The puppy is coming! The puppy is coming! In two weeks.

I haven’t lived with a puppy since high school, and at that time I wasn’t in charge. With regard to this puppy, I have no idea what I’m doing.

In my house, in such a situation as this, we read. Lots. I’ve been reading books and reading online and trying to gather up some kind of plan for what we’ll do when suddenly, on a Tuesday night, we’ve got a new furry creature living in the house. Reading about it is my new hobby. Crate? No crate? Sleeps upstairs? Sleeps downstairs? What to eat? When to eat?

Much of what I’m reading sounds eerily familiar:

— Introduce him to lots of new things, so he doesn’t grow up scared of them.

— Try new foods gradually, and he’ll be more likely to go along with it.

— Don’t pick him up every time he cries, or he’ll learn to cry just to get you to pick him up.

— When you say no, say it firmly but not angrily, and mean it.

— Be consistent. Let him know who’s boss.

Holy heck. We’re having another baby. Apparently I’m going to get another chance to try to do all the things that I’ve been worrying about doing with my current one for the past eight years. No pressure.