How is it Thursday already?! I feel like this week is flying by.
As promised, I’m just checking in to see if my week has, indeed, resembled any semblance of normal, or not.
I’d say…. sort of. Ha.
Wins:
🔷 I have worked out 3 times!!
- Monday – shoulders/tris at the gym.
- Tuesday – 30 minute cardio dance video at home
- Wednesday- back and biceps at the gym.
🔷 I have eaten (some) home-cooked meals.
- The chicken tortilla soup (wisely made a double batch over weekend) has served us well in leftovers.
- Tuesday night I also made meatloaf, roasted sweet potatoes and corn.
- I think this is enough cooking for one week while simultaneously managing a full time job and a new puppy and being the only one home between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. this week. Who wants PBJs tonight? 😜
🔷I’ve kept puppy Charlie on a “schedule” every day (which requires more “figuring out” than one might think… but I try to balance crate time vs. play time vs. I-also-need-to-work, you-know, time.)
- I have been getting him in a pretty good groove of being in crate from 8-10:30, then out for ~30 minutes to play, etc., and then back in crate from 11-1:15 or so.
- I take a lunch break around 1:15-2 to be with him.
- Then, I have graduated him to staying out in my office with me then from ~2:00-5:00 or so instead of going back in crate, during which time he has been pretty good about just chewing on a toy and then falling asleep under my desk.
The Negatives:
Figuring out “Gym Time” has been very complicated.
I can’t go to the gym on my lunch break, because then I’d have to put Charlie back in his crate….again. And I can’t interact much with him when I’m working, obviously. So I feel I need my breaks to be devoted to getting him exercise, activity, feeding, etc. At least for now.
After work, it’s equally complicated, because he usually sleeps in the afternoon while I’m working. (Which is good!! Then I can actually work.)
But then I feel like since he’s already been sleeping for quite a while, when I’m done working, I now can’t just stick him in his crate! He’s now awake and wants to, you know, do stuff.
Which means I then have to devote another big chunk of time to him, playing or going for a walk or whatever.
But then, this means I can’t go to the gym until mid-evening, and by this point my interest starts to wane, AND, means I may not be home for the family and/or figuring out dinner.
If I go really late (like after 7:30-8 p.m., after dinner), well, this sometimes requires Herculean efforts to get myself out the door in the dark, and then again, I’m also not home to be with the family/homework help, etc….. (but on the plus side, I can freely go then because they can watch Charlie….).
ANYWAY. I’m working on it. I think sticking to NO GYM on Tuesdays and Fridays is a good start.
Thinking I may do something like this:
- M: Gym- later after dinner, family watch Charlie
- T: NO GYM- do short cardio at home while someone entertains dog or in crate briefly right after work
- W: morning gym 6:00-7:00, someone else can deal with puppy a.m. routine (Can I do this, though?? I really don’t love morning gym anymore…. WILL I do this??? hmmm…..)
- Th: Gym- later after dinner, family watch Charlie
- F: No gym- short cardio at home in morning while Charlie in crate
- S: gym-whenever
- S: gym- whenever
This would get me my 5 strength, 2 cardio days in.
It would mean only going to the gym on 3 of 5 work days.
It would be just two evenings away (and I’m only gone for an hour).
It would mean just one day of earlier morning at the gym (which means I miss my nice morning routine at home that I like, so I don’t want to do this daily… though it sure would make things easier. Ugh. I just can’t, though!).
Seems like a decent plan??? Although, any evening activities like kid meetings, events, etc would derail some of this, without a lot of wiggle room.
Oh well. I cannot wait until Charlie can just chill on the couch while we go away for a while!!! I know, I know, crates are not evil…. but I just don’t want to over-do it there, either, obviously. Makes it very challenging since I need him quiet/ occupied while I work, but clearly I cannot bring him to the gym with me, either. Ha.
Ideas?? Just extra hard too since Asher is gone this week (he can serve as an after-work puppy sitter for a bit some days), and Ivan/Ethan usually not home until 6:30 at least.
D.C. Update:
Here’s a few pics from Asher’s trip! Sounds like it has been a blast. They did ~2 days in Philly and now have been in D.C. seeing all the good sights, coming home super late tonight (ETA of like… midnight?! Oh joy.)
