All is well; I just missed yesterday due to business.
The puppies woke up at 12:30 yesterday morning after sleeping like logs after their busy, busy day Saturday. I got them up (out of the box) and let them have a snack, and then play for about an hour before putting them back to bed. They objected for maybe 60 seconds and then settled back down to sleep. Yesterday, they had lots of outside time in which they romped and played and wrestled. Kathy advised me that it was probably time to add a fourth meal, one at bedtime, so I did. They were back on schedule last night, sleeping all the way through. They are cleaning up every morsel I give them in short order. We have two plastic balls that you can put kibble inside of and let them figure out how to get to it. I keep them loaded for whoever wants a snack.
It is now so hard to leave them to do work; much harder than it was in the beginning because now they are so busy and they are such individuals. Someone is always doing something to make me laugh. And the pup we have selected comes to me for regular hugs and kisses.

Today has been full of firsts for the buns! They had their very first car ride, their first meeting of other dogs (an uncle and a great aunt) and their first swim. Their uncle and great aunt have an in ground pool and they invited us all for a swim. One by one, the buns got their first swimming lesson and every single one of them took to it like a pro. Several of them kept wanting back in again but we made sure there was no more in the water at a time than the six humans could safely monitor those in the water and those on the edge. They ate their lunch after their swim and then proceeded to crash. Since we could see a storm heading out way, we loaded up and headed for home instead of letting them have a second go after they napped. The ride home was as quiet as the ride there was noisy; every last puppy crashed into a sound sleep. They jogged from the car to the back door once we got home and then crashed again and are still asleep two hours later. I imagine they're going to wake up ravenous. I don't know who had more fun, the buns or their attendants. Bunny had a glorious time herself fetching a bumper out of the water over and over and over. I swear I could hear her saying, "oh, adult company again, yay!"

Whew! The buns were full of energy last night! They didn't have as much outlet for all their youthful energy and enthusiasm yesterday that they usually have and it showed. They weren't bad, just very active! I rescued the water bowl over and over along with numerous other things. The floor is littered with toys, probably 2-3 per puppy, but you know how kids are; they want what they can't have.

The buns are so fascinating to watch! I could spend hours just sitting with them, watching them play and sleep even. They're going to be in for a shock today though. No one will be around to play with them or take them out of the puppy box until lunchtime and then, not again, until this evening. Oh well, life can be tough sometimes. They will survive even if they don't like it. I don't dare leave them outside unattended through the day due to the heat and to the presence of bears. We had breakfast on the patio this morning with a bit of uneasiness on my part as it was not quite light yet. Nothing bothered them though.

I know I said I was going to go to once a week weigh ins but I couldn't stand it. Maybe twice a week weigh ins will work for me. :) Anyway, we now range in weights from 5' 8 oz to 7' 10 oz. They are growing in leaps and bounds and changing in every way. Some are thinkers, some are doers but all are busy, busy, busy. One doesn't think much of cuddling but the rest will curl up and sleep right next to you. They are all very accepting of anything I do with them from trimming nails to being upside down to doing slo mo flips. Four of them were excited about the wading pool last night and the other six said, "whatever". I wish I could film every thing I see when I am watching them. They are all going to be great at whatever occupation they are given for their life's work.

Last night, the buns had a poop party and five of them ended up needing a bath this morning so that was the reason for there not being a post this morning. No time! We now have chicken in the diet and they love it. Course, being labs, there's not much they would be likely to turn their noses up at. Tomorrow evening, I start mixing some puppy kibble in their diet and by this time next week, they should be on real puppy food for every meal. That will go a long way towards simplifying meal time around here.

This has been a very, very full weekend for all of us. The buns had six visitors on Saturday and then, yesterday, they had five visitors. They were all excited to see new faces and wiggled and cavorted with lots of enthusiasm. Lots of pictures were taken and hopefully, some will make it my way so I can forward them along
Now that they are five weeks old, I think I will go to once a week weigh ins. They don't fit in the basket I have rigged on the baby scales much anymore and the figure keeping is time consuming. It will be exciting to see the weight gain in a week's time though.

