Hello from Riley.

Hello-

Since I'm still new to the family I wanted everyone to get to know me. My mom often calls me Prince Riley but simply Your Highness will do.

I Am - Riley Bullock.

My nicknames-bad dog, no.

My age-1 year old.

I Want - love, food, sleep and someone to play with me.

I Have - an older brother, Corky.

I Wish - my parents could stay home and play with me all day long.

I Hate - that stupid baby gate. It always gets in my way...and hello?! I'm not a baby. I also hate brushing my teeth...that toothpaste tastes nothing like chicken!

I Fear - strangers.

I Hear - the train, Rosie squeaking and mom and dad talking to me.

I Search - for anything to chew.

I Eat- poop.

I Wonder - why people always tell me no.

I Regret - peeing on the carpet.

I Love - my family and aunt Elizabeth.

I Ache - for love and attention.

I Always - give kisses to express my love.

I Usually - am a handful.

I Am Not - a night owl.

I Dance - around when mom gets home.

I Sing - the batman song in my head.

I Never - sleep past 7am.

I Rarely - leave food in my bowl.

I Cry - when mom and dad put the baby gate up and go where I can't see them....or when they get in the shower and I can't see them.

I Am Not Always - calm. I love jumping, biting, chewing, barking, kissing, peeing, eating, walks and being held. I am fascinated by bath water and can stare at it for hours.

I Lose - my mind sometimes and run all around at high speeds.

I'm Confused - When people don't realize how handsome and fantastic I am.

I Need - to be the center of attention.

I Should - pee outside.

I Dream - of playing with cats and rabbits.

Introducing Rosie

My birthday was great as was Valentine's Day. Spending time with my friends and family was the best part about it. The worst part about it was that I was really sick. Last Monday and Tuesday I was sick in bed instead of at work. I made it to work the rest of the week but it was hard when I felt so horribly. The doctor said that I had an upper respiratory infection and gave me medicine to help with the cough. He felt that if I could get the coughing under control then I would stop throwing up. That medicine didn't do anything for me but I'm getting better anyway.

Corky and Riley got new toys this week. Corky shredded his green clover and Riley is so attached to his pink bunny...so attached we named her Rosie. Corky doesn't like the squeakers so he shreds the toy to get the squeaker out of it. Riley, on the other hand, loves the squeaker and has been squeaking Rosie constantly...annoying Corky to no avail. Since giving Rosie to Riley, he can't be without her. He sleeps with her, carries her around the house and growls at Corky when he tries to take her away. Once, he couldn't find her and started crying and running all over the house, frantically looking for her. He is such a cutie.

Ben got an email from Front Range this past week that really seemed to encourage him. They emailed him to ask why he wasn't pursuing his degree when he is so close. Apparently he has less than 12 credits to complete before he has his AA. We didn't know that he was so terribly close to achieving it...and was beaming when he told me this. That's the first time I've seen Ben so excited about anything having to do with education.

Update

Adjusting to a family of four has been chaotic. I know I talk about my dogs as though they are kids, but sometimes I feel that they are just as much work. I do feel lucky though not having to change diapers or get up in the middle of the night :) Riley is so cute but so crazy. It feels like a zoo in here sometimes because he has to be the center of attention and will do whatever it takes to get that attention...then I try to not leave Corky out and Riley bumps him out of the way while I'm petting Corky...and it goes on and on.

As most of you know, Ben was informed of a 2% pay cut last week. That's a significant amount of money for us during these tough times. I recognize that it's better than getting laid off but it still sucks. On the plus side, I still have a job. For a while, I wasn't sure what I was going to do or if I would still be employed as our census has decreased dramatically. The schools are implementing new programs to keep kids from having to attend treatment centers unless they really need to. While that can be a good thing for kids and their families, it has been concerning for us. I have faith that things will work out as they should, it's just the waiting that is hard.

I haven't really been feeling like myself lately, hence minimal blogs. However, I think this about covers the 411 in our world.


XOXO

Matching shirts!

