The new addition!

So, after a long and trying summer, finally on October 17th, our daughter was born! Kalyn Ann Barry decided to come into this world at 12:53am on opening day of bird season here in Massachusetts. After all the threats of her coming early, she waited until just 23 hours before her due date to arrive. She is happy and healthy at a whopping 8# 12oz. Let me tell you that no one was expecting such a large baby! Even the midwives were shocked at how big she was!

Big sister, Jaida is enjoying holding Kalyn and so far really likes being a big sister! Of course, she hasn't had to share anything yet with her, so we'll see how long that continues!

After being out of work for so long with the complications of pregnancy I have to return to work full time after only 6 weeks. My maternity leave is up then and having had to have used all my vacation time before my "disability" payments could kick in, it will be necessary financially. So, as of now I plan to return to work for December 1st. I have missed work a lot, so I am hoping it will be a good thing to go back! Since I started working at age 15, I have never had so much time off in my life...Sadly, because I was on bedrest all summer I didn't even get to enjoy it!

In other news, Rogue has been out in Indiana with Durite Vizslas for the past 2 months. After her first derby run this fall they made an offer we couldn't refuse. Carrie (the mom of Durite) offered to take Rogue for a couple months and train several days a week off horseback and run her in several trials. While it was a hard decision emotionally, there couldn't have been a better situation for Rogue at this point in time. With us very busy preparing for the baby and Rogue at the point in her puppyhood where some more serious training would be beneficial, we decided to send her out. So, Rogue got to experience her first plane ride! (I was a nervous wreck, as I personally don't really care for flying) She arrived fine and began training with Carrie's other dogs several days a week.

After being out there for a week and a half she was entered in the Midwest Shooting Dog Championship. She ended up taking 2nd runner up in the Derby Classic! Not bad for only having been out there for a very short time! Then the weekend of Oct 10/11 they traveled to Ohio for the Miami Valley Vizsla Club trial. Rogue was entered in both Open Puppy and Open Derby. She ended up winning both stakes! The judges made comments that she was the most mature puppy they had ever seen and another judge was quoted as saying "she gave me goosebumps"! What wonderful comments on our girl! We are so proud!! There was even a paragraph in the Vizslak Sentinel about her!

Now she is off to the VCA National Field Trial next week to run in the Derby Classic. We will be making our way down to Virginia to see her run and pick her up from Carrie. We are very excited since it has been a while since we saw her last.

Hopefully the next time I post it will be with the results of the National competition. There are some big name dogs and bloodlines running in all stakes, so Rogue will have some tough competition! We're keeping our fingers crossed for our girl!