this week i’m thankful for… teamwork

November 9th, 2012   /   6 COMMENTS   /   life   /   Marriage

 

This week I’m so, so, so thankful for the teamwork and rhythm that Mr. Lively and I have created when caring for little Franklin.

As I’ve mentioned, I’m big on individualization and we’ve found a good balance. Since I’m the morning person in the relationship, I have been in charge taking Franklin out anytime after 5am. And once Mr. Lively comes home from work until bedtime the potty training up to him.

I feed Franklin most of the meals because his feedings are at 7am, 12pm, and 5pm when Mr. Lively is at work.

And because I’m home working during the day with him, I am pretty worn out by the time Mr. Lively gets home.

What has been the biggest sanity-saver for me is how Mr. Lively has shifted his schedule and tasks so that I can get the breaks I need at night. He’s stayed home every evening this week so I can consult, go out to dinner with friends, and speak at an event.

He’s also switched sides of the bed with me to be closer to Franklin’s crate so I can sleep better (I hear every little sigh and noise from him which means I haven’t gotten more than four hours sleep in a row since we got him). And last night he offered to take him out regardless of the time in the morning or night (Amen!).

It’s been really reassuring to see that even when we are exhausted, stressed, learning to parent our puppy, and maintain the home, we are acting like a team. No matter how frustrated we’ve been with our little one’s mouthing or chewing we worked together on the same side.

And that makes all the difference.

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading!

 

  • http://www.tobeluminous.com Heidi Lyn

    Puppy parenting is so much harder than people say. I remember being shocked by the amount of patience and energy Harry took from me. But it’s worth it. It really is! Franklin is adorable.

  • Hannah

    Puppy training is very hard work – my own puppy has just reached 7 months, however I can assure you it is well worth it! The love they give is unrivalled and seeing her little face every morning gives me a great start to the day.
    A tip I would give you is to be consistent, with your routine, saying the same commands, whether you want him on the sofa etc. We could have saved a lot of hassle if from the start everyone in our house sat down and decided upon the same boundaries.
    That been said, I wish you the best of luck with Mr Franklin, he’s adorable! x

  • Rebekah

    Unrelated to your puppy post :) – but I’ve noticed over and over that I like the clean “see-thru” graphics that you use on your pictures. Do you happen to create those in Photoshop Elements? I’d love to know how …

  • http://www.beautifulelysium.blogspot.com juju

    omg – so adorable. totally reminds me of my westies when they were puppies. i have some amazing puppy pictures myself. do enjoy your mommy moments w/ your puppy!!

  • http://twitter.com/Nutmeghers Nutmeghers

    I can only image how tough a baby puppy is. I adopted a 6 mo old from an shelter and was overwhelmed for the first two weeks. I too am the morning person so I get Olive up at 6 each morning, Because no one is home during the day and being a shelter dog she didnt take to crating right awag invested in doggy daycare. She’s part border collie lab mix and it also ensures shes getting plenty of exercise.

  • Monique

    Franklin is a cutie. Maybe you can move the dog crate out of your bedroom soon. I’m not sure how old Franklin is but check with your vet. Franklin should be able to sleep through the night soon as long as he’s taken out before bedtime. Can’t function well if you’re not getting your rest.