I'm pupped. I mean pooped...

So I just want to say that I have an incredible amount of respect towards dog breeders.  OMG it is so much work!  The first 2-3 weeks were pretty awful since Bella was a terrible mom and I was having to get up every 2-3 hours to let them feed and wipe bottoms so they would pee and poo.  (As mentioned in my last post...usually the mom does this, but she had no part of it)  But then they finally started going to the bathroom on their own!  What a glorious day!  I was thinking that this whole puppy thing was going to get so much easier...and it was...for about a week.  Then it came time to start weaning....

Cute, right? 

Ahh yes....I watched my "babies" begin to eat their puppy food and I may have even teared up a bit...my sweet little pups are growing up!!  But that little moment didn't last for too long...I don't think I realized that all hell was about to break loose.

Weaning the puppies may be more tiring than the first couple of weeks!  Yes, I get to sleep almost all night and this is VERY important for me, BUT my days are insane!!  I'm actually impressed that I am sitting here blogging...actually, now that I think about it...I am pretty sure I hear newspaper being shredded.  Didn't I just put them down for a nap!?!?!?

Anyway, so weaning puppies = more poop...and Bella isn't around them as much to clean it up for them.  (Yes, mama dogs "clean up" the poop for those of you not familiar with this process).  The past couple of mornings I have gone into the bathroom to find a poo explosion.  There is poo everywhere and then they must step it, roll in it, bathe in it...who knows..because it is all over the floor, side of the tub, the cabinets, the door, the walls.  Yes, I have towels down, newspapers and even puppy pads...but they have learned to play and these have become their toys.  Newspapers get torn, towels get dragged and the puppy pads are usually rolled up into a little ball.  So every morning I begin my day by scrubbing down the bathroom.  Meanwhile I have already gotten their breakfast ready so I usually put them in front of their bowls in the living room or kitchen (I would totally do this outside, but the rain/cooler weather has put a damper on this) while I clean up the bathroom.  Afterwards, I am feeling very accomplished and breathe a sigh of relief that it is finally clean again until I turn my head and realize the puppies have devoured their food and are wreaking havoc in the living room.  Here we go again...I furiously try to throw them on the puppy pads that I have scattered all over the living room, but for some reason they like to go right next to it.  Seriously???  Don't forget..there are EIGHT of these crazy pups that I am chasing around trying to teach them to potty on the dang pad.  They are getting really quick too...so this morning they were running everywhere...the kitchen, my room, the kids room...you name it, they found it. Every time I turn my head they are dragging around a shoe, sock, towel, clothing item, or even chewing on the furniture...Luckily their teeth are pretty weak, so I don't foresee them doing any damage...YET. 
I wonder how much longer it will be before they can actually tear stuff up.....
Hopefully, they will find nice homes soon before this happens.  I love 'em, but they are a HANDFUL!

But on the other hand, they are so cute.  They just take one look at me with those sad puppy eyes or lick my face with their skunky puppy breath and I melt.  Their sweet faces make me forget just how crazy they have become....almost.

But seriously...how can you resist these sweet faces?

Alex, the kids, and I love them so much and I can't believe they are 5 weeks tomorrow!  This means that in a little over a week it will be time to find new homes for the little guys.  We really want them to go to very good homes and if anyone knows of someone that may be interested, please let me know!  I am ready for things to be back to normal around here, but I can promise you that I will be shedding a tear for every one that leaves us.  We are keeping one, but I keep thinking...maybe we could just keep 2....yes, I know...crazy talk. 

Well, it is almost time for another feeding and I am sure there is poo all over the bathroom.

So here we go again!!!!