I remember those long nights the first few weeks after each kid was born. The feedings and diaper changes. Those long, sleepless nights were well worth it. Even though I could barely open my eyes, I valued that time with each of the kids. But getting through those weeks was tough. Heading off to work every morning after a few straight nights of all night feedings and changing diapers can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. I am not a coffee drinker, but I did consume a large quantity of Dr Pepper.
Now we are at it again, with the addition of a second puppy. A night full of taking the dog out and listening to her whine and howl all night. I know it is just a few weeks of this and I can sleep again and it will all be worth it. But for now, I just want some sleep. My wife and daughters do most of the getting up, but I will do some and I certainly will not sleep much. I will get up and head off to work. The will stay home and do more training and play with our newest family member.
These first few weeks are hard, but, as any parent will tell you, they are great. That time of bonding and building that trust and relationship in those first few weeks brings a lifetime of memories. With a puppy, just like a child, the early training is some of the most important to develop a strong foundation from which to build. Even if I spent 24 hours a day with each kid, I would feel like it wasn’t enough. I treasure every minute I can get with my kids, even when they are being brats.
Well, I’m hoping this post makes sense and isn’t full of typos and errors. I wrote half of it with my eyes closed. Now off to work.
I know a couple of you are wondering. She is a 7 week old Golden Retriever mix (don’t know the dad), named Goldie. I’ll post some new and better pictures as soon as I can keep my eyes focused long enough to take a good picture. For now, I’m going to take this opportunity for another nap.
Curtis
So cute!