Today my old old old childhood dog as peacefully slipped away after 16 great doggy years. I am nothing, if not deeply practical, about the place of animals and pets in the grand scheme of this world. My old sweet Bandit has had more medical care than is maybe sane in an eternal sense. He did have his ACL reattached....He did have intervention over a decade ago when he was hit by a car. When a dog has arrived at year 16 of his doggy life (95 years if you do the voo-doo math of a vet) it is time to enjoy the spoils of a doggy life well lived and not look into the many ailments that are bothersome in doggy old age.
After a nice walk yesterday with my dad, the dog started having some issues with a growth on his body. It didn't seem to bother him but also would not stop bleeding. Long story short, the dog had an aggressive cancer that was going to claim his life and make him really uncomfortable in the following days and weeks.
My parents did the most merciful thing by euthanizing him this morning. He had one last long walk, some really good people food, and had his favorite owners by his side as he drifted off at last.
In the last 2 years, we have said goodbye to both of my grandmothers, our very old cat, and now Bandit. My diva child loved that dog. She called him 'my dog'. While I am a bit choked up about the dog, it was very difficult to tell my little girl that Bandit's body stopped working. It sucks to put an animal down even when you know it is the right thing to do. But it truly grieved my heart to see my little girl feel the sting of death herself. The child sobbed and sobbed and sobbed in my arms. And really, fair enough! It is sad!
I wish there were something 'true' I could tell her about death. But ultimately, we don't know exactly what happens. And any spiritual platitudes I could extend seem less relevant and hollow when it comes to an animal...and ridiculous to tell to a smart 3 year old. So we did pray. We thanked God for Bandit and his long & happy doggy life. We thanked God for the joy he brought us and the love we had for him. We also asked God to care for Bandit and to give him lots of good people food in doggy heaven.
I wish that the sweet blissful ignorance of babyhood could just stick around my house a little bit longer. This is it people....this is exactly the crap I was sad about when I posted about preschool starting. It is this awareness of life...the growing up and learning about the world. So much beauty and so much pain to learn about and experience. Yet we all do, and we are all pretty much fine. I will be sure to update when I have found a non freaky way to save my child from ever experiencing loss or pain and yet somehow have them not turn out to be narcissistic.
Showing posts with label growing up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label growing up. Show all posts
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
The babies are getting big!
I can't bring myself to say 'growing up'. That sounds like something you say about your teenager who has just left for the prom. Both of my kids are barreling towards their birthday's at an alarming rate. My diva child will be 3 and my little man puppy will be 1.
Karen's post on the subject sums up my feelings well. My man puppy has been walking for a few weeks now. He has 6 bruises on his head and face to prove it. He is doing really well for a walking baby! He even managed to climb up onto our couch and jump around. The look of glee was priceless.
He is also entertaining us with his bits of talking and humor. He has been signing 'all done' for about a week now. Today after I tortured him with some saline spray up his stuffy nose he was frantically flapping 'all done' and said something that sounded an awful lot like all done. Yesterday I was using a puppet to play with him. I stood up with him on my hip and he pointed at the ceiling hooks (where we hang the puppet theatre from). He was laughing and bouncing as he pointed...he wanted me to do the real deal and put on a puppet show!
This morning he asked for 'wa-wa'...water in a sippy cup. Watching language acquisition is the most thrilling thing for me. I love the tiny window into his baby brain...to know, with certainty, what he would like from me.
Another post that got me all mushy about my kids was from doodaddy. It made me remember my daughter's baby hood and 'oneness'. The year diva child was one was very special for me. We had just moved to our first purchased home. In fact, we closed on diva child's birthday. It was a great summer of diva child toddling around, talking, but still being very much a baby. We could do so many more things now that she was bigger and we understood her better. I was soon pregnant with man puppy. I really savored the time that I had at home with just me and diva child. I had no idea what I was in for with a second child, but I knew the time I had with my daughter was special.
To see the little girl my diva child is growing into ....it is staggering to me. The only remnant of her babyhood are the diapers. Her face is delicate but determined. The pudgy cheeks have melted into cheekbones and big eyes. Her legs and arms are so long! She is so little and big at the same time. Her three word sentences are much, much longer and articulate. The baby who never left my lap, breasts, or sling, now is orchestrating tea parties, disciplining her dolly's (with a striking resemblance to how I have redirected her earlier in the day), and playing with her little brother with much laughter and squealing.
The two of them adore each other. They have a connection that is entirely outside of their relationship with me and big daddy. Seeing that develop from my pregnancy to today is poignant.
Karen's post on the subject sums up my feelings well. My man puppy has been walking for a few weeks now. He has 6 bruises on his head and face to prove it. He is doing really well for a walking baby! He even managed to climb up onto our couch and jump around. The look of glee was priceless.
He is also entertaining us with his bits of talking and humor. He has been signing 'all done' for about a week now. Today after I tortured him with some saline spray up his stuffy nose he was frantically flapping 'all done' and said something that sounded an awful lot like all done. Yesterday I was using a puppet to play with him. I stood up with him on my hip and he pointed at the ceiling hooks (where we hang the puppet theatre from). He was laughing and bouncing as he pointed...he wanted me to do the real deal and put on a puppet show!
This morning he asked for 'wa-wa'...water in a sippy cup. Watching language acquisition is the most thrilling thing for me. I love the tiny window into his baby brain...to know, with certainty, what he would like from me.
Another post that got me all mushy about my kids was from doodaddy. It made me remember my daughter's baby hood and 'oneness'. The year diva child was one was very special for me. We had just moved to our first purchased home. In fact, we closed on diva child's birthday. It was a great summer of diva child toddling around, talking, but still being very much a baby. We could do so many more things now that she was bigger and we understood her better. I was soon pregnant with man puppy. I really savored the time that I had at home with just me and diva child. I had no idea what I was in for with a second child, but I knew the time I had with my daughter was special.
To see the little girl my diva child is growing into ....it is staggering to me. The only remnant of her babyhood are the diapers. Her face is delicate but determined. The pudgy cheeks have melted into cheekbones and big eyes. Her legs and arms are so long! She is so little and big at the same time. Her three word sentences are much, much longer and articulate. The baby who never left my lap, breasts, or sling, now is orchestrating tea parties, disciplining her dolly's (with a striking resemblance to how I have redirected her earlier in the day), and playing with her little brother with much laughter and squealing.
The two of them adore each other. They have a connection that is entirely outside of their relationship with me and big daddy. Seeing that develop from my pregnancy to today is poignant.
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