Unless you consider yourself a dog person, you may not get what I am about to write and will probably think it is rather cheesy and boring.
Lately Murphy, who happens to be the most aloof, independent, and stand offish dog you can imagine, follows me everywhere. He generally wants nothing to do with any human unless there is food or a ball involved, and that only includes Mark and I. Anyone else is a threat and must maintain a distance of at least 20 feet at all times. The last few days he walks with me from room to room, stands by me when I'm sitting down, and doesn't seem to want to let me be alone. This is much different from his usual activity of sitting on the other side of the room and doing his best to dodge our loving head scratches. He knows something is up with me, but I'm not sure he realizes that things are about to change around here.
My Dad sent me a funny article regarding having pets before kids. One particularly funny part read, "A friend of mine once told me that before he had a kid, he would have run into a burning building to save his cats. Now that he has a kid, he would happily drown the cats in the bathtub if it would help his son take a longer nap".
Because our dogs spend the majority of the day running wild outside, aren't allowed on any of the furniture, always get kicked outside at dinner time, and don't get to go fun places as often as when we lived in an apartment, I'm hoping that having a new baby won't really affect them much. I may have just made it sound like we neglect them. Anyone that has dogs first knows that they are like your children, but ever since we've moved into a house, my intolerance for dog hair on my belongings has been preparing them for having a baby and spending lots of time outside. I've read how it's important to bring something that smells like the baby home from hospital first, let them get used to it, then introduce them to the baby while they are on a leash. Ok.... maybe if you're afraid that your dog will instantly see the baby as an attention stealing threat that needs to be eaten immediately. Mark and I predict Murphy will take one sniff of him before deciding that he is rather boring and go grumble on his bed in the corner. Alta will be very curious and want to love him to pieces, but may lose interest rather quickly once she realizes his inability to scratch her ears or give her treats.
The last two pictures are from the first days we brought home Murphy and Alta.... about a year apart. We adopted both of them from shelters and they didn't know their exact breed. We were told Murphy (the red one) was a terrier and would be little and Alta (the blonde one) was a german shepherd and would get big. Obviously they were completely wrong and the opposite came true. I'm sure the countless dog picture days are coming to an end (aren't you relieved) and will be replaced with endless baby pictures. The dogs will always be our first kids, even if they are about to become our second priority. Some of our best memories have been from the crazy hiking and camping trips we have taken them on. I can't wait to make those memories with our little boy! Once we adjust to being parents and going places with a baby, hopefully we will still have the energy to take the dogs with us too!
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