Too Many Living Things
We have a lot of living beings in our house. Me and Chris, two wild two legged beasts, two wild four legged beasts, and a fish named Lt. Dan (cause he ain’t got no legs). When we’re all home and at full capacity, it’s a little overwhelming. And God help the person who calls me when all living beings in our house are hungry. It’s like World War 3 around here at meal times – every man (or beast) (or Bean) for themselves.
In all the hustle of our daily grind, I do feel bad for our dogs. They really get the shaft these days. Especially Lucy. Lucy has gone from my college days when she used to sleep in my bed with me every night, to married days when Chris kicked her out of bed at night, but let her back in to snuggle in the mornings, to parenting days where she’s shunned from all beds and is now forced to sleep on a pillow on the floor. Like some kind of animal. I feel for her. Truly.
As you can imagine, she is none too thrilled with her current living situation. And she lets us know this. Frequently. Lucy now barks at just about everything. The mailman, mothers walking babies down the street, the wind blowing leaves in the back yard… you name it and she will bark at it. Generally speaking, she walks around pissed off most of the time. She’s always been like an angry old lady, but these days she actually IS a cranky old lady.
Poor Lucy.
But it is actually Molly who I feel so guilty about tonight. I feel double guilty, really, because I didn’t even remember this terrible story I’m about to tell you that happened two nights ago until my sister reminded me about it today.
Double guilt is the worst.
So, two nights ago…
IN MY DEFENSE…(bad sign when someone already gets defensive before the story even begins)… Chris had been working long, crazy hours, and we were both exhausted. So there.
Anyway, two nights ago, I put the kids to bed, cleaned up the house, watched five or six HOURS of Glee on Netflicks, and then headed to bed. Chris came home around midnight, I mumbled hello or something, and then we both went right to sleep.
Until I was woken up at 1:30am by barking in my backyard. Normally, that wouldn’t wake me up, but this was familiar barking. This was barking I knew. This was Big Molly’s barking.
I threw the covers back and ran, half asleep, to the backdoor. I flung it open and there sat Molly. On our back porch. In the cold. At 1:30am.
God knows how long she’d been out there. Or why she hadn’t barked until 1:30 in the morning. Maybe I left her out there since 8:00 when I let the dogs out for the last time and she sat there for a while, realized I wasn’t coming back, and was finally like, “Peace out to you, losers. I’m going to Steak ‘n Shake.” And then she left and didn’t get back home until 1:30 in the morning.
I’m not really sure what happened. It might have been that.
Or, maybe, she had been barking outside to come back in and in the utter chaos that is our household, I just didn’t hear her. FOR FIVE HOURS.
It was probably that.
Either way, when I opened that door and saw her sitting there in the middle of the night all by herself in the cold, my heart broke and I felt so terrible. Not just for leaving her outside, but for how our dogs have been pushed so far to the side since we’ve had two babies. I never thought I’d be THAT dog owner. I love my dogs. The entire first two years of this blog is about them, actually. And now they just kind of get pushed to the side and forgotten.
WELL NO MORE!
Starting today, my dogs are front and center again. Belly rubs, ear scratches, apple slices, peanut butter Kongs – anything they want.
Well, anything after 7:30 when the kids go to bed.
And anything that’s free cause most of our money goes to the kids now.
But anything that’s free after 7:30 is THEIRS!
30 Comments
Jen at Cabin Fever
Since Emily arrived I often feel like I don’t have time for our two dogs… the poor things. They have to adjust to a whole new, attention grabbing person in the house! I am going to go play with them right now….
Cabin Fever in Vermont
Christina @ Marriage from Scratch
Haha aww poor Molly. This cracks me up. Luckily though, she will forgive you..after a few treats..I have a feeling 🙂
RJ (Kids and Cast Iron)
My dog is the same. He went from being my husband’s pal, sleeping on his bed, and all that to me kicking him out of bed. Now that my daughter is here….. Well yesterday I forgot to feed him, it was a few hours late.
Nikki
Poor Molly! Good thing Labs are the forgiving type. I can only imagine how you felt. That is why dog doors rule!
Laura @ Casa del Hansen
Don’t feel badly – things like this happen to those of us who don’t even have kids (long story, but our Luigi has now learned that he can go scratch our neighbor’s door and get let in for some lovin’ if we forget him at his first request for come back in…joy!). But more importantly, I’ll bet your four-legged wild things love you just the same – I think they instinctively just “know” that babies take center stage (I know Luigi does whenever we have friends’ kids over).
Ann
Your blog makes my bad days better. I laughed so hard when Molly went to Steak n Shake. Our dogs also got the shaft. I think it’s natural selection or something. :-/ Poor puppies…
JoHanna
SO glad that you finally posted something about the puppies! I have been missing stories about them (yes, I’ve been reading your blog that long. Ha).
Kathie
I’m with JoHanna on this one! I haven’t seen a post about the puppies in a long time! I almost forgot that you had them. :S No worries though. Puppies always forgive and forget, and then they eventually become your kids best friends.
Lorrie
Things like that happen to the best of us. It is completely unintentional. Pets are generally the forgiving type and will get over it soon. They are our loyal friends.
Maureen
Funny, I was actually just wondering recently whether you would ever post about your dogs, again.
Christy
Our cats are the center of our universe. For now. We just moved so I’ve allowed them to sleep in our bed for the last few nights. I usually don’t because of my allergies. The other night my cat, Jag, slept in ball right in front of me and I didn’t move for like 6 hours that night just because she looked so cute and comfortable. We also have stairs in our new place and it’s so entertaining to watch them walk up the stairs…they look like prancing mini-horses. They reduce my stress levels and are there with me while I’m getting ready for work or school early in the morning and when I’m home late in the evenings. They bring me so much joy and forgive me for not being home all day! Animals are wonderful. Give Molly and Lucy some big sloppy kisses and hugs for me.
