Sadie & Wally Update: 20 Months-Old

Happy Fall! 🙂 Sadie is 20 months old! I can’t believe how fast everything is going. I truly love this age – her personality is in full bloom, she really understands things, and she is learning so fast! Here are some of the things she has been up to with our puppy, Wally:

 

What is Sadie currently into? She’s really into getting “on” and “in” things – the couch, the chairs, the beds, her toy baskets & boxes – you name it! When she gets on our bed, she calls for everyone else to join her, including Wally, who was previously not allowed on the bed. (oh no!) Then she will climb down and yell “Ah-f!” telling everyone else to get off. I’ve held onto the rule that the bed has to be made for us to play this game so that Wally’s hair doesn’t get on the sheets.

 

What is her favorite activity with Wally? Sadie loves to call Wally’s name – she refers to him as “Nine” or “Nine-knee” (don’t ask me where that came from) – and she will look for him in the apartment or he’ll come running to her. Whenever she comes home from an outing, the first thing she yells when you open the door is “Niiiiiine!” and she’ll run to his crate indicating he should be let out.

 

Is there anything Wally does that always makes Sadie laugh out loud? Yes! Sadie thinks Wally is hilarious. She bursts into a fit of giggles when he sniffs her hair/neck or when he gives her kisses all over. Unfortunately, she also thinks it’s hilarious when Wally gets yelled at or when he tries to attack the vacuum. She literally cackles like an evil character in a movie. Truly like siblings.

 

Is there any toy/object Sadie is very attached to at this age? Sadie loves cats. She likes to see them in the pet store, she likes to read about them, and she likes clothes with cat designs. One day after we moved into our new apartment, I saw a cat outside of our window and pointed it out to her. Now, every morning she goes to that window and screeches “Mmmm!” (that’s meow) and looks for the cat. Wally happily assists her in her search.

 

Any funny things they both get excited about? When I ask “Should we take Wally outside?” they both freak out. Sadie starts yelling “Ah! Ah! Ah!” kind of like a battle cry, and runs to her shoes. Wally starts running in circles. It is an immediate reaction and happens every time.

 

What has been a change you’ve made recently? Sadie used to love to give Wally treats. She’d run to where his treats were stored and say “Ga-kum?” which, clearly, means treat. I’d have Wally do a trick, let Sadie give him the treat as a reward, and then she’d run away clapping. During that time, we’d been trying to figure out why Wally’s stomach had been getting so upset – it was the treats! Sadie was actually more sad about this than Wally. She’s finally stopped asking to give him treats because I’ve said “No, it’s hurts his tummy,” a bajillion times. Now she likes to help fill his water bowl. Also to note, since we stopped giving Wally the treats and put him on Science Diet Sensitive Stomach, all tummy problems are gone!

Learning to Share

I’ve taken a little break since my last post. We’ve been settling into our new routine and I have to say, I’m very happy with it.

My mother in-law recently moved down from Pennsylvania to become Sadie and Wally’s full-time caregiver. She lives in an apartment on the same street as us so she can literally walk over in the morning.

First, that’s quite a life change for any person to make so we couldn’t be more grateful. Some people have also been shocked at my decision to voluntarily bring my mother-in-law (MIL) closer to me; maybe they haven’t had great experiences with mother-in-law’s. I am one of the lucky few who actually gets along with my MIL and I absolutely love how she is with my babies (hence the decision for her to watch them).

I recognize this type of set-up is definitely not for everyone but it’s working really well for us. I don’t feel as guilty staying at work late if I need to because I’m leaving Sadie with someone she adores. And I don’t feel as suspicious of what’s going on during the day because the trust is already there (my MIL watched Sadie on her own multiple times before we decided to ask her to make this commitment, plus ya know, she’s family).

My MIL is very supportive of my husband and I having time together, so we’ve been able to have more date nights (yay). She also helped me finally start exercising again. When I got home from work, she’d offer to keep watching Sadie so I could fit in a quick workout. Now that I’ve built it into a routine I work out when Sadie goes to bed, but my MIL helped me finally bite the bullet!

One of the best things about my MIL is she loves going out with Sadie; she takes Sadie to the park, the library, the botanical gardens, and the high museum every week. Talk about awesome. She also takes Sadie on these trips at a consistent time everyday so Wally has learned their schedule and feels calm until they return. My MIL is very sweet to Wally so he’s always happy when she comes over!

