Motherhood.... WOW! Morgan will be 2 months on friday...bigger wow!
It sure came sooner than we would have planned, but what a joy! I always worried if I would be a good mom, but it just fell into place. I love my little man more than anything (the big man follows right after) and I don't want to go to work! There is so much going on right now that I feel like Morgan is in fast forward mode! He now smiles at the drop of a hat and he's practicing his giggles in his sleep (babies practice first in REM sleep) so I'm sure we'll be getting those soon! He "oh"s regularly now and we are starting on other sounds (we finally had a "ah") and mommy's teaching him how to stick out his tongue. He thinks thats the funniest thing mommy does! I swear we heard a "welloo" this morning (we are attempting to get him to say hello). I know everyone says it... but can he slow down a little? I don't want him growing up soo fast! It seems like just yesterday we were at the hospital!
Morgan had his 7 week check up on wed (2/23) and boy has he grown! He now weighs 11 lbs 9 oz and is 22.75 inches long! He is in the 75th percentiles for both height & weight so he is still doing so well! He is also out-growing his 0-3 month clothing! I had to wash his 3-6 month clothes yesterday! He outgrew his newborn clothes by 3 weeks. I'm thinking of having a baby clothing garage sale on saturday since we have several items that he's outgrown and I need money to go buy more! We did hit Babies R Us 2 mondays ago and picked up 2 items from their clearance rack for a grand total of $6.30 (for both). I'd suggest everyone with babies hitting the clearance racks at BRU, the clearance prices are an additional 50% off! We got a 12 month onesie that says "Knight in Shining Armor" on it and a 3-6 month long sleeve shirt that has Tigger Artic Adventure on it. Its too cute and it will be in pictures soon since he's wearing that size now (I just need some pants that match it!).
Well, thats it for now! I hope everyone out there is doing well!

I'm writing...again. After the last issue I had when I finished my novel (Comp USA lost my laptop and I had been unable to backup the completed novel), I've refrained from really writing. I started working on a book right after that incident but I haven't had much compulsion to really WRITE. If you don't enjoy writing, then this may seem like a foreign concept to you.

However, this has changed. My mom has started her own Horse Rescue (www.HorsesInNeed.com) and its not yet a 501(c)3 non-profit, we plan to be. But that status hasn't stopped her from helping 4 horses find new homes. The whole thing started in April (2008) when 2 Arabian Geldings were going to be put down just for sitting at a county shelter for too long. She helped them find permanant homes and they have become editions to wonderful families with children. Then she (and I) started volunteering at another horse rescue (pregnantmarerescue.com) and she helped find one of the horses a home with a co-worker, where he is extremely loved and happy! Now we come to Lasso, an Arabian Gelding (16 yrs old) rescued from a Slaughter Lot in Washington. She offered a "back up home" so he could come off the lot as his adoption was pending and the truck was coming (he wouldn't have been removed otherwise). He was thin on the lot and got skinny... as in a walking skelaton skinny... while in Quartenteen, the adoption had fallen through and he was housed with another horse that stole all the food. 2 weeks into his 4 week quarenteen, my mom said she'd take him so she paid for grain to be given and he was moved into a solo pasture and given lots of hay. By now, his super skinny pictures were helping an animal cruelty case against the rescue in Washington. My mom advertised looking for a permanant home for him and Ride To Walk, a Therepudic Riding School answered the call.

So, Lasso came to us, barely able to travel (horses loose weight when traveling long distance) and we started rehabing him and fattening him up. She told the Trainer that we'd house him for a month as extra quarenteen and rehab so he'd be ok for them. We also evaluated his personality as he gained weight. Moving forward a month, mom and I are checking out the Riding School to see if its legitimate and ok for Lasso. We felt he'd do fine as long as they didn't mind the long stride he had. Talk about HORSEY HEAVEN! There is a Lake with a riding path around it, we couldn't find any manure in the paddocks or on the property (with over 10 horses - the poop has to go somewhere) and all the horses were healthy and happy and shiny. While we were there, we saw the horses waiting for the next round of riders getting the misters turned on because it was hot (and that was before they knew we were there!). Definately the place for lasso. A week later mom and dad are trailering him to Lincoln (where Ride to Walk is located).

Now mom has an idea, why do I (as in me not her) write a children's book about Lasso's life and sell it on the website? I look at my mom in horror, but we don't know what his life was like for the previous 16 years. It can be fiction, the important stuff is at the end. Ok, I say. Not expecting any great source of inspiration I felt that this would be a long process. We'll, 2-3 weeks later and I am on chapter 11 (of the rough draft) and almost done. After that, its refining and fleshing out the chapters and then off to Lulu.com for publishing. My inspiration comes from knowing what an amazing horse lasso is and how lucky his was to find his new home. The story has taken off on the paper and its telling itself now, I'm just a medium to get it out. When it goes to press, please consider purchasing a copy, all the proceeds will go to Horses In Need and toward the cost of the horses.

Oh, the rescue still has 1 horse from Merced, and new horse saved from auction and another coming in a week or so from Washington. We are small but we will make a difference!

I had my first OB appointment on friday (7/11) and we heard the Heartbeat for the first time. :0) I also found out a host of info about myself, including the fact that I'm A Postitive Blood Type, I'm immune to Chicken Pox (my mom was worried about this since I had very few), I'm negative for HIV, Hepititis A,B & C and Toxoplasmosis (only concerned due to baby). Also found out that my Blood Pressure is Good and my heart & lungs sound good (and thats with Asthema!).

