Reality Check!

This is that time of year when people slow down and express their gratitude for all the blessings they have in their lives.  As mothers, I think we quickly learn to be thankful for the little things, like having a change of clothes when the baby has a blowout diaper, or getting to go to the bathroom by yourself.

Last week I had one of those days which really put it all into perspective.  It had been a rough day.  My husband was out of town for business for 2 days, so I was in survival mode.  It was bitterly cold out, but the 2.5 yr. old needed to burn off some energy, so we braved the playground in 30 degree weather and snow flurries. Afterward, we had lunch and I treated the little man (and myself) to doughnuts.  I even posted a humorous picture of his doughnut to Facebook (see below).

How a 2 yr. old eats a doughnut.

Later that night, for dinner, I made up for the doughnut by making Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes for dinner.  Yes, I was being bold by trying such a risky thing, but sometimes I get cocky like that.  Much to my surprise, my 2.5 yr. old gulped down a big bite of Brussels sprouts and then moved on to his mashed potatoes.

As I turned to finish feeding the baby her baby food, I was feeling so good about myself!  I had managed the day on my own AND GOTTEN A 2 YR OLD TO EAT BRUSSELS SPROUTS!  I felt like I was now a candidate for Mother of the Year!

And just as my head was getting a little too big for our dining room, I turned back to my 2.5 yr old and found him painting the floor with his mashed potatoes.  So much for that award.  I kept my cool (barely), finished up dinner, and put the kids to bed.

I headed downstairs to clean up the mess.  I was feeling a bit defeated and frustrated, especially when I discovered that the mashed potatoes had become a paste-like substance which would require some serious scrubbing.  I cursed to myself as I went to get the bucket and scrub brush.  And as I started to scrub my floor, one of my dogs came over and added insult to injury by crapping, right there, next to me, as I cleaned.

And that, my friends, was my "Ah ha" moment.  Yep, when the dog took the crap.  It made me realize things could always be worse.  Rather than focus on the negative, I can make the choice to instead focus on the positive.  Yes, I had a mess of mashed potatoes and dog crap to clean up, but I have 2 wonderful, healthy kids, 2 (relatively) good dogs, 4 sweet cats, and a husband who works hard to support this whole zoo.

So that was my lesson for that day.  Always focus on the positive.  And never turn your back on a 2 yr. old.

St. Joseph can't help us with this one.....

Selling your house in this market is tough. Selling your house in this market with 2 dogs, 5 cats, a 1 yr. old, and another on the way is next to impossible.  So, I decided we needed some heavenly intervention, and got us a St. Joseph statue to bury in our front yard.

After picking it up last week, I was already feeling his divine intervention!  On the same day I bought him, even before I had time to bury him in the ground, we were lined up for 2 showings that day.  Clearly, miracles were happening. 

Just to seal the deal, I made sure to plant him that day and say the necessary prayers while doing so.  What could go wrong with Jesus' father (or step-father? Earthly father?  I missed that class of CCD) looking out for us, right?

First showing went off without a hitch. Second showing, in the afternoon, was a little more hectic.  As I frantically ran around the house opening blinds, turning on lights, straightening up, I was very distracted.  But, amazingly, I got all 4 of us (myself, my little man, and the 2 dogs) out the door in time for the potential buyers to arrive. 

I was feeling pretty confident that we would be getting that magical call with an offer later that day.  I envisioned being able to put one of those posts online, where I could say how St. Joseph really does work miracles, and how the same day I buried him we got an offer on the house.  I couldn't wait. So off we went for a drive, and returned home an hour later. 

And that was when it happened.

My mother, who is visiting, went into her room and I heard a "Oh no!", and immediately, I knew.  You see, her room, on the 3rd floor, is the prime "sneak away and poop when Mom is distracted" spot for my one dog.  Normally, our child gates (which we had even before the child came along) restrict access, but since the house was being shown, I had taken down and left open the gates.  And in my frenzy to get the house ready, Darby the dog must have snuck up there and left a little surprise for the potential buyers.

And you know, nothing sells a house like a dog turd, right???????

Well, no surprise, they didn't make an offer on the house.  I can't imagine what turned them off.  Lesson learned for next time.  Carefully check every room before leaving, and keep the dogs contained while doing so. 

And St. Joseph, it looks like you might have your work cut out for you!

Big news on the home front...

Ok, so I've been slacking on getting a new post up here, but I think I have a pretty good excuse.  Things have been super busy around here, as I've been pet sitting, my husband has been out of town a good bit over the past 2 weeks, oh, and did I mention that I'M PREGNANT AGAIN!

Yep, due in February, so I am experiencing the joys of sickness (although not morning, more early evening) and extreme exhaustion!  Couple that with doing 3 walks a day with the dog I'm pet sitting  in this oppressive heat and humidity, and as you can imagine, I'm pretty exhausted by the end of it all.

So, I've been cutting myself some slack.  Everyone is still getting fed and watered, but there haven't been many belly rubs or brushings for the cats and dogs.  I feel bad, but you know what, they are OK.  And I think that is what I want my take home point from this blog post to be.

As a mother with a lot on my plate, it is ok for me to not be Superwoman.  I think, too often, pets end up at shelters because kids come along and their parents feel badly that Fluffy and Fido aren't getting the same level of attention they used to.  As someone who worked at shelters, I've gotta tell you, that letting go of your guilt and keeping Fido or Fluffy is really a better decision. 

My sister and I were having this discussion just the other day.  She has 2 very active kids and a busy life. And a cat named Alex who she used to brush every night before she had kids.  I don't think Alex has been brushed in 5 years, or at least 3, since kiddo #2 came along.  AND THAT IS OK!  Alex gets food and water and vet care and gets to stay in the house he knows and with the people he loves.

