Puppy : Day 1

OK Wow - I forgot how much work is involved when having a puppy - especially when the puppy is an ultra-mega puppy.

The training is slowly coming back to me . . .

Puppy still doesn't have an official name.  In all honesty, I think I'm holding off on falling completely in love with him until puppy is a little more integrated.  I have to keep reminding myself that this big-little dog has been through a lot in the last month or so and throwing a new house, new owners, two cats and a napoleon-esque chihuahua at him all at the same time is probably a little overwhelming. 

For the most part, puppy is pretty calm and has managed (in one day) to learn to spend a little time outside alone and in his crate without barking. This is actually quite a bit of progress considering where we started the day (barking anytime he was left alone).   

Cub seems to be getting used to puppy, but I'm sure it'll take a little while.  This puppy moves a lot faster than Molly did and I think all he motion is a little frightening.  We're really trying to focus on getting puppy oriented to the pack order (meaning that Cub is above puppy).  Cash gave puppy lots of kisses on his feet and nose today and overall their interactions were very sweet.  

At one point today, they were both in the kiddie pool together.  Here they are playing next to the pool.

Weekend Update

It was a busy weekend - so I'll update with bullet points:

• Friday night wasn't a great one for Cub.  He was crying on and off from about 2:30 - 3:30 in the morning.  I brought him to bed and he fell asleep on my lap.  As soon as I started to carry him back to his bed - HUGE TEARS - but he fell asleep in his own bed around 4:20.  It was too late for me to go back to sleep (I usually wake up for my run around 5:00).  So I got dressed and ready and headed out early. At least Buttin got something for my sleep sacrifice - Cub slept in till 7:15. 
• My run was decent.  I was planning to go about 21 - 22 miles, but ended up going 19.2.  I guess it was luck (?) but I made a wrong turn and it ended up being a short cut.  Once back in the general vicinity of my car I could have gone a little further to get above 20, but that's just not realistic.  My run overall was pretty good, but a little slower than my last 20 miler (today I was about 12:10/mile), but I blame my sluggishness on my lack of sleep.  
• Cub took a decent nap on Saturday, but in the afternoon he was a G-R-U-M-P.  I mean full wailing and flailing about at the slightest thing.  We ran out of his favorite cheese at dinner time (I tried to give him another kind instead) and I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head from all the crying, head shaking and screaming.  I tried all kinds of distractions (books, tv, toys, other food) and nothing seemed to work - eventually I gave him a bottle and then he cuddled with me on the couch and almost feel asleep while drinking his milk.  (Side note: when I went to the grocery store this morning, I bought TWO packages of his favorite cheese so as to never run out again.)
• On Saturday night, Liz and I went to see a movie - Moneyball (excellent - solid 4.0 cookies) and according to Hannah, Cub didn't make a peep (he was in bed, fast asleep by 6:30).
• Sunday morning Cub slept in till 7:00! 
• My dad is in town from Florida, so after a quick trip to the grocery store Cub and I went over to my aunt and uncle's house to eat breakfast with family.  Cub proceeded to lick every window in my aunt and uncle's house and terrorize the kitty-cat. 
• This afternoon (after a shorter nap), Cub and I went to one of our customer's corporate picnic.  They had an nice air-conditioned inside area, but all he wanted to do was try to get into this disgusting little creek with dead frogs floating in it.  

 

We got home around 4:30 this afternoon and went outside (more) to play.  Cub decided to talk to the airplane flying overhead. 

Then I told him there was an airplane on his shirt, but I think it just made him confused.

My Week As A Semi-Single Mom

Tonight begins my week as a semi-single mom.  Buttin is attending Fantastic Fest which means he's pretty much watching movies from 2 PM - 2 AM for the next week, with the occasional break to prevent seat sores.  I'm sure he'll be hating Cub's 5:30 AM wake-up call, but he'll probably look forward to spending a little time with his son - even if it is at 5:30.

So I'm beginning to think that we're never going to get cooler weather, but the other day I order a cute little winter hat for Cub.  I got it in the mail today and had Cub model it.

A Little Haircut

Today we went to Sharkey's for Cub's first approved haircut. 

Sharkey's has a ton of stuff to keep children occupied.  At first, he wasn't having anything to do with the haircut experience (not the car chair, balloons or the tv), but then I put him in my lap and from then on, he was pretty happy.  By the time it was over, he had found a bunch of toys and didn't want to leave. 

Here's a little before, during and after.

The day before - so sad about the shaggy state of his hairdo.

During - happy. 

After - so happy, he's posing.  

I know.  She didn't cut very much.  I wouldn't let her - it's baby steps for this mama. 

To The Zoo

It was 102 this afternoon, so in our parental wisdom we decided to take Cub to the Austin Zoo. 

The Austin Zoo is actually an animal sanctuary - they're all rescues.  It's not a flashy/touristy kind of zoo, but I was pretty impressed with the variety of animals - lions, tigers, bears, pigs, primates, birds and a cute little petting zoo area with sheep, goats, chickens and deer. 

Here are a few pictures.

Obviously excited about the pig. 

Not hitting the snake glass. Promise.

Feeding the deer. 

Picture with black bear.  There really was a bear, but he didn't want to pose.

Do Not Touch or Feed the Cash Cub.

Some kind of primate (not pictured), but Cub thinks it looks like a cat.

 

Very energetic lion.

 

Walking out, holding hands with Daddy.

 

We plan to go again soon - when it gets cooler.