I'm a Dad again! Here's my new little one, Jackson!!

[bfollowell]

My ex's Yorkie had her pups and she's (my ex, not her Yorkie) been insistent that she's giving me one of the litter. It's been four years since the divorce and she knows I've wanted a pup ever since. We've been getting along a whole lot better the past couple of years and if she wants to give me a beautiful, not to mention expensive, gift like this, well, who am I to look a gift pup in the mouth?!

I had my heart set on a little girl but the little girl of the litter didn't make it. These two little boys did. The first photo is of the two brothers. My Jackson is the one on the right (I think?)

In my excitement I got a little close so a couple may be focused on my son's feet instead of my new son's little body. It's been many years since I've seen a newborn litter so I'd forgotten how much they look like little black rats but when have little black rats ever looked so adorable?!

Now the long wait for the twelve weeks to pass so I can bring him home. My ex said if he's doing well she might consider letting him come home with me a couple weeks earlier but I'm insisting she keep him with his mother the full twelve no matter how hard it will be. At worst I may let him come over a couple of weeks early to visit when the kids come over so he has some familiar people with him and then send him back after the weekend for a couple of weeks.

Anyway, please welcome Jackson (and his as yet unnamed brother) to YT. He's finally here!

- Byron Followell

[ChiSun]

The last one's too funny. It looks like he's swimming on the carpet. hehe. Congrats on your new addition!

[tmatherly]

Oh puppy love! He's precious!! Congratulations, I hope everything goes well.

[xxmxaxrxyxx]

aww that is sweet of her....i bet you are super excited!!! can't wait to wait the little man grow up...so what did you decide to name him?

[Mom to Hot Rod]

Congratulations! They are both adorable. Looks like she is being a very good mommy.

[Sookie]

Congrats! He's precious.

[bfollowell]

Xxmxaxrxyxx: When my ex first thought one of her Yorkies was expecting last fall, the kids and I came up with a long list of girl and boy names. By now I’d already narrowed the boy names down to Ozzie or Jackson. We’ve decided on Jackson. And yes, I am super excited. After a couple of disappointing false hopes last fall I’d put it out of my mind completely and my ex had sworn our kids to secrecy about this pregnancy. I didn’t even know until Wednesday when one of my sons called to tell me Abbey had had pups Tuesday night. I am VERY excited.

Mom to Hot Rod: Yes, Abbey is being a VERY good mother. She is very attentive and gets really excitable whenever she hears the pups whimpering (like anytime the kids or I come by to see or hold the pups). She doesn’t get too upset though, she just hovers anxiously. Lisa has always said she thought Abbey would be a good mother though because of the way she is with our kids. Also, she said she’s always been a cleaner, licking and cleaning on our kids all the time. I’ve already seen that in the short time her two pups have been here. Hands down they'll be the cleanest two pups on the face of the Earth!

Thanks for all the well wishes. I’m certain I’ll take many more photos when I go over for visitation/bonding time. Even with that I’m sure it’s going to be a looonnnnnggggg twelve weeks. I’ll make sure to post more photos later.

- Byron

[txshopper73]

Newborns are so shiny and new! Is your ex planning on doing the tail and claws or will he keep what nature gave him?

Will be interesting to see how they progress. Will you allow members to help you pick one out?

Congratulations on the babies!

[bfollowell]

txshopper73: Nope, I already have little Jackson picked out. I've always had a soft spot for the runts of the litters, not that there's really much difference between the two now. Yes, Lisa plans to have their tails docked and claws done sometime soon. I'm not certain how old our Carmen and Zach (our two older Yorkies that live with my ex and kids) were when we had them done but I know they typically do it fairly soon.

- Byron

[wookie]

Byron - I love reading about guys being so excited about getting a puppy. I think its the cutest and most attractive quality in a man. You are going to be a great dad to Jackson! Congratulations!!!!

Also-when we had our first litter we had the tails and dewclaw removed when they were 2 days old. Make sure they are healthy, weight normal, and get advice from the vet before going through the operation.

[bfollowell]

Christine,

Yes, I'm a sucker for puppies, especially Yorkies. It's funny really. I'd never wanted one of those wimpy little rat dogs. I wanted a "real" dog. Something like a Lab or a Dalmation. My ex-wife's Grandparents were the only family she had and we lost them in '95. She'd lost her parents when she was much younger. She was dealing with a horrible bout of depression and had mentioned wanting one of those little fake dogs many times so, to help focus her mind on something else, I decided to suggest we get one. We got our Carmen a couple of weeks later. I was in love instantly. My ex loved her dearly and I know Carmen loved her too but she was my dog, no doubt. I couldn't go anywhere without her. I couldn't get near the garage door without her literally shaking with excitement at the thought of going on a ride. She knew when I got home from work and would be sitting on the back of my La-Z-Boy recliner by the front door waiting for me. As the door opened she'd take a leap of faith, knowing I'd catch her and it was play time for the next thirty minutes or so. I've been a Yorkie man ever since.

Sadly, Carmen found a lost pacifier from our little girl three years later and chewed the tip off. It lodged in her intestines and we didn't find out until way too late. We had to have her put to sleep. I held her in my arms the whole time and I'm not the least bit ashamed to say I cried like a baby and lost sleep for several weeks. That's closest I ever want to see what it would be like to lose one of my children. Luckily we'd bred her once and had kept one of her pups, Zach. He's almost twelve now and not doing well. He's the kids' dog and live with my ex and our kids. She has three other Yorkies now, two females and another male.

Needless to say, I've been "alone" for four years now whenever the kids aren't with me (about half the time) and I've really been yearning for another puppy of my own.

Luckily my ex and I have been able to put a lot of our differences behind us and I've been able to forgive and move on and we've gotten along really well the past couple of years, almost to a friendly point. Things must be going well if she wants to give me this beautiful (and expensive) gift. Is it guilt? Generosity? Who knows what her motivations are and really, I don't care. I don't want to belittle her gift by trying to figure out why. I just know it means a lot to me.

And, yes, in case you hadn't noticed, I am very excited to get my Jackson home.

- Byron

[txshopper73]

Yep...I like the runts, too.

[mkawczak]

OMG. I've never seen them that small. I got Aiden when he was 8 whs old,and I thought he was small. My brother got his at 14 mo. My brother is 6'7 and it's so funny to see him interact with sucha petite little girl pup. She his little angel. Byron, he looks like a Jackson. I love that name. I bet he grows into that name with no problem. Good Luck with him.

[Mayas Mommy]

Hi there .....

... so happy to hear you are a Daddy to a .....

Jackson shure is super cute ... can't wait to see more pics of the new addition ....

[blueeyes_jd]

awwwwwwwwwwww they are sooooooooooooooooooooooo cute!!!! welcome little boys! and welcome Daddy!