My vow to post more is working as well as my vow to lose weight.

First: He has gone forth to be a healthy, happy baby. His pediatrician declared him "robust." He gained 3 lbs and grew an inch and a half in the last month. He was 2 months old yesterday, he's 12.5 lbs. and 22.5 inches, talkative and smiley, and I'm betting he'll be a freakishly early talker like his sister. He's working on it already.

His half sister was a freakishly early talker, like her mom. She had a large vocabulary before she was one, and I still remember when Delaney was at my house, maybe 15 months old at the most, with a gross runny nose. I grabbed a tissue and was about to wipe her nose and she took it from my hand and said "ME DO IT!" and wiped her own nose. And I just laughed and later told my daughter, "You've got yourself a gifted kid here." 

My daughter scoffed and said, "Oh, Grandma, you just want her to be gifted." I said truthfully, "I really don't care either way, but I'm telling you that she is. Been there, did that. She is." Three word sentences used correctly long before 2? That's a marker, among the many others I'd noted. My daughter continued to scoff, I just shrugged.

Fast forward to kindergarten when she finally got tested, and yeah. Very smart kid. I did say, "Told ya so," but only once and didn't rub it in. Grandma did her time with gifted kids and volunteered with various programs for them, and I can spot those critters young.  So far we're 3 for 3 with the girls, and I don't think this guy is going to break the pattern. He's already "talking" and clearly has a lot to say. He was 2 months on Monday. He's already fascinated with everything going on in the house, and napping in the swing is bullshit Mom! There are other rooms besides the living room and bedroom, and he wants to explore ALL OF THEM PLEASE!

His parents already say he's melodramatic. I said yeah, he has a lot of things going on in his brain and no words to express them yet. He'll be really annoying by the time he's 18 months and wants to tell you what he's thinking but is still reaching for adjectives and adverbs to fully express it. SO frustrating!  It's going to be another fun ride. 

Okay, besotted Grandma! WHAT ABOUT THE DOGS?? We are here for the dog content!

So. Eddie's been with us for a year. His Gotcha Day was June 25, 2023. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect new addition to the family, he slid into the household like he'd been born here. He was needed. He's young, energetic and crazy smart (and also just crazy) and such a happy, lovable dog. 

The neighbors behind my neighborhood put on a hell of an illegal fireworks show on the 4th. Eddie proved to be as fearless with fireworks as all of my other dogs - I have no idea how I got this lucky, it sure wasn't anything I did! 

He did bark at one particularly loud and spectacular volley, but he wasn't frightened, he just thought it was annoyingly loud. Gidget isn't bothered by fireworks either, but I can see signs that she's getting older because she was unbothered and thought we were idiots for sitting outside in the heat and noise. I left the balcony door open for her, but she wisely chose to stay in the AC. 

A year with Eddie has helped get her past her fears and agoraphobia, mostly. She'll walk outside the neighborhood with Eddie, as long as it's quiet. Today there were two young teenage boys collecting something, no idea what, from the neighborhood walls, and she viewed them with deep suspicion, tried to be brave, and then noped out and signaled that she wanted to go home. She puts her little head down and walks with great speed and determination toward home, and it means, "This walk is OVER NOW!" 

But still, he's gotten her outside her comfort zone a few times, and that's huge progress. She even let a neighbor Eddie likes pet her, and, I know it's hard to believe: SHE DID NOT DIE! Baby steps, but progress!

She's also a little stinker with Eddie. When they get treats she'll hide hers in her blanket on the couch, just to drive Eddie crazy. He knows it's there, he knows what she's doing, and he'll whimper and "talk" to me until I finally say, "Gidget? Eat your treat or give it up!" Sometimes she'll very slowly and dramatically savor the treat in front of him, to torture him, but mostly she didn't really want it, and when I retrieve it for poor, desperate Eddie she just shrugs and resumes snoozing. 

Her personality has blossomed in the last year. She's younger and happier.

He's just the sweetest. Best thing I ever found on Facebook.