The Half Birthday Boy

By means of comparison to see how much Riley has grown, here he is again with Chandler. Look at the photo on the right side of the page. Riley was half the size of Chandler. Now look at him. They have switched and Riley is twice the size of Chandler, but Chandler can still take him down. Riley is the best thing that has happened to Chandler in a long time. Thanks to Riley, Chandler is acting like a dog half his age. Well some of the time. And despite the size difference, Riley still loves to sleep along side his big little brother and best friend.

RILEY IS 6 MONTHS OLD TODAY!!!

He's huge! Gorgeous, growing, healthy, happy... this is one of the better decisions of our life :-)

He had a Ball of a Time

Yes. Riley is nut-less. He came through the neutering like a champ. Only a few sutures ("stitches"). One suture on each gum where they pulled the baby teeth that didn't fall out and which were crowding the adult ones coming in behind them. And he's microchiped and registered to us.

He's still kinda out of it. All loopy and sleeping. But he's home and safe and well. The worst of it is over.

*Phew!*

Tomorrow is THE DAY

So it's finally come... tomorrow, February 12, 2009, Riley (A.K.A."Coosa Creek's Sir Riley, Lord of Essex") is going to have his balls cut off. We know this is the right thing to do. We know that this will add years of quality to his life. We know it's the healthy and socially responsible thing to do. And we know that it's in his adoption contract that he is not to be bred. And still, it's sad. He's also going to have his eye-teeth taken out, as the adult "canines" are coming in behind the baby ones which haven't fallen out. I suspect that will be more uncomfortable than the testiculectomy. (Nicer made-up word for castration.)

We still love you, Sir Riley. Don't hold this against us!!!

Riley is going on 6 months old!

I'm sorry it's taken so long to post any updates here-- and, as you'll see from the below pictures, three and a half weeks results in a LOT of growth for a little man like Riley... he's now the biggest of the bunch, by FAR!