The pups and the babe

I was unsure of how Ransom would respond to a baby in our home. He's never been the best with kids, and he gets so nervous with any type of change. Kids have always made him nervous and when we have had babies in our home, we have never let him get near them. We figured we would let him learn about them when we had one. And he isn't normally a "mounting" type of dog, but whenever I held a baby, he would mount my leg, and I would have to tackle him to the ground while holding the child so that he realized he was not the dominate one.

Their first photo together

So, we did what everyone says to do - we sent Hubs home with the hat that she wore immediately after being born. He sniffed it and wasn't interested. But, he must have known something was going on because his little nervous self gave us an unexpected homecoming.

Sometimes he would lay nearby while I fed her, which could be sweet or just that he wanted outside as soon as I was finished.

Hubs worked 12 hours the day I came home from the hospital. He went home to change, let Ransom out and clean the house before coming to get me. He was so sweet and wanted the apartment to be perfect when we got home. Unfortunately, Ransom had diarrhea-ed in his crate. [Let me just take a moment to say, "it is these rare occurrences that remind us why we do and we think everyone should crate their dog when they leave the house.] It was so odd that he had been sick. So, Hubs lit all the candles and cleaned up the mess and finally got to the hospital to get us around 8:30 pm.

Christmas Day 2014 - We haven't been able to get him to cooperate for a photo like this since.

I had just started to experience postpartum hormones at this time and was weeping because I had missed him all day. But, we buckled our tiny baby in the giant car seat and headed home, stopping at Freddy's for a super unhealthy, but oh-so-good, dinner. We walk into the apartment and it was so clean and beautiful, but there was this smell. Sure enough, Ransom had been sick again in his crate. We got him out and he proceeded to throw up 5 times on the floor. So, Hubs took him out on a walk in the snow/sleet, and I got on my hands and knees and started cleaning up the inside mess. (Which my body did not thank me for the next day.) The sickness, we can only assume, was the anxiety from having me gone for the previous days, having a strange schedule and just knowing something was different.

Sometimes he wants to be too close.

When Hubs returned, Ransom was feeling better and was interested in the bundle we brought home. At one point, Hubs was holding her and Ransom went to mount him. Knowing this was possible, we were prepared. Hubs quickly gave her to me and tackled Ransom to the ground. He went and laid down on his bed and we sat on the couch and ate our food from Freddy's.

That was the first and the last time Ransom mounted either of us or showed any dominance towards the baby. Since then, Ransom shows little interest in the baby. He chewed on one pacifier, but after a few firm "no" commands, he hasn't shown any further interest. He does always try to lick a bottle when we give her one. I think formula must have a smell he likes. He randomly gives her a lick about once a day. We are careful to make sure that he doesn't do a somersault on top of her and try to keep him off any blanket she is laying on, but I will admit there have been a couple of times where he has walked right over her head (without stepping on her).

Most of the time, he sleeps. But sometimes he just wants to be right next to us.

Anytime she plays on a blanket or comes home in her car seat, he gives those items a thorough sniff, but really he is better than we ever could imagine. I think he does like her, but I know he also wishes to go back in time when he was the center of attention. When we walk, he checks the stroller to make sure she is still there, and when she and I leave the house, he sits by the door and watches us walk to the car. She has now gotten to the point that she watches him if he walks around the room, so I hope this meant a future of friendship.

He's so much happier now that we get out for walks with the nicer weather.

I know a lot of people wondered if I would still love Ransom after having a baby. I do. It's true that, at first, it was so annoying to take him outside and feed him and love on him when all I was doing was similar things for the baby, but now that we have gotten into a routine and the weather is nicer, I am getting over those frustrations. Ultimately, I wouldn't have it any other way and am so excited for her to grow up with our pups.

Watching us leave