I remember the first time I saw him…his sweet little face and his tiny nose. I remember how he looked at my husband and I with those sweet sleepy eyes. We were instantly in love. On that cold day back in December 2014 we adopted our first born, Theodore Snuggles. He was a tiny, two pound ball of fluff that we were so ready to bring into our home.
Teddy was not just a ‘furbaby,’ he was our baby. He went on car rides, hung out at Grandma and Papa’s house, and was the coolest pup in obedience school. We were pretty relaxed puppy parents, he was always by our side. I even broke the rules and allowed him to sleep in our bed at night. He was truly my baby.
We had a really rough journey to have a baby, as I shared in my introductory post to Detroit Moms Blog. Teddy came into our lives after a few years of unsuccessfully trying to have a child. Teddy coming into our lives brought joy, happiness and a new ray of hope. Everyday he was by our side, and loved us unconditionally. He sat with me giving me kisses and snuggles many times as I cried through negative pregnancy tests and pregnancy announcements of others.
Fast-forward to the fall of 2014. We got the surprise of a lifetime that we were expecting our son. After the wealth of emotions that came along with the great but unexpected news, my thoughts went to Teddy: How would he do with another ‘baby’ in the home? Would I still be able to give him the attention he needs and deserves? How can I prepare him for the baby? I wanted to ensure that the transition would be good once the baby came home. I read blogs and books, and asked friends with babies and pups, and came up with a game plan that worked for us.
While I was nervous how it would go once the baby arrived, Teddy was so sweet while I was pregnant. He was always snuggled right up against my belly, as if he knew his little brother was in there. Even on those days where pregnancy took a toll on my body requiring a long hot bath, he sat right on the ledge of the tub. It was as if he already knew his role as a big brother.
In true pregnancy fashion, things never go as planning. I was a week overdue, and had to get induced. Teddy went to stay with his Grandma and Papa, and ended up with the puppy flu. All of our plans went out the window. We were all nervous our first day home. Teddy came in excited, and then noticed the baby. He walked around me as I held Blake, he sniffed Blake’s blanket, then went in for kisses. At that moment, we knew we were going to be OK!
I am lucky to say that Teddy and Blake have an amazing relationship They are not just brothers, but best friends. Teddy is the first to jump up when Blake makes any kind of noise, and will sit outside his room waiting for him to wake-up. Any meal time is generally a bite for Blake, then a bite dropped for Teddy. Bedtime is Blake drinking his milk, and Teddy laying by his side, kissing his hand if he cries.
When we adopted Teddy almost three years ago, we knew that he would be an important part of our lives. Now to see him as a big brother to Blake, it shows just how much of a role he plays in our family story. A furbaby, a big brother, and forever, our first born!
