The Dogs Are Really In Charge

I ended up taking Zumi to a CDSP obedience trial this morning. I went back and forth over whether I should go since Zumi has had very little training since I went on restriction 8 weeks ago and has had absolutely zero training in the last 2 weeks and way less exercise. But ultimately I wanted to get more CDSP trials under her belt before we hopefully do some AKC trials next year. I knew her attitude would be great still, a very good chance of having great focus, and it was just the precision that I thought could be thrown out the window. I was thinking of entering Zumi in the open level for today but decided to stick with novice. I pictured Zumi doing a quick victory lap with her dumbbell as she sometimes likes to do when she's super excited and I envisioned lots of slamming into me on her fronts.

Zumi surprised me by really holding it together. Pretty much no unexpected precision issues at all. She showed some issues on her halts like I expected and on her finish. Both things we are (well *were*) working on in practice.

This makes it Zumi's 4th time in the novice ring, so her first leg towards her "novice championship" if we decide to complete all 10 legs for that title.

And in other news, Netta had a very big day yesterday. She had her CT scan in the morning that was clear and let me breathe a huge sign of relief. And then when I came back in the evening to visit I saw that her little box was empty! They had moved Netta upstairs to the NICU for less critical patients! She now has her own room with a pull out couch that I can use in a few weeks for when they want me to start staying the night to work on feedings with her.

And Netta is starting to actually be awake now for at least a small portion of the time when I visit! She turns 32wks today from the pregnancy count, and officially is 11 days old.

My little girl decided she wanted to see 2016 and arrived November 29th. 10 weeks earlier than expected. 3lbs, 5oz and and 15.5in tall. Welcome Netta Rose.

As suspected with the bleeding occurring at the 24 week mark, I had a partial placenta abruption. Managed to keep her in for those 6 additional weeks though! Since she is so early I am officially a NICU mom.

Netta is doing spectacularly well though. She graduated off of breathing help within 2 days and is doing well on her own now with just the occasional apnea spell as to be expected due to her underdeveloped nervous system.

She will be in the NICU for at least 6+ weeks as her body continues to develop. Right now there's not much for me to do for her but visit and hold her per the limits I"m allowed. Since the first two days holding is now less restricted unless she needs her cool shades and tanning bed.

We will be at the one week (31wks) mark tomorrow and there's a good chance she will even be "eating" just my milk by then, fortified with extra stuff to help her. It will be several more weeks before she is able to nurse.