Mom with a Dog with a Blog

It's official.  We have our new dog.  She's a beautiful, three month old, shelter coonhound named Clara.  It's only been two days and we couldn't ask for a better puppy.  She's gentle and calm with the baby and hasn't torn anything up... yet.  It has taken a while for her to relax, so tomorrow she may be a crazy nut job, but for now, she's awesome.  Oddly, I already feel calmer and safer in my house.  It's not like she's an attack dog or anything, but somehow I've stopped looking over my shoulder for the ghost of Christmas future and quit wondering if there's some psycho killer behind every closet or curtain.

The strangest part is I feel territorial for Winston.  He was a fabulous dog and it is very weird to see some other dog eat out of his bowls and lay in his kennel or on his bed.  I don't want to share them with Clara, but I'm also too cheap to go out and buy new ones.  It's like I'm betraying his memory by letting another animal use his stuff.  So odd.

I know I'm crazy to get a dog now.  I have three kids, one is just barely a year old and this is my husband's "busy" travel season.  But I think I can handle it.  I just watch to make sure she doesn't chew anything she shouldn't.  I already do that with the baby.  I make sure she gets out to do her business.  I already do that with the two older kids; only I make sure they get to the bathroom; except, of course, for my son when he's peeing on the grass.  I make the kids feed her, so thus far it hasn't been too bad.  Of course everything looks rosy after just 48 hours.  The new puppy goggles will come off soon and the poop will hit whatever she poops on.