Noni's LITTLES - 2 wks old
- Hoekema Family
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Two weeks.
Just two weeks ago, these six little soggy mushroom smelling potatoes entered the world, and somehow, in what feels like the blink of an eye, they have already gone from completely dependent squishies to these busy little babies who are beginning to discover that there is an entire world waiting for them.
And let me tell you… they are doing downright phenomenal!
Every baby is meeting their milestones exactly on time, wiggling, waddling and trying to get their bellies off the ground.
At this age, there is something incredibly special happening.
Their eyes are now open, and suddenly they are no longer living in a world of nothing but scent, warmth, touch and instinct. They can see us now. Their little eyes may still be developing and their vision is far from perfect, but there are glimpses of the world around them beginning to take shape.
They are sniffing, snuffling, wiggling, crawling, stretching and beginning to realize that those four little legs underneath them might actually be useful someday.
Their ears aren't quite open yet, but that is coming very soon.
As they move into their third week, their hearing will begin to develop, and their little world will become even bigger.
For now, though, they experience so much through vibration and sensation.
They feel the vacuum moving through the nursery.
They feel the change in pressure when a door opens or closes.
They feel footsteps approaching.
They feel the movement of people coming and going.
They feel the vibrations of voices, activity and everything happening around them.
Even though they may not yet be able to hear all of those things the way they eventually will, their little nervous systems are already taking in information from the environment around them. And we are taking advantage of every opportunity to give them positive, appropriate experiences.
They have already been introduced to stroller rides, endless amounts of handling and enough kisses to last a lifetime.
And then there are the aunties. While Mama Noni takes some very well-deserved time to stretch her legs and soak up a little sunshine, the aunties are more than happy to take over the snuggle department. And somehow, these babies seem to understand something absolutely incredible.
They know the aunties are there to snuggle.
They don't seem to confuse them with Mama.
They don't desperately search for a milk bar.
They simply settle in, feel the warmth of another body beside them, and go right back to sleep. It never ceases to amaze me how much these puppies instinctively understand about the world around them.
Meanwhile, their mobility is changing almost by the minute.
Those tiny legs are getting stronger.
They are starting to lift their fat little bellies off the floor.
They are getting their feet underneath their bodies a little more each day.
There are still plenty of belly-flops, wobbles and hilarious little attempts at forward motion, but the foundation is being built.
And soon, very soon, these babies are going to discover that they can actually GO somewhere.
Next week, the potty trays will make their appearance.
And shortly after that, another enormous milestone will arrive…
FOOD! OH THE FOOD! OH THE GLORIOUS FOOD! Goldens most favorite thing on earth.
For a few days, I will move in and spend as much time as needed making sure everyone is hitting those target points when and where they should.
Who is gaining appropriately?
Who is developing right on schedule?
Who needs a little extra encouragement?
Who is ready for the next challenge?
This is the part of raising pups where things start moving very FAST.
The quieter, laid back sleepy newborn stage begins giving way to curiosity, movement, exploration and personality, YES personalities emerge! So excited for this stage!
Noni continues to absolutely amaze me.
She is being fed high-quality nutrition, along with plenty of extra additions to support the incredible job her body is doing right now.
Growing and nourishing six rapidly developing puppies is no small job.
Her body is working overtime to support these little ones, and making sure Mama has everything she needs is just as important as making sure the babies do.
She is doing what she does best:
Taking care of her babies.
And these little ones are growing like weeds.
TWO-WEEK WEIGHTS
Itty — 3 lbs. 5.3 oz.
Bitty — 2 lbs. 10.7 oz.
Buttons — 3 lbs. 1 oz.
Thimble — 2 lbs. 13.6 oz.
Snippet — 2 lbs. 14.8 oz.
Pebbles — 2 lbs. 15.3 oz.
Look at those numbers!
Such healthy, thriving babies.
I couldn't be more proud of this little ‘LITTLE’ crew.
The week ahead is going to be packed with new experiences and tiny firsts.
Water.
More motion.
More handling.
More textures.
More environmental changes.
And as those ears begin to open, we'll begin introducing music and additional sounds so that their little brains can start processing an even bigger world.
Every experience is carefully introduced.
Every exposure has a purpose.
Every interaction is an opportunity to build confidence.
Because these weeks are going to disappear way too quickly.
One minute they're these tiny potatoes sleeping in a pile, and the next they're toddling around the nursery, playing with one another, investigating everything they can find and developing those little personalities that will eventually make each of them uniquely who they are.
So I'm all in.
All in.
I'm all in on spending as much time as possible with these babies.
I'm all in on giving them thoughtful exposures.
I'm all in on building strong little bodies and confident little minds.
I'm all in on giving them the best possible foundation before they leave our home and begin the next chapter of their lives with their families.
There is much work ahead.
So much learning.
So many milestones.
So many firsts.
For now, though, I'm going to soak up these six little faces, these tiny paws, those sleepy puppy sighs and the absolute privilege of watching them grow.
Two weeks down.
So many more memories to make.
Thank you to everyone who continues to watch over us, follow along, cheer us on and support us through this exceptional journey.
We feel every bit of that love.
