Puppy Woes

Anyone who can see what time it is can begin to get a sense of where I am headed with this blog. Dempsey has not wound down and he is nipping on everything! I am fine with his chew toys and the mittens he has claimed and the towel that has become his blanky, but now he is nipping and chewing on our pant legs, my toes and Jillian's jackets! Everyone has their advice- create a loud noise, give him something else to chew on and reward him for doing so, gently smack his nose, hold his mouth closed, scold him a thousand times, apply pressure to his lower jaw. NONE of these work and his baby teeth are SHARP!! Everyone says this will only last until his big teeth come in--in 1-2 months (!!) and that he is just really excited to see us after being away from him all day, but we need to find another outlet for his energy. Long walks and runs and more chew toys are all welcome diversions, but none are feasible at 12:30 at night. And so I have him penned in upstairs with a baby stair-gate at one end of the hallway and our coffee table propped on its side at the other end while Jillian sleeps and I escape until he falls asleep.
The words "shelter" and "pound" came up tonight as Jillian was standing on the couch out of his playful reach and I called anyone I knew who had puppy advice, but we both know that that isn't going to happen. It's a phase. A painful, and rough phase at that, but it will pass. I keep telling myself that we will be infinitely more prepared for children when that day arrives, and I can rest assured after being strengthened and prepared by fighting through this with Dempsey that when it does come and we are up at two in the morning that the word "orphanage" won't come up. I may think it :o), but it won't ever come up.