There’s only one adjustment that’s been hard for me and it’s a tough feeling to describe. I don’t know if all moms have experienced this, but recently my friend put it well:

“When my sister’s little boy gets upset and she’s there, he refuses to go to anyone but her. I can tell she’s kind of annoyed she has to deal with it by herself but she also kind of loves it too.”

This used to be my daughter, Sadie. Whenever I was home, anything upsetting had to be taken care of by me. Although it was frustrating to have to handle it myself, I think it was actually more frustrating for my husband or anyone else who wanted to help because their efforts would just make Sadie more frantic. I tried to be sympathetic but I don’t think it always came off genuinely. It took me a while to admit that I loved how attached she was to me.

Since MIL has arrived, Sadie has been a lot better about showing affection for others even when I’m around. I’m so proud of her and happy to see her become this loving person. Her relationships with her dad and her nana have grown much deeper which is amazing to see. On the other hand, it’s hard for me to let go and share my Sadie hugs. Occasionally she still has days where she clings to my side or just wants me to hold her for a bit; these times help remind me that she still holds a special place for me in her heart and makes it a little easier to share. 😉

Please share any thoughts you have in the comments section. I’d love to hear from you!

Is It Worth It to Get a Dog When You Have a Baby?

Today marks a year since we brought our dog Wally into our home. Reflecting on our decision to get a puppy with a 6 month-old baby, I’m so happy we did it. Yes, there have been some growing pains like teaching him the house rules and learning how to set him up for success. But he’s become a part of our family and I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect fit for us.

Wally and Sadie are like siblings – he’s taught her to love dogs, how to behave around dogs, and how to share. She’s taught him to be protective, to be kind and patient, and to stay quiet in the house (he doesn’t bark).

Sadie will come home from an outing, immediately run to Wally’s crate and then wait there until you let him out. She loves taking him outside with me, giving him treats, and getting kisses. She’ll walk around holding out her hand saying “Nine, nine, nine,” – that’s her word for Wally – because she wants him to come lick her hand. She will bring Wally his toys and can throw them for him too. She runs around the house with him, giggling the whole time. She looks for him when she wakes up, she always wants to know where he is (and usually he’s close by), and she pets him goodnight. Their relationship makes me so happy it makes the whole thing more than worth it.

Wally is also very attached to me. If I were to describe him in 2 words, I’d call him attentive and loyal. He’s always so happy to see me and will sit as close to me as possible. When I settle down for the night and finally sit on the couch, he’ll come over and rest his head on my lap or sleep at my feet. It’s a comfort to have him around, especially when it’s just Sadie and I.

Even though we still have challenges as our home life continues to change, Wally consistently gives us as much love as he can – I’m really grateful to have him in my life.

Admitting When Your Childcare Isn’t Working

Our first nanny for our toddler, Sadie, and our dog, Wally, was great. She kept track of what they did on a report card, she always kept the house clean, and Sadie and Wally were always happy when we came home. She called in sick a couple of times, but at least let us know she wouldn’t be coming the night before. Even though it was inconvenient, we thought, “She is still a great nanny, she is probably just getting over something.”

Then, she called in sick a couple more days (we’re talking 5 days in 3 months – that’s more sick days than I get in a whole year!). She also stopped giving us advance notice and was contacting us the morning of to tell us she couldn’t come that day. We started to wonder if we were doing something wrong. I put up a job posting to potentially interview other nannies, but then she came back the next week and, again, we thought it must have been a fluke.

She was such a good nanny when she did show up that it was hard for us to admit that she wasn’t a good nanny because she wouldn’t show up. 

The next week she was out sick again, Monday and Tuesday. I started to worry something was really wrong. Tuesday evening she told me she wouldn’t be able to come the rest of the week because her car broke down and she couldn’t afford to rent a car. Granted, I was aware her car had broken down a couple months prior but I thought it had been fixed. Also, in the past when she hadn’t rented a car, her husband or son had given her a ride so I knew she had other ways of getting to our place. I started to doubt whether she was telling me the truth and had to scramble to find care for the rest of the week. I advise not letting it get to this point – it’s not a happy place to be!

My husband and I finally decided to let her go and figure out a new care situation. Consistent care is just as important for your own piece of mind as it is for your kids (dogs included!) 

