Announcing: A New Addition

No. I am not pregnant.

Thank goodness.

We're getting a new puppy!

Well, specifically Evie and Elly are getting a puppy but in all honestly, I will be getting a puppy. Because I know who will be house training the puppy and keeping the puppy from the destroying the house and probably doing most of the care taking of the puppy.

So, now we are waiting for the puppy to get big enough to take home. They are currently being hand fed by my mom because their mom's milk dried up and the girl who had them wasn't able to take care of them. They are 3/4 Chinese Crested and 1/4 Longhair Chihuahua. But the two my mom has just look like chihuahuas. They'll probably be around 10-12 lbs full-grown. I'm hoping they're smaller than that, but I'm okay with a bit bigger. I just don't want a medium or big dog. I just don't like them in the house. They're messy. They chew things up. When they have an accident it is MESSY. I have two children and a full-time job, I really have plenty to do without adding a really destructive four-legged baby to the mix. But Mushu's size is perfect and he's about 10 lbs.

So, you're probably thinking that I just said I had enough on my plate. Why on earth are we getting a dog?

Well, several reasons, none of which are very good though they sound good. Everyone loves a puppy. The puppy needs a home. Evie has asked for a puppy.

Mostly, I want to get the girls a dog to grow up with. A dog for them. That'll be their buddy. Play with them, chew on their shoes, pee on their toys and sleep in their room. One that will be as much a sibling to them as their sister is. A sibling that will teach them the real meaning of love and adoration and responsibility and eventually loss. And please don't think I'm horrible thinking about a poor little puppy's death 15 years from now. But it's life and everything that lives has to die. And it's an important lesson for a kid to learn. Everyone gets old and everyone goes home.

A dog can teach a lot of lessons.

So we're taking in a little homeless puppy that conveniently showed up after Josh and I had discussed getting the girls a puppy for Evie's third birthday. And I figure now's as good a time as any to get a dog. Evie's potty trained. And the puppy will be house trained before I start potty training Elly. Then I will get Elly potty trained and next spring we will use our tax refund to replace the carpet in the living room. Because I'm sure after two babies and two puppies (Mushu was house broken since we put that carpet in) that carpet will be seriously overdue for replacing! Honestly, it could use replacing now but I'm not even going to bother when I have another girl to potty train.

Also, I want a dog that will actually PLAY with the girls. Evie wants so badly to have a game of fetch with Mushu and that boy will NOT play. He will guard her, kiss her face and occasionally snuggle her but he doesn't want to play with her. He's not really big on interacting with her honestly. So I'm thinking if we get a puppy that grows up with little people instead of being grown and suddenly having two little people added in a short period of time, maybe the puppy will play. Mushu's problem isn't that he doesn't want to play. He drives me crazy trying to get me to play fetch long after I'm bored with playing fetch. Just not Evie.

So, next week the puppy's are five weeks old. The week after they'll go get their shots. Then after that it'll just be up to my mom for when she lets us take the puppy home.

I'm excited but apprehensive. I know it'll be a busy and difficult first couple of months getting her trained and adjusting our lives to a two-dog-household. But I look forward to getting past the bad days of puppydom and into Evie, Elly and puppy being best buds.

Now, we need to figure out puppy's name...Mushu is named in part after the dragon on Mulan and the Chinese dish. And I have looked around for cute Chinese names and cannot find one. However, there are several Japanese names that I like and Evie says she likes. So we'll see.

Wish us luck! There will be numerous puppy updates!