Yolanda
I am so glad that Lucy n Molly are getting back into center stage…even if its post 7.30pm 🙂 yay!!!
Chloe
Poor Lucy and poor Molly!
Glad they’re going to receive more attention! 🙂
Tiffany
You should not feel bad. These things happen! We once left our cat out on the balcony for 12 hours in the rain! I did not realize she was missing until there was too much food left in her bowl (she is a bit chucky)! She gave us an ear full when we finally let her back inside! But they forgive you and will love you again tomorrow!
Rebecca @ The Reluctant Housewife
We have 2 dogs {a great dane and a little terrier mutt}, and 2 cats {that I’ve had for YEARS}, a toddler, and the two of us in our little 1,000 ft townhouse. Oh, and Baby #2 is on the way and the pregnancy hormones are flowing. It gets CRAZY in here. Before the baby came, it was crazy… now, it’s out of control. When we move later this year {probably to an apartment} we’ll have to give 3 of the 4 animals away…. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to that. Sounds harsh, but it’s just reality.
Margaret
Soooo just a couple of days ago we went to lunch with some friends (my husband had the day off) and we let Jack into the garage (we’ve been putting him out there because he gets separation anxiety in his “crate”, ie. spacious mudroom and he still poops in the house sometimes). Sometime after our son went to bed we heard whining. Yeah, Jack had been sitting in the garage all day. 40 degrees. With us in the house. Poor buddy. These things happen. Hopefully only once. But, you know…
Katy @ MonsterProof
Aw, man, happens to us all. I left ours out in the POURING ran for a couple of hours the other day. 🙁 I feel worst for the cat, though. He was my college buddy, then the husband, then the dog came along and took over, then the baby. Poor guy.
Tabitha @ From Single to Married
HA! As I’m reading this my 2 year old is beside me with a plate full of food (that he’s refusing to eat of course) and our dog is sitting on the other side of me with his head on the floor in what is probably sadness because I haven’t fed him yet. And probably won’t until I remember to do it an hour from now. Poor baby. The dog, not my son. My son is living the life. My dog, on the other hand, is now a second rate citizen. He’s gone from being the king of the house to being baby-handled (ears pulled, sat on by a toddler, etc.) on a regular basis. It’s a good thing he still seems to love us anyway!
ps – dogs are so loyal that they’ll forgive you and move on and they’ll still be there for whatever attention you have to give. And I’m so glad he’s a part of our family, it’s so great to see him and my son play together – they’re such little buddies!
Meggie
I can so so SO relate to this. I was just telling my husband yesterday how I’ve been feeling sorry for Bailey (our mini schnauzer). She was our first child first and now that baby #2 is here, well 4 months ago, she really doesn’t get too much TLC. Poor thing. She still gets to sleep with us but that’s about it. Since we’re finally settling into a predicatable routine we’re going to be making a point to give her more attention and play time and good ole lovin. =)
Alaina
Aw, that’s ok…we all make mistakes, and I’m sure Molly will forgive you. Honestly, I don’t know how you keep track of it all!
Jen
I love this!
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
Hey, at least your dog lives in Florida. If I left mine out until 2 a.m. she’d be a poodle-sicle!
Courtney
I almost peed my pants when I read what you named your fish and why.
Cindy
My 2 dogs can feel for your 2 dogs except we got them after all the kids so they are use to taking 2 nd place to the kids.
Rosemary Breen|Compatibility and Love
We actually got our beautiful border collie because her previous owner no longer felt she could give Truffles all the love and attention he needed. She had 3 children and wanted another and so, truffles was the price that was to be paid for adding 2 more feed to her brood.
Our gain though. T is a wonderful dog,
Tee
We had 2 cats,4 chihuahuas, and a restaurant when we got pregnant with our first baby… after having the second baby we had to adopt out the cats and 3 of the dogs. All were acting out and there wasn’t enough time in the day to give them each the love and attention they needed. I kept in touch with all of the families for 2yrs and even though I know they area finally getting everything they need, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about them.
Lauren
If it makes you feel better I live in the prairies of Minnesota and people have dogs that live outside. And yesterday it was 12 degrees. I am sure Big Molly had the time if her life, outside, like a free animal. And then at 1:30 am she decided she had to make curfew or something. You know, closing time.
Kat
Awwwww poor puppies. This happened in our house hold and then when Cai died, Travis became the center of attention again. (he’s like the Lucy of our household – grumpy old man that’s used to having 100% of the attention and is kinda peeved at us for not giving it to him). Well, after Cai died we really started to give him lots of cuddles and treats and what-nots (after 730pm that is). Yesterday when Peanut got presents on her birthday Travis almost lost it. He was so sure that at least half, if not all, the presents were for him, since he is, after all, our main squeeze, that he tried to steal all the presents from the baby and open them. Yup. I think we may have gone too far in the other direction lately. This dog is SPOILED! Spoiled I tell ya!
Mommy, Esq.
Most women don’t have the desire to be caring for another creature after giving birth – you are too “touched” out and just need some alone time. I always tell this to friends who say they want a dog as “practice”. Just have the kid and get a dog when you’re an empty nester.
Joke
I actually started reading your blog because I liked your posts about the dogs and Bean. I’d love to hear more from them again! I’m sure Molly forgot about it already 😉