Our Newest Additions

First, I just want to apologize for the stupid spacing in this post which makes it kind of difficult to read. For some reason, I cannot get it to create paragraphs right this morning. Grrrr....

No, you're not seeing double. Meet Maddy (on the left) and Ally (on the right), the two newest additions to our family. Yes, they are sisters, appearing almost identical except that Maddy has a little more brown color to her than Ally and her belly pouch hangs a little lower as well, something the two of us have in common. I believe that's why she loves me so much, it's like some sort of unspoken bond between us. It isn't until you get to know them that you actually see the vast differences between the two.

Take Ally for example. The climber. The affectionate, playful one. The reason they came up with the saying "curiosity killed the cat", and it scares me because someday I'm afraid it might. She's learned the hard way that you can't jump through a screen door when you see a bird fly by and you want to make friends with it.

She's also the first to let you know you've entered a room by chirping like a bird and cocking her head to the side, waiting patiently for attention. If she doesn't get it, she'll quietly climb up and poke you with her paw. Either that or just plop right down on whatever it is you are working on, including Drey's homework. Apparently his grades are not as important as her needs. She's been known to lay across the keyboard of a laptop as well while Ty tried to kill terrorists on an online game. A liberal in a past life maybe? Possibly.Then there's Maddy, also known as Fatty Maddy. The quieter, more docile one. Until you try to bath her, then she tries to kill you with every ounce of her being. The one who's afraid of heights. The one who likes to splash her paws in the water bowl until both of her front feet, half her head, the floor and the wall are soaked. Oh no, wait, that's both of them. I figured that out the other night at 3 am. Don't ask why I was up that late. I'm ashamed to admit that I have a serious addiction to Webkinz and I pretend I'm 8 years old, trying to beat my high score on Tile Towers, which I did thank you very much. But that's another post, another time. Anyway, you always know it's happening because for a split second I think my mother's basset hound has snuck his way into my home and is lapping up the water in his loud, hoggish manner. It's only then I realize that my entire laundry area is getting a shower.

They are very keen to the sounds I don't think I'm making when I quickly and very quietly get up to go catch them in action. It only takes for me to stand when I hear them instantly disappear in the dark because they know I'm on my way. Maddy hides and doesn't come out whether she's guilty or not. Ally hides but comes right back out and chirps, cocking her head to the side, looking at me confused, almost begging for some lovin'. That's why she had me fooled for so long. See, Maddy acts guilty by hiding and being sneaky. Ally just acts as if nothing's wrong and can I get another hug, please? That was her demise, however, because she got her hug and that's when I felt them. Wet feet. And I looked. Maddy was peacefully asleep on top of the love seat, oblivious to anything going on in the present world.

Ally didn't chirp. Instead she squirmed. She gave me that look that says, "Oh crap, I'm so busted," and that little sucker ran, only of course to come right back out from under the table a split second later to chirp, cock her head to the side and beg for another hug.

What's a person supposed to do?? I hugged her, of course.

I should mention that both of our new furry friends came from my brother, Chip, and his family. They have moved and couldn't take the cats with them. Since our beloved Zoso died a week before Christmas last year, things have been a little quiet around here. Sometimes a little too quiet. Life doesn't seem right if I'm not walking around constantly wondering why I never buy us a lint brush and why the heck is there cat hair on the ceiling fan? For some reason, Ty and I always seem to end up with cats that act like dogs. Maybe it's because we are dog people. We don't like cats. We don't hate them either. But we're just not cat people, know what I mean? They act like a couple of unruly, mischievous children too. Not that we needed anymore of those, but what are ya gonna do? I always wanted four kids, Ty wanted six. We now have six kids. Thanks, Ty, thanks a lot.So, we decided to expand our family once again and I'm certainly glad we did. They are lots of fun, always full of love and so completely tolerable of Zoe and Rylee's constant suffocating affection. They play and act crazy on catnip. They repeatedly get in trouble for doing things they aren't supposed to. They love their butts scratched. They lay in the middle of the floor on their backs with their legs spread wide open, begging for you to rub their bellies. They love to explore my scrapbook supplies and they eat everything they find that's small enough to fit into their mouths. And yes, it tends to come out the other end. That's not a pretty sight. I do think it must be quite confusing though for something that's half-dog half-toddler to be trapped inside of a cat's body.

But they are truly a blessing and I'm excited that we get to share their first birthday with them today! Happy Birthday, Ally and Maddy!!