Kids and Dogs....Not So Different.....

I don't know about the rest of you, but any time I return home after being around a dog other than my own, my two four-legged kids are all over me. They Velcro their wet noses to my legs sniffing uncontrollably and deciding whether or not they approve of this outside intruder. As they are making their judgement, they sneak peaks at me from the corner of their eyes trying to determine if my visit was simply a chance encounter or if they are indeed being "replaced" in the family hierarchy by a newbie. After a few minutes, their sniffers settle down and they go back to their daily routine....satisfied that they still have a secure place and a warm fluffy Costco supplied dog-bed (or four..) in our home. Life is once again in balance and all is good.

This morning, dear friends of mine, were kind enough to let this toddler/preschooler mama get her much-needed newborn fix in. Their sweet 48 hour old peanut of a  baby girl humored me for over an hour as she slept peacefully in my arms....puckering those puffy newborn lips occasionally and letting out that tiny animal-like squeak in her sleep as only the newest of babies can do. Baby in one arm and iced coffee in the other....I can't think of a better way to spend the morning. I am still riding that high...

Once I reluctantly handed that tiny bundle back to her rightful guardians (it really is too bad for those newborn alarm bracelets they put on them....I totally think I could have outrun her parents with that venti coffee in my system....), I headed back to pick up my own not-quite-so-little-anymore kidlets. They had been playing with they beloved great-aunt for a few hours and both ran to me to excitedly tell me about their last few hours.  And then, it happened.....

As I picked each of them up and held them close to put them into their respective car seats, the "sniffing the other dog" phenomenon took place. Each of them went from hyper toddler/preschooler, to cuddly little one in about 30 seconds. Little Dude B didn't put up his usual fight to get into his car seat. Instead, he sat down willingly and reached up for a kiss as I went to close his door. Sweet R sat down, buckled herself in and said (and I quote...) " Mama, I love you SOOOOO much. You are most best mama ever." (We are working on that whole grammar thing....). Melt and double melt....and not just because it is 110 degrees out.

I swear to you....much like the dogs, they could smell that tiny little girl on me. An intruder....and in their eyes, a threat to their place in the hierarchy of the family. Once we got home, the love-fest continued with a Little Dude that fell asleep on me (which rarely happens these days) and a Sweet Girl who continued to tell me just how much she loves me all afternoon. Awesome....I will take it. In fact, maybe I need to make cuddling newborns a part of my morning routing. You know... shower, floss teeth, dry hair, cuddle another family's newborn, eat breakfast and go about my day with cuddly kids. I wonder what age that would wear off....hmmm.....

Little do those two kiddos know, that there is no tiny, burrito-swaddled, baby-animal-squeaking newborn that could EVER replace them or usurp their place in our family. They secured those spots in our home and in our hearts the moment they each entered the world...

See friends? Kids and dogs....really not so different after all.