I've feeling sad and guilty that Roxanne and Rambo aren't going to be my babies anymore once Madeline gets here.
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[I'll wait for the sound of you all smacking yourselves in the foreheads to quiet down before I continue with my explanation...]
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Here's the thing: we really spoil our dogs. We don't have the mindset of "oh, they're just dogs!" like many people have.... no, these dogs are our babies.
They're both so different, and I love them both so much in such different ways.
I've never seen a dog so happy, as Roxanne is when I come home. She runs to me, jumps up to my hand to give me a kiss, bounces around my feet, runs in front of me while I walk down the hallway, jumps onto the bed, gives me more kisses, does her happy bark a few times and wags her tail with so much enthusiasm that her whole butt shimmies while she waits for me to put down my purse and the mail so I can pet her and scratch her armpits - that's her FAVE!
When I'm laying in bed - reading or watching tv - Rambo can't wait to cuddle! But first! First, he has to go and find me the *perfect* toy to bring me to show me how much he loves me. If my life was set in "olden times" and I lived in the wilderness, and Rambo was a wolf instead of a jack russell - this scenario would be similar to him bringing me his kill for the day. I'd sit down on the fallen tree by the fire and he'd run into the woods and bring me the jack rabbit he'd killed "for" me earlier in the day. Back to reality: when I get situated in bed, Rambo runs down the hall and comes prancing back with "Freddy the Fox" or "Don King" or "Mikey Mouse" in his mouth, his ears pressed back against his head - so proud of himself - and jumps onto the bed and gingerly drops his "kill" on my lap. He waits for me to exclaim, "Is this for me?! Thank you so much my boy!!" and then he happily curls into a ball nestled into my side.
Our dogs love us tremendously, they know that we love them... they're very confident with their "place" in our pack.
And I worry that they will feel replaced once Madeline is here. I know that the focus undeniably will shift off of them onto Maddy, as it should, but I worry that it'll hurt their little puppy feelings.
In the mornings now, after I've hit snooze for the maximum number of times, I roll over toward Jeff's pillow and know that I'll find Roxanne laying with her head on his pillow mimicking a human's sleep position. I reach over to her and scratch her belly. She stretches a BBIIIIIIGGG stretch and rolls over to face me. I tell her Good Morning and I mention that I, too, am not a morning person, but I HAVE to get up.... she seems to understand and slowly starts to get up as I do. I do this every morning. But as the Big Day gets closer I find myself getting a little sad about the fact that "her spot" will be taken by my adorable baby girl. I can't wait for that to be a reality, but I know that I will miss my time with my sweet Roxanne.
I know that the dogs will adjust. They will accept their new places in our "pack" and they will be fine. I just hope that the first few times I have to say "No, Rambo! That is not your blanket to lay on!" or "Drop it, Roxanne! That's not your toy!" that they turn away and keep their little heartbroken faces to themselves, because I don't know if I'll be able to take it! :(
(If I'm this bad now.... I can't even imagine how I'll feel when baby #2 is on the way! lol)
5 comments:
I can't even tell you how many times I've said "Poor Bauer won't know what to do when he's not our baby anymore!!!!" But I do believe that they adjust. They figure out the change quicker than we give them credit for and they accept it. Sure, their noses may be out of joint for the first little bit, but they LOVE our packs so much that they learn quickly that they have to adjust or everything will fall apart. Good luck, Rambo and Roxanne!!! I know you'll do great - and learn to LOVE your new pack leader!!!
I know what you mean. My mom and I were worried when I brought Kylee home that the dog and cats would get jealous. I read online how to introduce the animals to a baby but I have forgotten what we did. You should look into it so hopefully it won't make you as worried or sad
Know what, I think it will all work out.
Just like when people say "I love my first child so much, I can't imagine there being room for another...." But there always is. Your heart will grow, and NONE of your babies will be left out or neglected.
Also, I think raising chilren with 4-legged sibblings is wonderful. My kids have been raised with their animals. Before they could walk they developed a tremendous sense of Love/Care/Protect that came from the relationship they have with their pets. I couldn't imagine raising them without that. *hugs*
I was equally as worried. You know how much I love my babies!!! However, Sassy & Toby have takn on Collin as another one of them. Seriously....he crawls on all fours, too! Hercules is older & less patient, so he keeps his distance. The dogs will be fine. Just make sure you find 10-15 minutes in your day just for tehm. Maybe while Maddy is napping.
I agree with the girls. We had Annie when I was preggo with Em and she used to lick my belly because she knew someone was growing in there. The first day when we brought Em home, I sat in a chair and let her come up to me (slowly of course) and sniff and lick on Em...and everything has always been fine. They will know that they will always be your furbabies, but there is a new baby in town and they will accept that. Just make sure you introduce them from the minute you get home. Its ok to wonder how the pups will take it, thats natural. Everything will be fine....<3
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