Puppy Watch has Officially begun

Hoekema Family
7 minutes ago
3 min read

We’re officially on the countdown… and the excitement in is almost too big to hold.

There’s a certain energy that fills the air when puppies are on the way — a mix of anticipation, wonder, and heartfelt gratitude for it all. It’s the kind of feeling that makes you move a little slower, check in a little more often, and smile for no reason at all. Every soft movement from our mamas, every stretch, every nap feels significant… we’re standing and waiting on the edge of something truly magical.

The doghouse has now been flipped upside down, cleaned, sanitized, organized and nurseries fully setup and whelping areas ready. Blankets, towels and whelping pads are washed, folded and laid out. Every supply needed has been stocked lined up just so.

Tiny dotted ribbon collars have been cut to size and are ready to gently tie onto wiggily little babes. The energy is buzzing as this countdown begins.

It’s a quiet kind of nesting — not just for her, but for me as well. Preparing the space where new life will enter the world never gets old, no matter how many litters we welcome. There's something sacred about these small preparations. The house growing softer and calmer as the days draw closer. The air shifts. Movements slow. I find myself lingering in the nursery space longer than necessary, straightening things that are already straight, imagining the tiny paws that will soon stretch and tumble across the bedding. It's a rhythm I've come to love - the waiting , the readiness, the quiet promise of what's to come. No matter how many times we've done this, my heart always returns to that same place of awe. Pure wonder. New life has a way of humbling you like that. It reminds you to slow down, pay attention, to hold space for something small and miraculous.

Some of these photos are current as of today and some are past shots showing you my nurseries of my litters from last year. Potty trays are brought out. Tiny crates get washed and ready for setup for individual feeding times. It's all coming together just as it should. Mamas are soaking up the extra love and attention, enjoying the calm before the adorable organized chaos. There’s lots of resting, lots of gentle check-ins, and of course plenty of whispered encouragement reminding them both what amazing girls they are. Both Isla and Leia know pups are on their way… you can see it in her eyes,

..And now we wait. Wait for those first small shifts in comfort into uncomfort, telling me to stay even closer. Wait for those soft but surprising loud squeaks (people are always shocked at how loud new puppies are), warm little bodies, tiny little toes, tiny little noses and the gentle, watchful presence of these 2 devoted mothers.

The final days always feel the longest — watching for the subtle signs, the temperature shifts, the nesting instincts kicking in. It’s equal parts excitement and awe. Nature has such an incredible way of knowing exactly what to do, and it’s an honor every single time to stand beside my mamas through it all. Very soon, our world will be filled with tiny LOUD squeakers, warm puppy piles that feel like squishy potatoes and smell like hot mushrooms, and that unmistakable newborn sweetness that melts hearts instantly. Sleepless nights will follow… but so will the kind of joy that only new puppies can bring.