Chapter 35: Archie, the New Member of our Family. It has been awhile since I’ve written anything to all my fans so I thought I’d tell you about Archie, the tiny human or little professor who is now part of our family. He was born back in April and, quite frankly, he has taken up a lot of time for the Professor and Mom and me. We’ve traveled more times to Indiana since his birth than the entire 3 years before he arrived on the scene. At first I couldn’t figure out what was the big deal. He couldn’t do anything for himself. He cried. He slept. He peed. He pooped. He sucked on a bottle. He had to be carried everywhere. I mean that’s it, so what was the big deal? Well it must have been a big deal because the Professor took more pictures of him than I have Beagle treats stashed in the cushions of the couch and that is a lot of pictures! Although when his bottle fell to the floor, I did get a chance to lick the nipple on it and I discovered it wasn’t too bad. And I have to admit that I did sniff him and kiss his cheek a few times just to see what the big deal was. He is a cutie, in a little professor kind of way.
Bubby Josh and Sissy Jess brought Archie to Florida a few weeks ago and I was amazed at the changes just from Christmas. He’s taller than I am now and he was sitting up and eating out of a little person’s chair. Now why do I mention that? Because this Beagle wasn’t just born yesterday. Archie spills more food on the floor than he gets in his mouth and, you guessed it, that means more food for me! He also likes to put his little hands down and let me lick the food off them. He even laughs when I do this! He and I are quite the team at lunch and dinner.
The Professor, Mom, Bubby Josh, and Sissy Jess get all excited when he tries to talk. And Archie loves to talk, he’s a chatterbox, just like the Professor and Bubby Josh. Although I can’t understand him at this point, I guess at some point he will start using big words like the Professor and Bubby Josh. He loves to have someone read books to him. His favorite book has something to do with pumpkins. I don’t even know what a pumpkin is. He also likes a book about farm animals. Now I do know a few things about those and I like to avoid them. While books really don’t really appeal to me very much, I note that this family really emphasizes the importance of books and Archie is picking up the family tradition.
Another change is that he is mobile. He doesn’t quite crawl yet, it’s kind of a soldier crawl but he can cross the room and investigate anything he wants to, including me. This change I’m not sure I am ready for. He is constantly coming over to my bed in the living room and wanting to be next to me. Now, I like to sleep with the Professor and Mom but that is in their bed. No one sleeps in my bed except me. So, I walk away when he comes over to my bed. So what does he do? He begins to play with my toys and tries to put my toys in his mouth! Usually at that point, the Professor or Mom or Bubby Josh or Sissy Jess comes over and moves him away from my bed. Thank goodness someone is looking out for my interests!
Archie loves to play in his bouncy chair, as the Professor calls it, and he likes it even more when music is playing. Now I’m a very cultured Beagle as the Professor has taught me to love music from the 60s and 70s, so Archie and I are alike in that respect. Archie started bouncing up and down when the Professor played Santana’s Black Magic Woman and Chicago’s 25 or 6 to 4. He even bounced in time with the drumbeat. Maybe he will be a dancer instead of the quarterback that the Professor wants him to be. That would be cool...Tiny Dancer just like Elton John sings about.
Did I mention that Cooper also came with Bubby Josh, Sissy Jess, and Archie? Now when Cooper comes to visit he is preoccupied (did you catch that big word I used, the Professor is wearing off on me) with playing out back in the sunshine, running through the yard chasing the squirrels and trying to catch the birds that eat seed from the bird feeders. But, I can see that he, as Archie’s big brother, is beginning to pay more attention to him. He especially likes to check on Archie when he cries and will give him a kiss on the cheek.
Cooper and I sense that Archie is still so vulnerable and needs protecting. I mean he is so curious and checks out everything and there are somethings that he shouldn’t get into at his age. Since I’m such a smart Beagle and Cooper is, well, a good bird dog, we know that we should keep an eye on him and run interference if he tries to eat our dogfood or our treats. Archie’s beginning to try to climb on chairs and the living room table and sometimes falls. Cooper and I always come over to check on him and give him a kiss on the cheek. You know everyone should do that. We all need to learn to take care of those that are weak, vulnerable, and need help. I think that’s a good lesson for everyone.
Archie, Cooper, Bubby Josh, and Sissy Jess went home after about a week and I have to confess, I sorely miss Archie but I know Cooper will take good care of him…that's what we dogs do...
Comments