Puppies and Babies

Have you ever had a dry spell? You know the kind of dry spell where the creative juices have ceased to flow? I seem to be stuck in a dry spell, a writer’s block. My normally active imagination has been on strike for several weeks, causing a marked lapse in my blogging.

 

Today during weekly worship, Pastor Steve used this metaphor for spiritual dryness, and I’m paraphrasing, “Is your heart so dry that you can feel the prickly cacti? Is there is a cattle skull baking in the sun?” While my spiritual life is rich and full beyond measure, for some reason I can’t seem to find a thread interesting enough to capture my attention, let alone yours.

 

Part of the problem may be due to the new puppy. Clover Sue. She lives up to her name; she’s as sweet as Clover honey and fairly mellow as far as puppies go. Puppies require a lot of attention during the housebreaking phase. Perhaps that’s one reason why I haven’t been blogging…because the puppy takes quite a bit of my time.

 

My 18 year old stepdaughter and 1 year old granddaughter have moved back home recently. And Madison, their cute but hateful cat. Stepdaughter goes to school by day, and has an evening job. Many evenings after work Dear Hubs collects our granddaughter from daycare, and attempts to navigate the waters of giving all of his attention to a mobile baby and a puppy. Simultaneously. Both require constant supervision, which can be a struggle if not carefully thought through first. But Dear Hubs easily manages baby and puppy until I arrive home (he has experience in this department). Then, it’s supper time! Oh the joy watching a one year old feed herself. Peas are one of her favorites; she takes special joy in squishing them.

 

The baby and the puppy are teething. Meaning, the baby chews on the puppy’s toys, and vice versa. Many of you will think, “gross!” but take it from a harried gramma when I say, who cares? What’s a little spittle exchange between family members, eh?

 

Bed time for baby is 8:30, earlier if Dear Hubs is at band rehearsal or a meeting. I find that bathing the baby at 7:30 and putting her down with a fresh bottle and a clean diaper before 8:00 presents no problems to the child, and gives me a little time to relax and play with the puppy before my own bed time. And put away the collective toys.

 

There is a reason babies are born to younger women. They have the energy! On the downhill side of my 40s I’ve discovered that focusing my attention on others can be physically draining without the occasional battery recharge. But it is also emotionally and spiritually rewarding, especially when my precious granddaughter falls asleep in my arms, listening to me softly sing Over the Rainbow and Sweet Dreams, Baby.

 

Perhaps my writer’s block is more of a time crunch than a dry spell. With a puppy, four cats, a baby, an 18 year old, and my 12-year old adorable stepson on the weekends, this full house contains plenty of grist for the mill. I shall endeavor to do my best to find time to post more often.

 

Love,

Gramma Jamie