what treats I would bring in. She was happy to be in her favorite spot on the chair even if it meant it was on Caitlin’s lap. In looking at these pictures one would never know that Caitlin was afraid of the little ones when she first arrived. She certainly has come a long way.

Strolling About

One evening the girls and I took Mai & Macky out for a stroll, Betty Boop wasn’t in the mood to go. The girls enjoyed our walk and so did the little one, they both love to ride in the stroller. Mai loves to lay right in front so she doesn’t miss anything. But if somebody comes up to the stroller to see her Macky get upset he thinks they are going to take her. He is very protective of her and kids.

Mia Won

When the girls first arrived they were afraid of the little ones, especially Caitlin who would not even put her feet down on the floor. Mia was determined to win them over and by that evening she had won, as you can see she took full control. By the end of the night all three were exhausted, and when morning came Mia was waiting and ready for the girls to play again. Betty Boop even enjoyed the girls and joined in at times. Of course Macky was the protector and had to observe all activity again, only participated when the girls were distributing treats. They enjoyed having the girls here, especially Mia.

Attentiveness

The little ones are surely enjoying the girls. Betty Boop loves Caitlin to continually give her tummy rubs, and Mia has bonded with Lianna as her playmate. The first day Mia wasn’t able to take her naps because she was happy to have the girls here and didn’t want to miss anything that she was totally exhausted that night from playing all day. Betty Boop also has been doing a lot of playing. As for Macky he just stays in the background and observes the activities, he’s only interested in participating when treats are distributed; however he was happy to join in on the picture.

Positions

What one would consider to be an uncomfortable sleeping position, Mia considers her favorite.
She is fond of just laying on the floor and at times you might see her in one of the other beds
This is her night bed in her private condo, and this is where she wants to be when she is ready to retire for the night and only then will you find her in this bed. No matter where she is sleeping it’s on her back with paws in air that she likes the best and she does have some favorite places in different areas as she wants to be where ever I am, she's such a joy and is always making me laugh.

On the Road Again

My very good friend was curious to see how I travel with the little ones, so I thought I would show everyone how some of our outings are handled. Stroller and mini camper get used when I take all three, they can not all be in the stroller at the same time. Mia likes to start trouble so she can only be pared with Macky, he tolerates her best. Either one of the girls will be in the camper on top. Macky loves the stroller and is very happy when he doesn’t have to share it. As for car traveling well that gets a bit more involved. Mia also has a car seat that she sits in but when I have all three I can’t trust her to stay in her so she goes in the camper with the seat belt around it. The Betty Boop sun shields have to get put up, the front passenger seat gets pulled all the way up and the head rest is removed so the seat will recline completely. This way I know they are receiving all the benefits from the AC. Oh and I also have to make sure I have water, treats, wee wee pads, harnesses, leashes, stroller in trunk and anything else I might need depending on where we are going and how long we will be out. It is so much easier taking one at a time for an outing and I usually rotate who goes so they all get to go somewhere because they totally enjoy it. My days of packing diaper bags have turned to doggie bags.

A Day at the Vet

Yesterday I took all 3 to the vet. They were all happy to see that they all were going on an outing, not knowing its destination. It’s not easy taking 3 together, 3 car seats, 3 carriers, a doggy bag containing harness, leashes, water, treats etc. So I decided to use their stroller and make it easier on me, which it was. Betty Boop & Macky were in the stroller and Mia in her travel camper on top. When we roller through the door of the vets we were a show stopper and gave everyone a good laugh. Then came weigh in! Betty Boop was very proud of her good eating habits by maintaining her 2.4lbs and got a A+ on her exam by the vet. Then Mia at 3.2 & Macky at 5.2 didn’t do so well with their weights, so its shape up time for them. They both needed their rabies vaccination, Mia also got an A+ and Macky got a B-. He needs some issues addressed waiting on his lab results. However Mia has now created her own issue and can be quite a drama queen when it comes to any discomfort. This morning when getting out of her bed she experienced soreness from her rabies shot and refused to go any further just stood there for the longest time. They all know how to play me and get that extra bit of attention, so for today she’ll have it, tomorrow it’s get over it and shake it off.

