Good thing he's cute...

A new puppy, sleep deprivation, and a movie-less week

The brain has a way of forgetting.

Some things get seared into our psyches forever. Other things, seemingly so impactful, seem to fade and soften. Like the pain of childbirth. I remember my epidural wearing off and the intense pain that came along with that. But I don’t remember the actual pain, just the memory that it happened.

I assume this is evolutionary. If women remembered it in full detail, everyone would be an only child and the species would die out, lol. (Maybe I remembered enough since I have an only child!)

But another thing I’m going to add to the list of things the brain conveniently blocks out…

the brutal early days of having a new puppy.

Meet Leonard.

Leonard is our new 8-week old maltipoo. He is a adorable. He definitely could be an Ewok posing as a dog. The jury is still out.

This new edition to our family has been a long time coming. Kidlet was severely allergic to dogs and cats when he was born. Like the eyes-swelling-shut kind of allergic. So after he was born, we had to send our first “baby”, our dachshund Spencer, to live with my parents for the remainder of his days.

That was a long time ago. Kidlet is now 14 and decided to go through almost a year of allergy shots to try to have a dog. He took three shots a week every week, not knowing if they would even work. So when we picked up Leonard this week, we kept our fingers crossed that all that had paid off.

Thankfully, that part seems to be going well. Kidlet’s allergy, with the help of a Zyrtec, seems to be staying in check, and the doc said he’d probably get used to his own dog over time and not need the Zyrtec eventually.

So yay for that!

However, back to memories. Oh my God, how did I not remember how hard it was having a brand new puppy? The memory had faded like the childbirth one. So even though I thought I was prepared, I was not.

It’s been a week of sleepless nights, finding new things every day that need to be puppy-proofed, and listening to high-pitched whining anytime he can’t be with us. Also, I look like I’ve got a secret vampire boyfriend because I have so many puppy bites on me.

All that to say. I have no movie review this week or even a book rec because the only quiet alone time I’ve gotten is a thirty-minute wait in a doctor’s office where I got to read—and it was glorious.

I know it will get better (tell me in the comments when it gets better, pet parents!) and Leonard will bring joy to our lives for hopefully many years to come. And he is bringing us joy now too, of course. He’s freaking adorable even when he’s being hell on wheels.

Though he really is a total slacker as my office assistant.

And frankly, a pretty judgemental yoga partner. I mean, I thought my downward dog pose was on point but I got this “really, Roni?” face from the pro…

He also gave me the cold shoulder when I kindly put a hoodie on him so he woulnd’t shiver outside…

But we are finding our way with each other and we will work it all out. Like his namesake Leonard Hofstadter would say…

In the meantime, someone send wine and bandaids!

Roni

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