The Sickness is contagious!

What a way to start off the week! Monday, Matt threw up everywhere in my car and by the time I had picked him up from daycare had had 3 watery yellow diarrhea diapers. Jana's kids had the same thing so I did what her dr. told her to do. He said to give lots of pedialyte, and keep them on a "BRAT" diet: Bananas, white Rice, Applesauce and Toast. It worked for Matt and then later that night, Sean got sick! He was violently ill, up all night with constant puking/diarrhea as I lay in bed wondering when it would hit me. It didn't hit me until last night, when I got a sudden wave of nausea and chills. I was able to ward it off, though and I am okay. I did have plenty of warning so I had been sticking to simple foods and liquids along with preemptive immodium and pepto-bismol. Now they are both better. Was supposed to go to the zoo today but decided to wait. Guess it'll be another boring day! Might turn in some outgrown clothing into salvation army--we'll see! Not much else going on--hence the lack of posting. I will try to take some pics and video of him talking though. Hope everyone is feeling better than us!

I was wrong!!!!

It's a boy!!! Atticus David Shimkin born on July 18th at 1:05 am, weighing 6 lbs, 15 oz and 19 inches long! Matt and I have a new cousin. Yay!

Happy Birthday Maybe Baby!!!!

My Aunt Hillary is going into labor today and is going to give birth soon to her little baby! Saying maybe about the birthday because we don't know how long she'll be in labor. Will post when she has him/her. I am taking my bet now--it's a girl! Been thinking it's a girl the whole time. I may be wrong--I think everyone is having a girl (but everyone who's been pregnant around me has had a girl). Updates will be coming shortly!

Allergies????

I think Matt and I are allergic to something in the air. Our eyes are burning up and our noses are running! So lame...I've never had allergies before!!! No new news items to report right now. Life is good! Except for allergies. And the upstairs neighbor who sounds like he is knocking down all his furniture and jumping up and down. Can't wait to move!!

Finally Part-Time/Dog Drama

So, I know this week I am part time, which I thought meant that I would get everything I needed to get done done, and have lots of free time for blogging. WRONG! Just been busy busy.
First, let me start out with Monday, my last day of work before my days off. I was getting ready, Matt was sleeping, and everything was going normally and well. Suddenly I hear a noise at my door and the dogs go crazy. I open it and, lo and behold, it's a stray german shepard.
On one note, this is the second shepard who has just strolled up to my door and waited there for me to come take care of him and find him a home. What, really, are the odds? So of course I took him in, gave him food and water and called work to find out if anyone wanted him.
I do not believe he belonged to a family for several reasons. #1, I walked around the apartment complex asking people about him and everyone said he had been wandering around for days and no one knew who he belonged to. (Big dogs aren't allowed in the apartments). #2, he was not neutered...which isn't an absolute, but he was not 100% purebred and usually caring owners neuter their big dogs, hoping to make them more docile/friendly etc. Not all the time, but mostly.
#3, he was covered in fly bites. All around his eyes and ears. That means he has been outside for a long, long time. Some were scabbed over and bitten again. His ears were extremely dirty.
So, with all that info, and armed with the unfortunate knowledge that if I took him to the shelter (he wasn't micro-chipped by the way), it would pretty much be a death sentence for a full grown, somewhat too big black shepard. But he was such a sweetheart. Wonderful with Matt (didn't let them get too close just in case, but Matt was throwing a huge fit because I wouldn't let him touch the dog and the dog was paying no attention), and very mellow. When I was driving him to work (I found him a home), he fell asleep with me rubbing behind his ears and his head almost in my lap. He stayed in the kennel all day without a peep, good-naturedly tolerated the bath (it was obvious he had never had one by the way he reacted), and waited to be taken to his new home. Seriously, these dogs KNOW I feel pity for them. They just do.

Okay, that day was odd, but went well. Unfortunately, later that night, my friend Jana called to say her oldest (and may I say most beloved) dog had escaped and she couldn't find her. Her and her girls were walking around calling her to no avail. She was heartbroken but resolved to be strong and deal with it in the morning. Then I get a call in the morning that her youngest puppy is on the brink of death and she doesn't know why. She said when she woke up, he was great. Jumping around, barking, wagging his tail. When she came back from dropping her kids off at school, he was laying on his side, completely limp and hardly breathing, He was having seziures and wouldn't open his mouth to take food or water. He was in a clean kennel by himself with food and water. She has no idea what happened.
So I came over to try to help and together we managed to pry his jaws open and syringe-feed him some pedialyte (the vet ok'd this) and high-calorie gel (nutri-cal). After a while he began to stir, swallow, and start to look better and more aware. It took a few hours but we nursed him back from the edge and he was doing well.
And I went outside to begin putting "lost dog" posters up, and there was already a sign up saying "Found" Brown and white dog". I called and they had her! So, all in all, the day ended well but it was so hectic and scary at times that by the time I got home I didn't want to do anything.
And today, Joey and I are going to the "Aquatic Center" with Matt, which is a small local water-park with a well-developed kids area. That will be fun but again, it will tire us out. Luckily...I have tomorrow!!!!!
Well, I think I have rambled on enough. I will post soon about what we all did on 4th of July.