annabelle and a wonder week

The week before my mom's visit was a very difficult week. It was a "wonder week" (week 8), which causes babies to be especially fussy. Aaron said they must be called "wonder weeks" because you wonder how you'll ever make it through them. Neko had been crying an ungodly amount, and I was extremely anxious about returning to work and putting him in daycare. We were one big emotional mess. On a particularly difficult day, Aaron and I put him in the car and took him for a drive when he simply wouldn't stop crying. When we got back home, I found a big pool of blood (and some vomit) on the nursery floor.

We discovered that Annabelle had been poisoned by the apples in our backyard. I had no idea that apple seeds contain cyanide. Aaron rushed her to the vet and spent four hours there instead of going to back-to-school night. He sat in the waiting room for an hour, only to find out that he needed to take her to an after-hours clinic across town. Meanwhile, at home, Neko was still screaming. I finally put him into his car seat in the stroller and pushed it around the backyard until he fell asleep. I cried and picked up all of the apples off the ground, all the while thinking, "Annabelle, pease, please don't die this week. I cannot handle it. Not this week." What a nightmare.

Somehow, we made it through week eight and lived to tell the story. But I was reminded that Annabelle won't be around forever, and I want Neko to know how much she loved him.

Last weekend, Aaron cut down the apple tree. Neko napped peacefully, and I helped Aaron pick up all of the apples. I am thankful for my little family, including both dogs. Annabelle simply adores Neko. She licks him, guards him, and very nervously attempts to play with him. She is truly his first best friend.