Monday, March 4, 2013

Brother and Sisters

Before Little E was born, I wondered how the pugs would adjust, particularly Rikki.  Rikki is quite a needy pug, loving nothing more than to be pet continuously, even if you are sleeping, unconscious, or dead. If you have two hands, you'd best be using them to rub her belly.  One of your hands is amputated? Then get one of your feet off its lazy sole and put it to work.  In short, she wants to be pet. One of her signature moves is to wedge herself between Bunni and any human, regardless of whether the space can accommodate her--if need be, she'll plant half her ass on the ground and the other on Bunni's face in order to gain prime position for petting ("PPP").

With all this neediness, I worried that she might resent little E and eat him (although the latter was less of a concern because she hardly has any bottom teeth).

The first night we brought E home, the pugs were on high alert and barked with high-pitched persistence every fucking time E cried. And that happened a lot. The next morning, I demanded that Kevin find and hire some type of very expensive dog whisperer to train them.

Luckily, those voracious reactions quickly died down, probably because the pugs were just too exhausted to care anymore.

Well, with an exception. Our little Rikki has taken her sister responsibilities very seriously and does alert us with a few mild barks when she hears E crying and doesn't think that we hear him.  There have been countless times in the dead of night where I wake up only because she jumps off the bed (the pugs sleep with us) and runs to the nursery with a bark or two when E cries.  It's her jumping off the bed that wakes me up, not E's cries (because my auditory nerves are a little slow to arouse).  We don't have a baby monitor--I know I would wake up eventually when his cries reached a certain decibel, but she lets me know as soon as it starts.  Then, after she sees me stumbling blindly to the nursery to check on him, she runs back to our bed. What a good little girl.

Bunni is a little more aloof, which I could have predicted.  She sniffs him once in a while, particularly if he has milk smeared on his face or poop smeared his butt, but in general leaves him alone.

Oh, Rikki still pulls the whole PPP wedge maneuver with E. It took her only a little over a month to sit on E's cheek in getting PPP.  Overall, though, the pugs have taken things very very well.  My favorite pictures of E so far are of him with his pug sisters.  I am so proud of how they have adjusted, and I can't wait for future days of E playing with the pugs, like this little guy.







13 comments:

  1. That little paw/hand picture kills me! I'm so happy they have become quite the little crew, we're having issues with one of our doggies nipping at grabby toddler hands, so to say I'm jealous of all the doggie love would be an understatement.

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  2. Awww, such sweet pictures! I love that they're so protective of Baby!

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  3. The pictures of little E and your pugs are too cute!

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  4. Too cute! I'm so glad they are all getting along! I'm sure that has to be beyond nerve wracking!!

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  5. what good, sweet loving pugs. it's a testament to how loving you 2 are with the pugs post-baby arrival that they don't feel the need to compete.

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  6. so cute. I like the one with rikki looking up.

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  7. Oh! That is the sweetest little story! What a good big sister! I love the photos. I think it's so important for babies to grow up with animals in the house. They are all so precious!

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  8. Aww!! I love this update and to hear that your little family is adjusting well!! The pictures are to die for -- the hand/paw picture made me gasp out loud in my office! So adorable!!

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  9. Oh my goodness. TOO adorable! I especially love the paw + hand picture!

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  10. It's too much baby / pug cuteness. I can't stand it! I'm happy to hear everyone is adjusting so well and good for rikki to wake you up so she can go back to sleep.

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  11. Too adorable! I hope our pug adjusts well to our baby too.

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