After Corky's surgery, the vet told us to put a baby shirt on Corky to keep him from scratching his stitches and ripping them out. So yesterday I went to go get a baby shirt from the dollar store. It was hard to find one big enough for him! He is a BIG boy!!! Anyway, I finally found one and then I thought I didn't want Riley to feel left out so I got a smaller one for him. My dogs are adorable!!! When I got the shirts home, Ben was disgusted and said "I never thought we would be the kind of people to dress our dogs." I think it's cute and it's not something we will do forever...just until Corky's stitches come out. Babies have smaller arms than both my dogs so I had to cut slits in the sleeves so their arms would fit through. Just another day in the lives of Ben and Rachel :)

Unprepared is an understatement

Corky went in for surgery yesterday. When we set this up, the vet made this surgery sound like no big deal. I knew it was surgery and he would be unconscious but I pictured something minor since he wouldn't be required to stay overnight. Ben took Corky in at 8am and we were able to call the vet to check in on him at 2. I was in a meeting at work so Ben called the vet and they said he was just waking up and we could pick him up between 4-6. I also had to work late so Ben picked him up. When I came home, I see Corky looking ROUGH! His incision is huge, he has a big cone around his head and looks horrible. Again, I expected for him to be in some pain but I was not prepared for this. Last night was tough..he can't climb stairs or jump on the furniture so Ben moved the futon to the living room and we all slept there. Corky woke me up groaning and crying at 2am so I gave him a pain pill. That took some time to kick in and then he needed to go outside. With his cone, he doesn't fit through the doggie door so Ben took him out. My alarm went off way too soon this morning. Ben had to work 1/2 day today so Elizabeth came over and dog sat to make sure Riley didn't try to roughhouse with Cork and to make sure Corky doesn't jump on anything and can be let out. Had I known that this was going to be such an ordeal, I would've scheduled it when I was off work for two weeks...So now, Ben has had to take time off this afternoon and tomorrow since I can't and we are both off on Monday. Hopefully, Corky will be feeling significantly better by Tuesday.

Butterflies

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything. Since I've been back to work, things have been so chaotic. Corky has to go in for surgery on Wednesday. He is getting his teeth cleaned, a lump on his side removed and three cysts in his eyes taken out. The vet assures me that all of these things are simply annoyances and nothing to worry about but wants to get it all taken care of while he unconscious. I also became a new aunt to a big baby girl this week-that was exciting! I have yet to meet her but I will soon I'm sure. Since putting up my photography website, I have been asked to do several photo shoots and am excited but feeling the pressure to practice my skills. I wanted to go up to Boulder Falls this weekend to take pictures but it's been a little too chilly to justify the trip. Sooooo, we went to my favorite place in Colorado instead...the Butterfly Pavilion...you all know that butterflies are my thing so being able to be in a place where there are tons of them flying around and landing on people is like heaven to me. Ben was game to go but after we had been there for about an hour and a half just watching me take pictures of them, he was done. When we came home, we took our boys for a walk to give them a release for all that bottled energy. A new week awaits and all of my socks are dirty, so I'm off to do laundry!


XOXO

Happy 2009!

We had a great New Year's celebration with the family. Laura, Gable, John, Ashley, Mom and Dad came over for the festivities. I made cookies, we watched the slideshow Christina put together of the reunion and waited for midnight. Mom and Dad left early, but the party kept going until 2am (or so I'm told). I, on the other hand, barely made it to midnight. Riley has been waking me up every morning so early (he's like a toddler) and I was "on the go" all day yesterday so last night I passed out right after the countdown. This morning was Ben's day for dog duty so when Riley woke me up at 6:45, I handed him to Ben. Ben took him downstairs and put the baby gate up so he couldn't come back upstairs and leave little smelly presents. Riley didn't like that too much and head butted the baby gate over and over until there was a hole big enough for him to fit through. He then came barreling up the stairs and laid on the bed with me. So we were all able to go back to sleep until about 9. It was so great!!!!!!!!!!! Ben and I lounged around most of the day and then set out on an adventure to Walmart, Home Depot and Petsmart. Tonight, Ben got to bond with Riley and finally Riley started warming up to him. He has proven to be quite the lap dog and Corky doesn't really like that but he is good and puts up with him. My vacation ends soon and I return to work on Monday. It will be interesting to see what sorts of things I come home to each day. Here is the most recent picture of our cuddle bug.