We will never have a dog in this house. Quite frankly, I’d love to have a Golden Retriever. However, with asthma and allergies (Yes, I know there are shots available for people with pet allergies. Yes, I endured them for nearly five years — in addition to shots for pollen, trees, etc. No, the shots didn’t work… not even a little bit.), a dog will never be in my future. Not even a “hypo-allergenic” one. I’m convinced hypo-allergenic dogs only work if you’re mildly allergic. I am not mildly allergic.
Muttsy (aka: Puppy) is the closest our home will ever come to having a Golden Retriever in it. (There are actually two Muttsy dogs living in our house, but that’s a story for another time.) Ari adores both of his puppy dogs. Initially one was known as “Upstairs Puppy” and the other as “Downstairs Puppy.” However, he now sleeps with both dogs every night, carries them downstairs in the morning, brings them back upstairs for naptime, and so on.
I came home around 5:15 p.m. I walked into the kitchen and was greeted by Ari and one of the puppies. He declared, “I wanna feed Puppy!”
“What’s he going to eat?” I asked, playing along.
“Ummm… peanut butter!” Ari declared.
“Oh, I like peanut butter,” I replied.
“Me too,” Ari giggled. “I put Puppy in high chair.”
Ari carried his puppy to his booster seat, clipped him in, and declared, “He needs a bib!”
I looked around the kitchen and found a bib. “Here you go,” I told his stuffie as I placed a bib around its neck.
“He needs a tray!” Ari said.
I walked over to the drying rack, grabbed the tray, and clicked it into place on the booster seat. Then I asked Ari, “Does he need a spoon?”
Ari’s eyes widened. “Yessss!”
I grabbed him a baby spoon. Then I brought over Ari’s water bottle. “Does he need water too?” I asked.
“Yessss!” Ari replied.
Ari began feeding and hydrating Puppy. Puppy even got kisses from Ari between his peanut-buttery spoonfuls. Lucky Puppy!
Raising Literate Humans 
Maybe he will have his own pet one day. Until then, great work with the special puppy.
Not if he wants his mommy to come over. (Though by then, I’ll be mom… or maybe even Stacey. Oh goodness. If can’t even bear to think about that now.)
Such a sweet boy! I love how you played along.
So cute!!! I love watching young children engaging in imaginative play. I kind of miss being able to do it myself.
This is absolutely adorable. My day is made brighter by your slice!
Oh, I’m so glad! Ari is a charmer!
What a beautiful slice of life at your house, calm and creative. I think Muttsy makes a wonderful golden retriever.
He’s the best! Plus, he doesn’t shed. 🙂
Love! Especially upstairs/downstairs puppies — who both get to snuggle! Reminded me of when I was little — I slept with all my stuffed animals because I didn’t want to make any of them feel left out. 🙂
I remember doing that too!
The joy of such a lovely moment is captured forever, because you spent the time to write it down!!! My mom always said that if she could go back and live one day over again, it would be an ordinary day, when my sister and I were two and four.
Now that I’m the grandma, I completely understand.
We can’t go back, but if we capture thse moments…even if we can’t do it as beautifully as you do…we can relive them forever.
The ordinary days are among the most beautiful… aren’t they?
Puppy in a high chair…why not? I think everyone’s needs were met.
Ari is so sweet! Gotta love the imagination of littles! My daughter loves to put her stuffed animals in her toy high chair. Why put her baby dolls there when lambs and bears fit just fine? Can we literally keep them this small forever?! Yes, please!
So sweet!
Soooo adorable. Sweet little Ari! I love it when they “take care” of their stuffies. It’s just the sweetest thing. The double-Muttsy reminds me of how we have FOUR “Duggies” in our house – I think I need to write about it some time!
I see a “Duggie” comic in your future.
Nope, you will NEVER have a dog. Sounds like one’s in Ari’s future, though. Love the interactions between the three of you. Ari’s a good soul!
So much fun. Maybe he will be able to get his own dog sometime!
Besides being a great family memory to share, this is an amazing example of the kind of play and conversation that young children need to develop executive functioning. I’ve been reading a lot lately about play and brain development in relation to later reading comprehension issues. It’s fascinating stuff. When I was a young mom, I didn’t know any of these theories of play, but I realize now how beneficial the hours of unstructured playtime were for my children. I also see the serious outcomes at school when children haven’t had play experiences such as Ari feeding Puppy and naming Upstairs Puppy and Downstairs Puppy. What priceless gifts you are giving your children!
Thanks, Marilyn.
I adore playing with him. I wish I just had more time to do it since the days are off and packed. However, I know there is so much benefit to unstructured play time so I try not to beat myself up about that and remember that he’s learning whenever he is playing: by himself or with someone else.