A Very Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Santa's Little Helper offers his help with all of the milk and cookies this evening. Merry Merry Christmas!!!!!

Brrr...

Those wintry Connecticut nights are chilly. Snuggle up, wee one!

I Spy a Wee One!

In addition to unplugging the tree a few times, he's now taken to hiding his treats in between presents. I can't wait to inspect the damage he's done to my otherwise superb gift wrapping...

A Bend in the Tail

Little known fact--the little man's tail has a little dent in it. He also has one gray whisker. And as I've previously documented, one missing tooth. It's probably because I'm his mum, but I find all of these things completely adorbs. And, yes, that's his baby gate behind him. Hee.

Never. Gets. Old.

You often hear about how parents buy their kids these really nice toys for Xmas and then instead of playing with the expensive toy the kid can't get enough of playing with the box it came in. Well, that's kind of what I feel like I'm experiencing here. Except the treats weren't all that expensive and the performance completely cracks me up. As it always does. Sadly, I wasn't recording when he again got the box stuck on his head and kept moving his head around in a very "who turned the lights out?" moment. To say it was awesome would be an understatement.

A Slightly Frosty Rudolph...

Someone smelled snow in the air this morning!!

Happy Boy

The wee one hearts elevator rides.

Nestled Under the Tree...

If Santa's milk and cookies go missing this year, I think we have our prime suspect...

What's Mine Is Yours...

And what's mine (ahem, fleece pullover) that happens to find its way onto the floor always makes for a good snuggly pillow.

Such a Chatty Patty...

I'm fairly certain he was trying to discuss last night's episode of Gossip Girl...

Wee One's Mt. Everest

The biggest challenge the new apartment poses for the wee one are the stairs. He can manage to hoist himself up them (with a brief rest in between stairs, of course). I find he is most motivated to climb them when he wants something from the kitchen, which is actually the same logic I use for getting off the couch, so no problem there. Going down them, however, is a completely different story. I have a feeling his rear would somehow get ahead of his front if he actually *voluntarily* attempted to climb down them. That's not to say he hasn't gone down the stairs. Oh no, he's just gone done them, it just wasn't by choice. And it was backwards. So the wee one has a new fixture in his life: a baby gate. Because after all, I don't think there's ever been any real doubt that he's nothing more than a big baby.

Technically, That's Not One of Your Beds...

Someone's waiting very patiently for Santy Claus to arrive....

My Very Determined Little Man...

He's back! And apparently he's hungry. Unfortunately, the box is, umm, empty....

Homecoming!

After many weeks with Gammy and Gampy, somebody is finally coming home tonight and I can't wait. I was beginning to suspect my parents had hatched a plan to keep the little one forever (I mean, who could blame them). Hopefully he'll readjust to a home where the only activity the kitchen sees is the pouring of a glass of wine.

T Minus 4 Weeks!!!

Tweeee! It is officially Xmas time!!! I can listen to my Xmas music at top volume without worrying that my neighbors are judging me AND I can finally bust out my Elf DVD. And it's a Xmas miracle! The wee one managed to fix my camera. He is so handy. I knew he learned something after all those years at Oxford. Pictured is Sir Rudolph in an outtake from last year's photo shoot.

Gobble, Gobble...

Buster hopes that this Turkey Day everyone overeats, gets a little tipsy and then takes a long luxurious nap. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Mr. Autumn

I think if someone were to tell Buster what season he is, he'd be an autumn. I took him out on my parents' front lawn over the weekend and got him to chase me a few times. Sadly, Uncle Marco's video camera setting doesn't work, so I couldn't capture the awesomeness that is the wee one running. However, he did manage to let me take a few pics of him among the leaves. I love the Buddy face he is making in this one. Unfortunately for Buster he doesn't sport the adorable one up/one down ears that Buddy does. But from certain angles I'd like to think they could pass for brothers....

