From The Dog's Point Of View

This time last summer my mama arrived home from a work trip to Wyoming, and while it felt like she was gone forever, it was really just one week! I showed her how much I missed her with my very best zoomies!  I listened as she told dad all about her “motion sickness” and “altitude sickness,” but I could tell something was different about her. I just couldn’t put my paw on it.  The next morning I watched her in the bathroom from the bed with my head rested on my paws. I knew she didn’t feel well, so I had hoped she would come back for more cuddles and pets. After she shut the door, I pawed at it to let her know I was concerned. Also, I was offended that it was shut. I wagged my tail when she emerged to make her feel better.  You know, they say hoomans need rewards and positive reinforcements.  I followed her as she made her way down the hall to the room that housed that dreaded Cricut. Ugh, I hate that thing. So scary. 

I watched from a safe distance until she called me over.  I reluctantly obliged.  She was still too close to that thing. She tied a bandana around my neck and told me to come on! Again, I agreed, but not because she wanted me to - because I knew I looked good, and I thought there might be the possibility of a treat or car ride.  I strutted down the stairs to dad for a mini fashion show. He said how cute I looked, and mama pressed him to read the bandana. He picked me up and looked at mama with an expression I had never seen before. He was happy and excited, but also surprised! They both had water in their eyes, which is usually bad, but they seemed happy? I looked at mama and then back at him, and just then they sandwiched me between them with a hug!  They took the bandana off and I read the words “Big Brother.” Huh. That’s a funny thing to put on a bandana. "This is all very confusing. Oh well," I thought.  I was feeling tired from all the excitement, so I made my way back to bed for my 2nd late afternoon nap.

Over the next several months people kept telling me I was going to “play second fiddle to the baby,” whatever that means? Then, Mama started to grow a big lump on her belly.  She wouldn’t let me stand on it like I wanted to, but she would let me lay beside it and rest my head.  As the lump grew, I started to hear things, and I was getting concerned. I thought she should get that thing checked out. Then I started to feel it move. I wasn’t a fan of this. Too scary. The days and weeks and months went by and Mama kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger. She was eating a lot of Oreos, which she never shared with me, so I thought that was to blame.

Then, out of the blue, the darn mailman was at our house everyday. Man, I really hate him. Each day I shouted "GET AWAY FROM MY HOUSE! YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE! GET OFF MY PORCH!" And everyday he would come back. I tried to leave some poopietraps to deter him, but dad wouldn't let me.  I watched from the hallway as they opened the boxes and bags, and assembled some sort of cage with no lid. The boxes were full of tiny clothes and things called "diapers," which is an apparatus that catches poopies.  Very interesting!  I sure hope they don't put them on me! There was a special, fluffy pillow, and although they told me it wasn’t for me, I decided to keep them warm until the "brother" arrived. Some clothes and books did have pictures of me on them! That made me feel special. I occasionally popped in to see how things were going and get some pets. I just wished I knew what the “brother” was and why it needed so much stuff.

The day came, and I could sense that they were going somewhere...without me.  They had bags, pillows, and blankets, which usually means I get to go visit Nana or Grahamkacky, so I was very excited! I hopped in the car and Mama hugged me the whole way to Grahamkacky’s house while she told me how much she loved me. She promised I would always have a spot in the bed with her and dad. Weird? As if someone else would be sleeping with us? Hah. 

Days went by, and I was enjoying my vacation when Grahamkacky returned home with one of the tiny clothes, but this time it had a smell! It was absolutely wonderful. A little of Mama, a little of dad, some milky smell, and something else that I couldn’t quite put my paw on. I didn’t know what it was, but I liked it! (I now know it was poopies.)

The next day Grahamkacky and I went back to my home and waited. She took me outside and just then, I saw dad’s car coming down the street! They were home! Oh, I’d missed them so much! I darted off the porch and through the grass as dad slowed down and opened the door.  I rode on his lap the last few feet into the driveway, blissfully unaware that the brother was in the car! Just then, I smelled it.  The same smell as the tiny clothes.

I hopped out of the car and ran laps around it as fast as my legs would carry me.  That's when I saw it.  It stopped me dead in my tracks.  They were carrying something I hadn’t seen before, and yet it was familiar. I followed them into the house, hopping along, trying to brace myself on the back of their legs to get a peek. They set it down on the floor and that’s when I saw it for the first time - our tiny human! It was a boy, like me! This must be the brother! Oh, I love him! I thanked Mama and dad for my new brother by kissing it, and then kissing them, and then kissing it again. I was so excited I got the whole body wags! I love the way it smells.  I could just sniff it all day!

As the days went by I quickly realized that brothers are noisy. And scary.  And interfere with my time for pets and snuggles.  Sometimes we will all be sleeping so peacefully and then out of nowhere brother starts making these loud noises like I’ve never heard! To be fair, I do the same thing when I think I hear intruders, but it makes noise for no apparent reason! If it starts making noises, I quickly run to alert mama and dad, and once they’re mobile I hide under the bed to wait it out. This went on for several weeks, but I realized that this is just what it does. Sometimes mama will help me cuddle with brother, and I get to kiss its face. My favorite part is when I get to protect mama and brother when we go for walks! I love showing it off. I prance down the street and proudly exclaim “look at brother!” at any passers by. As I mentioned, mama promised that I would always have a spot in the bed right between her and dad, but I don’t mind sharing with brother sometimes in the morning! At nighttime, I like to lay in the doorway and listen as mama and dad read brother and I books.  I lay on the bed and watch over as it goes to sleep, and each morning it smiles as mama holds me close and rubs brothers hand over my back.  I can tell that brother likes me. It makes me a little nervous, but I like it more each day! I can’t wait until we can run and play, and it can scratch my belly or feed me treats! Until then I will watch over it, protect it, make it laugh, comfort it, and help mama and dad however I can...when I feel like it, of course.

xo - Ozzie

ps. enjoy the video mama  made :)