Introducing Lola

We got a puppy and her name is Lola!  She is the reason why I haven't been able to post as regularly as I'd like.  Lola is not the first dog that I've had, but she is the first puppy with children.  Getting a puppy while having young children is a whole other animal.

Four years ago, the first dog my husband and I had as a family passed.  Her name was Baci - she was sweet and kind.  It took four years for me to be comfortable enough to get another dog.  I'm not naive, I knew getting a puppy was going to be a lot of work.  I just forgot how much work it was. Magnified by two young children.  You understand what I'm getting at, right?

We are finally seeing the fruits of our labor with our new puppy.  Lola is five months and she is turning into the sweet, kind puppy we always wanted. Trust me, there were times (too many to count) I questioned why we did this?  I mean getting a dog is a 12 year commitment.  You lose the freedom and flexibility of not having a dog depend on you to eat or being let out for the bathroom.  During rain or snow storms, you can't cuddle on the couch waiting for the storm to pass.  You need to bundle up and take your dog out for a walk - I'll leave that for my husband.

Even though it's been a crazy and hectic time, when I hear my children laugh while they play with her or watch her kiss them when they are sad - I know it has been worth it.  This is exactly what we wanted, a loving family pet that our children would love to spend time with.  Lola offers tons of entertainment but more importantly she offers comfort and unconditional love.

Do you have pets?  Are you thinking of getting pets with young children?  Would you wait for children to be older before you introduce a pet to your home?