Crazy Dog Lady

I'm officially obsessed... with Figment! I've totally morphed into one of the people I personally find most annoying -- "look at my baby" women!

Believe me, I get it - no one else is as interested in your dog/baby/cat/other-cute-living-thing as you are. And I hate when people always want to show pictures and tell you about what their baby did that day. But now, look at me -- I've become totally obsessed with everything Figment. I'm like the Wheaten Terrier paparazzi at this point.

Granted, I've only had him for two weeks so I have a bit of a right to be super excited for a little while. I'm sure it will die down eventually. But, for now, please bear with me as I continue to document his every move. Ha ha...

And yes he has a Twitter and Facebook page (I know, ridiculous, but I couldn't help myself)

Find him on Twitter: @FigmentDog
Find him on Facebook: (use email: jenchummy@yahoo.com)

It might be annoying --  but for all my fellow dog owner friends out there, I would love the opportunity to talk about things with you and meet up for playdates!

Sleepless Week

It's been exactly one week since my new bundle of joy has finally come into my life.

 Arriving Home

This also marks one week of sleepless nights. Being a new puppy mommy sure is a 24-hour job. Waking up in the middle of the night to crying, cleaning up accidents, taking him outside to potty almost every hour, preventing him from teething on absolutely everything in sight, and the list goes on. Even so, there is nothing else I'd rather be doing right now. He is truly such a sweet joy. He has already warmed my heart and enhanced my life in a way I couldn't even imagine. 

He's also super smart -- which is a good thing, and also means I'm in for a lot of work ahead. It takes a smart dog to figure out how to open doors, garbage can lids, and cause major trouble! He's only 8 1/2 weeks old and already mastered commands such as "outside" and he knows to sit by the sliding glass door when he has to go potty. Seriously. And I didn't even "train" him. I just said the words when he was doing the actions and praised him. Like I said, super smart -- which is definitely a blessing, and a bit of curse ;)

He's also already had play dates with other dogs. My uncle's Maltese, Casper, and my friend's Shih Tzu, Oliver, have already introduced themselves to Figment. I'm glad to say they've gotten along tremendously and I'm so glad that he enjoys meeting new people and animals. Once he gets completely inoculated, I have no doubt he'll cherish trips to the dog park and puppy kindergarten.

 Figment and Oliver

Anyway, I'll keep posting Figment's progress as he adapts to his new home, makes new friends, and has new experiences. He loves exploring -- totally fearless! That's why he's now nicknamed Figment the Explorer. As much as I chase him around, pull grass out of his mouth, clean up accidents, etc., it is so worth it in a way words can't even describe. I'll gladly trade my sleep for those puppy kisses any day!

 Who can resist this face?

 

Puppy Breath and Babies

He's coming home this weekend. My little adorable, mush-ball, new puppy who I will name Figment. I don't pick out the actual pup until tomorrow but here are my options:

Figment's Litter

It seems like I've waited so long for this day to arrive and now that it's pretty much here, I can barely contain myself. The house is being puppy-proofed, the furniture doused in Bitter Apple spray, and his crate is set up. As I was overlooking my home yesterday, making sure all F's supplies have been bought and ready to use, I couldn't help but feel like I'm going to be a new mother.

Don't get me wrong, I know owning a puppy cannot truly compare to having a baby. They aren't even in the same league. But considering I'm not married and have no children on the way, as a woman of 30, my puppy acquisition may just be kicking in my maternal instincts. 

Make no mistakes, I'm not, and have never been, one of those crazy baby women. I don't want to have kids without first being married, and besides that, I've just never had that "baby itch." Do I want to settle down with a husband and eventually raise a family together? Of course I do. But, I just never go gaga over babies. I don't care about your baby's pictures, I don't see strangers' babies in the street and say, "Isn't she cute?", and I have very little tolerance for babies screaming in restaurants and movie theaters. 

