Long Day of Firsts

It was a day of firsts for Astrid.  First car ride. First visit to town.  First visit to vet.

We have read hundreds of pages of puppy-raising books and blogs and articles between Fi, LK and I in the past three weeks.  (The intensely focused desire to research things to be prepared has been passed on to the next generation).  We have amassed vast knowledge in what we should do to avoid raising a Marley.  However, reality and what should be rarely coincide in my life.

First car trip should be short and to someplace fun in ideal puppy world.  In reality we drove 90 minutes to the vet and to do several hours of errands.

First vet trip should be cheerful and low stress.  In reality she spent the entire drive to town practicing her "I am dying of loneliness and fear" sounds in a small enclosed car.  40 minutes in Fi had her ears covered while she murmured, "Astrid, be calm,"  over and over.  It worked in short bursts and then the wailing began again.  By the time we arrived in town I felt like I needed an appointment for something to calm my nerves.

However, although reality is far from perfect it was also a great day.

Fi was amazingly mature and responsible.  She listened carefully and followed what I did with Astrid.  She sat patiently in the car with our Houdini while I madly dashed in and out of stores to do errands (because a 180-minute round trip cannot be done for only one reason).  She listened carefully to the vet and asked intelligent questions.  And when she heard me telling this to her father after we got home, she visibly walked taller. 

That was worth endless sleepless nights to this mom.