COPY CAT

Having dogs has its benefits, like having a pre-clean cycle around your high chair after a meal before I have to pull out the broom. They've also taught you to be comfortable around animals and to be gentle. Although they've also taught you some other quirks...

WALK THE DOG

 At 23-months old you walked your first dog.  Albeit Grandma and Grandpa's lap dog Lucy, weighing all of ten pounds.  Unbeknownst to you, you're slowly being groomed to do chores. First it'll be walking the dogs, feeding the dogs, then taking out the garbage, doing dishes, mopping the wood floors, and the pinnacle of all chores...scrubbing the toilet.  I can't wait for you to be old enough to give you chores and write it off as a learning experience. 

I told your dad an added benefit of having multiple kids is that the house cleaning expenses would go down.  Who needs to hire a house cleaner, when you have kids that do chores?

HELPING HAND

Cleaning the dogs' muddy tennis balls in their water bowl.  How helpful.

PONY

Who needs a pony, when you have two big dogs? 

GROSSER THAN GROSS

What's gross?  You grabbing dirty utensils from the dishwasher and trying to lick them.  What's grosser than gross?   Turning around to find you licking the inside of the dishwasher door with the dogs. 

SOPHIE

Born in Paris in 1961, Sophie the Giraffe has taken on cult status amongst moms of all teething babies worldwide  This simple little squeaky giraffe has the magic ability to calm the fussiest of babies.  Something that looks like nothing more than a dog toy, yet costs an arm and a leg.  How is this possible?  Claiming to be made of 100% natural rubber and food paint, there has to be a secret ingredient.  Something like kiddie crack, or catnip for cats.  I'm convinced of this.

You were so addicted to yours, that after losing it, I broke down and bought another.  Of course the missing one turned up a few days later.  In a kitchen drawer of all places.  Thanks house cleaners.  

Today though, Sophie entered a new chapter in her life at the Hansen's.  She became a dog toy.  A $25 dog toy. 

SNACK TIME

Lucy and Quincy have an all new appreciation for you these days.  Something tells me it has nothing to do with how cute you are.

CLEAN UP CREW

If it was socially acceptable, I would let the dogs lick you clean after every meal.  With the amount of paper towels we go through, it would certainly save a tree or two.

SOURPUSS

You seem to have every toy imaginable to man.  Yet your favorite toys are my Pottery Barn fake decorative lemons.  They're strewn all over the house.  The dogs have taken a liking to them as well.  Now they're not only strewn all over the house, but they can be spotted on occasion strewn about the backyard. 

Something I purchased from Pottery Barn is now a dog toy?  I never would have thought it'd be possible over 9 months ago.  But now with a baby, anything seems possible these days.   

PUSHOVER

I can only imagine what Lucy must be thinking...