Sam + Addy

Since up until recently Addy has been the star of this blog, I thought you might appreciate a little update on how our "first born" is adjusting to our "newborn."  (This is a subject I thought and prepared a lot for before Sam was born... Check out those posts here and here.)  

For starters, these pictures are some of my favorites from the last two weeks:

Feeding time.  Addy is SO exhausted from her late nights and interrupted sleep.  Clearly, Sam is too.

Play time.  Addy: "Your toys look a lot more fun than mine."  Sam: "What is this giant toy to my right?"

If I wasn't so long winded, I'd just let these pictures do the talking and tell you that Sam & Addy are doing great together; but, you know me better than that!

Addy's adjustment has been slow but steady and sweet.  Despite our best efforts at bringing home a onesie from the hospital for her to smell etc., Addy seemed completely uninterested in Sam at first.  We realize that there are much worse problems to have when introducing a baby and a 70 pound dog; but, I was a little disappointed.  

After this, our progress on the baby/dog front was slow.  

First, there was Poppy's first home visit.  I was holding Sam while he sat next to me adoring his great-grandson.  Innocently, Addy wandered into the general vicinity of the baby, and POPPY FREAKED!  Totally unexpectedly, he started screaming "Get away! Get away! She's an animal!!! She could destroy that baby!!"  and shooing her away. It was hilarious, and a bit sad.  Poor Addy.  Luckily, we convinced Poppy that she was OK and we haven't had any more outbursts.

A few days later, Addy attempted a new strategy to regain her control around the house... She faked an injury.  It began in the morning of one of Sam's first days at home.  She was limping and holding hew paw pathetically.  I, of course, fell hook, line, and sinker and thought it was the saddest thing ever.  However, as the day progressed and visitors took her up on her offer to throw a tennis ball a few times; we noticed that Addy's "limp" conveniently came and went as she pleased.  She's a smart one, that one.

Anyway, over time, she is beginning to take her role as a big sister a little more seriously and is, truly, quite good at it.

Nowadays, she is hyper-alert to Sam's crying.  Usually, she just stares at Jeff & I like "aren't you going to do something?"  On a couple of occasions, we've found Addy peeking into the bassinet or pack n' play when Sam wakes up from a nap before we can get to him.  On the other hand, late at night when he wakes in a fury, Addy promptly retreats out of the bedroom and into the closet so as not to interrupt her beauty rest.  :)

I wouldn't really call her "protective" just yet; but, she is definitely interested.  I've noticed in the last few days that she usually wants to lay right at the feet of whoever is holding her bro.  We don't let her lick his face; but, she likes to sniff him whenever she can.  I think he must smell like one of us now because she seems to be beginning to understand that he is here to stay.

Sometimes I would give anything to be in her head for a few minutes... Like this morning when I'm pretty positive she was thinking "is there a return policy on that thing?  Doesn't he know we don't wake up at 7?"  

I'm sure this has been a rude awakening for her, as we knew it would be; but, like everything else, she has taken it in stride.