Puck needs a new home

Our dog Puck, a Malinois-shepherd mix is known to most in our lives as “the coolest, goofiest dog in all the land.” We rescued this charming fellow as a puppy four years ago. He was found abandoned under a house in Los Angeles and my husband brought him home from the shelter while he was working in LA on a business trip. We took him to obedience classes, were he graduated top of his class, we took him to the doggie park where he made friends. We took him on walks, to the lake and on the boat.

He can sit on command, he will stay when he feels inclined, or if you REALLY push the issue.
He can give you a high five, and enjoys ballroom dancing.
He plays soccer, and likes to run down the slide on the play set in our back yard.
He especially enjoys lying in the sandbox.
He has no skill for catching a ball.
He will lay his head on your leg and stare at you with his big brown eyes for hours; he loves spooning, although he is accustomed to sleeping on the floor
He enjoys peanut butter, milk bones and most other treats; he will not eat vegetables.
He is a wimp. Case in point: he chased and caught a rabbit in our back yard; the rabbit kicked him in the face so he (Puck) yelped in fear and released the rabbit; Puck then ran and hid under the deck.

He was “the baby,” that is, until we had our daughter. Then, because we have a small house and because he’s a big galoof, we made the choice to move him out to the backyard (or furnished/carpeted garage) during the day, while she was little. He was big and awkward and I was afraid he would knock the baby over; plus I wasn’t a big fan of my baby crawling through dog hair. Well, everything seemed to be fine, but she is now two; a very bright a cheery toddler who likes to say “hi” and play with her doggie. We have taught her to be gentle and never to get in a dog’s face. A few weeks ago however, he walked up to her, she tried to pet him on his back and he flipped around and snapped at her. This was unprovoked and unexpected and it scared us. We took him to the vet and met with our dog trainer and all have concluded he is probably jealous of our daughter and came to be impatient with her. Obviously a jealous dog and a busy toddler are not a safe combination; they cannot be together anymore.

We are obviously devastated but we can’t really live a life where a toddler wants to play with the doggie and the doggie has to live in quarantine outside, wanting to come in. It’s not fair to him or her.

We are hoping and praying a good and friendly single person, couple or family with older children/ no children will want a nice, medium-sized friendly dog that has a long life yet to live. He shouldn’t be with little ones, as he is rambunctious and it seems, a little impatient with them. However, he would be a wonderful friend to a group of rowdy older kids who need an extra soccer player, or a big buddy to flop with on the floor during movie night. He would love someone to take him for a walk or a run every now and again but he’s just as content watching TV with his people. He’s very smart and very agile and could be trained for agility or as a working dog very easily, he is eager to learn and have someone work with him.

He has had all his regular check-ups at the same Vet. since he was 8 weeks old; he has weighed right between 67 lbs consistently. He stands 23” tall (@ the shoulder.)

Please let us know if you are interested in meeting him.

Stubborn

It was dinner time, but Evie was not interested in eating dinner. I told her to sit at the table, she ignored me. I squatted down to her face and told her again, it was time to sit at the table and eat dinner.

Me: "Please sit in your chair, it's time for dinner."

Evie: "NO!"

Me: "Evelyn, sit at the table now please; if you do not sit at the table, you will go sit in timeout."

Evie: (thinks for a moment...) "I go to time-out."

Me: "Ok, go sit on the step."

She ran to the step and sat there until I walked over and released her, at which point we had the obligatory "You were in timeout because you didn't listen to Mommy" conversation, I then told her to go sit at the table, which she did.

Sitting at the table, eating, Evie looked at me and said:

Evie: "I go-ed to timeout"

Me: "Yes, you did go to time-out. Why did you go to timeout, Evie?"

Evie: "Because I no listen."

Me: "Yes, that's right, you didn't listen. You need to listen to Mommy."

Evie: "Dat's wyte!"


Tonight, Bryan was doing bedtime duty and told her it was time to give me a "night-night hug"

Evie: "I dun wanna have a Mommy hug"

Bryan: "Ok, let's go to bed, then."

Evie: (reconsidered, and then ran toward me,) "I wanna Mommy hug!"

Ragan & Julie's wedding

My cousin Ragan married his long time friend Julie this weekend...finally. :-)


It was by far the most beautiful wedding I have ever attended.