Just Our Size

Since we are spending more time out by the pool, I thought the little ones needed their own lounge to that they didn’t have to lay on the ground and still be cool as their beds would be too hot. So a friend of ours made this for Betty Boop and she does use it at times, however she now has to share it with Mia who also enjoys it. Macky is not interested in it he’d rather lay on my towel by the pool so he could be closer to me.

Mia Meets Sophia

Our great granddaughter came over to spend some time with us and meet the littler ones. Macky took things quite serious and didn’t want anybody including Sophia’s parents to pick her up, and when her Grandma took her in the pool well that was about all Macky could handle. He didn’t want to stop barking at Pam. I think he knew Sophia couldn’t swim and was trying to tell her his lifeguard duty was over for the day, he had no plans of jumping in. Mia’s meeting with Sophia was a happy one she enjoys having the baby around and just wants to keep giving her kisses and can’t understand why she can’t run with her. Mia does seem to show a huge interest in some of Sophia’s toys, so if any become missing we will know to look in Mia’s toy box. As for Betty Boop’s meeting with Sophia, well I think the picture of her in the background is self explanatory on the run again.

Got Caught

At times Betty Boop becomes fresh and spiteful and today was one of those days. She got caught being bad as one can see by the look she is giving me. She’s wishing Vince would be home right now to save her from spending some time in the naughty corner.

Cap Full

Today I was outside doing more yard work, as always Macky wanted to be right with me. However I had to keep him inside on the screened Lanai while I worked due to the Eagles and Hawks that are always keeping an eye out for my little ones. The sun wasn’t too bad today but with Macky’s receding hair line I thought this cap was appropriate, and he didn’t seem to mind it only that he had to be on the other side of the screen.

It’s A Dogs Life

When one would say “it’s a dog’s life” it would apparently not be seen as an easy one, but rather a miserably unhappy existence. It certainly seems that the phrase has become more ambiguous than it once was. I’ve come across many examples myself of its use as a description of a pampered existence, and in this case it would be Macky. For he has discovered that it becomes quite hot when he’s on lifeguard duty, and a nice dip in the pool and going around in the pool on the float with me is what he considers “a dog’s life”.

Who Is This?

Sometimes when I go thought my photos I get confused because I’m not sure if it’s Boops or Macky in the photo. At times they look so much alike but I guess that is because they are true brother and sister from the same litter. However they are like day and night in their actions. Boops is always anticipating what will take place next while Macky is just very laid back. Who did you guess this was? If you guessed Macky you were right.

The Graduates

Friday was graduation day for Betty Boop & Macky who received his diploma. Betty Boop was a bit more advanced and received her Masters degree. She is always looking to learn something new and is all for continuing education. At the moment she is unsure in which direction she will pursue. As for Macky well he’s just happy with his accomplishment in receiving a diploma. He plans on taking the mama’s boy roll for a while so he can relax and take life easy. Mia has some time to go before she graduates; she’s a challenge for us all.

Prom

The kids wanted to go to the prom they have heard so much about it. However Mia wasn’t interested in putting on a formal said it is much too hot to be so dressed, she’d rather stay home. As for Macky well his poor baby his Tux was too tight and it was too late to have it altered. But Betty Boop really wanted to dress up and go she loves to dance and can’t wait to do her Michael Jackson moon walk dance. She also loved the way her wrist corsage matched her dress.

Party Time

Today Betty Boop and Macky turn eight years old. We always do a special little treat for them and Boops usually gets a new toy to add to her basket of friends. Macky is just happy with whatever food you give him. They like the party part but they are not fond of the party hats. Today everyone dressed up for the occasion and Mia wore her strapless sun dress and couldn’t understand why Boops didn’t like the pink dress that she loaned her. Macky had a new dress shirt however it was a bit tight and didn’t want to wear it. I know they are thinking that now its over, but we have Mia coming up to the terrible two’s soon.