We now have four buns that weigh in at 6 pounds or better and one last hold out in the 4 pound range. They are all turning into little wiggle butts too whenever they see someone. They're just too cute and though they keep changing on a day by day basis, their cuteness never lessens. They thoroughly enjoyed their company yesterday, including my daughter and her son, Aidan. Aidan is 21 months old now and he did a great job of introducing the buns to children; he was very good with them and they loved him.

The average weight today is 5' 4 oz. We have two that hit 6 pounds today and two that are still working their way, slowly but surely, towards the 5 pound mark. The range is from 4' 10 oz to 6' 4 oz. Kathy added greens (kale?) to their food yesterday and they seem to like that just fine. They are cleaning up every bite three times a day. Next, we add chicken.

They're so funny when they go to running on the linoleum floor and try to turn. I can just hear the music and lyrics to "Wipeout". It's hilarious.

Only three left to hit the five pound mark. It is simply amazing how quickly they are changing. From one day to the next, their play is more coordinated and intense and smart. I love watching this unfold; it's rather like watching someone open a gift that has been craftily (and diabolically) wrapped to gradually reveal the hidden treasure inside.

They definitely do not like being in the puppy box these days; they'd much rather have the run of the den/hallway/laundry room. They are taken out of the box as much as we can manage so they can run and play all they want. I leave the TV on for them all day when we're both at work and I have seen several of them stop and look up at the TV as though they are interested in what is on. I put it on the Hallmark channel so they have wholesome television as their background noise. :) I tried the Disney channel yesterday morning but when I came home at lunch time, I found some really stupid and demeaning sitcom on and changed it right away. Don't want to dummy our little buns down! Animal Planet wasn't good either as there was too much dry talk and too little action.

The buns got to meet Jill last night but she didn't get to see much. They ate their dinner, played just a little and then, one by one, fell sound asleep. I think she will get to see much more of their personalities today when she and Kathy come up. Joyce will be here next weekend to see the buns and then Marti & Bonnie will see them on the 12th.

I believe Bob and I have selected our bun to keep but I'm staying mum about it until Marti & Bonnie pick their bun. We're also waiting to make sure the personality of this particular bun is for certain suitable for our purposes.

These guys are getting harder and funnier to keep up with. Tonya and I took some great pictures yesterday. The green collared girl survived her first bee sting; poor little mite. She trembled and stumbled but she never squeeked once; I was quite proud of her. Watching these buns yesterday, I realized I have been formulating in my head which bun was going to which home and some of their homes I don't even know the humans that live there. I don't know how these ideas formulated, they're just there.

Well, this morning's post is late but it's all the buns' "fault". The last two hours has seen me in the den with them, doing various and sundry tasks and enjoying playing with and watching the buns. We went outside after breakfast and washed breakfast off with the rain/dew wet grass. Five minutes after coming back inside, the den floor was littered with toys and puppies as they played and played. Now they are all taking naps, something I would love to do about now!

Well, the second tier of the puppy pen entry side is going up today. We had an escape last night, or rather this morning. 3:30 am to be exact when I woke up to hear a bun yelling protest about something. I found the white collared male clear down the hall from the den where the box resides and he was most grateful to be rescued. Silly boy. One of the pups grabbed a light weight pie pan and dragged it across the den floor this morning; I wished I'd had the camera ready. I wish I could afford the time to just sit and watch them play; they are so incredible.

Four weeks old yesterday. Hard to believe time is flying by so quickly. Still have two buns that haven't made the four pound mark yet but they're wrestling and playing and eating and acting just like their bigger brothers and sisters. They seem to like having the extra room in the puppy box.

Well, good evening one and all! It has been a VERY busy weekend for everyone and this is honestly my first opportunity to post a blog entry. The buns are all doing great. Seven out of 10 have achieved four pounds or better now and one of the littlest ones at birth, has now increased his birth weight six fold! They are cleaning up every morsel of food I give them and I am probably going to add a third meal a day starting Wednesday. Yesterday and today, they had some outside time. I put a dishpan with about a gallon of water in it in the ex pen with them and one by one, I set them down in it. To a bun, they each stood there and experienced the feel of the cool water on the legs and tummies but no one got the least bit upset. One the little girls, (Kathy & Tonya,the one with the dark blue collar) came back and tried to figure out how to get back in the pan a couple of times. The red collar female made it up on the pig rail of the puppy box today and fell promptly off on her nose but didn't offer so much as a peep. We added the extensions on the side today to give them a bit more room. They all got their third nail trim and the first dose of dewormer today. Tonight, dinner was out on the grass where clean up was a snap! Bunny will gladly clean up any leftovers but she seems to be over the need to clean the buns unmercifully so a rag bath is in order after every meal. So, you can see part of the reason I haven't had much time this weekend. Can you say T-I-R-E-D?

