Cat Status: Achieved

Probably the #1 question we still get is the age old "How does Pippin like Lilli?" question. I think I get asked that more than the popular "How are you sleeping? ". At first he pretty much ignored her, and her crying made him a bit nervous (as in there's been a LOT of anal glands expressed around our house....between these two kids this has been one gassy house). Then he started being curious, and every night he would sleep on the end of the couch closest to her portable crib (we call his insane snoring her "cheap white noise machine"). Then he started to look forward to seeing her - swiping the occasional lick on a flaying hand or foot, and wanted to comfort her when she cried with these little licks. And anytime I'm feeding her he's as close as he can get, usually sitting right behind my back. Now, I think she's achieved Cat status, which is only one step down from my Momma status, and pretty even to Daddy status.

At our old house in Smyrna our neighbors two doors down had a cat. They also had a dog, so this cat was really used to dogs. Every time we'd walk Peta would walk up to Pippin and just rub her little body next to Pippin and casually stroll off. And he LOVED it. He'd get all shaky and didn't have a clue what to do with himself. It began his infatuation with this strange animal, and he tends to think every cat should love dogs this much. Anytime he sees a cat he gets all quivery and expects this type of response - and let me just say that our urban alleycats around here do NOT respond to dogs this way. Half the cats around here scare me and we'll cross the street or get off the sidewalk for a few of them!

Anyway, last night after dinner we settled in to watch a little TV. Brent was hanging out with Lilli, and of course Pippin was following me around as I cleaned up the kitchen. When I plopped down on the couch with the gang he was only a minute or two behind, and instead of snuggling up totally with me....he found a new friend. They ended up napping together for most of the show we were watching, like two little peas in a pod. He didn't mind the occasional bang on the head from her quirky baby reflexes. I'm starting to worry that one day Lilli status is going to surpass Momma status!

(On a side note, I never, ever leave them alone and unattended together, before you call child services!)

Here are some pics, I think we took like 300 of them cuddling together. There's always a camera ready to go on our coffee table!

-Rachel