BABIES!...of the canine variety

James and I have been discussing the expansion of our family unit for easily over a year. Whilst living in the apartment we would dream aloud of the day when we had a house and a yard; and how said yard would provide ample room for the sheer grace and natural royalty that is the SIberian Husky. Actually, it was James all along who wanted Huskies, two of them. I was just looking for something BIG and fluffy that would wrestle around with me when James wouldn't. Happily, the noble husky embodies just that. Last Saturday our cozy little two-pack doubled in size to now a handy four-pack. Let's meet the new members...shall we? This guy...oh man, if I had a nickel for every guy that looked at me like that...wooo-weee! This guy does not mess around, got it? He's 100% grade A little man. Weighing in at an impressive 14.5lbs (he's not fat...he's husky!), in the white fur, trimmed in black...DUTCH! Mr. Dutch appears to be a quick learner and eager to please. He's calm, patient (for a puppy) and basically really easy-going. He was the first of the two to offer up his belly for scratches. Some may say he too easily stepped into the role of second banana (or maybe fourth banana?) but I say that he's got it figured out and his sister is just missing out on belly-rubs. James found a kindred-spirit with Dutch in that they both have quite the fondness for racoons and/or racoon-like toys. Dutch tolerates his sister's cheap shots because he knows that when push comes to shove...he's the Offensive Lineman to her Free Safety. He also likes to eat twigs and small rocks.

This little one, Miss No-Name for the first couple days here on Raul St. I tried out a few names on her (Charlie, Denali, Goose...) and she would stop, turn towards me and just lay into me with these eyes that stirred something deep within me. All I know to equate it to would be (what I'm guessing) is the look of an annoyed teenage daughter. As if what I had said, just the sound of my voice, made her want to run away with her drummer boyfriend and get matching cobra tattoos. Little dee-va. James finally threatened that if I didn't have a name for her by end of the day HE would name her. Well, obviously, we couldn't have that, so, while deep in thought about her starlet/tartlet attitude it came to me! Weighing in at a svelte 10lbs, in the white fur, accessorized in a lovely red...HARLOW. Miss thang likes things her way. She's just as eager to please but she plays aloof for attention. She's also figured out that any degree of squat could earn her a treat so now we have the joy of trying to distinguish between real and fake pee. Playing with Harlow is like that scene from Jurassic Park where the Aussie is tracking the raptors. He sees one ahead of him, lines up for the shot but then realizes he's been duped and there's a second raptor staring right down his ear-hole. Just before he's ripped apart he offers up a "clever girl"...

Yes, we're all one happy, mostly house-broken Denney-Stewart pack