We got a kitten.
Like a kitten, kitten.
Like a little, baby kitten...
He is so tiny!
Getting another cat did not come without a slew of emotions. Losing our Birney hit our family hard. I wasn't sure if my heart had space or the ability to love another cat. But as the year progressed and I talked about summer plans, getting a kitten felt more and more like the right thing to do. And then when I mentioned this in one of my classes, one of my students told me that her friend's cat just had kittens. She showed me a picture of them and I knew it was time, even though I was still unsure of how to give my heart to this new kitten.
All of these emotions came to a head when I brought the kitten to his first vet visit. When I saw our vet I burst into tears and so did she. {She had known Birney for 10+ years!} Our vet was instrumental in helping us know what was best for Birney and she was an integral part of my grief process. She assured me that feeling this range of emotions was normal. She told me about her "heart dog" who passed away and the difficulty she had bonding with her new dog. Birney was my "heart cat" but she encouraged me that while it might take time to fully bond with him, that this little nugget needs our love and we have it to give.
This is our"Birney bloom". Some friends gave us this plant after Birney died and, of course, the Birney bloom showed up the day we got Waffles.
Helping Baxter be a big brother has been another layer of emotion. I googled, read books and even prayed a little to figure out how to do this introduction well.
But when you have a dog you call "The Sheriff", because he is so protective of us, it is bound to be a bit complicated. Baxter is always aware of what is happening around him and he is always vocal about it. The first introduction to the kitten put Baxter past a 10 and it was so, so hard!
Poor buddy. He's not aggressive, just full-on {LOUD!} worried barking. UGH!
To top it off, Brian had to go out of town for the week. I lasted 30 minutes without him and called my parents in complete meltdown mode. Luckily they were here within an hour and Baxter is spending the week on a mini-vacation with grandma and grandpa.
I am clinging to the fact that everything is in process. My friend, Shana, sent me this text and it has been a lifeline for me: "Baxter will get it...it all just feels so new right now...for him and you! Trust yourself...your heart and gut know what is "just the thing" for this moment." I know that when Brian gets back we will start the introduction process again, but with a better plan and more consistency.
I know we can do this!
Choosing the name Waffles was layered as well. I had a list of many, many names but kept coming back to Waffles. I first heard it as an option when a friend at work told us about the shenanigans his neighbor's cat, Waffles, got into. I loved Waffle's stories and I thought that his name was so cute. My coworkers and I also decided to use his formal name every now and again which is Lord von Waffles, Duke of Waffleton. I think he is deserving of the title:)
Another layer to the name--is kinda silly--but Brian and I have been, what some might call, connoisseurs of the waffle throughout our entire relationship. We own the best waffle iron you can buy and we are always on the hunt for the perfect waffle recipe. We try them in restaurants and we have strong opinions about what makes the best waffle.
The last nod to waffles goes to my TV hero, Leslie Knope from the TV show Parks and Rec. If you are not familiar, do yourself a favor and binge-watch this show and you will agree that waffles are flawless.{For about a day we were thinking of naming the kitten Lil' Sebastian...maybe that will be his middle name.}
For my Instagram posts, I chose the hashtag #wafflesmakesyousmile because I think that is so true. I also think it fits the part of my heart that needs to smile again and this sweet {smiling!} face is just the ticket.
Sweet baby Waffles, we love you! You will soon rule the roost and you will know how good it is to be in the Laniel family. I will continue to take hundreds of pictures of you and you will always have treats.
And, I think if your dad got this on his trip for us, we're gonna be okay.
Like a kitten, kitten.
Like a little, baby kitten...
I am a cat person, I've adopted cats before, but I have never had a kitten this little.
Helping Baxter be a big brother has been another layer of emotion. I googled, read books and even prayed a little to figure out how to do this introduction well.
But when you have a dog you call "The Sheriff", because he is so protective of us, it is bound to be a bit complicated. Baxter is always aware of what is happening around him and he is always vocal about it. The first introduction to the kitten put Baxter past a 10 and it was so, so hard!
Poor buddy. He's not aggressive, just full-on {LOUD!} worried barking. UGH!
To top it off, Brian had to go out of town for the week. I lasted 30 minutes without him and called my parents in complete meltdown mode. Luckily they were here within an hour and Baxter is spending the week on a mini-vacation with grandma and grandpa.
I know we can do this!
Choosing the name Waffles was layered as well. I had a list of many, many names but kept coming back to Waffles. I first heard it as an option when a friend at work told us about the shenanigans his neighbor's cat, Waffles, got into. I loved Waffle's stories and I thought that his name was so cute. My coworkers and I also decided to use his formal name every now and again which is Lord von Waffles, Duke of Waffleton. I think he is deserving of the title:)
For my Instagram posts, I chose the hashtag #wafflesmakesyousmile because I think that is so true. I also think it fits the part of my heart that needs to smile again and this sweet {smiling!} face is just the ticket.
Sweet baby Waffles, we love you! You will soon rule the roost and you will know how good it is to be in the Laniel family. I will continue to take hundreds of pictures of you and you will always have treats.
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