Lonesome

I am without the little one for the next two weeks. He is staying with Gammy and Gampy while I head out to sunny California to visit Uncle Eric and some other folks. While it's nice to sleep an extra 20 minutes in the morning, I feel kind of lost and quite blue without my little guy. My mom said he sat and stared at the door for most of the evening until finally acquiescing to a belly rub from my dad.

**It's funny, I knew the little one reminded me of someone or something in this picture and it finally hit me this morning when I was pouring milk into my coffee. He's the spitting image of Dobby the House Elf! In the past, Toby and I have discussed which house the Sorting Hat would place the wee one in. Toby says Slytherin, I vote for Hufflepuff. The little one, however, keeps insisting on Ravenclaw. He never misses an opportunity to be contrary...

Camera Shy...

Well, we had an exhausting holiday photo shoot last night. There was a lot of gagging and head shaking, which led to a lot of blurry shots, but I finally got THE ONE. There was also a lot of pleading: "Wee one, sit. Wee one, stay. Wee one, please.", which is fairly ridiculous since he clearly does not understand any of those directives nor does he ever listen to me in the first place. But, nevertheless, I finally got the perfect pic, so the holiday season can officially begin as far as I'm concerned. However, an unfortunate side effect of the photo shoot is that the little one is a bit tired of having a camera in the face, so he is only allowing me to photograph him from behind for at least a few days...we won't tell him he looks a bit like a sausage from this angle...

Hip, Hip, Hooray!!!

Three cheers for Uncle Marco who let me borrow his old camera until mine is fixed! I am ever so excited. So much so that I took about 20 pictures of the little one just snoozing last night in front of the TV. Anyhow, today is a rainy, blustery day in NYC. So I think we should all follow Buster's lead and find something soft, curl up on it, and take a little nappy-poo. Even if it means mum doesn't have anything to step onto when she gets out of the shower...

How Is It Not Christmas Yet?!

This morning I was feeling a bit glum while I walked to work, so to cheer myself up I listened to some Xmas music. Don't judge me. Technically, today is a holiday so holiday music is completely acceptable. Anyhow, it reminded me of these totes adorbs pictures Uncle Marco took of the little one last year around Xmas. Also, on the subject of Xmas I *may* have found what he will be donning for this year's card. But since I have yet to see it in person, I'm not completely sold on the idea yet. And, of course, without a camera, it's going to make the photo shoot that much more challenging. So perhaps I do see a cake o' treats in someone's future....

My Little Tinkle Fairy

Well, someone appears to be going on a poop strike again. I'm guessing it has something to do with the camera and the fact that I haven't made good on his ransom request. But we certainly aren't on a tinkle strike. No, mum can rest assured there is no shortage of tinkle. Ever since the wee one was on a high dose of steroids for over a month this summer (prepping for the Mr. Universe pageant), he has been quite the tinkle fairy. The unfortunate part is that he is no longer able to distinguish between what is actually the sidewalk outside and say the floor of the elevator or the hallway. I've taken to carrying him down in the elevator because arming myself with a roll of paper towels and a bottle of windex every time we go out just doesn't seem reasonable. Also, I don't entirely enjoy the looks from neighbors when a puddle suddenly appears by their feet in the elevator, while the little one looks up at me sheepishly. (Hi mum) Anyhow, I thought we had come to an agreement. The little one would walk himself to the elevator where I would scoop him up for the ride down and THEN he would tinkle. Well, not so this morning, I turned to push the button, and someone decided the corner to my left looked just like the sidewalk.....

p.s. I know that the pictures have nothing to do with this post or tinkling for that matter (I have to give him a bit of privacy once in a while!). Anyhow, I pretty much loves these shots of the little one first sizing up this treat that is three times the size of his head, and then setting about conquering it.

Under the Weather...

