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Buddy. We tried on a few other names (Rico and Pepper) but hubby called him his little Buddy and it stuck. This is not a great picture of him but he is either in motion or glued to me so difficult to get pictures. I need to get out the good camera with the sports shot feature. He sleeps in the utility room where his food and kennel is set up behind a puppy fence. He kept us up whining for 3 hours Saturday night but last night I stuck a piece of mine and hubby's clothing in with him and he whined for 20 minutes then slept soundly the rest of the night. I think he understands we are now his Mom and Dad and that we will be there in the morning when he wakes up. He was in a house with a lot of other dogs, cat and humans so has to get used to a less busy household.
In other news part of the reason that January was so bloody stressful is that my stepdaughter has decided at 17 to move out. I lost 7 pounds due to stress this month. I would rather not go into great detail except to say - she is flying back to Alberta tomorrow to live with a friend and to "hopefully" finish attending high school. Subject to her going to school we will help her financially until she is 18(technically adult in Alberta which is in October) or until finished high school (July 2016) as this is her decision, one which we don't agree with but can't really stop her at this age so instead of having no relationship with her (*which is what happened with her Mom and her) we are trying to assist her as best we can. The amount of money we are giving her is just barely enough to cover room and board, so part of the deal is that she has to get a job and be a productive citizen. If she then decides to go to college we can access her college funds that are already tucked away. Everyone at age 17 knew best, but if they had to do it all over again - probably would agree none of us were correct. She has a right to be happy just like we do so hopefully things won't go in the tank. A friend of mine has a saying, "Whatever will be will be" and that is about all I want to say on the subject.
In other good news Hubby was recognized by a major US business magazine in an online review of his book (I blog anonymously here and so am not publicizing it as it has no interest to those who read my blog). We got major press and sold a few books - a feat for a self-published book.
So here is hoping February is a little bit easier on all of us and Buddy learns quickly how to be potty trained - there has been a few deposits made as we are trying to read his puppy language and schedule. What he lacks in potty training he more than makes up for in cuteness factor.
Buddy has an easy face to forgive.
ReplyDeleteJane x
He is - we knew he would be a great dog when we met his mom and dad. They both have great personalities and you can definitely see both sides in him.
DeleteHe looks like a little charmer!
ReplyDeleteHe is - he attached himself to us very quickly. If he is with one of us he is always looking for the other of us. We have left the house a couple of times just to get him used to the idea that we always come back - trying to get him to whine less although he no longer whines at night unless he needs to go out.
Deleteteenagers are sent to try us that's for sure. Congrats to your dh and Buddy is a lovely name for your newest member of your family.
ReplyDeleteThanks - he is sweetness and joy and puppy teeth all rolled into one lol.
DeleteGood for you in getting your precious little puppy!!!
ReplyDeleteThis will help with the stress level you have been under. Dogs love unconditionally - which is more than people do sometimes!!
It is true - there is only so much you can do and it seems you have the wisdom to understand that - even though it is never easy with children.
Yes, at 17 I was pregnant with my second child - however I KNEW I was in deep water even then! AND that I could not swim. Couldn't then and can't now. However, I have learned to avoid the deep end!
She is the youngest and the last - apparently she knows everything at 17 so rather than try and stop her we are trying to be there for her. We wouldn't have given her any money at all except she does want to go to school so see that positively. She had two perfectly safe healthy homes to live in and refuses to live by the rules in either one so probably this is the only option. Just makes you want to scream though.
DeleteOh the cuteness!! I can tell you from my recent puppy house training that puppies need to pee right after a meal. It's a sure fire guarantee. I can also say that (although I resisted this for a long time), it really does help to have a bell by the door for them to ring when they need to go outside. Zoey has caught on to it lately and it helps us because she's not a bark-to-go-out kind of dog.
ReplyDeleteBig congrats to your hubby on being recognized in a magazine. That's huge!!! So happy for you both....and for Buddy too. He's going to be so happy in his new home.
I like the idea of a bell. He doesn't let us know he needs to go so we have just been taking him out every 90 minutes to 2 hrs. Pee pad at night which he already knows how to use from his previous home. But this morning when we wanted to sleep in as it was Saturday at 7am he started whining loud enough for us to hear him. He was letting us know he needed to go - a very good sign as he is now usually quiet from night to morning.
