Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Driving Miss Riko



The trip to daycare is becoming a daily ritual now. Car door opens, Riko pops in...no issues. However, my boy takes his own sweet time. He wonders about....lies down...stands around looking about...does everything except get into the car. He gets the most coaxing in the morning. But once in the car, I think my boy has the most fun. His head automatically bobs outside the window, where he gets busy looking out for curious-looking targets to bark at. Meanwhile, my girl climbs to the front seat and is contented just looking at me driving.

I think she's very much a night dog. Here, she looks like she's getting over a hangover a.k.a. zombie face ....from all the late-night barking! :D

Photo taken on 28 April 2010

Monday, April 26, 2010

Busy weekend for the kids



On weekends, the kids get to go for walks twice a day. By nightfall, they are dog-tired and I wonder how am I going to squeeze into my bed. o.O

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The Curious Incident of my Dog in the Night



This is becoming a usual night scene at my home now.
Boy lounges indoors and retires to the bedroom at around 10.30. Meanwhile, girl stands guard outside the gate till I go to bed. She barks at any movement on the street. If I do get her to come in, she darts outside when she hears something...anything..Sometimes, she just runs out barking for unknown reasons. I assume that she felt something strange and needed to investigate.

It's interesting how her character is developing. She's a very inquisitive girl.

Photo of Mariko on 12 December 2009
(yeah...I know...I know... I don't have some up-to-date photos of Mariko. I will replace it once I get the right shot. Been trying to get her on night patrol, but each time I get near, she'll come over for a hug)

Monday, April 19, 2010

A blast from the past


I was looking through some old photos to print out and I came across my boy's photo at 2 months. This was his vet visit for his second vaccination.

Aaww... cutie pie..he looked so tiny then. Nowadays, I think he needs to lose a few pounds. He actually eats quite little. So, I think he needs to exercise a bit more to look fit.


Photo of Haruki taken on 18 October 2008

Thursday, April 15, 2010

A wonderful morning


Today was my first day on dog time. I got up early and took the kids out for walks.

We changed up Ruki's normal route and when we got home, he wanted more. So, we did an extra 2 roads around the neighbourhood. I swear he had a biggest grin plastered on his face the whole time. Riko also took a longer route. About halfway through the walk, she kept looking up and smiling at me as if to say, "thanks momma for taking me on this awesome walk."

It warms my heart when they are so happy. Just reminds me that the simple little things are really the best for a happy life. It was amazing morning indeed.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Someone needs to go to dog school


I picked up yet another book about training dogs yesterday. Cesar Milan. A lot of controversy about his teaching methods ...so, I was procrastinating getting any of his books. But, they were on sale...so I finally got one.

Now, I have read a couple of dog books but this is the first one which is keeping it simple and real for me.

He says..

when I interacting with dogs, train your mind to relate to them in the below order:
1. Animal
2. Dog <-- very cute ones
3. Breed <-- labrador
4. Name <--Haruki/ Mariko

His 3-part fulfillment formula is..
1. Exercise (the walk)
2. Discipline (rules, boundaries and limitations)
3. Affection

in that order...

I know, I know.... people have to me so...but OMG...the DOG WHISPERER is telling me that I have everything in reverse order!!

Looks like the person who needs training is ME.
I really think I should start before it's too late. Seriously.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Not-so-Old Yeller



Mariko has become rather "barky" lately. At first, it was just the random extra barks when she is with her brother outside. Then, she started to stay back by the gate barking into the darkness. Now, the faintest sound in the night makes her head bob up from her sleep for a bark. Each time this happens, my boy has this WTF look on his face....hahaha... Nowadays, he just sleeps through the racket. Unfortunately, I can't.

The kids are up around six every morning...barking inside the house. So, I crawl out of bed to open the door for them. They dash out as if the house on fire. I stagger back into bed. My boy returns in 5 minutes but the girl is still outside, barking continuously at some dog/ cat/ rat/ squirrel/ mongoose/ ghost. On good days, she stops after a while. On bad days, she goes on non-stop and I'm yelling for her from my bed to come inside.

