11 days old

Here is Emma, hanging out. Her eyes are a dark slatey blue-grey.














Here is Emma in her non-bouncing bouncy chair. I am afraid to put batteries in it...

Visit from GrandDad and Lini

My dad and sister came for a visit our first weekend home. Emma was still plump!

Birth Minus 1 ... let out of cage for an hour

During the induction process I was strapped to monitors constantly. They were wireless, but I still had to stay "in range" which was just the birthing pavillion.
During a break in the medications I got to leave the floor for 1 hour, I got dressed and took a walk outside with my family. I was very excited to get outside and have a cocoa from the cafe.

Here we all are:

Douglas, Geline, Mommy, me and Terry











Douglas, Mommy, Me and Geline.

Wiggle-Waggle Woof: Counting Sled Dogs

Emma has a new favorite book:
Wiggle-Waggle Woof

We read it as
Wiggle-Waggle Woof: Counting Sled Dogs in NEW HAMPSHIRE
but it is really Alaska....

Emma 1 day old

Here is beautiful Emma in the morning sunlight as she turns 1 day old. She was very peaceful and content.

Baby Belly Photos!

Really..I almost don't look pregnant in black, RIGHT?!?!?!














A big barn coat hides a lot! Tula gives me some kisses. Rainy quietly shares her love.
I thought about Tula a lot during labor...she was stuck in the birth canal for forever...poor mamma Snow. But not a great thought to have when you are spending hours trying to push your baby out. Tula and her handsome brother were finally born via c-section. Thankfully I did not have to have one to get Emma out!











Wolfie is a good snuggler, even if I take up most of the dog bed...











A week or a few days before we left for hospital.














Dressed to leave for the hospital. Boomer is not wanting us to go. Blue Dog either.

Emma's last Mush

Emma's last mush was the Greenville 30 mile race, up in the gorgeous Moosehead lake area of Maine. She won the "youngest musher" award. For some reason my team decided to come in last. Symbolic? Or were they savoring every inch of trail??? Dunno.

We mushed the weekend before in epic conditions, deep snow, deep mountains, deep friendship (Lidia of course). After we got off the trail I said to Lidia "that was the last one, cannot do it anymore". It was sad, but beautiful. I saved my energy for a week and did the race. Emma enjoyed it as usual, turning flips on the softly undulating trail. As always, my team was worthy of a gold medal for being good, trusty companions. The 10 of us were truly together, me, Emma, Twinkle, Tula, Rainy, Pema, Java bean, Turbo, Hakka and Pearlie Whirly. My usual 9 dog team was short Smudge, I had to pick one to drop and that was very hard. He understood though.


The start, I am asking the photographer if he can hand me my dropped quick release...that I cannot reach due to big tummy!










Somewhere out on the lovely trail.










Emma at the finish line!











Me and Terry and the belly soon to be Emma. This was the first time my usual favorite jacket did not zip over my belly.














Lidia, I, and the happy belly. After we crossed the finish line.

Baby Emma was a musher long back...

Emma got to go to 3 races this year in utero!
Here she is, barely noticeable at the Will Cowie Memorial race at Hill Village, sponsored by Patriot Siberian Husky Rescue. It was about 11 miles of flat out, full on speed. The 8 dog team LOVED being let loose to run top speed!













Emma also was precious cargo at the Wonalancet Fun Run in Sandwich, another PSHR race. Here is a short video of us at the finish. We had SO MUCH FUN, love those trails, love the race organizer (Marsha Colcord). It was about 15 miles of pure beauty and fun, though the end seemed like all up hill and my 6 dog team was a little tuckered!