The first time you have a child the chances are you got up 72 times that first night to check the baby.

Every new parent I ever met did so.

Last night Darlah and I slipped into our usual routine. She went to sleep in anticipation of an early start to the day and I checked the puppies 72 times. (ps: Darlah here - so did I but he never seems to know I didn't get much sleep - heh) I get little sleep through the night but we know that the puppies are safe.

Darlah takes over at daybreak and in theory I finally sleep for a few more hours. Of course my secret hidden agenda was that I spent the night bonding with Treasure and Darlah didn't. shhhh.

I know everyone's kid or puppy is the very best most awesome thing since kids or puppies were invented. We raised many of those children, the most wonderful creatures in the world, until they became teenagers. Then they knew everything and no longer needed us. We've done the same with puppies. But I have to say right now that Treasure and Blazin are simply amazing.

As you know, our Havanese sleep on the bed. Last night that meant that eight Havanese, including Gidget and Rocky (visitors) were sleeping on the bed PLUS the two puppies. Darlah placed a soft dog's donut bed on our bed between us and put the puppies into it to sleep. After 10 minutes or so I gave up and took the puppies back down to the floor where we played a roaring good game of retriever and tag and wrestle for about another half hour until they calmed down enough that I figured I could try again. I put them both back into that donut bed. Blazin curled up and went to sleep. Treasure decided no way she's sleeping in this thing and crawled out and up against me. Oh oh. Shoshi was displaced. Jockeying for position continued throughout the night. At one point I had Risa on the pillow at the top of the bed, head pointed towards me, guarding her daddy. Rocky was sleeping on the top of my own pillow, head snuggled against the side of my neck on the right. On the left was the donut bed with Blazin and my left arm leaning against him from the outside so that I could feel movement if he decided to go walkabout. Just below the donut was Treasure, against my chest. Just below Treasure was Shoshi who was not happy with Treasure being so close to her space but wasn't quite sure how to deal with it. Kat was sleeping on his back between my legs. Abigail was sleeping on the outside of my left leg and keeping an eye out for Rocky who was prepared to play with her 24/7. Fiona was either up against Darlah on her other side or between us. Wasabi was at the top of the second bed all by herself, pregnant, on her back, snuggled up against a pillow with a chew toy beside her head. Gidget was a foot below her.

All of the above was subject to change at any time.

We also showed Blazin and Treasure how to go up the doggy steps onto the bed. By this morning our 10 week old Treasure and Holly's 11 week old Blazin were running up and down the stairs, on and off the bed, at will.

Darlah took them downstairs around 5am. The puppies went outside, did their business, then got into some serious play time.

I came down and fed them all at 7. The puppies inhaled their food. Once again Treasure figured she'd help Blazin eat his bowl of food and then work on hers and once again I placed her back in front of her own bowl. When she was done eating, in a time that would make Risa proud, she then shoved herself into Blazin bowl pushing him right out of her way. Too bad for her, Blazin had already cleaned out his bowl too. That's ok, Treasure is nothing but optimistic. A minute later I saw her trying to push with her head against the head of our almost 14 year old Retriever Whitney who easily outweighs her by 75 lbs, to get to Whitney's bowl. She'd have about as much luck pushing against a brick wall then to move Whitney off her food. But I have to say I love the attitude.

Inside, outside, off the deck into the snow, on the deck, around the paths, back in the house, the puppies played for 4 hours and now have finally been placed in the x-pen we set up beside Darlah's desk and gone to sleep. I might climb into the x-pen and join them.

Nathan