The first chapter —
in polaroids.
Ten little ones, day by day. Captions written at the kitchen table, photos taken on whatever was nearby. Updated whenever the light's good and the puppies are still.
~ first days ~
Day 1
May 21 Violet whelped — ten puppies arrived, nine boys and one girl.
right before — Abby and our girl
the first one, wrapped in yellow
settling in for the long night
midnight, finding their way
all the colors of the litter
the whole pile — every collar accounted for
Violet, keeping watch
pink — our one little girl
lime green, curled up small
yellow, brindle through and through
royal blue, dark as can be
orange, all curled up
light blue, finding his feet
red, fast asleep
green, curled in tight
purple, paw prints and all
raspberry, eyes still closed
Week 1
May 27 Round-the-clock nursing — everyone gaining fast.
Violet, feeding the smallest one
a whole row of them — half the litter, fast asleep
red and royal blue, tangled up together
red, one week in
light blue, getting bigger by the day
yellow, tucked into the orange blanket
violet, holding court
one of ours, holding one of theirs
chief, nose to nose with his purple-collar boy
the size of him, the size of them
abby and violet, all wrapped up
violet and the whole row at dinnertime
everybody in the basket — bath-day logistics
Week 2
June 4 First deworming, and the first eyes are starting to open.
the pile, a little bigger every day
the pile, closer up — yellow and light blue all tangled in
green, dark as ever and growing
purple, looking up from the crate
belly up, tongue out, sound asleep
red, two weeks in
out cold on the gray blanket
paws tucked, dead asleep
Week 3
June 13 Eyes wide open, first wobbly steps, and starting to explore off the blanket.
the size of them next to the grown-ups
red, parked beside one of the big ones
red and the boy, keeping the big dog company
curled up nose to nose with one of the grown-ups
pink — our girl, belly up in a lap
by the window, taking it all in
bundled up in the red blanket
orange, brindle from nose to tail
belly up for a rub
orange, off exploring the big rug
eyes open now — look at that little white chest
the whole crate, collars and all
pink, asleep on the flowered blanket
pink again, stretched out on the quilt
pink, out cold in someone's arms
Week 4
Sweet fawn puppy girl resting on a colorful quilt.
Violet keeping one eye on the orange-collar boy — four weeks in.
Purple-collar puppy boy getting a cozy belly cuddle.
Sweet purple-collar puppy boy relaxing on a lap.
Adorable fawn puppy girl with a sweet, curious expression.
Snuggles in the pen with Abby — week four.
Week 7
Pink girl — our one and only girl, at eight weeks.
Light-blue boy, sitting up for his portrait.
Yellow boy — all eyes and wrinkles.
Purple boy, up for a cuddle.
That face.
Pool day — the whole crew.
~ no photos for yet ~