Antics of the Work-At-Home Mom

Posted by Vulnadia on Jan 14, 2010 at 10:57 AM Yesterday was Day 1 of our new life with our new little nameless doggie. Don't worry, Bregon is working on giving her a name, it's just that we want to find the RIGHT one. She needs a name NOW actually! Why? Here's the story. After an evening of being crated, Bregon got up extra early and gave his new little doggie a nice long walk to start her day. He tuckered her out and she came back and curled up in mother's recliner and took a nap while I worked. I got the kids up, let them have breakfast, or rather TRY to eat for all the excitement of having a new doggie to play with, and realized that I had a meeting at noon today. Hmm...no problem the kids LOVE to play "Let's Go To Work." In fact, just yesterday, Kian earned himself a dollar because his Daddy thought he was soo cute driving "To & from his job" inside his cozy coupe and taking his backpack full of work stuffs with him. I told the kids that they could go to work with me and that each one of them could earn a dollar if they were good (for a 3yr old that is) and followed the "Work Rules" which involved using inside voices in the office, holding hands from the car to the building and while inside, and did as they were told. They were stoked and excited. They anticipated their earnings and how they wanted to spend it on an icee once we picked up Bregon from school. Well, as I was getting dressed, I let the kids out into the backyard to play with little doggie so I could have a minute to myself to get decent. That didn't work out so well. It wasn't anyone's fault really, though. I had forgotten that the access under the house was open and the doggie found it while being chased around and decided to go exploring. Now I had no absolute idea if she had gotten out under the fence or had used the access or not. I ran out front to try and see if I could see her yellow gold coat running up and down the street. She is soo new that she doesn't have a name to call her and her habits aren't known yet ( my other doggie would always go visiting certain places in a certain direction only.) I quickly shot an email to my meeting peoples as I searched for little doggie. It is very frustrating trying to find a doggie with no name! I called for "little dog" because that is how she is referred to thus far! I couldn't find her outside. I tried listening in the garage to see if she was somewhere in there, but the babies were excited and worried and made soo much noise that I couldn't tell! So, I went out front and opened the garage door the old fashioned way to try and see (the light is burned out and too high to reach for me to change it out! Thankfully, there she was, smiling at me as if to say "I was only exploring!" The babies were happy, I was happy, but I was now LATE for my meeting! I speed-dressed and tried getting the kiddos decent as I could muster given the fact that they had been playing outside with the doggie and were kinda gross. Vivienne refused to change out of her pink extra-hi-top tennies with the flowers up the side, so she clashed royally with the plaid dressie she was wearing. We crated the doggie with no whining or problems and gave her some lunch so she would know we weren't punishing her and ran out the door! We made it only about 5 minutes late somehow! Everyone held hands, and everyone used their inside voices. It's funny, because although Kai has only been to this office a few times, he remembered the way. The boys played in the conference room while us ladies talked at the other end. Vivienne decided that she would try out being a lady for a time and sat quietly for most of the meeting in a chair next to me. The boys were not so quiet, but then again they are 3 and did 3yr old things like made a drum out of a filing cabinet in the corner, and checked out the underbits of the tables. They also filled everyone in on how they were going to earn their dollar for going to work today! Somehow we were able to have discussions on what was needed and we all survived the meeting. On the way out, each of the kids had to be picked up and allowed to see the printing press through the glass door. It's amazing the things that they all remember from just a few visits, isn't it? On the way home, I bought the kids chicken nuggets and sprite as a treat for not totally demolishing the office. They ate everything at home at the table under the guise that the puppy could NOT come out of the crate until they were finished.with their lunch. I taught them that people food is only good for people and not good for doggies in hopes that they won't be feeding the dog from the table! Lunch went surprisingly fast because of the doggie incentive! Next, it was a quick play session in the yard with little doggie, who apparently LOVES doing this with the kids. We were off to get Bregon from school. I tied the puppy leash to the back of the passenger seat of the van while I loaded the kids to ensure that she didn't get away. This actually worked out well and allowed Bregon to load all of his bags into the back without little doggie escaping or worrying about it at least! She rode home in his lap happily. This time she patiently watched as he went inside to get the icees without a whine because she knew he would be back! Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking. I had to get to the post office and needed to do some things and I made the mistake of focusing on that while Bregon freed the kids from their carseats! I took little doggie inside and let her off the leash, only I forgot to latch the baby gate in the hallway completely. She is very smart, and she let herself out to go be with the kids as they were coming side. The only thing is, that Kai and Kian saw her come outside, but Bregon was too busy with the babies to notice so she got left outside without her gold sweater and she STILL did not have a name! We realized that she wasn't inside pretty quickly as Kai was refusing to come inside and was screaming for his puppy at the front door. Kian translated to me and I figured out what the deal was. Bregon wanted to up and just leave right then, but I had to make him stay with the babies. I took the van out to search for little doggie, hoping for the best, but worried as can be. After all, she had lived almost a month scavenging and still exhibited those tendencies on her walks (she checked the gutter and the trash pile areas at each drive for food, poor dear!) I talked to my neighbor's granddaughter on the corner who is ALWAYS very awares of which animals are out where (because she plays with them all and makes points to learn their names and homes just in case which is very useful!) She hadn't seen her which means she did NOT go off on Creswell. This wasn't too great because the other alternative is Line Avenue and that spelled TROUBLE! Thankfully, I saw her in my friend Janet's front yard. Apparently she had been making friends with our neighbors doggies. Just as she was about to hop into the back of the van, though, someone left the neighboring house, hopped into their car, and scared her with the engine start up so she bolted into the street. I couldn't see if he had hit her or not, but he apparently had seen her, and came to a screeching halt about halfway down the block. Thankfully she just had kept going and was not hurt. She came to that driver to be petted (she is very sweet & friendly) and he was able to bring her to me. I was soo shaken, though. All I could think of was that my kids were going to be soo unhappy if we lost her, too! But this story has a happy ending or I wouldn't be telling it! LIttle doggie is happy and back home with her kids. In fact, as I type, she is out in the backyard playing with the triplets happily with her favourite ball & rope toy! She is very close to having a name. All I have to do is confirm it with Bregon this afternoon and it will be a done deal. It is soo cute to see the babies playing fetch with her all on her own. I can trust her not to bite (she doesn't even nip) and not to jump up on them. Hopefully, today will not be near as adventurous as yesterday! I hope to actually get to work BOTH jobs at some point!!!!