No puppies were harmed in the making of this photo

...except maybe the mother's (patch) attitude. This dog of mine is driving me crazy! At first I thought she was getting all stressed out having puppies sucking and climbing all over her 24 hours a day. She has been going under Katherine's bed and she has NEVER done this before. Katherine also informed me that Patch tore up quite a bit of notebook paper under there too. We don't even know where her paper source is coming from. I though, "BOY, is SHE stressssssed out!" It made me paranoid that she would hurt the puppies. Monday night when we went out, I put her in the kitchen with the puppies and put up the gate so she wouldn't get more stressed out barking at trick or treaters knocking on the door. The puppies were all fine when we got home and I praised her for being such a good Mama. I went to bed with Roger for the first time since the puppies were born. (yes, I know I am anal and over protective) Ten minutes after being in bed I hear one of the puppies cry and go running towards the kitchen only to meet up with Patch in the diningroom. She had Pumpkin under the table and was taking him SOMEWHERE! This scared me to death. I checked him all over and carried him back in the kitchen to the pool. WHY? WHAT was she thinking??? I called my friends that have helped me through this whole ordeal. Their names are Tom and Tracey and they breed Beagles in Tennessee. You can see their website here at www.soundsofthesouthbeagles.com . Tom informed me that Patch was most likely moving the puppies to "THE NEST" she made under Katherine's bed with all that notebook paper. I grabbed a flashlight and went in Katherine's room. I couldn't believe the mess Patch had made under the bed. It looked to be about 2 packs of paper shredded up in a big oval shape. I WISH I could have let her do it. Just take them in there and forgetaboutit. But I have to draw the line at stinking up the room and carpet with pregnancy discharge and puppy pee-pee. I wish we could talk, Patch and I. I wish I could tell her what a great Mom she is, how much I love her and her babies, but I can't. So she will have to continue being moody and mad at me. Get over it dog... THERE IS ONLY ONE CONTROL FREAK ALLOWED PER HOUSEHOLD AND I HOLD THAT TITLE!