This display of English Springer Spaniels keeps residence on the end table in a nook of our "keeping room." The black and white figurine was purchased by my daughter and me, for my husband, to honor a former pet named Oreo. The brown and white pup was my Christmas gift to him to honor Oreo's best buddy, Tyson (named after Mike Tyson, for constantly chewing on Oreo's ear). My husband's children had loved these two dogs, years ago. I later added the porcelain puppy to the collection.  Ever since that addition, Xavier has been fascinated with this trio, holding the little one carefully up to his face to feel the coolness of it's body. He has now begun to refer to them as Mommy, Daddy, and The Little Baby.
Yesterday afternoon, our grandson came home from school to our house, as he would be staying here the night.  Later that evening, as my husband was walking out the back door to attend a meeting, I leaned to kiss him goodbye and made my way back to join Xavier in my big chair. (A large, feather down chaise, perfectly perfect for snuggling, knitting, and story-telling) Once we were established in our seating arrangement ...I, knitting...he, winding and "looping" the big ball of yarn, he interrupted our conversation with a question, "Why did you kiss Big Daddy?" Not having to think very long, I replied, "Because I love him, and I'll miss him while he's gone." Throughout the evening of endless questions, and on-the-spot answers, that first question stuck in my head. I know that he loves for all the affection and attention to be directed towards him, wanting me to hold his hand...not his Big Daddy's, wanting me to sit next to him... speak to him... Not quite understanding his grandfather's place in his grammy's world. He is supposed to be the "driver", the "one who goes to work", the  "one that leads him to his Sunday School Class "...what in the world is his grammy doing kissing him?
The evening ended, he had hopped into bed, and I shuffled through the living room turning off the lights. I reached to turn off the lamp on the end table and found that the "dog family" had been rearranged.
Is this a sign that he is beginning to understand? What a sweet little boy we have been so blessed to have in our lives.