** Disclaimer: I do adore some babies. My niece and my cousin's daughters make my heart melt. Also, I adore some of my best friends' babies. I just don't get all hard up on any little baby that crosses my path. Although I have been known to gush over mini baby sneakers... Adidas size 2 months is just adorable

But I digress... it seems that while I have no concept of how it feels to be an expectant mother, as I await my puppy's arrival, I am having feelings that I can only describe as maternal. First of all, I love this creature before even having met him. I would already do anything to protect and take care of him and he hasn't even spent one day with me yet. Secondly, I am willing to sacrifice for him. I understand that I won't have the usual freedom that I'm used to. But that's ok. I'm willing to sacrifice nights out or certain opportunities to ensure that Figment is happy and is well taken care of. Moreover, I'm proud of him and will love him no matter what happens. There is literally nothing he can do that will make me love him less. I may get frustrated, hurt, angry, or sad, but that will never diminish my love for this adorable doggy.

While I'm not going to walking around my dog in a stroller anytime soon, I am very excited to be a puppy mom! I'm sure all you fellow dog owners out there understand ;)

One week away

I'm pretty sure that one week from now will commence one of the greatest weekends I've had in a long time. Two major events will be taking place. First, my friend will be visiting from New York. This is no ordinary friend. This is the type of soul mate friend that you spent everyday with as a kid and then lost complete touch with for years but once reconnected, it felt like nothing had changed and you were able to speak for hours about everything, like you did back during your middle school slumber parties. Yep, that kind of friendship. Since we literally live across the country from each other and have pretty busy schedules (ok, maybe hers is a little busier than mine.. lately my nights have consisted of takeout and wii), we don't get to catch up as often as we'd like. But next weekend, we'll have all the time in the world to go grab some drinks, laugh till our tummies hurt, and talk (very fast... we speak very fast when we're together, so good luck trying to understand us) about EVERYTHING.  She'll also be here when the second major event will be taking place....

One week from today, I pick out my puppy! He's going to look something like this:

Teddy bear come to life (aka Wheaten puppy)

My home is already puppy-proofed and all his supplies are ready for his arrival in one week.

Anyway, I guess I actually don't have too much to say. I'm sure I'll have a ton to write about after that weekend.. and a ton of pics! But, for now, I'm just so excited that I had to make this post to prevent myself from bursting with happy excitement!

Puppy Checklist

Today I received a weekly update email from my puppy's breeder. The pups are already 4 weeks old, and in a few more weeks, my little guy will be ready to come home.

Since I know that the unexpected can always arise, I want to make sure I'm prepared for the little guy to arrive well in advance. To begin, I've compiled Puppy Checklist. I want to  make sure that I have all the necessary supplies in place for his arrival.

Puppy Checklist:
1. Puppy Food
2. Leash and collar
3. Crate
4. Bed
5. Toys
6. Chewing bone
7. Shampoo
8. Grooming supplies
9. Treats
10. ID Tag
11. Vet appointment

I'm probably missing something (all suggestions are welcome!!) but I feel like it's a pretty good start...  I can't wait to pick him out in a couple of weeks!

New Blog, New Puppy

First of all, as you all can see, my blog has been updated thanks to my fabulous cousin, Erica of erica miss america and Erica Sara Designs.Her blog is awesome, inspiring, and humorous and her hand-crafted jewelry is just stunning. I wear my Erica Sara necklace all the time! A big Thank You to her!

Anyway, my blog is a lot more fun now and offers a bunch of new options. I'll be posting my first pics for Project 365 soon so if you want to see what's been going on in my daily life, be sure to check back under the Photography header on top, or by clicking on the 365 Days of Pictures box on the left side of my blog.

Also, as you can see, I have a new header titled, "My Dog." That's right.. I've actually accomplished goal #1 on my 30 things to do when I'm 30 list. The puppy is a Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier born on December 27, 2010. In a few weeks, he'll be coming home and I'll be posting a ton of updates and cute pics. I know some of you have been enjoying the puppy pics I've posted on facebook, so be sure to check back here for more.

In the  meantime, here are some pics of the litter:

Puppies and Mom

He's one of these little guys

Nap Time

30 things to do when I'm 30

It's November 1st and I'm suddenly reminded that I am *gasp* turning 30 years old this month!! Since we all know that your twenties are just an extension of adolescence full of frat parties and clubbing, I feel like I'm finally actually entering real adulthood now. So, in honor of this milestone, I have compiled a list of adult, and not-so-adult, things to do this year:


30 Things To Do When I'm 30

1. Buy a Dog - Seriously. Soon.

2. Find the Perfect Sunglasses -  Why can't I find just one decent pair of sunglasses that make me look like a cool movie star?

