Tired, but Happy

We are having a wonderful time with our new puppy.

However, it's not all fun and games.

Puppies can make you tired.

Arkhon is a great pup, but at this early stage I have to be paying attention to him all the time, or we end up with accidents. The crate-training will hopefully help, but it is a process, not an instant solution.

Like babies, puppies need near-constant care. If you don't pay attention for two seconds, you look back to find the puppy chewing up your son's pants, chewing on the couch, or urinating on the floor. It happens. It doesn't mean you're a terrible owner or you have a bad dog, it just means you have a puppy.

Toddlers are similar. Kevin can be playing nicely and suddenly, it gets quiet. When you are a mom, you know it isn't the noise you have to worry about, it's the silence.

You run and check to find that your son has discovered a book and is delightedly ripping the pages out. (This doesn't really happen anymore, Kevin's gotten past the point of destroying books. Now he just likes to read them.)

Regardless, always having to have your mind and attention on a couple young people can be tiring. The mental fatigue can make you want to run and go grocery shopping as soon as your husband gets home so you can relax for a moment.

Don't let this discourage you from having children or puppies, though.

It is also very rewarding.

I get to see those minute improvements that Grig doesn't get to see. I get to see the pup start responding to "Drop it," and feel thrilled when I have a whole day without an accident.

I get to see my little boy affectionately rest his head against his puppy's side while he calls it his "Baby," over and over.

I get to see my old, grumpy dog sneak a quick, tender lick on the puppy's head that she doesn't think I see, and I get to see her move protectively in front of him when another energetic dog is getting too close.

I see my son learning to be kind to both dogs and learning to reward them for good behavior.

We get more exercise as a family as we try to keep the energy levels in our home down.

We are so blessed. I am so grateful for my family, including the canine part of it. They aren't people, and they never will be treated the same as our son, but they do enrich our lives by being part of it.

Kevin has learned a lot about how to be gentle by owning dogs. I hope he can apply that to other children as well.

I am so grateful for a hard-working husband who earns enough for us to support ourselves. Sometimes there isn't a lot extra, but there is always enough.

So, yes, we've lost a little sleep by having run a puppy outside in the middle of the night, but we are happy.

Currently, both dogs and Kevin are asleep. I finally get some quiet time to do whatever I want!


I might take a nap.