When we had the sonogram on 7/3 we saw the heartbeat and it was beating at a Perfect rate.

Our next sonorgram is on 8/13 when we will see the 20 week old baby! Woo Hoo! We'll get to find out the sex!

Nikki

Just an FYI- I am not breeding my rabbits this  year.  I'm holding off since the economy is down and that affects rabbitries too! Also, due to the baby, I may not breed next year as well. I currently only have my permanant rabbits. If you are interested in a Stud fee, then please email me and I may do that if you are local and we'll work out an arrangement for the fee.

Thanks!

Why is it that we lose our Loved Ones when we least expect it? I lost one of my Favorite Bunnies today, Mr. EB. From what we can tell it looks like severe Heat Shock that lasted a few days - EB was the fighter. He waited until I got there today to pass on. He was only 4 years old.

My fondest memory of him was during our 1st week together. He would run around my ankles, often between them, and I would almost always almost step on him. He would like my ankles like a puppy. Then one day when Shane came home, he goosed him on his tail and BOY did he not like that, but he waited for his revenge! When we sat on the couch after that he marched over and lifted his butt to pee 1/2 way up Shane's leg! Then he came right back over to me and lay down. From then on Shane would say mean things and EB would Spray him (if you are keeping pet boy bunnies - fix them! This way they won't spray!). It was a love/hate relationship they had that actually had gotten better the last few years.

That bunny was NEVER afraid of anything, he would meet my mom's dogs nose-to-nose without issues, cats & horses didn't bother him either! In fact he was the ONLY bunny my Quarter Horse would share her paddock with to forage for grass, she isn't as fond of my other bunnies.

*Sigh* I'm glad I got to say goodbye but I feel robbed, he wasn't that old. I'll post a photo of him shortly. That stinker got me into showing rabbits! But my dad is right... He's running around a field of Grass humping 3 legged girls (so they can't get away!). :*0)

Ok, I have 4 baby bettas that are ready to go. They are still small and growing but they are big enough for me to know that they cannot show next month (due to color). I will get some photos up but here is a general description. The baby with the best color is a little deformed and not going to be sold. She (i think) is white bodied with Royal Blue fins that have a copper overlay. If she grows I may try to breed her, but for now she'll just be a pretty pet.

Copper Rosetail Male x Petsmart Red Cambodian Female (unknown genetics)

All babies have red (red fins with blue/copper overlays) in their fins but not enough banding to be patterned. Red is the MOST dominant color so you will always get red from these kids.

1 positive Female - dark body with copper fins & body. Dark spot on 1 gill cover. Full of eggs. The dark spot makes her unable to show (won't place well) so I'm looking for a home. She's at a small breeding size but should produce some good eggs.               $15.00

1 Probably Female - smaller with a lighter body with bluer fins but still coppery. I see what looks like an egg spot but I cannot be sure. No Stray dark spots like sister.                                $15.00

2 unknown sexes/ may be males - clean dark bodies with bluesh or turquoise fins with copper overlay on color (specify if you want blue or turquoise). Lots of red in fins. Small in size.     $15.00/ each

Shipping will be via Express Mail (usually about $18) - actual cost PLUS $4.00 for the styrofoam lined box.

Please email me privately (do not reply to blog where it will be seen) if you want one.

My baby bettas are finally an inch long! They are still too small to figure out sexes but I'm hoping I can send at least 1 to an international show (just so happens that my group California Betta Society is hosting one this year!)!!!

I know this isn't what most of you are expecting from my blogs as they are normally associated with the rabbitry, but I just HAD to share. I have a thriving bunch of baby bettas. They are a cross of a Cambodian color female (white-pink body with red fins and no red in the body) and a copper male (the color of copper that has its green patina). The babies are all doing extremely well, despite the fact that I'm defiying the rules. :0) They all have daddy's copper sheen and some have a light body color. I don't appear to have lost any and I actually found another one that I hadn't been counting so I actually have *at least* 13 (i just counted) but you never know if a few more may pop up. I'm going to have to figure something out as I'm going to have to start seperating some of the larger babies (2 are actually small bettas instead of what looks like swimming eyeballs (eyes with a tail).
WOOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!
I will be putting these guys up for sale eventually. Their dad is a show quality fish and mom is show quality with unknown background. If you will be interested in any, email me and I will start a mailing list for when they are ready! Whew! I NEVER thought I'd be here. :0)

Well, Ciera had her first litter 2/21/07 and she had 3 babies: 1 Black, 1 Blue and 1 Chinchilla. You might be asking yourself how we got a Chin out of a chocolate & opal, the answer is Ciera's great-grandfather (dad's dad) was a Seal (too bad we didn't get one of those!) and that carried Chin. Most likely he was a self chin which kept the agouti gene hidden until bred to another agouti. This little baby is by far one of the most BEAUTIFUL babies we had had here. Hopefully, this little chin will have all the proper ring colors neccessary. 

Hey Friends! I will be going to the Stockton Rabbit Show on the 17th (in bldg 1, San Joaquin Co Fairgrounds). I will be showing 1, maybe 2 of my babies (trouble & 1 spot) as well as both of my sr bucks. We will have 1 broken for sale (2 if one isn't sold this weekend) and their solid brothers. This whole litter is SUPER sweet so they would make great pets if you are looking for 1. These guys leave their food to be pet or won't even go over to their food until you walk away.

Email me if you are interested! You can pick up from my scotts valley barn or you can pick up at a show.