DeleteBuddy is a cutie! And, kids are hard. I'm not even to the teen stage yet, so I have nothing but sympathy. Fingers crossed that everything works out well for all involved with your stepdaughter.
ReplyDeleteAll kids need to take their own path - she is the one who seems to like to choose the hardest one though. My youngest stepson who was a little wild but just graduated highschool in the spring says she is the toughest one of the four = so funny coming out of his mouth. She will work it out. Things will be ok.
DeleteI thought it would be hard to wait until Thursday, glad you went ahead and picked Buddy up. That's a great name. Sorry to hear about your step-daughter heading off to Alberta. I know that is stressful after all you did to make her a big part of your family in BC. I know you will be there is things get tough for her. And congrats to hubby. We know that promotion is the hardest part of self publishing. -- Margy
ReplyDeleteYou know it - hubby is great at that thank goodness.
DeleteOops! Had to reread the last paragraph. I forgot that he had switched back to talking about [Little] Buddy and thought he were still talking about your husband: "What he lacks in potty training he more than makes up for in cuteness factor." Buddy is adorable... My wandering mind would end up calling him Gilligan (because the Skipper called him Little Buddy). Aren't you glad I'm not there to confuse things?
ReplyDeleteLol you always make me laugh Mitchell.
DeleteBuddy is adorable.
ReplyDeleteHe is - I completely agree!
DeleteBuddy is a total cutie! Give him a hug and kiss from auntie Miss V!
ReplyDeleteAs for your stepdaughter, well I do hope she will be happy and safe. My stepdaughter is 37 years old and she still thinks she knows everything....Be firm with the money or next thing you know she will try to mooch some more...maybe not now but eventualy.
So far I am really happy with Chrome...no more Russian beauties!
One thing our kids know is not to mooch money - hubby gave them an allowance when they were kids. If they forgot their money at the store and wanted something he refused to buy it. They learned early. We made the offer of financial assistance purely because we want her to finish school and she needs to hand over her username and password for school so we can monitor that. If she doesn't go the money will stop - we are very firm on that. The only thing we might help on additionally is medical or dental which I think is pretty fair.
DeleteBuddy looks like a real sweetie! I am sure you will have lots of years of fun with him.
ReplyDeletewww.travelwithkevinandruth.com
He is - he has such a personality and is incredibly smart. We play ball with him and most of the time he knows how to fetch and bring it back - a little bit of trouble letting the ball go when he is back though :)
DeleteI don't know what's worse - one leaving home at 17 or one still in it at 24!! I hope you can put your 7 lbs back on :( and that with your new Buddy your stress levels will go WAY down.
ReplyDeleteI have already put 2 pounds back on - really don't want to put the rest back on lol. Buddy is helping take the stress level down - definitely.
DeleteMy brother-in-law is going through the same thing with his step-daughter (which he's raised since she was 2). She's 18 now and keeps leaving and then when her room-mates kick her out, she comes back home. She left home when she was 16.5. I think they're crazy to take her back. She needs to learn a lesson. She's just a really difficult person. Good luck with that.
ReplyDeleteBuddy is too stinkin' cute!
I am pretty sure she will never move back in with us - she will figure it out. I moved out when I was 17 (2 months before my 18th) but had graduated high school and Mom was wanting to move so under completely different circumstances - although no one helped me financially so I guess she does have that.
DeleteComing from a broken home seems to make it easier for these sort of kids to bounce around....just MHO and in my experience with parents I know in this situation.
ReplyDeleteKids who don't have more than 1 household in which to choose to live don't seem to want to leave before they are 18/out of high school.....well, unless that 1 household has societal problems and they'd be better off elsewhere or having divorced parents.
Am I wrong here?
I can see why the step daughter wants to go back to Alberta....school is a very big social thing to a 17 yr old and to leave your "pack" for a new school/town/province is HUGE to them. I just hope she can gut out the next 1.5 years to graduate there. Roommate living can be tricky even for older people. I wish her the best and don't fault yourselves for the path she is choosing. Y'all did the best you could for her!
True but she is the last of four and fiercely independent. I believe she thinks it will be easy to be on her own - I know differently but she will have to learn this the hard way.
DeleteI'm sorry about your stepdaughter but I think that you are doing the best that you can with the situation. Maybe a bit of real life will bring her back to reality.
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats on the ebook. That is a huge feat.