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"You're getting a puppy? With a baby and a toddler?"
I know… Insert the “you’re crazy!” comments and add a few “good luck with that” reactions with a heavy side of sarcasm. Yes, I’m a victim of my own chaos. I thrive off of being busy and always being on the go. So, a puppy seems like no big deal to me. It’s exhausting, but I’m already exhausted working and being a wife and a mom of two, so what more is a puppy going to add to my plate? I want my kids to have and know the love of a puppy and grow with that puppy to have a best friend in a dog that they will share countless memories with. Oh, and did I mention, Drake is getting deployed for a year with the Army National Guard? Yeah, I need my own protector too. So there’s that.
So, here’s our story of how Moose came into our lives and a few products and tips that are helping us adjust to having a puppy in our already chaotic Bazzle family life.
We miss our Tatum-tot so much
2018 was rough losing our girl we’ve known for the last 11 years. Drake got “Tatum” for me when we first started dating. She’s seen us through break-ups, getting back together, getting married, having kids and moving. She loved Camden and Kate unconditionally. After 7 months without a bark in the house, without four paws running around, without couch cuddles and a cold nose touching you to let you know she’s there, we decided it was time…
Camden needed a buddy again and so did the whole family.
Introducing "Moose"
I searched rescues and breeders to find a puppy that would fit into our family well and we stumbled upon a family in North Port with puppies available in March. We went to meet them and it was obvious from the moment Camden held this puppy, that he was meant to be part of our family. Look at the way he looked at Camden.
We asked Camden what he would name him and out of nowhere, “Moose!” It just fit. Because let’s be honest, this little guy is going to be a Moose one day. His daddy is nearly 90 pounds and his mama is about 80 pounds. He has the soul of gentle giant and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us with “Moose” in our lives.
Bringing Moose home
On March 29, 2019, I drove to North Port, Florida to pick up our newest family member. When I got him in the car, he laid down in the laundry basket filled with comfy towels and his special moose stuffed animal that Camden picked out for him. He looked at me and I put my hand out to give him a high-five and said “let’s go home!” To my surprise, he picked his paw up and hit my hand and my eyes filled up with tears. Why? Because the very first thing Tatum did when we brought her home was give me a high-five and it was the first trick she knew from the start. It felt like she was looking down at me, telling me she approved.
Every boy needs a dog and every dog needs a boy
We wanted to make this moment special for Camden and for Moose so we made sure to surprise him with his future best friend and partner in crime…
"Hey, you"
Camden is learning a lot about puppies. It’s been an adjustment. One thing is for sure, he’s absolutely in love with his new buddy and they’re going to be inseparable.
All weekend, Camden was ready to help. He is learning the terms and helping us with everything.
Puppy teeth are the biggest struggle at the moment. Those little thing are like tiny daggers. Moose just wants to put his mouth around everything and no matter how many toys he has, Camden is one of them. But, it’s getting easier with each day that passes and every “No” we dish out.
What does Kate think of Moose?
Moose makes Kate laugh. She scrunches her nose and follows his every move around the house. He’s also learning that her feet aren’t chew toys when they’re hanging out of her bouncer.
How potty training going?
Surprisingly, potty training is going really well. We’re crate training Moose and as soon as he’s let out of his crate we go straight for the door which also has a training bell (link below) hooked to it. He has already hit the bell when wants to go out.
I took a few days off work for "Paw-ternity Leave"
I wanted to make sure that Moose was happy and comfortable in his crate and got a check-up at the vet before heading straight back to work. So I took a few days off to spend time with him, work on potty training, and leave him in the crate while I ran errands here and there. He did great. By the third night he was sleeping through the night in the crate and only whining a few times to come out while I was around the house getting some stuff done. As soon as I head back to work I’m going to make sure I come home on my lunch break to let him out, run him around a bit and then head back to work before picking up the kids and coming back home to him.
We also have a "Moose Cam"
The “Moose Cam” is constantly watching our boy when he’s in his crate. Okay, so it’s a NEST Cam IQ, but for now, it’s the “Moose Cam.” We are testing out the brand new NEST IQ indoor and outdoor cameras and right now we’re using the indoor camera to keep an eye on “Moose” while he’s in his crate and we’re away from the house.
Once we’re out of the puppy stage, this camera will be sure to keep an eye on things and bring a sense of security to our home, especially with an upcoming deployment.
I love being able to grab my phone and check how he’s doing while I’m away from the house, or, while I’m in another room of the house.
I can zoom-in on the picture and I get an alert on my phone every time the camera senses movement.
This camera has helped us so much with these beginning stages of welcoming a dog into the family.
Also, Camden is pretty impressed that it has Google Assistant and you can ask “Okay Google” things like “How do plants grow?” or “How do butterflies fly?”
Delivery groceries helps me keep the house running...
One of the first things I did when I got home with Moose was order groceries… Yes, I ordered my groceries. 2019 is a spectacular time to be alive because you can order your groceries and you can even have your Costco order delivered, thanks to Shipt.
This is not an ad. I’m just seriously impressed with everything Shipt is doing. I can get my groceries from Publix (they even have the BO-GO deals in the app), Winn-Dixie, CVS, Costco, Target and more. They even deliver beer and wine from certain stores. And, delivery is free for orders more then $35.
I ordered my groceries from Shipt! Use my link and get $50 off membership when you sign up! This comes in handy with the #puppymomlife and #momlife I’m juggling right now! #promocode #shiptpromo #shiptpromocode #shiptcoupon https://t.co/pN34PgQmif — Kelly Bazzle (@KellyBazzle) March 30, 2019
So as crazy as I may seem, I think I have it all together
Because as we prepare for Drake to leave for a year, Moose will be here to be that bark I miss, and keep Camden and Kate occupied and give me that puppy love that I have missed. He will be our rock during a hard time.
But, ask me again in a month how I’m doing with all of this… Because Lord knows, the puppy stage can last a long time with yellow labs!
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