I am now trying to be on dog time. In bed by 10pm and up at 6 am.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Sometimes I wonder where they came from



While Mariko seems to be taking centrestage lately, my boy is pretty happy being laid back in his ways. They are so different growing up which makes it interesting these days. Since my boy first took his walk outdoors, his nose has been eternally stuck to the ground... excitably sniffing away. He's hardly aware of anything around him when he's on the scent. My girl, on the other hand, isn't into sniffing (thank goodness). Rather, she is happy looking left, right and behind as she is walking. So, Haruki's more like a smelling boy and Mariko's more a visual girl. Sometimes, I swear my boy is half human by the way he sleeps, snores and sighs. Riko's half-lamb-half-deer with her skip-walking and her gisele-like glides when chasing/ being chased.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Drama Queen 2.0



OMG! I heard my girl from a few houses down..coming back from our walk this morning. It wasn't some lady-like whimpering as I imagined...it was more like continuous bark-bark-YEOOOOWL....bark-bark-YEEOOOWL...I wonder how long did that go on...We were gone at least 15 minutes. A few weeks ago, my neighbour told me she was "crying" when we left...but wow.. I didn't think it was like so dramatic....with eye boogle and all!!

HAHAHAHAHA....silly gurl...

Friday, April 9, 2010

Drama Queen


It seems that each time I'm out walking my boy, mocha girl gets upset.

When she was younger, she will basically throw a physical tantrum - throwing things on the ground and making a mess. Nowadays, she cries out as if nobody loves her anymore...

Apparently, today she was so upset.... she whined all the way from the gate (after seeing us off) to the house to seek some attention. She came in, stopped whining for a few seconds (scared) when she saw grand-dad watching tv. Then, trotted back outside to continue whining..hahahaha..

So, grand-dad called out for her to come back into the house. She runs in to get her "attention". Such a drama queen.

Like always, she waits by the gate for us to come back. She gets so excited when she sees us because it's her turn to go walking.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Who did this!

It seems that for the past three weeks, this are the first words I utter every morning. Without fail. It could be toilet-paper strewn all over the floor or someone snitching food from the table or someone bringing a pot of plant from the garden into the house or digging into my work bag or my slippers simply going missing. Yesterday, there was poo on the carpet. Yes, my poor girl slipped up after a long while.

:(

Everyday, there's a different crisis.
This morning, it was this.





She looks so cute when she's remorseful. :D


Photos on 7 April 2010

Saturday, April 3, 2010

That is your side of the bed



Since the night she first slept on my bed, she never left... oO

Mariko on 3 April 2010

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Total surrender

It's difficult to be angry with my kids when all you see is this.

Friday, March 26, 2010

No boundaries



My kids were at boot camp while I was on vacation...so they are pretty much adapted to the wild. But, they got domesticated quickly again....so much so that....Mariko has taken to sleeping on my bed!!!

It all happened one fateful night when they were bugging me at the desk. So, I sent them to my bedroom with air-con on and came back outside to work. When I came to bed, I found my girl dozing on my bed. So cute. That first night, she got down the bed (without me asking) and went back to her pedestal cushion in my study to sleep. She is independent enough to sleep alone outside the bedroom. The next night, she settled herself on the bed again. So, I brought her "pedestal" into the room and made her sleep at the foot of the bed. Five minutes after the lights went out, she plonked herself on the bed until morning! (didn't send her down because of severe mummy's guilt).

Nowadays, she makes herself comfortable right-smacked in my middle of the bed with the pillows around her....and I seem to be sleeping further to the side of the bed to make room for her. Thank goodness, my boy is happy with the cold hard floor. Otherwise, I think I might have to move to the guest room while my kids have my king-size bed to themselves...hahaha...

Since my parents are away for two-weeks, both kids have been feeling a lot of separation anxiety being home alone all day. So, we find ourselves huddled together in the bedroom every night. I don't think my mum will not be pleased when she finds out. The first thing she told me when I called her from the airport when I came home was that the dogs have been sleeping outside for 2.5 weeks...so, let them sleep outside from now on. The total opposite is happening now. Yikes!

I think I've been overfeeding them out of guilt for the past week or more. Also, my parents' garden is turning into a junkyard as my kids are ransacking stuff from the garage into the garden while home alone.


Photo of Mariko on her pedestal - Dec 2009 and Mar 2010

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Could it be that my kids are jetlagged too?

I'm back!

My kids are back from boot camp too. They have done pretty well while I was away.
As usual, some bouts of jetlag flying eastwards. Slept after 2am and woke up at 2pm.



The whole family's jetlagged. Today, my kids ate their "breakfast" at 2pm because they were also sleeping when I woke up. I think they woke up earlier but it was sweet of them not to bug me to demand their meals.