For ease, I posted the photos on my Facebook page, as I could upload them all at once, just click on the link and enjoy.

Julie and Ragan's wedding Photos.

*****

I got the job!

I am now officially employed with the University Place School District, a full time, contracted teacher.

Hooray!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The truth and only the truth

I stole this from Elizabeth:

True confessions that will confirm to some that perhaps I don't do what I "should..."

1) I don't force Evie to eat vegetables, truth be told, I rarely even give her the option these days...I have too many memories of gagging and crying at the table as a kid

2) Evie can give you turn by turn directions to McDonalds

3) I rarely dust

4) I vacuum when only when I see the dog hair

5) When Bryan is at work, I give Evie real food and then after she is in bed, I eat cereal for dinner

6) I only clean the guest/Evie's bathroom if we are actually having guests, otherwise it is completely ignored (she's still in diapers, what does she care?)

7) I have re-washed loads of laundry because I forgot that I left them in the washer

8) I have cocoa pebbles that I hide in the back of the pantry so Evie won't see them

9) I also have a hidden stash of peanut m &ms

10) On Saturday mornings, I will let Evie eat breakfast in the living room or in my room so I can lay down a little while longer while she watches Elmo and other various cartoons

Hoping

I have an interview today, it will be my second interview of this week; the second interview,the second school.

Monday, I met with the hiring committee of the school where I completed my teaching internship years ago; I know the staff and love the community obviously, as it happens to be my own. The downside however, is that the position is not quite full time and thus my pay and medical benefits would be compromised.

Today, I meet with the hiring committee for the school where I served as a teacher for the past year. Last year I was on a temporary contract, the position is now a full-time continuing contract. I would have a classroom of my own, I know the curriculum and I know the community.

Both are excellent opportunities and in this economy, I will be thankful for any employment as a teacher. I am just hoping something will work out.
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On being a working mother…

I am currently in the process of applying for teaching positions for the 2009-2010 school year. I taught last year on a temporary contact and then there was the budget crisis and thus I find myself here in August without a job. I am told things should work out, but yet I remain without a contract and thus filled with angst about my future.

As I have yet to find employment, it has been gently suggested to me by some well-intentioned individuals, that perhaps this would be a good opportunity for me to stay home with our daughter, to “get her out of daycare.”

I smile and nod and then I walk away when things like that are said to me. I try not to take offense, although I know what is being said; that in fact, my daughter’s life, her upbringing, and her childhood is somehow compromised by my/our decision to place her daily care in the hands of “strangers.” She will in fact turn out damaged and somehow mentally, emotionally or behaviorally stunted because she is in daycare instead of staying home with me all day. I understand because until a year ago, I thought the same thing.

It was one year ago that Bryan and I made the decision that I would return to work. I had stayed home for a year, and although we had originally thought I would stay home longer, I was feeling anxious to return to the work force. While our financial situation was a consideration, my own need to work took precedent. While things were pretty tight, ultimately I did not go back to work because I had to, I went back to work because I wanted to. Also, we felt our daughter could benefit from being around other people beside myself. She seemed bored with me most days, and although I tried to stimulate her with games and songs, she thrived whenever she was in a setting with many children. And thus, the hunt was on.

The first few daycares we visited were horrible. They were big, impersonal corporate institutions. I left one crying, convinced I would never leave my child to languish in such a place, grieving for the people and children who were forced to use such facilities.

And then, on a whim, we drove up to a little place I had passed on my way home from work in years past. It was adorable, it was small, and it was privately owned. We rang the bell, and a young teacher opened the door: bright colors greeted us and perfectly appointed cubbies with each child’s name adorned the walls in the entryway. We walked in and were immediately greeted with open arms. The small staff seemed to not only know each of the children in their three small classes, but they seemed to love them as their own. This was the place for us.

However, I was still not completely comfortable with our decision. I was happy to be getting back to work, but there was still a part of me that was worried about what kind of “damage” we and ultimately I would be doing to my daughter. It was about a week later, I was sitting in my doctor’s office, getting my annual check-up, when she asked who would be taking care of our daughter when I went to work. I replied, sighing, with a bit of a sad tone, “daycare.” She looked up at me, looked me right in the eye and said, “well I was a daycare kid my whole life, and I think I turned out ok.”

She then asked me “Do you like where she is going?