Have you had to deal with unreliable care? How did you handle it? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below! 🙂

Growing Up Together

I was going through our pictures the other night and I started to notice a theme – our dog, Wally, is always as close to baby Sadie as he can get. I wanted to share these pictures as something to consider if you are thinking about getting a dog when you have a baby: the precious bond they can develop.

New Homes

This past week, our family moved to a new home. My husband and I decided to find a new place instead of renewing the lease on our current apartment. We actually started looking so early, that some places wouldn’t give us a tour! We learned that when renting in Atlanta, you have a lot more luck if you look 30-60 days out from your expected move-in date and you have to jump on something you like right away (otherwise it will get snatched up before you can even go look!). We finally found a condo for rent that we loved and decided to commit to for the next year.

When looking for a home with a toddler and a dog, here are some good must have’s to consider:

• Good places to go outside and walk/play
• Easy access for any at-home care you plan to keep
• A layout that gives your toddler a nice quiet space (i.e. away from loud noises like washer/dryer)
• A bathtub
• Easy way to carry car seat and/or groceries from car
• Cabinets that can be baby-proofed

We decided to move-in a month before our current lease ended so we could slowly bring our things over and get our toddler, Sadie, and our dog, Wally, used to the new place. If you have the ability to do this, I highly recommend it. The transition went very smoothly for both Sadie and Wally because they already felt comfortable and at home once we officially moved.

Our official move was low-stress because we only had to focus on the big furniture since all the small/breakable/other things like dishes and clothes were already at the new place. We also were very lucky to have my sister watch Sadie the day we moved — thank you!!!  This allowed Sadie to get the attention she needed and made it so I could be a true partner to my husband during the move.

A tired Sadie after moving

Moving takes a lot of work and is tiring for everyone. It’s frustrating but can also make you appreciate things you haven’t in a while. It made me grateful for how excellent my husband is at packing (must be all the Tetris). It made me proud of how well-behaved Sadie and Wally were during the whole process. And most of all, it made me excited to share this wonderful new place with my family.

 

Please share your thoughts below! I’d love to hear from you. 🙂

Being Proactive

Despite our efforts to prevent our puppy, Wally, from pooping in the house (detailed here), he continued to do so for a couple more weeks. He almost always went at night and in the same spot.

I decided to take him to the vet just to make sure he was not sick. First, when I dropped him off, I got what I can only describe as a judgy scolding for not having him on a heartworm preventative or flea medicine (whoops). Then, once they performed all of their tests, we discovered Wally had hookworm. We put him on dewormer right away. I felt really terrible Wally had been sick for weeks and we hadn’t realized it. Once the medicine took effect, his behavior went back to normal. I still block off “his spot” at night because I think he can still smell his scent there despite all the bleach and cleaner I used – I’d rather be safe than wake up to poop!

We also started Wally on preventative medicine our vet recommended to protect him from getting any more worms (heart or intestinal) or fleas. This is the second type of intestinal worm Wally contracted in less than a year so I strongly believe being proactive will be worth it. Deworming is expensive and not fun for anyone – although neither is getting worms in the first place!

When Wally was sick and had an accident, I’d always completely clean the affected area before my toddler, Sadie, came into the room. I used bleach but my vet told me any disinfectant would have prevented harm from coming to Sadie. I was lucky to have my husband to keep her busy and happy while I cleaned up the mess. If he had not been there, I probably would have stuck her in the playpen; I have no doubt she would have tried to get into it (yuck!).

I highly recommend keeping your dog on preventative medicine for worms and fleas. It will keep them healthy and happy and make you feel secure that they are ok! 

Meeting New Dogs & Showing Affection

Since our current apartment complex has a dog park, we meet new dogs on a regular basis. Every time I see a new dog in the dog park or coming towards us on a walk, here are the actions I take:

1. I keep my dog, Wally, on his lease and ask him to sit. This shows me he’s still listening.
2. I put my toddler, Sadie, in my arms or keep her in her stroller.
3. If the owner says the new dog is friendly, I let Wally say hello. If growling ensues when they meet, I remove Wally from the situation. (Usually it’s the other dog that growls).
4. If the owner says the new dog is comfortable with kids, I help Sadie hold her hand out for the dog to sniff or lick. If it seems like too much, I’ll pick her up. (Usually this would be the dog licking her face or almost knocking her over).