3. Accumulate Cool Kitchen Appliances - I already have a cute fruit-shaped fondue set

4. Eat at Celebrity Chefs' Restaurants - Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck, I'm looking at you

5. Bake Challah for Shabbos - Braided and all

6. Wear a Costume - Go out for the night in a costume for no reason at all. It doesn't have to be the end of October to party like a pirate hooker!

7. Slow Dance at a Restaurant -  I want to go on a date to one of those classy restaurants where you get dressed up and they have a dance floor and play standard slow songs. Dancing to Frank Sinatra while waiting for dinner is very romantic.

8. Participate in a Flash Mob - Choreographed dance to "Don't Stop Believin'" in the middle of the mall? Why yes, that sounds like fun!

9. Take Vampires Back  - Sorry Twilight and Vampire Diaries and half of True Blood (though I really enjoy True Blood so I'll let the fact that Eric is so damn sexy and wears tracksuits slide this time), vampires are scary monsters not sexy Hollister models! I refuse to participate in this mass delusion any longer. Back to Nosferatu, Dracula, and Fright Night -- those vamps will eat Edward for dinner.

10. Wine and Cheese Parties - "They probably sit around on the floor with wine and cheese, and mispronounce allegorical and didacticism." They're probably thirty.

11. Drink Tea - I hate the taste of all teas. I've tried regular, iced, lemon, mint, chamomile, etc. I don't like it. But, I will force myself to acquire a taste for green tea. The stuff is just too healthy.

12. Wear My Hair Down More Often - It's just prettier that way

13. Buy a Hammock - Laying in a hammock is the perfect way to spend a beautiful day

14. Grow a Herb Garden - Fresh basil, dill, and mint on hand at all times

15. Sail to the Bahamas - Literally. Trip to Bimini on the open seas. S and the A team have promised me this for a while now so I'm gonna hold them to it!

16. Disney World - I only live 2 hours away and haven't been there in years. What better way to stay youthful while celebrating your entrance into serious adulthood?

17. New York City - Just cause I really need to visit New York every year. Cause I love it there.

18. Donate my Clothes - For years I've been accumulating clothes in my closet that I'm never going to wear again. I'm moving soon and my clothes are moving to goodwill.

19. Stay in Touch - The older you get, the harder it is to find really good new friends that you connect with. I'm going to make a really big effort to stay in better touch with high school and college friends. After all, no one will be there for you like the people who have seen you through all your adolescent mistakes

20. Dance like Britney Spears - I will learn how to do the dances from her music videos. The choreography is awesome! So much better than singing into a hairbrush

21. Get Over My Fear of Clowns - I hate you, Pennywise

22. Watch a Scary Movie By Myself Before I Go To Sleep - I love scary movies. I hate watching them by myself late at night. I will conquer this challenge. But not while watching "The Exorcist." That movie is my kryptonite.

23. Play My Piano - I took piano lessons for many years but stopped practicing and playing since college because my piano is at my mom's house. I got a new keyboard last year. I think it's time to find my old sheet music.

24. Candid Photographs - I love taking pictures. I'm like the paparazzi when it comes to a night out with my friends. But, I think I'm gonna start mainly just taking candid shots. There's something special about capturing those real moments instead of posed smiles.

25. Learn to Surf - Yeah, yeah, I know.. I say this every year.

26. Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride - Just like those carriage rides around Central Park. I've always wanted to do that. There must be somewhere down in South Florida where I can do that on a chilly winter night.

27. Learn Mom's Recipes - I love cooking and over the past couple of years, I've really started collecting a bunch of my own recipes and perfecting many dishes. But, I really need to master my mom's chicken soup, spinach casserole, broccoli pasta, etc. Childhood home-cooked meals were the best!

28. Stop Being Jealous of People Named Casey - My last name is Stengel. How cool would it have been if my parents named me Casey!  Casey Stengel? Why yes, that's me, and yes, I am in the Baseball Hall of Fame. But no, I can't say that. You know who got the name instead? The family dog

29. Convert my Friends into Country Music Fans - Sunny days on the boat, drinking beer, and jumping in the water needs some Kenny Chesney, not Lady Gaga, in the background.

30. Rock my Cowboy Boots - I wear them every year for the Kiss Chili Cook-Off and they're perfect for tailgating at the next Tim McGraw concert. But I'm gonna put them to more use and pull of the Southern cowgirl look for a normal day out.