Bad Dog

Sure, she looks innocent enough. But look closely at this photo. Notice the ears laid back. The tail tucked under. The look in her eyes that says, "I'm sorry I was a bad dog."

I woke up this morning to find my diaper bag knocked over on the floor with a mutilated and empty box of baby cookies lying on the floor next to the bag. The suspect soon presented herself, and it was quite obvious from her entire body language that she was guilty. I gave her a stern admonishment, and sent her outside for a doggy time-out. I took this photo after she had some time to think about what she did.

See, this isn't the first time Ani's performed this sort of crime. While we were at the grocery store on Thursday she knocked over a box of her own cookies and managed to eat half of them (without destroying the box, so I didn't notice for several days - she might be bad but at least she's usually clever). And a few years ago when I was pregnant with Casey and Rob was in Texas for several months she chewed a hole in our couch while trying to chase a sleeve of graham crackers that had fallen under the couch. Do you see the pattern of criminal activity here?

Rob was gone all last week, and he came home yesterday for a quick visit and left again very early this morning. I can only assume that Ani's compulsive cookie stealing is the result of some sort of coping mechanism to deal with missing her Daddy. I guess we all have our means of coping - Casey throws tantrums, Connor cries for two hours straight in the afternoons, Ani steals cookies, and I drink boxes of wine after everyone goes to sleep. So I suppose I shouldn't be too angry with her. She's just trying to get through the next few weeks like the rest of us. She's not really a bad dog, just a lonely one.

P.S. I stepped out on the deck Friday night after getting the boys to bed and snapped this photo of the beautiful colors in the evening sky. I'd love to paint the ceiling of my bedroom to look like this, but I'm pretty sure Rob would have me committed. I might have to settle for a painting - I wonder if Sara is up for any commissions?