Family Dynamics

I hate to admit it but I was quite wrong about how the dogs would react to Carver's arrival. It makes me feel like I don't know them as well as I thought I did. On a positive note though, I have been pleasantly surprised by their response to him.

Delia's reaction has been by far the most surprising. She LOVES Carver. She wants to be near him at all times if possible. When I am holding him she wedges herself as close to him as possible, usually with her head right up against his head. She also spends a lot of her time looking for him in all of his known resting places (i.e. bassinet, pack n' play, couch, our bed, swing, bouncy seat...) She moves from one location to the next until she has found him and determined that all is well. I have absolutely loved watching her interact with him. Delia is also rather protective of Carver, she has snapped at Winston for getting too close to "her" baby.

Winston also likes Carver but has been very good about learning to be gentle and to leave him alone when we tell him to. Winston is tall enough to hang his head over the side of the pack n' play when Carver is sleeping. Then he wags and wags his tail while he watches him. I'm sure they will be great friends when Carver is a little bigger.

Lea doesn't pay a whole lot of attention to Carver. She does like to periodically sniff his face and lick the back of his head or his ear. And, sometimes when he is really crying or making noises she ventures over to check on him. But, for the most part she doesn't seem to interact with him too much.

It is such a relief that all of our first babies seem to like Carver. We have loved watching each of them develop particular habits in relation to the baby. We can really see each of their personalities coming out. And, my fears of not being able to juggle time with Carver and time with the others has so far been unfounded. The girls go where we go and sit right beside me and Carver at all times. And, when Daddy is watching Carver during his night shift, the girls even get to enjoy their place in the bed :)