Our tribe has been under the weather for the last few days. Or at least *I* have. So technically there's really no excuse why a certain little one didn't get out of bed until NOON yesterday. And even then it was only because his mum made him because one really shouldn't hold his tinkle for 13+ hours. If he had risen at a more reasonable hour, he could have been doing this (Personally, I think he would have made an excellent pirate complete with eye patch and peg leg, but he wouldn't hear of it. Such a fussy one.)

Belly Flop

Sadly, I have yet to get my camera fixed. Mostly because Buster is holding it hostage and his terms are a bit unreasonable. Something about a cake twice the size of him made entirely of greenies, frosty paws, and kobe beef. Anyhow, as a result I've had to resort to some old videos I shot of him about a year ago. I deleted the sound because I *may* have been talking in a high-pitched version of the dog voice (as the videos were intially intended for my brother who at this point had yet to meet the wee one). Also it should be noted that the flop he does is a slightly modified version of the aforementioned move he now does every morning in lieu of putting his harness on....

The Many Faces of Buster...

Depending on how he is sitting and the position of his ears, Buster has many different looks. I am fairly convinced this would qualify him as a fierce ANTM contestant. When he is sitting up and his ears are pointing up, one would almost think he he had some bite to go along with his bark, if it weren't the deficiency of teeth and his propensity for throwing himself on the floor for a belly rub. Which, by the way, is his latest MO in the morning when I am trying to put his harness on. Apparently, he's decided the harness is his arch enemy and must be avoided at all costs, even if it means making his mum late for work. Or maybe that's his master plan! Anyhow, pictured is Buster doing his best Chinchilla. I just hope Tyra doesn't admonish him for not extending his neck properly when posing.

By All Means, Please Help Yourself...

One of Buster's favorite things to do is to inspect anything I either bring into the apartment or may be using at any given moment to confirm whether or not it is a treat. He'll stand there expectantly until I offer it to him for a quick sniff. This pertains to everything: mugs, forks, a magazine, etc. Every bag's contents must be inspected--he cares not if the bag is from say the Home Depot--an inspection is always required. Last night while I was trying to get a bowl out of my pantry, which is also where all of the Wee One's treats are stored, he sniffed out and grabbed a plastic container full of his treats (the container, mind you, is approximately the size of his wee head) . Holding the tip of the lid between his teeth, he trotted back to his bed with it, where he proceeded to begin opening it. Seeing as it was, in fact, his birthday, I decided to help him out a bit and held on to the bottom while he managed to tear the top off. The lid cast aside, he selected one treat from the container and set it aside. Thinking he was satisfied, I began to put the lid back on. His nose intervened and began selecting treat #2 and setting that aside...I finally intervened at treat #4. Birthday or no birthday, mummy's little piggy can only have so many treats in one sitting.

***sadly, I didn't get a picture of a certain someone's head stuck in the handle of the PETCO plastic bag. I may or may not have been laughing too hard.

Happy Birthday Wee One!

I officially became Buster's mum one year ago today. And I can honestly say I've loved every single minute of it. Except for maybe this past Saturday morning when he decided to poop in the middle of our lobby. All is forgiven, however, and I am looking forward to another year of snuggles, belly rubs, and lots and lots of cheese with the bestest boy in the whole wide world.

Buster Broke My Camera

Okay, not really, but it is indeed broken. So no new pics of the little man for a while. After a brief hiatus, due to our apartment relocation, I was all ready to write about Buster's exciting adventures in his new home. But sadly when I went to upload the pics to my computer this morning, the stupid thing broke. Thankfully, though, after refusing to poop for multiple days, (apparently I wasn't the only one who didn't want to leave Battery Park!) the little guy is finally back to normal. Though I can't say he's a proper Chelsea dog yet, since he still appears to like girls. Perhaps a much overdue visit from his Uncles Marco and Andrew will help him see the error of his ways...

My Little Senior Citizen...

