Take a close look...

at...

a puppy! =)

On March 15th, we got a call from our neighbors telling us that their "Golden Doodle" puppies were being born. So I grabbed my camera and ran across the pasture to have an exciting afternoon attending some births....lots of births!

They were a kind of funny looking newborns.

It was Courtney's first litter and she did a wonderful job. Each person had a certain number of puppies they guessed she would have so at every new puppy there were cheers or groans, depending on if your number was coming, there, or past!

We finally thought she was done at number 8 (the number Hillary guessed, by the way!). =)

We came back to check on the puppies when Courtney got up and went outside. I decided to count them again. It's hard to count squirmy puppies! I kept getting 9, so I said, "Hillary, you count them." She did and said, "Nine!" (Thabeh was very happy)

Here's Hillary, the excited "grandmother" and others crowding in to see, including the younger dog, Elsa who was wondering why Courtney was getting all the attention.

After a good while later, we were showing the puppies to Mom and Dad who came to see and Courtney popped out another one - 10! (Adam's number, but Amadu was getting very excited because he guessed 12 and they were almost there!!)

Stretch!!

It was so surprising! We sat down to play a game and I heard a puppy crying and there was number 11! He looked like a runt and he proved to be the last one. Eleven - the number nobody guessed! I think Courtney won. =)

They are now almost 3 1/2 weeks old and they are actually cute ! I couldn't believe they were walking already and quite active. I went over yesterday to take some updated pictures...

FIRST ATTEMPT AT THE PHOTO SESSION -

Wiggly puppies make blurry pictures!

Playing..

THE PHOTO SESSION

Comment: Many pictures were taken before we got a few good ones.

Hillary's turn -
(Hands full!)


Then we decided to try to take Hillary's picture with all 11 puppies in her lap (or in the general area). Courtney came over and the puppies were errupting all over to go nurse. One puppy was hard enough to keep in order, but 11 puppies....!!

Amadu and Adama would lean over and try to get the puppies back on Hillary's lap then quick stand up holding the background while I waited for the camera to take the picture. It was so fun! =)

I finally got the puppies and Hillary to behave and then made Courtney to stay out of the way, I turned around and Hillary's lap was a big solid mass of sleeping fur draping all over! Nice and still if you kept them from falling off.

For more pictures and information, you can look here.