Daily Gratitude:
I am grateful for the contrast of some bright yellow leaves against a dreary grey and rainy sky today. 🍁🍂
GRATEFUL KAE 
It seems like getting a new baby, hahaha…. Don’t stress about it too much. As he adapts to the family routine, you’ll find the time to go to the gym. Kudos for cooking two yummy meals! I’ve never had tortilla soup and always wondered how it tastes like. Need to make some soon.
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Exactly!! Definitely feels like another child!! haha.
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Charlie is adorable, but this is why we will never get a dog!!! Phew. It does sound like adding an extra child into the mix.
But you already have a very, very busy schedule. I’m sure things will settle down before you know it and you’ll be back to a routine, but I’m sure it can be frustrating to feel like you can’t fit it all in.
What great pictures from DC!
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HAHA, I know. To be honest, although I always really wanted a dog, I WAS aware that there were a lot of good reasons to NOT have a dog….these types of issues being one of them. Not to say I regret getting Charlie at all! Ultimately I am sure it will all work out fine. But just that I was aware/ wary of certain parts of dog ownership, for sure. Even when I would tell Ivan how much I wanted a dog, part of me was always like, ooh… but…. also sounds really complicated… lol. Will be worth it in the long run once the difficult puppy phase is over, I know! When he’s not being psycho, he’s really, really sweet and cute! hehe.
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First time commenter…I have a new puppy as well–a mini goldendoodle–who is about 4 months old. I have been sending her to doggy daycare two times a week for full days. Not only does she get playtime and socialization with other dogs, it feels downright luxurious to have a full 8 hours of not having to have eyes on her at all times! As an added bonus, when she gets home from daycare, she is wiped out and cuddly.
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OOH thanks for commenting on this!! Someone else with a similarly aged puppy!!!
I had been considering the doggy daycare idea actually but just haven’t really had a chance to get my act together yet and figure that out! I could see FOR SURE that having a couple “free” days would be a total lifesaver. I read somewhere that if you schedule it say, for Tuesday and Thursday, the other days they are kind of worn out the next day after, too.
Our biggest issue right now is that he is actually really very good during the day. But in the evenings… oh man. He hits a totally insane “witching hour” where it’s not really bed time yet, but he just goes nuts. SUPER bitey- like attacks our hands, legs, whatever, races everywhere, just totally nuts! And I feel like I try super hard to get him lots of mental and physical stimulation during the day, so I don’t know what else I can do! (Besides start to feel guilty that maybe I’m doing something wrong?! ha.) Anyway, does your puppy have this “witching hour” time? Maybe would be decreased on a daycare day, as you said.
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Not doing anything wrong, definitely just a puppy thing. The zoomies were OUT of control at that time of day when my dog was a puppy. She’d make a circuit around the living room. In hindsight they were hysterical but can be trying as it’s occurring haha. Time outs helped during that period of adolescence, just a few minutes to reset.
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YES! She gets the zoomies big time in the evenings BUT only the days that she doesn’t have doggie daycare. We do doggie daycare on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-5 and she is wiped out for the rest of the evening on those days.
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Yes, this is like having a new baby. There’s just no way to fit it all in, but it’s totally worth it and this season will pass. You’re doing a good job considering how difficult it must be! I’ll be interested to hear how you like the early morning gym visit. I only go early in the morning and I like it. I’m guessing it’s less crowded than later in the day? But I wouldn’t really know. I could NEVER get myself to go to the gym after dinner. Never ever! I’m still astonished that you manage that. Anyway… good luck with everything and enjoy every minute! When Charlie is bigger you’ll miss these puppy days, so just have as much fun with it as possible.
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Those DC pics are gorgeous! Looks like they have had great weather. I am glad you are finding your rhythm with Charlie, sort of! Your sketched out plan sounds good. I have similar issues with not being able to leave the house/workout between work or small kids. It is very tricky! But Charlie is sooo cute!!
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Remember that the kennel is a safe space for Charlie. It’s not a punishment! So if he has to be in there for hours, that’s really okay, I promise. He knows he’s safe there and that’s comforting to him if you’re gone!
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It sure is a lot of time that goes into raising a puppy and having a pet. Hope you figure out the best routine for yourself.
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