Convincing Myself...

...That it's perfectly fine to hire a dog-walker for Buttons has been difficult.

Minh brought up the idea while I was still pregnant and I pretty much dismissed it. I think most of you know that I really enjoy walking Buttons, most of the time. In fact, part of the reason I wanted a dog was to have an ever-present reason to walk every day.

Well, Minh brought it up again last week as we discussed my imminent return to work and I pretty much dismissed it again. Until I really started thinking concretely about what my days would look like (get up at 5:30, feed Tai, walk the dog, shower and get ready, drop off Tai at day care, work an 8-hour day, pick up Tai at day care....and that's all before dinnertime). So, I've conceded that having someone walk Buttons three afternoons a week is actually a great idea for everyone involved.

Luckily, there are about 2,000 potential dog-walkers right across the street. So we've made our need known and already have two interested applicants. Hopefully, by April 1st we'll be exploiting--wait, I mean employing a reliable, responsible dog-lover to get The Butts some exercise on the three days a week that Tai goes to daycare and I go to work.

It is still hard, however, to come to terms with being "that kind of people" who actually hire someone else to walk their dog. As someone who takes pride in doing things for myself, I worry that this is a slippery slope and before long we'll have a maid, and a cook, and a nanny, and a gardener.......oh, wait! What am I saying? I'm being ridiculous. Minh would NEVER stand for hiring a gardener.