Photo of Mariko in Feb 2010 (her baby teeth are still too small to hold her pink tongue in)

Monday, February 22, 2010

Goodbye is the hardest thing to do...

So, I will be on my vacation for the next 2 weeks.
This means my kids will be on full board at daycare. *sob* *sob*
Daycare is under strict instructions to report on their wellbeing, with photo evidence on Facebook. No scrappy excuses...



Hope they have a blast in "summer camp"...literally with army-style camp instructor and sleeping outside at night with the mosquitoes. *sob* *sob*


Like Ruki, I'll miss some formative weeks for my girl. She'll be a mini dog when I get back. *tear*

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Haruki

Then...


Now...


As you can see, my boy's very photogenic.

(Photos at 1 year and 1.5 years)

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Mariko

Then..


...and now...


She's has this studious look in her.

Poo Report #3
Riko had solid poo a 5.30 pm (hooray!!), followed by big loud fart at 9.30pm (again?).
We are not in the clear yet.

(Photos at 6 weeks and 10 weeks)

The poo saga continues....

The poor girl was still having soft poo yesterday. It looked like it was slowly forming to solid in the afternoon. But went back to black mush by evening. Excuse the graphic details...it's for future medical reference.

So, she' still on her chicken and rice diet....and she's likin' it. Maybe, being sick has its privileges. ;)


Poo Report #2
Chickened out of leaving the backdoor open again.
Went for Plan B - laying newspaper all over the kitchen floor.
Woke up at 6:10am. No smell. No poo.
Let them out. Both sleepyheads just sat in the driveway wondering why we were evacuating the building. Left the backdoor open and went back to bed.

Got up at 10am. My bad.
My bag was on the floor and stuff all strewn.
While I was sleeping, she ate a soft rubber and an angpow with ten bucks inside :(
BUT, NO ACCIDENTS in the house.
I didn't see her poo today yet.

Mariko on Feb 16, 2010 (she looks so skinny here)

Monday, February 15, 2010

Things that go bump in the night


My boy was the last thought I had before dozing off last night.

So, he came in my dream...rather it was a nightmare.
I saw his front paw literally fall off from his leg. Leaving behind a square heel of a (human)shoe on the stump of his foot. I can't explain it any clearer then this.

I think it must be some random mash-up between wondering why his front left paw was looking limpy during our night obedience session plus inspecting my favourite NineWest workshoe's peeling heel earlier this week.

My boy....my shoe...

Strange...

A case of a worry wart..closed

The Law of Attraction




Today, I'm so focused on getting solid poo for my girl....you wouldn't believe it.

Poo Report #1
Got up at 6.45am. She'd already made 2 dumps by the back door.
I think she really wanted to do the number 2 outside. That's why they are so near the entrance. Last night, I wanted to leave the backdoor ajar for her...but chickened out imagining the cats or rats coming in. Well...a stoopid cat got in twice before!
While I was cleaning it up, she was sitting in a corner looking pretty embarrassed. Poor girl.
My boy went to the backyard for a sniff. Came running back in and sat up rubbing his bum. I think he thought he did it! hahahaha...he's such a silly billy...

Back to bed and woke up again at 8.45am.
She's on boiled rice and chicken for breakfast.

(Mariko at 3 months, Feb 14 2010)

Sunday, February 14, 2010

My baby's all grown up

...and sticking to big brother like glue.

playing together...she's the ringleader. Excuse the full-frontal...btw everything's still intact hehehe..;)



sniffing together ...my boy's forte. Look how much she's grown! :D



eating together...my boy's such a doll. He allows her to have his food. I literally have to hold my girl down before she lunges in for a second dinner :O


sleeping together...finally she's learnt to thread gingerly around big brother while he is sleeping..



It's 10.30 pm. Ruki's gone to bed (the bedroom)....so has Riko...*sweets* :)

Happy Valentine's Day



Happy chinese new year from my household too!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Poo Problem


My girl has been having runny poo. Poor girl. Poor boy too. He wouldn't step into the kitchen area for his food until the mess is cleaned up.

