Doggie Days of Spring

It's a rainy day and we spent the whole morning playing Doggies.  "Woof, woof," said Cameron, crouching on the floor.  "We are two *woof* little doggies!  When we *woof* say 'woof,' it means 'yes.'"

I've played Doggies many times before, so I was able to pretty much instantaneously get into character.  My character being The Little Girl Who Wants a Doggie and Gets Two of Them.  "Oh!" I said brightly.  "Look at these cute little doggies!"  Then comes the part where I try to decide which doggie I would like to come home with me.  "This doggie is bigger."  Cameron pants excitedly.  "And this doggie is smaller."  Matthew, who has joined Cameron on the floor, gives a high-pitched bark.  "This doggie has beautiful golden fur, and this doggie has such a cute, curly coat!"  Now comes the part where the doggies try to communicate to me, through a series of animated woofs and some pretty impressive canine miming, that they are brothers and they would both like to be my doggies.  The Little Girl is usually a bit slow to catch on.  "Hmmmm.  How will I decide?  This doggie seems very friendly.  And this doggie is full of energy."  The doggies hug each other and begin to howl plaintively.  "What's that?  Oh, are you friends?" 

The doggies nod and the bigger doggie typically barks, "Brothers!  Woof!"

"My goodness!  Brothers!  Would you BOTH like to come home with me?"

"Woof, woof, woof!" yip the doggies.

Today, the Doggies game went on much longer than usual and, for the first time ever, the doggies revealed their true names to me.  The smaller doggie went first, arfing that his name was Beanie.  The larger doggie was at first a bit reticent, leaving The Little Girl in a Rumpelstiltskenesque guessing game until, finally, the doggie ruffed that his name was Ralphie.  Beanie and Ralphie, it turned out, were thirsty and wanted some water.  "Ruff, ruff!  In bowls!"

The Little Girl began to question her parenting skills as she watched her new puppies slurp loudly from their water dishes.  The doggies got in some exercise despite the weather, enthusiastically chasing down balls and Frisbees in a raucous game of hallway fetch.  "Woof, woof!  Hungry!" said the big doggie.

"Arf!  Want something veeeerrrryyy special," enjoined the small doggie, who has recently taken to asking for veeeerrrryyyy special snacks on a regular basis.  "Woof!  Want chocolate chips!"

And here, The Little Girl discovered something very wonderful about Doggies.  "Oooh, doggies can't each chocolate!  It makes them sick.  But I can give you each a bowl of puppy chow!"  And the two little doggies eagerly gobbled up snack of raisins and pretzels.  The Little Girl is considering whether or not the puppies could be convinced that they love brussel sprouts.  Served in a bowl on the floor, of course.