UPDATE ON THE LAST FEW DAYS:
 
On Wednesday, Sept 18 (Day 56 of her pregnancy counting from last breeding) Steel's temperature has dropped from 38.6 to 37.4 in the morning and she started nesting. So she was installed into her whelping box for the night and I stayed up with her watching for signs of contractions. She was restless, but no puppies. She went out several times during the night with Frank while I took a nap on the sofa and she came to check me out every time - I think it was her test run to see how ready we are.

Thursday night in the whelping box

On Thursday, Sept 19 (Day 57), her temperature went up back to 37.8 and 38.0 and she spent that day pointing at birds in the back yard, walking around, jumping in and out of her whelp box and chewing on her bone. She nested again in the evening and started to pant, so I stayed up with her again that night.

On Friday, Sept 20 (Day 58) Steel decided to be chipper and eat like a  horse, run around backyard and refused to stay in her box for more than a few minutes. She pointed birds and her temperature was steady at 37.9. In the evening she lay beside me on the sofa and when I put my hand on her belly, I could feel the puppies being very busy moving around - there was a foot, head, body moving around. It was so special to feel them and connect to their energy. We have spent an hour together and I tried to send them good vibes through my hand. I told them about the V family they are about to be born into and about wonderful families that are waiting for them... and before I get too maudlin, I also told them to hurry up, because I don't know how many more nights I can stay up for so long and stay sane. :)

On Saturday A.M. - Sept 21 (Day 59) Steel's morning temperature dropped to 36.9 C (98.4 F) and she just ate the chicken from the top of her food and didn't touch anything else. When I called Dana to tell her, she said she expects Steel to whelp tonight, or at least in the next 24 hours and that this is the temperature drop she was waiting for. Steel's normal temperature is around 38.2 so this is the large drop, even from 37.9 C from Friday.  She is moving a bit slower this morning, but was still looking for birds in the bushes and now is laying in the middle of the carpet in the living room sleeping, but is restless and clingy (even more than before). I bet, if she could, she would wrap herself around our necks as she does to people she is fond of :)  There are other signs of her impending delivery, but she will do it on her own time and in her own way, knowing Steel - no matter what the Breeding books say. :)
We took, what we hope is the last picture of her pregnant and here is it. Steel Day 59. You can see that puppies have dropped even further down and she has a slight saddle back today. 

Steel Day 59 - Saturday, Sept 21, 2002 11:00 a.m.

On Saturday P.M. - Sept 21 (Day 59) at  8:54 p.m. Steel went into labor:

Steel started about 7:00 pm with contractions. The first boy (Green) was born at 8:54 pm and the last 6th boy at 2:35 am on Sunday early. She is a very good mother, ripped the sack very fast and chewed off the cord at the proper place. She licked and stimulated each puppy to nurse and she knew what to do immediately, like she was doing this before. It is amazing how fast the instinct turns on. And guess what? After the first boy, she was very uncomfortable and anxious in the whelp box, so we set up her old bed on the floor beside it and we put a lots of towels into it and after each puppy put in fresh ones. We have turned off the big light except the heat lamp. This was very comforting for her and she calmed right down and gave us 3 puppies in fast succession. (We have tested how hot the heat lamp gets and we still measure the temperature all of the time by the simple mercury thermometer).    After all puppies were born, we weighted them and moved them to clean whelp box. The floor is covered by rubber backed carpet and I had a fake sheep skin on top of that. Well, Steel threw the sheep skin rug out in no time. No decorating her house! :) She has a hard time leaving the puppies to go potty and is very anxious to leave them alone. Other dogs were allowed to go and look into the whelp box, because you know that Vizslas are very nosy and they tried to jump the fence to look what was squealing in the dining room. Steel allowed them their look and they have now accepted the puppy noises  and they don't bark anymore when one of them gets to be too loud. For now, Steel left their collars on, so I am watching it with caution. We weigh them all again today ( Sunday ) and each one of them gained at least an ounce.  

First was Green boy....then Red, Blue, Black, Gold, Yellow = 6 boys -:)  no girls (:-

Counting - so far 4 boys

All 4 boys feeding lustily

Proud momma

Just eating and eating - the fab 4 so far

Just born - Golden boy on the left, then blue, black and red. The tinge in these pictures is from the heat lamp

Green, red and black cuddle up

Red, black blue and gold

Presenting "Moonlight Madness" litter, 6 boys.