Enjoying it.

Posted On August 17, 2010

Jeff and Vera are at the park. They invited me along, but I thought I’d stay back and get a little writing in while Asa sleeps… well, he hasn’t been doing much of that, so I probably just should have gone. I’ll just write what I can. Anyway, it’s Jeff’s last week home from work. I’m so glad we’ve been able to spend this time together. I can tell that he and Vera really bonded, which is just beautiful to watch. Yesterday he said "We have a great daughter…" like it was this profound thing, and I was thinking "Yeah. I know." But I know what he means. It’s so fun to have those glimpses- where you know just how special your kid is. It’s as if you’ve been chosen as their parent because you’re able to see them that way… or maybe you see them that way because you’re their parent and you just know them so well. I don’t know. She’s a great kid. It’s also amazing to be forming our own little unit like this. It bonds all of us in a new way, and it feels good. I can’t wait to see how Asa fits in, as a personality and a force in our family. This is just the beginning!

My family! And Asa! He’s really coming into himself. He’s chunking up, he’s got these great expressions and these sweet eyes… I just love him. He’s over three weeks old already! I can’t wait until we can start interacting with him more. He’s started to gaze at us, into our eyes. He definitely knows my voice, and that’s fun. He smells like sweet baby, and he’s sleeping through the night (waking every few hours to nurse, but I basically sleep through that because he’s just next to me). It’s good. I get tired of nursing, but whatever, it’s a good opportunity to catch up on my reading…

A friend of ours saw this great tricycle at a garage sale and picked it up for Vera. So sweet! 

Picnic at the graveyard.

Lovely Maya. We’re a little concerned because last week she bit someone. She was just tied up outside of our food co-op (like usual), and this man was happily petting her, and then she just bit him. He was super cool about it, said he had a dog that bit a toddler once, and he knows how it goes. It was scary for us, though. She recently nipped at my friend, too, although it was super light and we chalked it up to her being pet in a sensitive spot or something. But now I don’t know what to make of it. And then a few months ago she bit a neighbor, although he regularly gives her treats and we all wondered if she was just trying for a treat. Anyway, she’s a really good dog. She’s always been sweet and easy going, and the only time she ever seemed aggressive was with other dogs around drippy meat at a bbq or something. She’s also been increasingly territorial and barky (she’s always been a little barky) in the yard. I’ve watched kids drench her in water while she was tied to a tree, and she just took it. She’s really such a sweetie. But Jeff and I talked about it, and we haven’t been that good about getting her good exercise. We need to walk her AT LEAST once a day. It’s been wrong of us not to. Plus with the new baby, I’m sure it’s been an adjustment. This little backpack in the picture is something Jeff made for her. There are just a couple of water bottles in each pocket, and a little collapsible water bowl for her. The idea was that it would get her more exercise, and also give her a "job". It really works. She can basically walk off leash when the thing is on her. I don’t know. I just know that this is our fault, and I really hope we can find a way to remedy the situation. I hate that she barks so aggressively at our fence. I wish I knew how to stop it. I would hate for her to bite someone less understanding and have to fight to keep her. Ugh, I can’t even imagine. I love this dog so much. 

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Anyway, today I’m organizing and getting rid of some stuff, I’m going to farmer’s market with a friend, a little food storage, hanging with my sister and her kids in the back yard, a yummy dinner, then kids to bed and vegging out with my Jeff. It’s a day to enjoy, so I’ll do my best.