Up and Running

We're up and running around here! Yes, my computer is back in my possession and boy, have I missed it! No more waiting for Clay to get home from work to steal a little PC time. It feels good to be in control of my technology (what little I do have). It feels like things are really falling into place at the Cibula cottage. Not only is my computer up and running, but so is my sweet Cosby and my wild man Jack. Cosby is healing wonderfully and looks great minus half of his body being hairless. Jack is loving the new neighborhood, our flat backyard, and the wide driveway. Much more outdoor running around room for him than we had before. And thank goodness for that because he is always on the move these days. As for the inside of the Cibula cottage. Things are getting there. We are still a work in progress. But so far, we have a new bathroom for Jack, new doorknobs and locks, new light fixtures, new light switches and plugs, new plantation shudders, new paint, cable that is working (finally) and a little bit of new decor. Just a few semi-big projects ahead...a custom cabinet in the family room, some revamping of Clay's office, and a bit of dining room work. Hopefully those last few projects will be completed in a month or so and we can begin cottage living to the fullest. We are all starting to feel like this is home and what a wonderful feeling it is. Needless to say, I am back to the blog and am looking forward to sharing our lives with you all again (and of course, catching up on everyone else)!

Waiting

I promise we are still alive and kicking around here. I miss blogging dearly and sharing the ins and outs of our life. Not to mention reading up on everyone else....I feel so out of the loop. But, the cause for my absence is one silly phone jack which can be traced back to the infamous move. The location that I want "MY" computer is not accessible to a phone line. Not willing to alter my desired location, we called Bellsouth to schedule a phone jack install. Two weeks later they arrived only to tell me that we would have cords stapled around my doorways to make it happen. Uh, I don't think so! Have I ever mentioned, I hate cords? So on to plan B. And that my friend, is a wireless Internet card. I called the same day which was a week ago, ordered the card, and was told it would be here in 3-5 days. Still no card. Clay called Bellsouth today to check the status and they NEVER placed the order. Ugh! This time around they said the card will arrive in 10 days. So, I am still waiting for "MY" computer to be up and running. When the wait is over, I will resume my normal blog postings and blog reading. Until then, I miss you all! **you may be wondering how I've posted since the move, well it's been on Clay's computer, WHICH is always off to work with him & a pain to download pictures to...so I think I'll continue my wait...who knows it may not be the whole 10 days (fingers crossed)**

The Age of Frustration

There have been a lot of grunts, groans, squeals, and moans around here during play time. There all coming from Jack. It happens when the shapes won't go in the shape sorter just right. In an effort to help, I remove the lid so Jack can just drop them in. Oh no, Mama, that's cheating. Jack puts the lid back on and wants to do it the right way, no matter how frustrating it may be. It also happens when his farm animals won't stand on 4 legs on the playroom carpet floor. I tell him it's okay, they can lay down. But, oh no, Mama they must be upright. It happens when the baskets to his toy shelf aren't straight and don't fit right. It's really no big deal Jack, I'll help you. But, oh no, Mama, I want to do it by myself. And the list goes on and on. It got to the point, I thought he must not feel well. His fuse was so short. We made a visit to the Ped office on Friday. And yes, I was partly right. The doctor confirmed that Jack had a common cold with congestion and then quickly followed her diagnosis with, "welcome to the age of frustration". All of those moans and groans were somewhat due to not feeling well, but mostly due to another stage of toddlerhood. Oh, the stages we have been through...colic, teething, nap drama, clingy baby syndrome, and on and on. Now, we bravely enter another stage. The great thing about stages is...they come and go. I've learned that being a first time mother, it's taken me 17 months, but I've learned it. There actually is a light at the end of the tunnel. However, I think the stage of frustration is pretty cool. It can only mean that Jack is trying to figure things out, getting smarter, more determined, and gaining independence all at the same time. I even talked to the Ped about his recent attachment to Lovey in and out of the crib. What once was only a nap and bedtime ritual is spreading to other parts of our day. Again, her answer was pretty cool,"Jack is becoming independent, he wants to do tasks without Mommy hovering, so he takes the comfort of Lovey with him, it actually means he's growing up". How ironic, but it makes so much sense. So to the age of frustration, I say "bring it on", we can handle anything as long as it's just a stage.

Guess Who's Home?

