January 15: Maggie

 For the past couple of days, we have been dog sitting for our old dog Maggie. 

We first got Maggie in August of 2005, when she was just a few months old.

Maggie was our "baby" for a long time. Before we had kids, she really was the center of our lives.  When I was leaving to go to the hospital to give birth to Audrey, I was crying because I was worried about how Maggie's life was about to change (and I was probably just a little bit scared too!). 

Obviously, after Audrey was born, Maggie stepped down a rung on our family ladder.  Then, once Isla was born, Maggie fell off the ladder.  It was just more than I wanted to handle:  taking care of two kids and a dog!  So we found a good home, and Maggie moved there in July 2011.

This week Maggie's new owner was going out of town and asked if we would like to watch her for a couple of days.  It was kind of fun to have Maggie around again, and really, it felt like she never left.  Hearing her little feet padding on the hardwood floors or her screeching bark when we come in the door, it just felt normal!

Audrey was a little uncertain around Maggie for the first hour or so.  But she quickly got over it and assumed her new role as Maggie's boss.  She loved telling Maggie what to do, even though Maggie never listened to her.  "Maggie, come here."  "Maggie, eat your food."  "Maggie, fetch!"  "Maggie, go outside."  "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, listen to me!"

Isla was unsure of Maggie most of the time.  She liked to wave hi to her, and sometimes she laughed at her.  A couple of times, Isla got brave enough to touch her.  But Isla is still a little uncertain on her feet, and she hates to feel unbalanced.  So whenever Maggie would go running past her, Isla would get a little upset. 

 It was fun to have Maggie here.  It was fun to snuggle with her.  Snuggling with Maggie is like having your own personal heater!  It was nice to not have to sweep my dining room or kitchen floors for the past two days, because Maggie is like a human vaccuum cleaner.  She gets the crumbs before the even hit the floor.

But it was also nice to give Maggie back to her owners tonight.  Taking care of two kids is plenty of responsibility for me right now!