Because we’ve had Wally since Sadie was very young, she’s very comfortable with dogs. I love this about her but I also believe it’s important to teach her not all dogs will be as friendly as Wally. I make sure she watches me ask the owner first before I approach a new dog and she sees me hold my hand out, palm up, before petting the dog.

I encourage Sadie to give Wally lots of love and attention. We always say good morning and goodnight to him. She knows how to pet him and brings him his toys. Lately, her favorite game is to ‘call Wally’ when in the bathtub and he will come and give her kisses. I also think it’s important for her see me giving Wally individual attention so she understands he needs love too and it’s not all about her 24/7. Almost like a sibling would teach her.

Similarly, I encourage Wally to be gentle with Sadie. When he lets her pet him or play with his things, I tell him he’s a good boy as positive reinforcement.

Giving Sadie kisses

Most of all, I love that Sadie and Wally get along. It makes me very happy and makes me feel like we made the right choice in getting a puppy when Sadie was so little. Although it may not be right for every family, if you feel it’s right for your family, having a friend for your little one and teaching them how to interact with dogs is a huge benefit.

Please feel free to leave comments in the comments section!

Hair Care

A lot of the un-glorified work you do as a mom is ‘body management.’ With the seasons changing, I’ve started trying some new things related to hair care to help keep my little ones cool and happy.

Both my toddler, Sadie, and my puppy, Wally, have grown their hair out! Growing Sadie’s hair out was intentional, but it’s growing right into her face so she can’t see unless I pin it back. She has very fine hair so most scrunchies and clips slide out. The best solution I’ve found are Goody Ouchless Ponytailers. They stay in and don’t pull Sadie’s hair when I take them out. If I use other hair accessories, I hold the hair in front of her ponytail so she doesn’t feel the pull when I take them out (as shown in the picture). She still looks at me with a wary eye when I do this, but she doesn’t fight me so I’ll say it works.

Wally’s face Before & After

Wally’s hair had gotten so long he couldn’t really see! He also wouldn’t run outside for very long because he would get too hot too quickly. I was planning to take him to the groomer at our vet but when I called, they informed me the groomer left their practice. I decided to brave the process myself instead of getting all of his paperwork together and finding another groomer. The key was getting him nice and tired first. Then, I took him to the bathroom, closed the door (so he wouldn’t try to escape), and started to cut! I used small scissors for around his eyes and a clipper for his back. His back hair was so long I needed 3/8 inch clippers. I kept telling him how good he was and saying positive words of encouragement to keep him calm. I think he looks much better and seems happier and cooler.

How do you manage summer hair? Any other amazing hair products I should check out (for toddlers, dogs, or moms!)? Please share your comments below!

 

Passing and Throwing Balls

My 1 year-old puppy, Wally, has always loved playing fetch. We’re not 100% sure what breed he is but maybe he has a tiny bit of retriever in there somewhere. I’m still working on getting him to bring the ball back to me every time (vs. running away with it to play chase) but when he does bring me the ball, if I say “give” and hold out my hand, he’ll usually release it from his mouth.

My 15 month-old baby, Sadie, has always loved playing with balls. It started out with banging two balls together and then progressed to learning how to roll a ball to me. Now that she can walk proficiently, she’s learning how to do new things like kick a soccer ball and pick up a basketball to make a basket.

A new favorite activity for my two little ones is to walk to the dog park together and throw balls for Wally. When Wally retrieves the ball and drops it, Sadie will walk over and pick it up, give it to me, and then “ask” me to throw it. She loves participating in this game and Wally loves it too!*

Sadie also loves giving me Wally’s toys to throw them for him in the house. The sweetest thing she’ll do is bring Wally his toys when he’s laying down inside. It took us a while to teach her to do that —

When Sadie first became mobile, she would steal Wally’s toys and try to play with them like they were hers. Every time she did this, I’d take her hand, push it towards Wally, say “give to Wally,” and then make her give the toy to him. It must have set in eventually because one day she started doing it on her own. Wally and I were very pleased. 🙂

*We’ve also made a game of washing our hands every time we come in from the dog park. Our dog park is generally kept clean and I watch Sadie very closely when we are there, but it’s still a dog park! Sadie loves to wash her hands and we sing “This Is the Way We Wash Our Hands.” 

Does your little one like to play with a pet? What games do they like to play? Feel free to share in the comments section below!