So, I've been on major poo cleaning duty all week. It has not been pleasant. This week was the first time I heard dog farts and smelt the silent bombs. hahahaha...she's does all this while sleeping!! o.O

For the life of me, I had no idea what could have cause this chronic syndrome...until today....while wiping her poo. Change her food...no, overfeeding...no, change her feeding time...OHH!! *lightbulb moment*

So, every since I got home at 4am last Sunday morning....I have been sleeping late and waking up after 9am the whole week. Getting to work at 11.30am :D. I have been feeding the kids at 10am, not the usual 8.30am. Possibly, they may be starving by 10am...

starving = gas built-up = eating too fast = swallowing air + indigestion = runny poo.

Now, I pray for solid poo every night. Ok, I have to sleep early from now on too...

Monday, February 1, 2010

New meaning of pure bliss

Kids exercised, schooled, cleaned, fed and sleeping.

Just enjoying some quiet time in a clean home with my favourite music, a delicious slice of mille crepes, good coffee and a great book.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

The wild child



As innocent and tiny as she looks, my girl has got her temperamental side...

Today (like always), she stayed home while Ruki and I went for our power walk. When we got home, I found my work bag on the floor with the contents strewn everywhere. Apparently, she did the same thing last week when my boy went walking with dad.



And, she bit my bedtime read a couple of days earlier. That tiny terror...maybe, she's trying to tell me that the book's boring...hahaha..



I don't think she was pleased with being left behind nowadays too. Whenever there is slight whiff of us going out, she'll be hanging around outside and be the first to climb into the car! o.O


(Photo on 24 Jan 2010)

Thursday, January 14, 2010

And then there were two...



Mariko and Haruki...
Mocha and Latte...
Milo and Horlicks...

My marble cake...
My chocolate chip ice-cream...
My dumb blonde and the brainy brunette..

They are even sitting the same way. Aawww....

Photo on 25 December 2009 (Haruki - 17 months, Mariko - 2 months)

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Little Miss-chevious



Riko is slowly graduating into daycare as she completes her vaccination next month. Last Friday, she had spent her first full day there. In that time, I think she had at blast doing things she can't a home like rummaging dustbins, biting pots, pooing and peeing indiscrimately. Weird thing is "Daycare is usually where the rules are a.k.a. dad & rotan, while home is...well, free-for-all".

Today, little miss-chevious managed to escape through the fence into the neighbour's garden. She was caught and escorted back by the neighbour. Apparently, she was scared stiff by the whole experience. Dad had to stroke her for some time before she was calm enough to walk steadily on her own again. So, we all thought she was traumatized enough to never do it again.

Boy... were we all wrong. She was back on the other side of the fence the very next day.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Lame dog



It was Mariko's second vaccination day. More of her in next post.

The kids went to the vet. Ruki was going in to show his stance to the doctor. I've always thought he walks (waddles) like a girl, sits funny and runs like a bunny. Based on visual assessment by doc, Ruki's left leg is a bit bowed. :(( He asked whether he has trouble getting up or in pain moving etc. So far...nothing unsual. He's now about 80 pounds (37 kg). Doc say better to lose 10 pounds to be on the safe side. Good thing is he's quite muscular...so, this will help to hold the weight better. The bad news is he's hasn't been neutered...coz with the "unkindly cut", it is likely that he will gain more weight.

For now, I will observe him more closely. No crazy running (so difficult with Riko around). He'll be starting his glucosamine supplements and going on a gradual diet too... Poor boy...but he looks so handsome here. :*

(Haruki is 1 year 5 months here, 20 Dec 2009)

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Guess who's came at bedtime?

It's customary to take the kids out for a final pee before bedtime. Last night, Ruki headed outside first. Immediately, he darted to the back of my car and stuck his head under boot side. I was wondering why was he trying to crawl under. I thought maybe it was a cat or something under the car. Moving closer, I realised it was this.



Before I could react, Miss Busybody was already under the car. Next thing, she was running into the house at lightning speed, with Ruki on her tail. I knew she had it with her. She headed straight under the sideboard in the living room checking out her new-found friend. By that time, I was gross out thinking that about frog intestines and blood. So, I went to get the broom and dustpan and brace myself for the aftermath.

The commotion proceeded into the study room. Two heads hovering over the helpless bullfrog. Both wondering what to do with it...hahahaha... It was a big one... like a mother frog the size of my fist. Thank goodness it was still alive, intact and oblivious of the fuss around her. Mama frog was promptly swept into the pan and escorted outside by the kids. It was let loose over the fence.

This is not the kind of drama one expects after midnight.