I got a taste of big brotherhood today. Literally. Her name is Alexis and she is the little person that my doggie pal Diesel oversees. She is two people months old today and she tastes delicious, at least by what I could tell by licking her cute little button of a nose. This was the longest bit of time we’ve spent together (my mom, Diesel’s mom Jessica, me, Diesel and Alexis) since she was born and I got the strangest feeling she somehow sensed she was not (technically) the only baby in the room.
I knew it was probably nonsense. I figured it was just probably the sense I got. It’s not that unlike me to misread a situation regardless of my good intentions. But then mom’s friend Jessica said it out loud and I knew that maybe (just maybe) I wasn’t imagining things.
“It’s like she somehow knows you have a baby in your belly,” she said to my mom.
And it’s true. Baby Alexis was the very embodiment of joy when she was looking at my mom. She smiled so much I was surprised her little baby cheek muscles didn’t give out. She was entranced by my mom and I was entranced by her. As I’ve never seen such a little person smile before, I was unfamiliar with the completely overwhelming sense of joy you get from seeing a whole little body smile. She was baring the most beautiful completely toothless smile I’d ever seen, but it was more than that. Her eyes were smiling. She truly was a little bundle of joy.
It was a far cry from earlier in the evening when she was dreadfully unhappy about something. Just as the wonderment of her smile took me by surprise, I didn’t expect the guttural reaction I had to the sound of a baby crying. It bothered me, but not because of the noise. It bothered me because I wanted to help somehow. I got as close to her as I could (usually this meant getting close to the person holding her) and sniffed and stood at the ready in case there was anything I could do to help stop the crying. It didn’t take long for me to realize there probably isn’t anything I can really do. (Unless I somehow figure out how to feed her, change her, or put her to sleep – wouldn’t that be a trick?). I think I might struggle with that when my little person comes along.
But I now know what I have to look forward to in terms of the bundle of joy this baby will be. And I know it’s probably nonsense. I don’t know how it could be true. Yet I hold the belief that baby Alexis was so happy (partially because she had at that point been fed and changed and was readying for sleep, but also) because she knows she will have that little person in her life someday too. What I felt in my heart as I saw those smiles and licked that little button nose is undeniable. I got a taste of big brotherhood today. And it tasted like joy.
Wiley's Wisdom 
Aww! Wiley! A baby! SO CUTE and you were SO GOOD! Kiri (our pup) was totally weird the first time she saw a baby, but in her defense, it was a toddler who jerked around and made funny noises. She was good though but we had to keep a close watch. Your pics are precious!
Hey stranger! How are things? To add to dear Kiri’s defense, she is still a puppy isn’t she? I’m kind of an old geezer already at five people years (compared to little Kiri anyway). I can’t actually remember my first exposure to toddlers all that well, but I have know young little people who picked me up, pulled my ears, and tried to ride me like a pony. You could say I’ve been around that block. 😉 It’s this teeny tiny person thing I’m trying to prepare for since we’ll have one of our own in a few short months. Lots to learn! 🙂
I hope all is well,
Wiley
What an adorable post and between you, Wiley, and little Alexis, this post is full of “cuteness” and “aweness!” 🙂
I love cuteness and aweness. Lots more to come when I get my own little person!
🙂
Wiley all that baby stuff is “sweetness overload.” Love your actions. Lovely little dog, you are!
Hi Yvonne!
I’m loving the sweetness overload – that is the perfect description for how I felt yesterday! Thanks for coming to see me again!
Lots of love,
Wiley
Aww. I’m sure you will make a wonderful big brother.
oh my, what an adorable dog, and creative blog concept you have here, i love it. i’m an animal caretaker by day, in service to dogs, sometimes cats and have 2 of each at home so your wonderful writing really resonated with me.
just thought i’d visit a bit to thank you for liking so many of my poems the other day, encouragement is always really appreciated. *smiling*
Thank you for what you do!!! Us animals do need plenty of tender loving care, so your business is very important. Your poems are very inspirational and well done. Keep up the great work! In the meantime, please come visit me again…I love seeing new paw prints on my pages!!!
🙂 Wiley
I think you’ll be the best baby-sitter in the world, Wiley. I like baby’s too, they smell like milk… and butter. Pawkissses 🙂
Mmmmm….I like butter…and milk….even though I’m not supposed to have either, I may sneak some every now and then. 🙂 Thanks for the pawkisses!
Lots of love,
Wiles
I knew you will make the most wonderful big brother!!
Aw, thank you dear friend!
Wiley, I have the same reaction as you when I see a baby…well, sort of. I don’t want to lick their nose, but I do often think they are good enough to eat. Cally adores babies, but we have to keep her away from them because she would lick them all over like she does with her big brother Napoleon who is an Oriental cat.
Dear Lyn,
You made me giggle a bit with your mention of licking a baby’s nose. I pictured my mom doing it and she would look so silly! 🙂 Cally on the other hand – that sounds incredibly normal to me. Great minds, as they say. 🙂
Lots of love,
Wiles
you are a wonderful brother, brother!
Coming from you, brother, that is good news! 🙂
Wyles, your words, “… I was unfamiliar with the completely overwhelming sense of joy you get from seeing a whole little body smile.,” this is the same powerful impact you dogs have on us – there are no filters, no screens – sheer, unmitigated joy beaming and wriggling from ear to tail. Ella, the greyhound, is very protective of infants – we’ve got a set of twins across the way and if one or both are crying, she is insistent that we go right over and stand guard outside the window, insisting something should be done. I’m glad you got to experience both the joy and tears ~ good practice!
Dear Ella is a greyhound after my own heart. What’s that they say about great minds? It sounds like she has one, in addition to a great heart. 🙂
It is so thoughtful of you to say that about how us canines smile, and I suppose you’re right. We sure do smile with our whole bodies – big or small. It’s the only way to smile really.
Lots of love,
Wyles
That is a beautiful picture of you and the babes. Joy to the world.
Aw, thank you Ms. Seeker. Yes, I can tell I’m going to love my little brother or sister very much!
Reblogged this on Wiley's Wisdom and commented:
I had no idea what I was getting into with this whole puppy brother thing, but I like it.