Ahhhhh, wasn't so long I was doing the first few days at home with Monty, and it seems like an age ago now! I've got 4 kids, so know how hard it can be to have a pup around as well. Try to give her some time on her own in the crate before bedtime, so it isn't such a shock for her when you disappear off to bed. for the first two nights I ended up sleeping on the sofa downstairs, with Monty on the floor next to me, as I couldn't bear the crying,
but then I got hard and left him to it. took about 10 days to settle at bedtime, and still have the odd night when he cries when left. If he does, I tend to go back downstairs and repeat the bedtime routine, and then he settles. I used the cage quite often for time outs, for puppy and kids. (not that I put the kids in there, though it is tempting at times!!) just that sometimes they need to be separated. As far as toys go I tried, and mostly failed, to keep them separate, just because the kids seemed to leave their stuff everywhere. After a few 'incidents' they learnt not to be soooo careless, but there are still times when a teddy will be kidnapped and buried in the garden!
I found that the excitment of being around bouncy kids has lessened as he has got a bit older, I felt in the first few weeks as if I spent most of my time separating him and the youngest before things got out of hand on the playbiting front, much improved now though. House training is the hardest thing I found, just because I was often concentrating on other things, and would miss the cues. He has hardly any accidents now at 6 months, and those he does have are because, again, I've been busy with kids etc and missed the cues, he has got better at asking though, and the older kids recognise the signs too, and let him out.
Hope some of this has been a help. Enjoy her loads, and post some pics so we can see her!!
