It is about time!

When we put Madison into her car seat in the back of our car and drove away from the hospital toward our house together as a family, I panicked. How could those people at the hospital allow us to just leave without first checking to see if we knew what we were doing? I worried all the way home that we would hit something, drive off the road, get a flat tire and be stranded with our newborn on the side of the road. Eventually, we made it....home and in getting the hang of raising a child.

The day we brought Elliot home I felt almost the same feelings I felt that day leaving the hospital with my first child. The breeder sat us down at his kitchen table and went over his care, his papers, and his schedule. I thought at the time that I should be taking notes. I panicked because I hadn't brought paper or a pen, and I felt so unsure and so unprepared as he waved us off in our van.

With Madison, we took classes and read books on what to buy and what to do and how to act. Our pediatrician was a god. With Elliot, we had what the breeder gave us and what we read on the Internet. I figured the vet would become our new god, but apparently, she doesn't need to see Elliot for another year unless we have an issue. Yet, I have so many questions!

When do I stop feeding him three times a day? When do I know to increase the amount he does eats? When will he lose his baby teeth? Do we have to keep them?

I left the vet appointment last week empty-handed. No manual or DVD. I was ill-prepared for her to tell me she was turning us loose to be on our own for eight more months. I immediately felt the familiar panic I had when coming home with Madison and I wondered all the way home what people were thinking of by releasing babies into the world without more direction.

Today, I opened my mailbox to find an American Kennel Club New Puppy Handbook. Thank god that after filing away Elliot's AKA papers, the association realized we needed some guidance!

I have never been so happy in my life! It is like getting the newest addition of What to Expect When You are Expecting, Toddler Years.

I immediately dug into the literature. It gave me a breakdown of each month and gave me an explanation of how our puppy's physical development should be like. I know what behavior changes and challenges to expect, what health and nutrition reminders I need, and it even gave me training tips for each monthly stage.

There was a section on housebreaking, crate training, and basic training. There was a section on vet visits, what to expect and what questions to ask. There also was a feeding chart for each month and an area on a dog's weight.

WHERE WAS THIS BOOK FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS?

After Madison was born, I thought I should write a book about all the things the other books didn't tell me. Now I'm thinking I'll do it in conjunction with raising a puppy. I'll distribute them at pediatricians' and vets' offices and hospitals to be handed out BEFORE one takes home any type of newborn.

Because really, this book might have saved me from losing a year of my life....oops, did that just come out?