4 Days Old

The babies are doing really well.  They eat and sleep A LOT!!  Marlene is being such a good mom.  She keeps them very clean and nurses them when ever they make a peep.  She has started to relax about leaving them for a few minutes to go outside and potty and get a bit of fresh air, but she's ready to head back in after about 5-10 minutes.  One of the boys is quite a bit smaller than the rest, he didn't gain much until today, but I think he's going to be fine.  He's much stronger today.  We've been calling him "Little Man."  There is also one black boy that is huge!  He's been nicnamed "Tank"  and the little liver girl is "Mini-Me" because she's like Marlene :)

Sweet little babies, all in a row.

She keeps them very clean!

The proud Momma.  I think she's feeling a bit tired today.  She wasn't quite as peppy on our after dinner "walk" outside.

Eating again!

They're Here!!

Marlene had her puppies today!  7 puppies, 1 liver girl, 1 black girl, 2 liver boys and 3 black boys.  I had my vacation set up to start tomorrow.  Bill was off today (thank goodness), but I really didn't think she'd have them quite yet.  So I went off to work and left Bill instructions to keep a close eye on her.  Bill called me at work around 10:45 and said "Marlene just had a puppy!"  He was eating his breakfast in the room where we have her box set up and he said she just hopped in there and started having a puppy.  She never got the anxiety, pacing type activity that many girls do before they deliver. She had 3 in the 1/2 hour it took me to get home. She had her last one around 1:30.  Her labor seemed easy, the puppies are all vigorous and strong and she's being an excellent mother. 

The Wide and Wonderful One

Today's photos.  Marlene is looking very Rubenesque these days :)

Last Sunday

These photos were taken last weekend.  She's even bigger now!  See the next post.

Marlene's beau

CH U-SR Destiny As Good As It Gets JH WC CGC "Andy"

The Handsome Papa

Getting close!

Marlene didn't eat her supper tonight (very rare for her) and her temp is down to 98.6.  A drop in her temperature below 99 usually indicates whelping time is getting close (between 12-24 hours.)  However, my friend's beagle just whelped puppies after having her temp below 99 for almost 2 days.  While that is not "normal" anything can happen.  Marlene is still in good spirits, not restless or nesting, so I feel like we have a while...but who knows :)  I'll keep everyone posted.