Buster occasionally has what I like to call, senior moments. The first one I ever witnessed happened when the doorbell rang and he ran into the the kitchen. He regained his composure once I reminded him that the sound was, in fact, coming from the front door and he happily trotted off in that direction. I guess I should have suspected early on that he has these sorts of special moments. When I first adopted him, I kept him in the kitchen during the day while I was at work, and more than once at the end of the day I found him staring up at a blank wall. At the time I assumed he was working out a complicated mathematical proof or charting his next cartography project. *I have different theories about how he spends his alone time.* Anyhow, last week's senior moment topped any thus far. As I was opening the front door, I could hear him barking. I opened the door slowly because he is usually waiting for me right as the door opens. He was not, however, there. Odd, I thought, but I could still hear him barking so I proceeded into the apartment. He was not in the bathroom, nor was he in his bed. I looked around my apartment, which is to say I looked on the other side of my bed. Finally, I walked over to the kitchen and poked my head around the corner. And a certain someone was standing there, facing one of the cabinets barking at it like a madman. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to hear the cabinet's side of the story in what was clearly a heated debate.

Sudsy McSudsalot

As we all do, the wee one gets stinky after a while. I gave him a bath this past Friday, and he acted as he normally does once he is placed in the tub: utterly defeated. Unfortunately, there is no video footage available of me chasing him around the apartment afterwards with a blow dryer in one hand and a towel in the other. I think he rather enjoys turning the tables on me and obtaining the upper hand after such bathytime humiliation.

I'm Sorry, I Didn't Quite Catch What You Were Saying...

Occasionally Buster attempts to make his wishes known to me. I'm fairly certain if it could be translated, I would come to find out that he is saying "treats, treats, treats, treats, treats, treats", but that's just an educated guess. *I apologize for the static...*

Mr. Lookout Take Two

Out of nowhere a few months ago Buster finally noticed that we had a sliding glass door in the apartment. So I don't think it's entirely unfair to say he isn't exactly observant, but perhaps in the end the joke is on me. I also thought he was deaf for the first few months that I had him. Turns out he is just really good at pretending I'm not there. Anyhow, once he finally did notice that there was a huge glass door, neither hell nor high water could have dragged him away. He stood there staring out for a good 10 minutes. And when I tell you nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing was out there I am not remotely exaggerating. And yet, you never would have guessed by looking at him....

Did Somebody Say Nitty-Gritty?

Growing up, my brother and I were very attached to our various pets, particularly our dogs. I can't remember exactly how old we were when we invented the "dog voice" or how it even came about, though I vaguely remember a Texas Instrument tape recorder being involved as my brother and I liked to record our own voices and then listen to the tapes over and over again. A slightly odd form of entertainment, I'll grant you, but my parents didn't get us cable until we were much much older. Needless to say the "dog voice" has been around since we were very wee. Anyone who has known me a while has probably heard me use it when addressing a dog I meet on the street or more likely when speaking to my brother on the phone. There's no real way to describe the dog voice, though it has been known to degenerate into high pitched shrieking much to mother's non-delight. Along with the "dog voice" we invented various words as well, the most notable one being "nitty gritty", which for some reason or another was what we called the very small lower teeth in each of our dog's mouths. The only problem being, somewhere along the line I forgot that the only other person who knew what I was referring to when I said "nitty gritty" was my brother, not say a fellow dog owner or more importantly Buster's vet. So you can imagine who the first person was that I called when I first realized that the little one was in fact MISSING one of his nitty grittys. And, yes, the two of us have been discussing it's notable absence in the dog voice ever since.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

I'm sure if Buster could, he would attest to the fact that I listen to Xmas music out of season, which is to say year-round. I actually force myself to pack away my dvd of Elf so I won't get sick of it by watching it too much in the off-season, though in actuality I think that is highly improbable. "Does it have sugar in it? Then yes." Anyhoodle, being a Xmas freak, I am, of course, already thinking about this year's card. Last year, I forced him to pose looking like the above picture. It was sheer luck that I managed to get the picture, probably because the elastic around his wee neck was kind of impairing his breathing. So, of course, after the photo was taken they were promptly removed.