Yes, it's our Cosby. He was discharged this morning. I was flooded with emotions as I went to get him from the animal hospital. The strongest of the emotions were excitement and nervousness. Of course, excited to have him home with his family where he belongs. But also so nervous...can I manage the care of his wounds? will he regress under my care, he has made it so far in a week?, do I know what to look for as abnormal? Both doctors assured me that I am bringing home a much different dog then what went home with me after his initial surgery at the emergency vet last weekend. They discussed how they felt his discharge from the emergency office was very premature and he was on the verge of dying at home. (It looks like my paranoia payed off last Monday when I took C to visit our regular vet office.) And more importantly, they both said they have full faith that I can care for Cosby and do it well. I trust these Doctors. I have been going to the same office for 6 1/2 years now and Cosby's progression since being admitted to their care has been nothing but miraculous. Cosby is up, walking around, wagging his tail, eating, drinking, playing in the backyard with us, all the things that a normal dog does, but seeing Cosby do it actually brings tears to my eyes. He made it!! I haven't forgotten that we still have a long healing process in front of us...physically for Cosby and mentally for me. More surgeries ahead and several more visits to the vet for Cosby, but I find it reassuring to know that I have the safety net of regular vet visits to ease my nervous mind. I did want to take this moment to THANK all of you for your well wishes and prayers, there were days I didn't know if Cosby or I were going to make it. And when it felt like that, it seems someone was always there with a phone call, email, or a hug. I appreciate it more than you will ever know. I have decided we are done with drama at the Cibula household, so only happy blogging to come! Cosby is sporting his e collar in the picture above. He is required to wear it to avoid aggravating his wounds or pulling his tubes out. Shhh! Don't tell the doctors, but I let him take it off periodically. It looks miserably uncomfortable to me.

