Pickle, my three-year-old nephew, doesn’t know how to write yet, which I
find odd, because I wrote my first post back in April 2015 (It’s All Good . . . Mostly), when I wasn’t even eight months old. But there’s big news around his house, and I know he wants to share it with you. So I’m gonna set down what he told me, as close to word-for-word as I can remember:
My baby brother, Jack, arrived last week. I was warned it was gonna happen, and was trying to keep an open mind . . . but it was still a shock. Mom and Dad were away for four days — I
stayed with my sitter, Sally, of course — and when they came back, BOOM! There’s Jack! He’s tiny. Weighs about seven pounds! (For the sake of comparison, I weigh 65.) A lot of people say that when a new baby enters the household, the dog gets forgotten — think Ruckus, after Ryan, Henry, and JJ came on the scene. That hasn’t quite happened to
me, but I’ve definitely dropped down a notch.
First of all, the room I used to hang out in most of the day? It now belongs to the baby nurse — this total stranger who they pay to take care of Jack — and she keeps the door closed all the time. Sure, Mom goes out of her way to kiss me and tell me I’m a good boy, but I know what she’s really saying: You’re gonna get along with this little guy, or else! (The photo, top right, is actually a video — watch my tail! — but you have to click here.) And get
this: I wasn’t even allowed to stay in my own house overnight the first couple of days; I had to go sleep at Nana and Pa’s! Dad, at least, stuck up for me. He thought I should be allowed to sleep at home, but it looks like he got outvoted. To tell you the truth, I’m a little envious of my Uncle Kemba: He’s in his 11th year of being the only dependent in his household.
Well, I guess I’ll have to wait and see how this thing plays out. Jack’s really cute, and maybe someday we’ll be
buddies. Whichever way it turns out, though, at least I had three years as an only child.
As I said in the intro, I’m (very graciously) yielding my space in THE DUCK DOG SPEAKS to my nephew, Pickle.
Buck up , Pickle. Time will show that the only change— eventually , maybe slowly —is that Jack soon will be your latest love and biggest fan.
Right you are, Maggie Sue!
Mazel tov to the whole clan!!
Thanks, Jess!
Pickle, don’t worry. You’ll still be very loved! And your mom and dad are now so loved to have two adorable boys in the house!