TWO WEEKS! (updated)

Mary-Ann Sontag June 18, 2025

Happy Two Week Birthday to the Gems 💎

All of the puppies now have their eyes open, and that makes photos harder because I want to minimize the flash in their eyes.

Novelty that is noticeable but not stressful is important to puppy development, and so today we have something new in the whelping box. Star Garnet checked it out and decided it would make an excellent pillow.

Jasper also checked it out, including tasting it 😂

Puppies are starting to perk up their ears, and let me tell you — THAT is adorable.

But again, they are still small babies and that means they use 98% of their energy to eat, sleep, and grow.

Two week photos later 🎂

Please have a day worth celebrating 🥳

(Later)

It is so crazy how quickly they change! This is Star Garnet with Capella — look at that sit.

Mark my words — Jasper will be first out of the whelping box. Here he is making his plan.

Two week photos were a bit of a rodeo. It took four separate sessions to get a halfway decent shot of Sapphire.

Topaz is the litter cooperator — he must be a middle child.

Jasper would not sit still — this is the best I could do.

This photo of Star Garnet is exactly like one I did of Sparkle at two weeks — in the same glasses.

Here is the comparison.

I sure miss my Sparkle.

Two weeks is all about the mouths — here are some outtakes from the two week photos, starting with Star Garnet.

I love this one of Jasper — it is like he is singing.

Even our cooperative Middle Child got into the mouth act.

Sapphire also had mouth open photos but they were all blurry — he was like whirly twirly for his photos today 🌪️

Two weeks — amazing.

🩷💙💙💙

Day 13 (Updated)

Mary-Ann Sontag June 17, 2025

I went back and looked at milestones for other litters, and I was struck by a couple of things. These puppies are big for this age. Even though Topaz is the smallest in this litter, for example, he is similar to the sizes of the Wildflowers at about this age. Jasper, on the other hand, is much bigger than other litters at the same age.

Eyes are more open in this litter.

Walking/play seems about on par with other litters.

Carol asked how much time Capella spends with puppies vs. outside. Capella only goes out to potty — otherwise, she is in the living room with the puppies, although she doesn’t spend all her time with them. She tends to nurse and snooze with them, and then get up and hang out away from the box.

It is shocking how quickly walking gets better — apparently, the Walking Fairy visited overnight!

Happy Tuesday!

(Later)

Camp Puppy was in session this afternoon.

Lincoln with Sapphire.

Berkeley with Star Garnet.

Berkeley with Topaz.

The aftermath 😂

Sapphire.

Jasper — look at how the tops of Sapphire and Jasper’s blazes flare up in the opposite direction.

All is so well here 🙏

🩷💙💙💙

Day 12 (Updated)

Mary-Ann Sontag June 16, 2025

Dear Son came over this morning so I could run some errands. I have not been anywhere except the vet in over two weeks! When I got back, Galen correctly identified that we have now entered the stage of the Drunken Dinosaurs.