I'll Have Some Cheese, with a Side of Cheese, and a Glass of Cheese, Please

It is a well-known fact that Buster lurves himself some cheese. My mother actually made the discovery when hiding one of his many pills in a yummy orangey piece of velveeta, and ever since then there has been no going back. With all the meds he gets, he gets a little bit of cheese every morning and every night to go with them. It's the spoonful of sugar that makes his medicine go down. And if I'm not 100% careful, he will eat the cheese off the pill and leave the pill all gross and half melted on the kitchen floor. Someone has to keep mum on her toes! Anyhow, my most favorite picture I have ever taken of the little one is this one. To better explain his expression, I'm holding the camera, eating a piece of...wait for it....cheese.

Oh the Humiliation and at the Hands of My Own Mother...

I picked up this raincoat for Buster in CT one weekend. He never officially wore it for anything other than these pictures, but it was worth every penny. I showed the pictures to a co-worker, who said he looked like a yellow sausage. Maybe someone isn't going to be the next Jenny Craig spokesperson as soon as I thought...

Well, Hello There, Mr. Debonair

Even though for the most part I think winter coats or gear in general for dogs is pretty much unneccessary, that doesn't mean I don't find it highly amusing. That being said, Buster found himself the proud owner of a faux shearling jacket last winter. To say he hated it would be the understatement of the year. Some mornings he would press himself against the wall as to prevent me from getting it on him. Though he quickly learned, I would not be so easily deterred, particularly when the activity provides me with endless gigggling. And there may have been an unfortunate incident or two where I didn't quite put it on him properly, but what first-time mother doesn't make a mistake like that now and again? Anyhow, I must get a picture of him with the collar flipped up because I swear it makes him look like a young Burt Reynolds.

Quiet Time with an Old Friend

I don't know much about Buster's past, but I don't think he had any toys or really had anyone to play with him as a puppy because he shows zero interest in toys or playing in general.
Of course, that hasn't stopped anyone from getting him little friends once and a while. He mostly uses them as pillows, but occasionally he'll look like he's having a heart-to-heart with one of them. Like Mr. Squirrel here, which was a gift from my adorable grandmother. Knowing Buster, they are probably discussing Joyce's Ulysses or something of the like. He can be such a literary snob sometimes...

Yummy, Yummy, I Have Frosty Paws in My Tummy

This summer I entered Buster into a photo contest for Frosty Paws. The winner would get a year's supply of the frozen treats. It is a mystery to me how the little man didn't win, but I guess his mum failed him with not enough product placement. But I love his expression in the picture next to the chair, he's apparently had enough of my antics and clearly doesn't appreciate that I've placed it out of reach...

Mr. Lookout

Buster spends most of his time sitting on his bed staring at the door. It is unclear who or what he is waiting for, but whatever he is doing, at the very least, I have to commend him on his commitment to the task. For the most part I think he is driven by his ever hopefulness that food will be delivered soon. Occassionally though, he'll mix it up a bit and stand guard over his favorite place in the apartment--the place where the treats are kept.

Oh, Frosty Muzzle

As senior citizens often do, Buster has gone a bit grey. Personally, I like his frosty muzzle. I think it makes him look like his Uncle Marco.

Buster's Battle of the Belly Bulge

Much like Kirstie Alley and Eddie Van Halen's ex-wife, Buster has waged an endless battle with his "bulkiness". After I adopted him, we worked hard to lose those pesky pounds. And while he is much a more svelte senior these days, his "problem area" just won't go away. A picture that clearly demonstrates what someone's "problem area" is. Ahem.

Buster Begins a Blog

Buster is a 9 year old Chi/Corgi mix rescue dog. He came into my life one year ago this October, and he is an utter delight. He enjoys cheese, belly rubs, supervising his mum in the kitchen, and long snoozes. At left is the first picture of Buster his mum ever took of him.