Friday, January 1, 2010

New Year's Eve - Liam and Lobo

Last evening, Chris and Ruth reverted and joined a re-Prom party, re-creation of high school prom, but done as wise and experienced twenty-somethings instead of immature teens. Victoria and I (mostly Victoria) kept Liam. Liam slept peacefully until nearly 11:00, then awoke crying probably that no one was there in bed with him. Victoria, working on her computer in his room, immediately picked him up and started comforting. But he wanted Momma! So he cried. And cried. And cried. He accepted comfort from Victoria, almost falling back to sleep, but his insistence that he had a right to his Momma and anger that he wasn't getting what he wanted, won out. He cried off and on until Ruth and Chris, notified of Liam's stubborn state, could come and rescue him. When they arrived, immediately, he stopped crying.

The most fascinating thing, however, was how Lobo reacted. Liam has cried before, so Lobo is used to it. But when it didn't stop, Lobo decided something was wrong. He became agitated, running around, barking, jumping up close to Liam to sniff, then back on the prowl to find the bear or cat or other evil animal that was hurting Liam. He couldn't find it, and would come to me, confused, and then go back to hunting, growling, and barking. Several times, Liam would stop crying and watch Lobo for several minutes until he remembered his need to assert his displeasure. I calmed Lobo some, but he didn't seem really OK until Liam stopped crying.

Lobo, chronically afraid of all small humans (who he fears will pull his hair or poke him in the eye) has clearly fully accepted Liam as a member of our community pack!

2 comments:

  1. The connection between boy and dog and dog and boy really is something. Tonight on our walk Liam, sitting in the stroller, caqlled Lobo, clearly making "lllllooo" sounds and making the signb for "dog" which he has been taught and uses from time to time. And Lobo was indeed very protective of crying Liam last night.

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  2. Give Lobo an extra treat for us! - Joe

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