Kids versus puppy

It's a good thing I look at this blog as a labor of love. Because if I were seeking higher readership numbers in order to earn ad revenue, well, sorry kids, you'd be out. The Kazel Imagination would be replaced by The Kazel Puppy.

Since this blog is about my kids, I write about them, I estimate, at least 95 percent of the time. And yet, if you look at the list of most popular posts, three of the top 10 are about my pets. The cute puppy video post, after less than two weeks, is just a couple of views out of second place.

Other than attracting blog readers, what has Gus been up to? He turned nine-weeks-old yesterday, and today marks two weeks since he joined our family. Two exhausting weeks. In that time, he's gained 2.5 pounds of body weight, and about 20 pounds of attitude.

The sandbox is at last getting good use. I was thrilled when he figured out how to jump over the edge and channel his love of digging in a place other than my garden. I just have to remember to wipe down his tummy before he comes back inside. It's usually pretty easy to tell when he's been there. The sandy nose gives it away every time.

Gus grows braver by the day, expanding his comfort zone and the area he wants to explore. Friday, after leaving him alone for a few minutes in our totally fenced in backyard, I found him roaming loose on the driveway. Guess who's still small enough to squeeze under the gate? (A sled is now wedged there.)

He continues to chew on anything and everything. It's giving AJ and I good motivation to sort and organize toys. If I have my way, several plastic bins of toys will move from the living room to the basement before this day is through. By moving out the less-loved toys, there will be more space to play with those oh-so-puppy-tempting Legos on the toy table, which is high enough to be safe from Gus' ever-searching mouth.

Don't get me wrong, Gus has his good moments, too. The past few days I've seen more and more glimpses of the sweet and affectionate dog I know he will become. More and more he sniffs and licks, rather than bites. And there's nothing like the pure happiness and enthusiasm he shows first thing in the morning when I respond to his barks and take him from his kennel. (Admittedly, I'd appreciate that puppy excitement a whole lot more if it wasn't at 5:45 a.m.)

Thank goodness he needs to stop and recharge a lot. Sixty to 90 minutes is about all he can go between naps. He likes sleeping in our bathroom, perhaps because it's quiet and cool. Maggie liked to sleep in there, too. I've been commenting that in that regard, Gus already seems a bit smarter than his predecessor. Maggie used to wedge herself in between the toilet and shower to sleep on the hard tile, whereas Gus at least lays on the soft rug.

And then this morning he chose a new spot:

I wonder if he can smell any remnants of Maggie there. I wonder if he knows, when he's quietly sleeping there, how very much this pose reminds me of her.