We're Back, and Kenya is Expecting!

First things first: thank you, faithful readers, for hanging in there with us all this time.

The canine crew is just fine. And though we miss Ridge, DH and I have settled into life with one less Lab. In an odd sort of way, Ridge's absence allows us to enjoy the remaining five in ways we couldn't before. So though we still grieve him, we relish the others all the more.

Lots has happened since last I posted:

• Twenty-seven-year-old DFS finished another semester of school and will be starting an internship with Habitat for Humanity in January. God-willing,  he'll graduate with his 2-year degree in May. And, yes, in case you're wondering, he still lives at home, and I'm still chauffeuring. It's all good.
• Twenty-four-year-old DYS finished up at Temple and is graduating with his BS in Computer Sciences (IT-related somehow).  He's landed a fabulous job with great benefits not far from where we live, so he'll be moving home for now and commuting to work from here.  It's delightful to have him around again. 
• Twenty-five-year-old DSD and her hubby discovered they're expecting their first child in May.  Yay!  That means, in just a few months, we're going to be grandparents (of the human kind) for the very first time.  What fun! 
• DH "retired" (was let go, voluntarily, during Pfizer's latest round of cutbacks in October), but has since gotten a new full-time job with good benefits in his field with a pharmaceutical regulatory consulting firm. He started December 1st.
• Me?  Well... I honestly can't tell you where the last several months have gone. They seemed to pass in an instant, and here we are at year's end once again.

Which brings me to Kenya.  Yup, we're finally anticipating the arrival of our first Tuc-Kenya litter. We've been planning and hoping for this litter for over three years now (since flying Tuc home here from his breeder's in AZ), and we can't wait to see what their combined genes produce.

My best guess is an all-black litter (though both are capable of producing chocolate), and hopefully we'll have a balanced mix of males and females.

Kenya's "due" date (as in, Kenya's 63rd day of gestation) is Saturday, December 31st.  But she delivered her first litter on Day 61 (which would be tomorrow, the 29th).  And Elsie delivered as early as Day 58, which was two days ago).  All that to say, she really could go into labor any time.

Kenya's temperature was 99.8 last night ("normal" for adult canines is 101), was 99.5 today.  Once her temp dips below 99.0 we'll know we can expect the pups to arrive within 24 hrs.   I expect them to arrive tomorrow sometime, but we'll see.

Here's Kenya's x-ray, taken yesterday on her Day 59).  Three pups are clearly visible (two  toward the bottom of her belly, and one up toward her spine).  The best way to find them is to look for the vertebrae (puppy spines) and ribs or to look for the outlines of their round skulls.

As I play with contrasts in the image here, I think I see two more shadows, so I'm expecting four, perhaps five, but she may really only be carrying three.  What do you all think as you look at the x-ray?  Feel free to comment below. :O)

We'll all find out soon enough.

In the meantime, we'll do our best to make sure Kenya is comfortable and safe. And when those pups arrive, we'll do the same for the wee ones.

Stay tuned!  We'll be blogging regularly again now, especially since we have a few forever families waiting for these puppies already! :)

Until next time!

Joan