On getting another dog

I've been keeping a secret for a little over a month... we will be welcoming a new family member into our home at the end of the month!

For the past few months, I have been having some baby fever. Talking about how I wanted a girl and such. And well, the hubby hasn't been happy about it... he's not ready for another, even though our kid is five. But that's a post for another day.

Anyways, on my birthday, a friend's dog had puppies and of course I had to have one.  Ever since Duce passed a few months ago, our house had been empty. Granted with two adults, a child, cat, and tortoise the house really wasn't empty, but it felt lonely without a dog. And anyone that has lost a dog knows what im talking about. Duce had been with us for almost eight years.

The hubby and I had gone round and round on what to name our new lil friend... I think the names Spanx and Muffin Top were actually thrown in there by the hubby. But in the end, I settled on the name Ellie. And yes, she's a girl.

I am so grateful that Lil Man is in love with Ellie, and has been since he first laid eyes on her. Over the past weeks we have seen her grow and learn new things. New puppy things.

But there's still something that sits in the back of my mind... the fact that I won't love her as much as Duce. You see, Duce was my baby. Sure he was mine and the hubby's, but in all honesty, he was mine. He was the love of my life, in puppy form. Ellie is more for Lil Man. So that he will have a dog that he can grow up with a dog and understand the love that will come out of it. I don't have the connection with Ellie that I had with Duce. At least not yet. But Lil Man is starting to develop it. She already knows him. She goes to him.

And that's why I am so grateful. Duce was a few years old when Lil Man came into the picture, and he was never a fan of Lil Man. Duce was my baby. He tolerated Lil Man, but didn't play or cuddle. Ellie will be Lil Man's dog. He will be able to play with her, and cuddle with her, and they will have a bond that every child should have with a dog. 

Now I know that lil Ellie is just a puppy and kids are just more fun to play with, since they're lower to the ground and all... but I still feel the way I do. 

Don't get me wrong, I do love her. And I know our life is going to change, again. We lived with a dog for close to eight years and then after Duce passed, we adapted. We realized that we didn't have to be home to let an animal out, to keep a lint roller handy for dark clothes, and have to vacuum all the time. Now, we are going to have to adapt again. And not to a full grown, potty trained dog that can stay in a cage for more than 6 hours... but to a clumsy lil puppy who goes potty everywhere, chews on everything in sight, and is only able to stay in the cage for an hour or two (and that's pushing it).

So it's going to get crazy up in here. 

But stay tuned to my snapchat (@tl_tinywishes) and insta (@tl_tinywishes) for lil puppy antics cause we go see her a few times a week, and once she comes home, I will be properly announcing/documenting, just like bloggers do. ;)

*linking up with Ember Grey for Grateful Heart Monday

Always say yes to the wine.