Hubby with Baby William, Ralphie, and Darby

I'm not saying it's ok to neglect your pet because you have kids.  They need to get food, water, vet care, and walks or exercise.  But getting rid of them just because you don't have as much time as you used to is not being kind to them.  Millions of pets are euthanized every year in shelters, and the reality is, most people do not go to a shelter looking for a middle-aged or older pet.  And you know what?  As Fluffy or Fido gets older, they don't need as much exercise or stimulation.  Most are just happy to curl up on the same old couch, with their same old people, and live out their days.

Oh, and I also recommend waiting until you get over the hormone-induced rollercoaster of the first 8 weeks of having a child before making a decision to re-home Fido or Fluffy.  I have a good friend who cast her kitty out on the streets after her first child was born because she couldn't stand the thought of his dirty paws soiling the carpet where her beloved baby was going to be laying, crawling, etc.  Luckily for her kitty (and her kids, in my opinion), he was welcomed back inside after the hormones subsided and the kids love him!

So all I'm saying is, CUT YOURSELF AND YOUR PETS SOME SLACK!  You don't have to be Superwoman to be a great mom and pet-mom. 


PS-Soon to come....tips for cleaning a litterbox while pregnant (if you have to), tips for visiting a dog park with kids, and more!

Candy Corn...What more could a kid want?

I love tortishell kitties!  They are so affectionate, and always have lots of personality.  Well Candy Corn is no different!  This beautiful girl was found as a single mother on the streets, fending for herself and her babies.  As a mother, I can only imagine how stressful that was.  Now her babies have all found good homes, and this empty-nester of a mom is ready to relax in a home of her own.

She is a friendly, outgoing girl which means she would be well-suited to a home with children.  However, you should always bring the kids along when selecting a new family member to ensure everyone gets along.  She is living with a group of other kitties, so if you already have a cat at home, Candy Corn is used to having other cats as roomates. 

You should check her and all of the other adoptable kitties out this weekend at the Humane League of Lancaster County, http://www.humaneleague.com/.

Dog by Matthew Van Fleet

A recent gift from my son's aunt, the book Dog by Matthew Van Fleet is already a hit!

If you have never seen a Matthew Van Fleet book, I suggest you drive yourself to the nearest book store and check them out.  They are wonderful works of art.  He has a number of hits, including Tails, Cats, and Heads. We are very excited to hear he will be coming out with Moo later this year! 

Many pages have parts that move, captivating a child's attention. They are constructed well, so even with the grabby hands of a toddler, they should hold up through endless readings, and believe me, your child will want to check out these books again and again.

We already have Dog, Heads, and Tails, and I'm putting Cat on my Amazon.com wishlist today.  Those kitties definitely deserve equal billing, after all!

One special Lady....

As part of encouraging pet ownership for families, I will be featuring family-friendly pets every week!  I apologize if you are a follower who is out of the Mid-Atlantic area, but I would be willing to bet that your local shelter has great animals awaiting good homes right now too!

So without further delay, I give you Lady!

This beautiful young Lab, about 2 years old, would be the perfect dog for any family!  She is playful, loves to fetch, walks great on a leash, and is good with other dogs, cats, and kids.  Due to her size and playfulness, the rescue organization placing her recommends children over 8 years old.  However, if you were the perfect family with kids who are used to being knocked over occassionally by fun, goofy dogs, I think they might be willing to make an exception, as she has been around toddlers, including my own  :-) 

One thing they can't make an exception on is a high fence around your backyard. This girl has managed to clear a 4 foot fence!  So in an effort to keep her safe, only applications with a 6 foot fence around the yard will be considered.

Come on, I know you, or someone you know, is looking for a beautiful blond to take to the beach this summer or hiking in the mountains.  This Lady is your girl!  Please contact All Things Pawssible directly for more information and to fill out an application. http://www.atpar.org/

Changing Perceptions One Paw at a Time

First, a disclaimer:  I love my husband, and one of the things that first attracted me to him was that he was a huge animal lover and didn't think I was crazy for having 4 cats. We've added a 5th since being together.

So, despite this admirable trait, it has always bugged me that he makes negative comments about pitbulls. 

Oh yeah, I have read all of the news stories that make these dogs out to be Jaws on land, but having worked in animal shelters for 8 years, I just don't buy into the hype.  Have I encountered some nasty pitbulls? Of COURSE!  Honestly, though, I think I've met more mean Chihuahuas than mean pitbulls.  And my apologies to all of the Chihuahua lovers out there!

So I was curious to see my husband's reaction this past Sunday when we went to a cookout at my friend Sarah's house.  Sarah, by the way, has 3 dogs, all pittie mixes, and an 8-month-old daughter.

Sure enough, my son loved the dogs, and the dogs loved him.  We weren't there longer than 10 minutes before he had gotten kisses from the dogs and used them to pull himself up.  As we all enjoyed the beautiful afternoon, I was so happy my husband was there to witness for himself the sweetness these dogs possess.

The reality is that any dog can bite, which means that any dog could do serious harm to a child.  As a parent, it is my job to be responsible for both my child's safety and my dogs.  This means I have to constantly supervise them.  This means making sure I ask a dog owner if their dog is friendly before I let my child approach. This means that when my dogs have rawhides, the baby is in bed asleep.  And this means keeping my own dogs locked up when friend's kids come to visit, because, unlike Sarah's dogs, my little Lhasa Apso isn't so fond of strange children.

My husband might not be ready yet to go out and adopt a pittie yet, but I'll keep working on him. And in the meantime, I'm glad other people out there give them a chance as the family pet and wish more would.  They definitely deserve it!


***Thanks Sarah for the pictures of your doggies with your beautiful little girl!