Me: “Yes, very much.”

Dr. “Do you feel she will be safe? Will she be mentally stimulated, will she get to play, eat and nap regularly?”

Me: “Yes.”

Dr. “Well then, she’ll be just fine, how she turns out is up to you.”

It was then that I realized my attitude about daycare was unfounded; while she may go play with some kids and be with a teacher for a few hours each day, I am still her mother and her father and I are still responsible for how she is raised.

It has been a year since we enrolled our daughter in that small daycare/preschool facility and we have seen her thrive. At the age of two, she already knows her alphabet, her colors, can count past ten and can sing a variety of children’s songs. Not only is she learning, she is happy and well adjusted. She loves going to “school” every day and I know she is safe and being well cared for. She loves her teacher and is being challenged and learning daily, perhaps more so than if she was home hanging around the house with me all day.

This is not to say that staying home is not important, I have many friends and family members who have chosen to stay home with their children and I applaud them and respect them. What I am saying is that MY staying home was not a good fit for our family. I did not feel like I was serving her or my husband well by staying home. I feel I am a more effective and better mother and wife when I also work outside the home.

What I find troubling however, is when this choice is treated with disrespect and even sometimes, disdain. As if I have somehow violated a sacred bond of sister or motherhood. It was somehow acceptable when I said, “I work because I have to work, we can’t afford it otherwise.” It is not acceptable however, if I say, “I work because I want to, I work because I’m a better wife, mother and woman.”

Furthermore, why is it that now, in 2009, when in many families it is the women makes more money than the man, it is still the woman who is chastised for whatever decision she makes? If she stays home, she is “just” a stay-at-home Mom. If she goes to work, she “abandoned” her child.

How about instead of worrying about what everyone is doing, we just agree, “we’re all doing the best we can” and support one another as such?

In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy my daughter every moment and enjoy the time I am working as well, for I am truly blessed to have the privilege to be able to do both.

Wiped out

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Miss Independent

Evie still hadn't gone to sleep. We went into her room, to find her standing at her bed emptying the wipes container, cleaning her bed.

Bryan started to scold her about not "playing" with wipes when I scanned the room and told him to wait...there was trouble afoot.

Her mattress was soaked, her diaper was dangling between her legs. Apparently it had leaked all over her bed; she was trying to clean it up.

I said to her, "Evie did your diaper leak?"

She said "yeah, I cwean it"

Me: "Oh, that's ok honey, Mommy can help you. If you have a problem, you say "Mommy help, please"

Evie: "Ok, Mommy, hewp pwease!"

I'm happy she's so independent, but I'm not looking forward to future accidents she decides she can handle herself.

Things Evie has done/said in the last week

Evie has morphed from a bright-eyed two year-old into a full fledged talking child, speaking in full, complete 7-8 word sentences in the last week. It's terrifying and exciting all at once.

Here are some of the phrases she has spoken, things she has done in the last week:

1.) After arriving home from a few days in Wenatchee, she was very excited to see "her Porshie and Puckie" however, as soon as she saw them, she immediately became the queen of the room and began handing out directives and toys."

"Porshie, sit here, Puckie, go way, NOW!" Porshie, hewr, I hab a bawl for you; No Puckie, you no take id! You can no hab it! Go away, dat's bad!"

This went on for about 20 minutes, giving toys to Portia, denying privelages to Puck. When I tried to explain to her that she should share with both doggies, she said "No mommy, Puckie take da ball!" Which, in fact, is pretty true, he does always take the ball. So I guess she was handing out some swift toddler justice.

2. Wanting something off her toy shelf:
Evie: "Mamma, I wan dat!"

Me: "Well then, get it"

Evie: "But I can't weach it!"

I grab her bench and push it next to the shelf so she can reach...

Evie: "Ok, I get it! Is better!"

3. Watching Mary Poppins (the scene where she sings the kids to sleep)

"Ohh, Mommy, I dun want to go to bed!"

Me: "That's ok, you don't have to go to bed"

Evie: "She say go sweep, I dun want to go to sweep!"

4. Some famous Evie phrases:

"Oh nooooo, wha happend?

"Dadddy, where arrrre, you?"

"Oh no, where is it? Where did it go?"

"Das funny!"

"Hey Porshie, Cmere!"

And my all-time favorite:

"I need a mommy Hug."