Out with a Bang!

Gasp...a blog post!!  Remember when I used to do these like once a week?  Those were the days.  The days of good internet...good, expensive internet that we later cut out thinking we'd find something cheaper and never did.

Anyway, who cares?

Well, it has been far from the most of exciting of years.  And not just that, but some runs of bad luck as well.  So when we confirmed that Candy was indeed pregnant again, we were thrilled!!  I even took her to the vet for x rays to see how many were in there.  He said 7.  I said, "Sweet!"

So a day or so ago, we'd let Candy outside and she'd bolt for the porch to which she'd try to hide under and nest to have those puppies!  It's happened before, and we've had to send our son under there to get her.
So yesterday, she wanted out so very badly.  I kept trying to coax her into her bed.  I'd say, "Here. Lay down and have your puppies."  But she wouldn't.  She sat there staring at me.  So, like always, I went in and sat down with her and pet her.

Which drove Annie crazy!

And once she knew I was in there to stay, the puppies started coming!!

In an hour she had 7!  Just like the vet had said!
I said, "Good job, Candy, you're such a good mama!"
And I walked out to see how trashed the house had gotten since I'd left the boys unattended.

I came back in and saw her licking and biting a puppy...her 8th puppy!!
 I said, "Oh, you're the best dog ever, Candy!  I love you so much!"
And I went to text my husband, who'd left to run errands, about this 8th one.

I came back in to make sure all was well and figured Candy would be resting.  I counted and recounted and each time I came up with 9 puppies!!!
I texted Sam again and I believe it said
"That vet lives on a throne of lies (name that movie).  We've got 9!"
After that I went in to check on her and I didn't text him again in fear of being crazy...or dumb.  When he came home he went in to see them and came back out to tell me there were 10!!
 I said, "I knew it!!  I'm not crazy!"
That's how many I had counted too but I was too shocked!

She rested easy after that.  That was it, 10 beautiful puppies!
I was so proud of her!

5 girls and 5 boys...all taking on the exact same rat-like features.

And Candy, having not been a mama in over a year, is happy and content too.

She loves them.  And she wants the other dogs at the window to go away.

The boys waited a whole 2 hours, maybe, to touch them.
Words of insight from my son: "Hey Mom, you know what these puppies remind me of?  All the other puppies we've had."

And this one tells people who ask if he likes the puppies, "yes, they are my favorite mammals."

So read into the title of this post however you like...the puppies literally did come out with a bang all in about 2 hours!  Or, this rather unproductive year is definitely going out with a bang!!
Happy New Year everyone!