Not One of Us

Today I introduced a garden statue of a small dog (couldn’t find a Pom) to the little ones. I plan to put it out in the garden and wanted them to know it before they all went nuts once it’s out there. The intro did not go over well. Betty Boop had a very frustrated yet curious expression about it. She was almost saying he’s not one of us, he can’t stay. As for Macky, well he wanted no part of it at all, and was ready to stand up for his position as the only boy, and a Mama’s one at that. As for little Mia, well she just wanted to give it kisses and couldn’t understand why it didn’t want to play with her.

New Toy for Mia

Vince was hurt playing tennis last week, today’s MRI showed a tore ligament and 2 tore calf muscles. When he returned from the Drs in this brace Mia thought it was the best toy and couldn’t wait to get at it. Some how I think that when he takes it off, she will try and drag it into her toy area. Whenever we can’t find something we look there and usually she has hidden it with her things, but I think this one is going to be too big for her to hide.

Obsession

There are days I feel that Mia is somewhat like a cat; today was one of those days. Just the way a cat brings home their hunt, so does Mia. She prowls the lanai looking for frogs and geckos, but it is the frog that she is obsessed with. Whenever I see her run into the house quickly I know she has something to show off. Today she was sly in doing so and just sat there with her paw on it waiting for me to notice her prize.

Let's Roll

All the little ones like to go on outings. Macky especially gets so excited he just loves the car rides and sits in his seat looking out to make sure that nobody comes near the car. Sometimes he even barks at a truck if it’s too close. Boops doesn’t care much just as long as she’s included. As for Mia well she too loves to come along but is still in the seat training stage. When I take all three together she has to be more confined if I’m driving even though I have a car seat just for her. She gets to ride in it when I take her alone or with Macky, her buddy. As you can see Macky is anxious to get rolling.

Ladybug Mia

My Ladybugs have returned they are more than just pretty visitors to ones garden. Ladybugs are from the beetle family and they make a chemical that smells and tastes terrible so that birds and other predators won't eat them. Aphids which can destroy one’s garden is the ladybug's favorite food. Since they have arrived Mia thought that she should wear her ladybug dress and join in with protecting the garden.
If you squeeze a ladybug or Mia they will bite you, but the bite won't hurt.

Please Fall

This morning I put some chicken outside to thaw quickly, so I could prepare it before I went outside for the day. As I was making a few more things inside I noticed that Macky was not by my side which was unusual. When I checked to see where he was I found him with all his attention on the chicken, he reassured me that if it got up and started to run he had everything under control…..we would have dinner ….maybe just a bit less.

NOTE: The chicken was only there as a prop, I do not leave chicken out.

Betty Boop and Friends

The first toy I bought for Betty Boop was this little Raggedy Ann doll that she just loves. Since then she has a basket full of friends. My last count was about 86+ she knows every one of them by name and will bring you whomever you ask for. It is truly amazing to watch her do this, too know them all by name and get it right when I need a cheat sheet. She also loves to do the Michael Jackson moon walk dance. She loves the attention that she gets and will gladly put on a show for you.

Garden Helper

Today I did some gardening and Boops insisted on coming out and helping. She soon discovered it was much to hot for her, and retrieved to the inside where it was much cooler.

Following The Sun

Betty Boop loves the sun. Where there is a patch of sunshine is where you can find her. As day goes on and the sun rotates around the house she will go room to room following it. When ever daddy is out at poolside she will join him on the lounge for a bit.

Lifeguard On Duty

You can always find Macky where ever I am, except when I'm in the pool. Then he just makes himself comfortable and watches me until I come out of the pool.

Stealing Fries

This photo was taken about a year ago, but it always makes me smile. I dropped a French fry and Macky quickly grab it and ran, this is the look he gave me when I told him he was a little thief.

New Dish Washer

Mia is always willing to help in the kitchen, and thinks that she could do a better job of washing the dishes. One thing for sure she’d do a faster job of it.