Cosby Star

I debated about posting this story. But, then I decided we needed all the prayers we could get around here. So here it goes...Friday morning was an exciting start to the day with Jack attending his first day of preschool. However, Friday afternoon was much more tragic. Around 3:30 after Jack's pm nap, we headed outside to the front yard to enjoy the nice weather. I had Jack and Cosby out there with me playing, sniffing, and checking out the sights and sounds of our new neighborhood. We talked to the kids playing across the street, we watched Daddy pull out of the driveway to head to the gym, and we played on some riding toys in the driveway. Not too long later we geared up to go for a short walk. I put Cosby on his leash and Jack in his red push car and we started down the driveway. Jack decided he wanted to walk instead of ride, so I took him out and held his hand down the road. I knew we wouldn't make it far with Jack on two legs, therefore we kept the car in the driveway for our return. I figured I would let J explore a bit and then we would go on our regular planned afternoon walk. We only made it about two houses down the street when I saw a young 8 year old boy and a group of friends walking his dog toward us. The boy was struggling with the dog, who was massive and plainly was part pit bull. We found out later he is a mixed breed rescue dog that the owners have had for about 6 months. Before I go any farther, let me preface the rest of the story with...I have no fear of dogs and absolutely love them. However, I did feel a bit uneasy at this point. And for me to feel that way says a lot. I don't know if it was because of Jack being unrestrained or if it was just instinct. I yelled across to the boy and asked "does your dog not like other dogs?" And very kindly, as and 8 year old would, he responded, " no, he hates them, especially ones like that" and then he pointed to Cosby. I then asked, "how about kids?". He said, "oh, he likes kids". Still not feeling comfortable with the situation, I scooped Jack up on my hip and felt Cosby tugging at the leash to go home. Now for anyone who knows Cosby, you know he can hold his own. So, when C got nervous, I was confident that it was time to get home. We got off the road and cut through the neighbors yard to expedite the trip to our front door. We had made it to the yard next to our new house when I heard the boy screaming his dogs name. I turned around and saw the dog barreling towards us. He had broken free of his leash and I will NEVER forget the look in that dogs eyes. I knew he was after Cosby, my helpless 16lb daschund. I literally threw Jack across the lawn to get him out of the line of attack. And before I could blink, the dog had already begun mangling Cosby. I will spare you any of the horrid details, but it was by far the most gruesome scene I have ever witnessed. Without even a second thought, I got on the ground and did everything in my power to break Cosby free. I opened the dogs jaws to release Cosby, I kicked, I pushed. I just couldn't let Cosby die that way. I was yelling at the kids to grab Jack and take him away. I could hear my little J screaming in the background, so unaware of what was happening, but so fearful at the same time. Every time I would get Cosby free from the dog's grasp and struggle to stand up, the dog would rip him out of my arms again. It felt like it went on for hours, however I'm sure it was only a few minutes. Once I finally rescued C, I carried him above my head to the front door. The walk across that yard seemed endless. The dog was relentless, jumping on me, biting Cosby's backside, scratching down my arm. I finally got to our front door only to find it locked. Clay wasn't home, but thank goodness our contractor was upstairs working on the bathroom. I kicked the door and screamed his name until he came down. He helped Cosby and I inside, kicked the dog back who was still trying to get in the door, and ran to get Jack from across the street. From there I called Clay from my cell to get home and I rushed Cosby to the emergency vet. Up until this point, I had remained pretty calm under the circumstances. However, when I started driving, panic set in. Not good timing, huh? I looked over at my sweet Cosby mangled and bleeding and I began to pray, begging God not to let Cosby die this way. We must have been a sight running into the animal hospital...Cosby and I both covered in blood and me screaming. Cosby however, was in a complete state of shock and hadn't even blinked his eyes since the incident. He was rushed back for a 5 hour surgery. It felt like the longest 5 hours of my life. I was informed that he had a 50/50 chance of survival at this point...another shot to the heart for me. I cried more tears than I care to count. And between each bout of sobbing, I prayed harder than I ever have. Since then, Cosby's chances are increasing. The odds are actually in our favor at this point. He was able to come home with us on Saturday, but due to complications he was readmitted today. It looks like he may be spending several days and nights there. Although, that sounds negative, I actually found it to be a huge relief. I know he is getting constant care and the doctors know what they are looking for. Me, on the other hand, had no clue what to expect and I must have called the vet office 100 times with questions and concerns over the last few days. This past weekend has been filled with wound cleaning, both Cosby's and mine, around the clock. Not to mention Jack still needed to be fed and played with in between, poor little J. I truly believe that having Cosby in the care of professionals is the best for our entire family. I get to visit Cosby daily and as many times as I would like. I actually went this evening to wish him a good night. I can proudly say, he looked the best that he has since Friday. His terrible wounds are clean, he is hydrated, and he even stood up on his front two paws to kiss me. Did I mention there was even a tail wag too? It melted my heart and I thanked God then and there for his slow recovery and Jack's and my safety. The doctors have warned me that it is going to be a long process, but with constant care Cosby should make it. I say with faith and the good lord's love Cosby IS going to make it. So, although I debated sharing this tragic story via the blog, it's what's consuming our lives right now and any support or prayers are greatly appreciated. Anyone who knows our family well, knows that without a doubt that Cosby Star is the "other baby" and our family wouldn't be complete without him. So, please say a little prayer for us and our wonder dog. Thank you...

First Day

Ahhhh...so much going on at the new Cibula household. But,of the most exciting, Jack had his first day of preschool on Friday. He will be attending one day a week from 9am to 1pm. I know that doesn't sound like much, but that is all that this Mommy can handle right now. Too many changes at once for me! However, Jack did great on Friday. The dropping off was a little sticky. Jack wrapped both legs around me and whimpered when he realized I wasn't going in with him. However, I held strong and handed his bag and lunch box over to Mrs. Janet, gave him a giant kiss and wished him a happy morning. In no time he was in his new classroom and I was off to run errands. I tried to keep myself as busy as possible to avoid excessive worrying. I did take a small break at 10:30 am to check in on my little man via my cell. The report was...."he is doing wonderful". Music to my ears. I finished up a few things on my to do list and headed toward The Day School. Anxiously, I arrived to pick him up at dismissal and found a smiling Jack with Lovey glued to his hand. What would we do without Lovey? He has been a source of comfort for J for over a year now, thank goodness! The teacher proudly reported that, "Jack was as good as gold and he was ready for next week". We collected our bags and I was happy to see that Jack ate almost his entire lunch. I think I had packed enough for a week full of lunches. Obviously, Jack appreciated that. We headed home and Jack crashed immediately for a full 3 hour nap. He must have been making up for the loss of that am nap. What a fantastic first!