Last year one of my New Year’s resolutions was to be more patient and loving with my dog, Charlie, and to give her more attention and exercise.

I passed with about a B-.

This year I want to get at least an A-.

She’s kissable, right?

I figured out how to get her to look attentive for these photo sessions. I just say “Kitty.” No kidding. It gets her every time. See her ears?

When I brought Rachel home from the hospital Charlie was in shock. The first night home it was as if Charlie was the one having to wake up with her. She paced our room the whole night. The next day she just moped and stared at me from afar.

When I brought Hannah home from the hospital, Hannah was sleeping in her carseat and we set the carseat up high. Charlie didn’t see her. For the hour that Hannah was sleeping, Charlie was beside her self with anxiety, pacing back and forth. She wouldn’t settle down. Then Hannah started crying. Charlie jumped up and was ecstatic, wagging her tail, smiling and running to the carseat and back. She had known I had given birth (by sniffing) but was not able to figure out where the baby was.

Then for a year of more, Charlie got virtually ignored.

For Christmas, Hannah and Rachel got dolls that cry “real” cries. You have to try to figure out what they need to get them to stop crying (changing diapers, feeding, or burping.) What was I thinking? Since the girls were enjoying the dolls without batteries we didn’t introduce them to this crying function….until last night. My husband put the batteries in. Somehow I was the appointed “babysitter” while the girls set off countless times with their strollers to the “park.” Why does it entertain me to see Rachel a bit stressed out trying to calm the baby? She tries the burping, then the feeding, then the binky, and then sighs if she has to change the diaper. She hates that.

When Charlie heard the cries, she went nuts. Happy nuts. She looked at me with tail wagging and eyes wide, as if to say, “We’ve got a job to do. Let’s get started.”

Is she a glutton for punishment? She’s smart, but in this case instinct wins out over brains. She just wants to have a job, I think.

Too bad she can’t fold laundry. (Ba-da-boom. Canned laughter.)

I took another look at the scene, raised my eyebrows, waved good-bye, and went to the grocery store. Apparently the babies went to sleep while I was gone.

Night-night.

Shhhh. Here’s a secret. I kind of like burping the babies.

Call me grandma, then hand me a blanket. I’m retired and it’s time for my nap.