149 OUR BEAUTIFUL CHAOS – And along came Gigi

Our Beautiful Chaos

When Gigi joined our family, our house felt full and our hearts were bursting

Words by Lia Spencer

I wasn’t going to get a dog until my children were old enough to help take care of it. I said it several times, and I was sticking to my guns… that is, until I started getting clucky for another baby.

That’s how Gigi came along.

My husband and I decided we would stop having kids after our third. We were thrilled (and very busy) with our three- Isla, 8, Louis, 4, and Stella, 1. We were almost out of the baby stage. We kept telling ourselves that we only had another few months of teething, toilet training and tantrums to go.

It’s usually at this ‘I see the light at the end of the tunnel’ moment when I think that having just one more baby would be a good idea. But this time, knowing no more babies were on the cards, my brain went from noticing every infant I walked by, to noticing every dog.

It didn’t help that Isla kept asking for a pet, Stella waved and cooed at every pup she saw, and Louis was ridiculously scared of them. People suggested we get a dog to help ease Louis’ fear. “Kids adapt better to pets when they grow up with them,” they said.

So, after a lot of research and a few inquiries to my pet-owner friends, my husband and I found the perfect chocolate Labrador to join our family.

Gigi was welcomed into our home in May with heaps of cuddles and kisses. Louis warmed to her straight away, and within weeks he was pointing out other dogs he noticed while on our daily walks. “Look mum, that doggy is so cute,” he’d say. The changes in him were remarkable.

On one of the first nights after Gigi joined our family, we all sat down to watch a movie. Having not seen ‘Marley and Me’ for a few years, I forgot how it ended and thought it would be a great flick to watch given it’s about a crazy golden lab. Isla still hasn’t forgiven me for picking that movie and making her cry for two days straight.

Nonetheless, the movie resonated with the kids, who now call Gigi ‘Marley’ when she has a moment of madness- tearing through the house with loose socks from the laundry room, chewing shoes she snatched from the shelves or bouncing on top of the furniture like it’s a doggy trampoline. Between Gigi and Stella, I find myself in a complete spin at times trying to open their mouths to see what they’re eating, tell them off for climbing on stools and tables, and prying valuable items from their claws so they don’t break them.

It’s fine. I’m fine. Really, I’m fine (excuse me as I pour something strong into my cup)….

In all seriousness, getting Gigi when we did was perfect timing for us. I decided that if I was going to keep up with a puppy, I may as well do it while I’ve got the energy to chase my young kids too. Life is a bit chaotic- even in these strange pandemic times. Nothing stays clean for long, there’s many mouths to feed, and there’s always something to tend to. But, for now, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I keep reminding myself that this craziness- this beautiful, messy, love-filled craziness- will end one day. The dog will get old and lazy, the toys will get packed away, and the kids will want to spend less time at home and more time with friends. I’ll miss the noise. I’ll miss the mess. I’ll miss all of this.

So now, I’ll thank Gigi for adding to our beautiful chaos, and l’ll try my best to embrace the storm before the calm.