Nesting

My youngest child is 13, my oldest is 15 1/2. I haven't had a nesting instinct for a long time. But preparing for Ruby to come home is absolutely nesting.

Part of the reason for the nesting is to make the transition a little less of a shock to Sophie and to the World's Most Neurotic Cat, Zamboni. Zam has a history of freaking out over the smallest things. He worked himself into such a frenzy this summer as we were preparing to move that he stopped using the litter box (because that would mean leaving his happy place behind the washing machine), got a horrible bladder infection, and cost us $577 for surgery to unblock his urinary tract. He's supposed to be working off the bill with Acts of Cat Cuteness, but he's way behind in his payments. He spent the summer on Prozac due to the big move, but has been drug-free for several months. Bringing home Ruby may require a new Rx, but I'm hoping we can manage it a little more organically.

Sophie is pretty easy-going. She has nosed around the puppy items I've brought home and, while curious, she minds me when I tell her no. We've had lots of long talks about the puppy not being a replacement and I'm sure she understands.

So on Tuesday of this week, I brought home Ruby's dog bowls (the kind that get taller as she grows), and a giant kennel (also with a divider so it can grow with her). After setting up both, Zamboni had a mental moment, walking around the house yowling. We know it is because there is change coming. And he doesn't deal well.

On Wednesday I spent some time at Petco and came home with a bag of smallish toys (I don't know what kinds of things Ruby will enjoy chewing on, so I got a healthy selection), a collar and tag, and a new flexi for walks. Again, Sophie was curious, NeurotiCat came slinking to the new basket of toys. But seemed to get comfortable with it pretty quickly. So hopefully my step-by-step approach is working.

I've Googled everything I can Google about Great Danes. I've talked to the vet about what to feed her because what I read from the experts says that puppy food, of any kind is too rich and makes them grow too fast. For a dog as large as a Dane, fast growth can mean brittle bones, injuries, and a shorter life. 6 -8 years is already not long enough, so I'm not taking any chances. I read the ingredients of every premium large-breed adult dog food at Petco until deciding on regular Iams. It isn't cheap, but I could definitely spend more. But it has the right balance for Ruby to grow at a moderate, and hopefully healthy, pace.

I still have a list of nesting items to complete. Among them, sewing up a couple of dog beds (a great tip from the breeder), and deciding where Ruby will sleep the first few nights.

So now I wait. Six more days. I hope it goes fast.