The buns had their first meal that included meat this morning. They enjoyed it so thoroughly, they didn't even leave so much as a lick for Bunny to clean up. I will be putting the side extensions on the box this weekend as they are needing more room to play and to sleep and to potty. It won't be much longer before I also have to add a level on the entry side of the box so that they cannot climb out. A couple of them are working diligently on getting up on the side rails; no one has made it yet but it's just a matter of time.

I need to figure out some way of transporting all 10 buns outside at the same time! :) They are ready for some forays into the outside world but with the wildlife here, I am a bit hesitant to take them out two at a time, leaving the ones outside while I go back for two more. I need an old fashioned baby carriage!
The buns are sleeping deeper and longer after their meal of gruel twice a day now. We will add their third ingredient to tonight's dinner. Up until then, the gruel has consisted of oatmeal and yogurt and they love it. Looks pretty disgusting but hey, I don't have to eat it!

Well, once the skies cleared up some, I was finally able to get this up and posted! The buns are doing well. They LOVE their gruel and wear it oh so well. I don't think Bunny is going to miss having to feed so many hungry mouths so often. One bun hit the four pound mark today!

The buns had their first "solid" food last night. Per Kathy's advice (and supplies), they buns had baby oatmeal last night and man, they dove into it like piranhas. The two littlest ones went in head first and front legs splayed as if to protect their portion. Everyone has teeth now. Their weights range from 2' 14 to 3' 11; they have significantly slowed down their gaining over the past week and their bodies concentrate on other things and they get more and more active.

Seven of the buns now have teeth and the other three are almost there. Kathy and I have given them some different toys to experiment with and one of the girls was carrying around the canning jar ring this morning. Don't worry, they don't get to keep the ring in the puppy pen unless someone is there to supervise. Their favorite toy at this point is the bouncing Tigger that Kathy brought over last week. The black female with the dark blue collar really finds Tigger most fascinating.

We were out of town yesterday so that's why no entry here. I did send everyone (I hope ) the pictures that Tonya took while she was here puppy sitting.

Well, here's a statistic that I think everyone will enjoy sinking their teeth into! Four of the buns have teeth! Not just nubbins (another three have nubbins) but real, honest to goodness teeth! :) I couldn't believe it! They're not even quite three weeks old yet. How about that!

I could bore you with more stats but what I really wish I could do is send video footage of these guys. Hmmm... maybe I can figure out how to do that. I will work on that. Their personalities are beginning to emerge. The biggest male, the first born, is an independent little guy. The orange collar loves to be cuddled as does the dark blue collared female. The littlest one, the female with the green collar loves playing but will also sit and think about things. I could go on and on but I won't. I don't want to ruin any surprises. I just don't get tired of interacting with them or watching them interact with one another. Interact is the wrong word, they wrestle with each other. I dipped my finger in some of Bunny's canned food last night and offered it to a couple of them and you'd have thought I had offered them manna from Heaven. I don't believe weaning them will be difficult. But I don't officially start putting solid food in front of them until Sunday at the very earliest; they need mama's milk more right now. And judging from the rate they're growing, I'd say she's got some pretty manna like milk!

Well, two more have quadrupled their birth weights; amazing. Five buns are now weighing in at 3 pounds or better. I watched the biggest pup "biting" the ear of one of his sibs and just his head while he did, worrying at it like he was going to kill the beast. I laughed so hard, I was afraid I would distract him from his fun. His "victim" slept through the whole thing.

Here are today's stats, at 2 1/2 weeks of age.

• Orange collared male - 3' 4 oz (quadrupled birth weight)
  
• Dark blue collared male 3' 3 oz
• Lt blue collared male - 2' 15 oz
• Red collared female - 2' 15 oz
• White collared male - 2' 12 oz
• Green collared male - 2' 12 oz (quadrupled birth weight)
  
• Pink collared female - 2' 11 oz
• Green collared female - 2' 11 oz
• Dark blue collared female - 2' 11 oz
• Yellow collared female - 2' 8 oz.

