The Story of Hope

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June 29, 2008

Hi everyone....
Well, my mom's back from her vacation.... and I'm back from Summer Camp at my Aunt Linda's house.  Boy is "camp" fun!  We got to do lots of things that we didn't do at home.  Ms Linda made a schedule for us....

6:30am... Make mush pies.....  We did this by stomping in our food while we ate until it was a mushy mess.
              This was followed by bathroom break.
8:00am... Tumbling and wrestling matches--pull my sister's ear and see how loud she'll scream; wrestle my brother to the ground and see how many of us can get on top---these are just two of the many games we played.
              This was followed by another bathroom break.
10:30am... Serious nap time to recharge!
               This was followed by a bathroom break.
12 noon...  Lunch time!! And more mush pies!! Followed by.... you guessed it!!!
                Bathroom break.
2:00pm...  Swimming.... in the water buckets!!  Yippee!! That was fun!!
               Followed by a bathroom break.
3:00pm...  Recharge time!
               Time for a trip to the powder room!!
5:30pm...  Mush pies and another potty break.
6:00pm...  Hiking and exploring!  This was one of my personal favorites! (Wandered all over Aunt Linda's house.)
               Potty break!!
 

June 12, 2008

Hi all....
Mom said that I have to let you all know that I'm doing pretty well.  Eating like a little pig and growing.  I'm learning how to stand, and LOVE having my picture taken.... it's a lot of extra attention and I'm all for that!

I had a little sinus infection, but I'm on antibiotics and it cleared right up.  It sounded like I had a cold in my nose, but it's all better now.

My two-legged mommy is going on vacation, so she will not be able to write for me.... but rest assured, I'm going to be taken care of.  I get to meet my Aunt Linda for the first time!  She is going to be taking care of me and some of my brothers and sisters....  Mom said that it's like going to summer camp????  what the heck is that!

I'll write again when my mom gets back.... maybe by then, I'll know what a camp is.....

                                                               Hope signing out!
                                                            

June 3, 2008

Well, I know that I just checked in but my MOMs say that this is a MAJOR mile stone!!  Tonight, for the very first time I ATE by myself....and it didn't come out my nose....
My mom soaked puppy food till it was a little soft and let me try to eat.  It was big enough bites that it didn't go down, or up, the wrong tube.... it all landed in my tummy.  I was so excited to taste food for the first time.  When you are tube fed, it goes straight to the tummy, so I really haven 't tasted food until tonight!!! 
Now when my mom goes on vacation, I think I can take care of myself!  With the help of a baby sitter.... whatever that is....

                                                                    Hope

 

June 2, 2008

Hi all!!

Hope here, just checking in!  My mom informed me that I was slacking on the job of keeping everyone updated on me...  after all, I am my favorite thing to talk about..... It's all about ME!!  I want to be held first, fed first, cuddled at night before everyone else, and I want the best spot in the bed with my mommy Mia.  Seems my brothers and sisters are not as concerned with the best spot as I am.

I'm growing and doing very well.  I weigh almost 2 lbs now, and I got my first haircut!  I've decided that girls as pretty as I am need long hair.  I see NO NEED in cutting hair from my face.  Those buzzers are loud and make my cheeks tickle.  My mommy Lisa told me to suck it up and get used to it, because I will have to have hair cuts on a regular basis to help keep my ears from hurting and to prevent tangles in my hair.  That would hurt worse than a hair cut.  Well, when you put it that way, hair cuts don't sound all that bad.  She was right about my nails being cut..... it's not that bad, so I guess she will probably be right about this, too.... You two-legged people are pretty smart.

That's it for now.... Hope checking out to find that perfect spot in the bed!!!  It's time to recharge!!!

May 21, 2008

Hi everyone!!

Well, I went to work with my mom today.... actually, I go everyday!  The doctor looked at my mouth and was quite pleased with how it was looking, not to mention how beautiful I am!!  I weigh 1.25 lbs now.  I'm not as big as my sisters, but I'm doing pretty well.

I've taken up a new hobby..... sucking my foot!  My Mommy Lisa tells me that she's going to buy me a Binky to suck on if I keep it up.  She took pictures of me last night sucking my paw, just before I fell asleep on her lap.

Oh, and I got my toenails done for the first time.  I'm told that I will get used to that...... we'll see!

                                                                            Hope

May 18, 2008

Hellooooooooooooooooooooooo everyone!  Boy are you two-legged people BIG!  I had no idea who was in charge of feeding me, but now I do!

I got my eyes open today.  I can see my mom and my brothers and sisters.  I can also see my two-legged mom, and know when she is coming to feed me.  I also have some really big news for everyone..... I have been able to feed off my real mom a couple of times, without having milk come out my nose!! (Boy is that embarrassing when that happens.)  My two-legged mom said that is a huge accomplishment for me.  She also told me that it was because I have so many people saying prayers for me.  My mom is a big believer in the power of prayer and positive thinking.

Thank you all for thinking of me......  I can't wait to meet some of you!

                                                                           Hope

My human mom caught me sleeping on my four-legged mom, Mia.  I'm so cute, don't you think?.....

                                                       Hope

May 12, 2008

Well, tomorrow I will be one week old. That's a pretty big accomplishment for me, and my mom.  I seem to be doing very well.  I'm still being tube fed, but can go almost three hours now, before my tummy tells me it's time to eat again.  That's made my two-legged mom pretty happy, as she can sleep a little longer at nights now...

We thought that you might like to see some pictures of what my feeding time is like and a picture of my mouth.  My two-legged mommy said that it might help someone down the road that has a puppy and doesn't have any idea of what a cleft palate looks like.  If you look closely, you can see it in the center of my mouth.

I'm looking forward to getting my eyes and ears open... I think that will be the next big thing for me.... Stay tuned!  Next time I'll be able to see you and hear you, too!

                                                                       Hope
 

Here's my cleft palate--a condition in which the two plates that form the roof of my mouth did not completely join.

May 9, 2008

Hi all!!

Well, I'm three days old today, and my two-legged mom told me that it's a big day!  Little did I know what she was talking about!!!  Today was tail and toes day..... All I can say is thank goodness it's over....

Here are some pictures of me with my new look--a real cocker tail!  Very sporting, if I do say so myself.

I'm still doing well, and growing just like the rest of my brothers and sisters....

                                                                     Hope

May 8, 2008

Hello!!

My name is Hope.  It was given to me by my two-legged mom.  I was born with a birth defect; but rather than give up on me, my mom decided to keep faith and HOPE.  You see, I have a cleft palate.

A lot of breeders that have puppies with this defect decide to euthanize us, as we are a lot of extra work.  My two-legged mother has to tube feed me every 2 hours around the clock, because I cannot nurse normally.  I have a hole in the roof of my mouth that keeps me from being able to develop the suction that I need to nurse from my real mommy.  I still get hungry though!  Thank goodness my two-legged mom is there to feed me.  My four-legged mother is in charge of bathing me and keeping me clean.  I still hang out with my brothers and sisters.  They are all normal and do not need the extra care that I do.

My two-legged mommy has decided to let me tell my story, ... in hopes that I will make it and will have a wonderful home in someone's family later.  I have a long road ahead of me, and I have to have surgery... whatever that is.  I think I'll be ok, at least that's what the voice of my human mommy keeps telling me.  And even if I'm not going to make it....... she has given me a chance...  But look at my little face, and how could you not at least give me a ray of HOPE!

I'll check in regularly, so I hope that you watch for my progress and new pictures as I grow and do well........

                                                                Letter from Hope