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Early February, #3 came to me and said "Mum! I think Melody (the Bitch) is pregnant!" "Huh? I responded, no lah, cannot be lah, Aiyah! As if you would know?" (#3 is nine years old).

Before I go on, I need to clarify, first, we've never owned a bitch before. Second, hubs and I were planning to spay her. Our Vet advised us to do it when she got a little older and we kinda forgot about it soon after. We have two bitches and two males at home.

The story goes on..... February 15th, while I was out with #1 for a lazy lunch (#2 decided not to join us because she had some work to do), I got a call from the house phone. "MUM! You better get home NOW!!!" Melody is GIVING BIRTH!!!" Agggghhhhh.........screams #2!! Aggggggghhhhhh....NO! Screams #2's mother!!!!! How do you know, I say. "Because 'kakak' says so and I just saw a puppy coming out!!! Aggggghhhhh..... she screams, Aggggghhhhh..... I scream and Aggggghhhhh.....we both scream together!!!!

#1 and I rush home and the second puppy is coming out..... all three *screams some more*!! Okay, okay calm down everybody, I say. Call your father! Ah....call your grandmother also! I'll call the Vet! All three of us are busy on our hand phones and 'kakak' comes and says 'Adik, ada lagi satu'. Aggggghhhhh.....Nooo.... we scream together! How many more ah mum? How do I know, I respond! Meanwhile no one is responding to our calls!! What the heck @@!### $@ @!#$ # #$@#! @!

Oh no! The third puppy is stuck in the placenta and Melody is too tired to tear it apart. MUM!!!! What to do??? How should I know, I yelled!! With you all, the Gynecologist did all the work!! We don't have one here and I've never had to deliver puppies from a bitch!!!

S..t!!!S..t!!!S..t!!!S..t!!! I was nervous and all the yelling wasn't helping and I could see the puppy struggling in the placenta and it was getting weaker and weaker and Mel was also very tired and wasn't chewing to tear it.

"Kakak! I hollered 'bawa gunting sama 'glove' mari! She brought the scissors and asked 'apa lagi itu?' GLOVE tangan lah! Itu, itu...I forgot the Malay name for it. Damn! "Sarung tangan" #2 says!!! Ya! Ya! "Sarung tangan"

Armed with a pair of scissors and gloves, I cut the placenta and the puppy, which was already quite still, started to move as Melody helped by pulling and eating the placenta. I think I was at risk of getting a heart attack anytime.

"Where is your father! Call your father! This is hisss.... responsibility! I said I didn't want so many dogs! I told him I wasn't going to take care of the dogs!!" Expletives were pouring out of my mouth non stop. I was completely stressed!

Hic! Hic! Hooo! Hic! Hic! Hooo! Hic! Hic! Hooo! I turned around "What do you think you are doing? I glared at #1! "Errrr....trying to calm myself down? She was taking deep breaths in and out, as though she was in the birthing process!! Errr tying to help Mel too...maybe she need some support to push? #1 grins at me"

I shook my head *rolls eyes too* and went back into the house. #1 said, mum we should get #3 back from daycare so that she can see the puppies. No! I responded, I don't need anymore stress at this point. I need to calm my nerves.

I tried calling my Vet again and this time managed to get through. "Ah nooo problem, just let her eat the placenta and the milk will start flowing, I'll come tomorrow. Remember to keep the puppies warm" he says.

After three puppies, I feel like an experienced midwife and when he said he was coming tomorrow, I mouthed silently, "no need you tomorrow man! I needed help an hour ago and now you want to come tomorrow!" Huh!!!@@#$#@%^$#@@

"Adik, ada lagi satu" Aggggghhhhh..... Hic! Hic! Hooo! I glared at #1. "Sorwee mum, and she gives me a wide grin" When is this going to end?? Three of us rush outside again. The fourth one! Now, I am more calm and I am experienced. Everybody quiet! Mel is a good mother, she's trying not to step on the other puppies but the cage is not big enough for five. We need to do something. Quick think. Okay, move 'house'!

As Mel was licking dry the puppies, we started to fence up the kitchen terrace with some collapsible fencing that my mother had brought. Initially, I was a little annoyed when she brought them as I thought that she was, as usual 'piling up rubbish' in my house. How wrong I was and this 'rubbish' turned into 'gold' as we quickly set up a fenced area for Mel and her new babies.

"Adik,.." "Lagi satu?" we chorused. "Ya" kakak responds. "Nooo problem" I say. While we were watching the fifth puppy come out, I noticed that the two male dogs were also watching.

Hey!! Which one of the two is the culprit, I asked. Buddy, you ah? I asked my Lab. Or is it you Max? Max is a Pincher of some-sort I think and is quite small. I'll deal with you two later, I said. #1 and #2, cage these two fellas! In all the hustle and bustle I forgot about the 'cause' of all the stress.

Rrrrriiiinnnnggggg! "Hello..who called me? Daaadddddyyyyy!!! Mel gave birth to puppies. You better come home NOW!!" Oh! Alleluia!! I'll be back shortly, daddy replies. So hubs came back with our assistant Parish Priest. After the Way of the Cross on Friday, they had adjourned for "Yong Tau Foo" and he forgot to turn off the 'silent mode'.

I was mentally exhausted and so were the girls and we kept waiting and waiting for the sixth one but it never came. Thank God! Final result - one female and four males.

Mel is a wonderful mother and cares well for her pups. Along the way, we lost the girl and now we're left with the four boys. We've kinda Christian-ed them Tender, Loving and Care when the first three came. When the fourth one came, (unexpectedly) we Christian-ed him Faith and then Hope came but Charity never came.

We lost "Hope" and now we're left with Tender, Loving, Care and Faith.

Here they are after four weeks!