Dogs are like Kids...

I've come to the conclusion, after having a few people ask me about whether they should get a dog for their family, that dogs are a lot like kids. Sometimes I can't imagine our home without Harley. Asher and Eli seriously play with him all day. He takes their abuse (usually unintentional) in stride. The boys hang onto and hug that dog constantly. It's nice to walk in the house and have someone so extremely happy to see you. It's a boost to the self-esteem to have a dog almost injure himself as he jumps around so much because he's so excited to see you. The boys use Harley as a pillow on a regular basis- there is just enough room for both Eli and Asher's head to fit on his body. I sleep much better on the nights Scott is away knowing that Harley will bark if anyone is in the yard or house. But then Harley does something he shouldn't, i.e., eat a dozen just-boiled eggs off the counter; eat 2 pounds of grilled chicken; puke up something he shouldn't have eaten; have a potty accident on the carpet; put nose prints all over the just-washed windows; mess up the rug (which I gave up trying to straighten after I realized it was happening over 100 times a day) with all of his running around; pooping in any place outside other than his assigned "potty spot"; jump around like crazy when people come over to the house; when he gets outside without his collar that keeps him on our yard and goes running in the neighborhood and horse pen (and rolls in horse poop); etc. Or when it's time to go on vacation and we have to pay for boarding- EXPENSIVE!!!

Just like kids, at moments you can't imagine loving them anymore, and then within seconds you want to strangle them. It's a bi-polar experience, but I think the good outweighs the bad. I don't know about other people and their families getting dogs, but as for my family and Harley himself- we're a perfect match.

Harley's favorite sleeping spot, in front of the bay window...

...sleeping with his stuffed animal.  Like the other boys, Harley loves snuggling with his animals.

When Asher is tired, he finds Harley to lay down and sleep by.

Harley didn't move for almost 2 hours while Asher slept by him.  Oh, the love a boy has for his dog!

Always a Cause for Celebration...

All three of my boys love their stuffed animals!  I don't remember me or my brothers playing with stuffed animals growing up, but to my boys they are cherished members of the family.  They sleep with them at night and tote them around the house all day to include them in their activities.  Eli announced that it was going to be Eli and Harley's (his stuffed dogs he'd made at Build A Bear Workshop) birthday the next day and we all needed to make a present for them.  Out came the plastic beads that are made into shapes and then I iron them so they melt together enough to stay together.  Eli required all of us to make something for his furry friends' birthday, which we all complied with.  We all sang Happy Birthday the next morning and Eli helped them open their gifts, which he'd wrapped in tin foil by himself.  I'm sure the stuffed dogs were thrilled by it all...

Camping...

Eli's imagination is never-ending.  He comes up with a lot of imaginative game to play that keep he and Asher entertained for hours.  What is Asher going to do all day when Eli is in school full-time next year?!?!  When I went outside to see what adventures they were on, Eli explained to me that they were camping.  The sled was their campfire and they were roasting hot dogs for dinner. 

Why the Thrill...

When Oakley gets to go on a trip to stay with Grandma Lee Ann, I let Eli and Asher pick a special activity they want to do. Usually, much to my disgust, they choose Chuck E Cheese. Why is this place so wonderful? Why does this place seem so magical to them? I do not understand, but I do know they are all but trembling with excitement on the drive over. I don't understand the draw, but I love the level of joy they possess at the chance to visit the Chuck E Wonderland...

Preschool Repeat...

Asher has been the most reluctant to cut the apron strings. He is the only one that cried when he was taken to Nursery Class at Church. Just when we finally got him to go into class happily on his own, it was time to transition to Primary. Being left in Sharing Time with his Sunbeam class is another tearful experience. This little boy wants to be with a member of the family at all times. It is really hard as his mother to leave him in tears and help him adjust to these new "big boy" life experiences.

I know that preschool is going to be another one of those experiences where I have to walk away and hear Asher crying for me to stay. I'm not looking forward to it, but am grateful to have found such a darling preschool teacher. In an effort to prepare him for this next milestone, every time we drive past his preschool, I announce in my most-excited voice, "Asher! There's your preschool! It's going to be so fun!" The look on his face explains how completely un-thrilled he is about the idea. The other day I was talking to him about preschool and said, "Remember when Eli went to preschool? You get to go to preschool just like Eli did!" Asher turned to Eli and asked, "Eli, do you want to go again?"

What Asher wouldn't give to have Eli repeat preschool and be in class with him...