Hmmm...I just realized my Monday post didn't post. I must have hit the wrong button.

But, I have some big news! Three of the puppies wagged their tails at me this morning! I was immediately transformed into a barely awake rational person into a wide awake silly sappy human. It was a definite response to me and was repeated several times in the course of about ten minutes whenever I spoke to one of them or petted them. Their playing is more definite now and they don't care if their playmate is sound asleep or a stuffed toy. It is so comical when one of them tipped his/her little muzzle up into the air for a howl. Don't get me wrong, they're not being noisy, they're just experimenting with their voices. Barks and howls are replacing whines and squeaks.

Good morning. I can't believe how quickly the buns are changing. Practically overnight, they are playing with each other, whether their playmate is awake or asleep and interacting with me. And the are responding to sounds now. Bunny is tiring of being on call all the time but you let one of those buns squawk and she's right there checking things out.

Gotta share this with everyone! Tonight, one of the little girls looked like she was bouncing around playfully so I reached over and started scratching her back forwards and backwards rather vigorously and she started this play growly sort of noise and then she barked! It was so funny, I stopped scratching and she came over closer to me and bounced a bit again. I tried it with a few of the others, after obliging her again, and two of the other girls and one of the boys did the same though they didn't do the bouncing around part. I did the little yellow girl a third time and this time, she barked louder and Bunny came jogging in to see what was up. Course, all the fun and games ended when she jumped into the box because then the milk bar was fair game. They are also beginning to waddle off the blankets to use the bathroom on the paper as best as they are able. Their feet tend to slip on the paper so they end up squatting in it anyway, but they are trying!

I have been thinking a lot about names these last two weeks and think I may have finally settled on one. I won't make a final decision until I see if the name I have in mind fits the puppy that is destined to be mine but it's been fun to work on. The theme I settled on is to keep with the papa's name of Hawkeye (his call name) or Last-of-the-Mohicans (his registered name). There's lots of boy names in the novel by James Fenimore Cooper: Natty Bumppo (my sister's pick for her pup), Uncas, Chingachkook, Munro, Hawkeye (dare we say Junior?), James, Fenimore, Cooper. For girls, I had to really stretch. Cora & Alice were the only two female names I could come up with from the story though there may have been other names mentioned. But, on doing some research, I discovered that the novel is loosely (very loosely) based on the true story of a woman named Jane McCrea who, along with her dear friend, Sara McNeil, was kidnapped by Indians for real. Jane was engaged to a British army officer at the time of her kidnapping and here is where the fictional story really departs from the historical facts. Jane was killed by her kidnappers, apparently when there was an argument between two of them over which one would get to claim the reward for her return. So, no romantic story in real life at all but they say that the murder of Jane was something of a catalyst for the Americans to fight back. Anyway, that gives two other names to consider for girls. However, I had a brain storm this afternoon. Hawkeye, our story's hero, was also known as the Long Carabine, meaning Long Rifle. Now, with a little poetic license, I thought the name "Last of the Mohicans Carabine" was kind of pretty, with a call name of "Cara". Or "Bean" if she's being really silly or something. Anyway, there is no requirement that any of the other puppies be named after characters in this story; it's just something I've been having fun with. I know for a fact that one of these puppies has already been named "Ribbit", which I think is very cute. :)

Wow! Two weeks old today. Hardly seems possible. Even more impossible when, after weighing them today, I find that eight of them have now tripled their birth weights. Simply amazing. Bunny is now eating 10 cups of dry food a day plus a can of food, a can of soup, some cottage cheese, some yogurt, a hard boiled egg and whatever leftovers I can come up with. So far, she is maintaining her weight well. It has gotten nearly impossible for all ten to fit up to the bar at the same time and it is comical to watch them scrapping for position. They're all peeking out at me to different degrees and beginning to look around when they wake up instead of rooting around.

Most of the puppies seem to have their eyes opening now. It's a bit hard to see when they're squirming around so much. Started working on their second nail trims last night but talk about a circus! I may have to wait to finish them this evening when Bob can help me. Two of them have pooped on their own without Bunny's assistance now too. They are changing so fast.