Finally it was our turn and I handed over Kobe to the grooming attendant. As I walked away with my baby in his carrier now content and sucking away on his binkie I took a last look at my first baby as he got carried off to the back of the grooming area. His coat is scraggly and his eyes aren't clear because no one has been wiping them and it is allergy season around here. He looked so excited just to be leaving us and going off to have a day all to himself without a crying baby and an overtired Mom.
It wasn't like this before our baby. When I got Kobe in my mid 20's he was my first baby. I took him everywhere. I have two designer purses to carry him around in that coordinate with my outfits. He has more clothes than most kids and multiple leashes and collars. I took him to designer dog bouiques to pick out outfits. When I was working in the wine country I would go to gourmet dog bakeries during my lunch hour to pick him out special treats so he would know that I was thinking about him during the day.
He even went on vacation with me and flew riding underneath the seat. He attended concerts and wine tastings and went to Nordstrom on weekends with me. He stayed in fancy hotels and went on car trips. He only used organic products and had various beds around the house in different rooms.
Only when our baby came this treatment came to a screeching halt. Now he is just one of us. Getting neglected as we adjust to parenthood of our own child. We are all neglected. We all have scraggly hair and unmatching outfits that aren't ironed. We are all a mess except for our baby. He gets neatly folded new outfits and looks put together most of the time. I tried to explain this to Kobe. That when he was our first baby he got this treatment too. As soon as we get more comfortable in our new roles things will balance out again.
My brother in law came over the other day with his new dog. She had a fancy leash and lots of toys and he couldn't stop kissing her and talking to her. I laughed to myself thinking how much he reminded me of myself not that long ago when I first brought Kobe home. I told my neighbor that story about how funny he was being and she laughed and said she thought the same thing about me since she had a baby already and thought I was so cute and ridiculous with my dog. I guess each of us learns how to be a parent through the stages of our life. My first baby tought me so much about responsibility and love. Now if we can just get through the adjustment of being real parents and pull ourselves together Kobe might just get another ride in one of those designer bags someday. Only I actually think he looks a lot happier at the end of a leash walking like a real dog.
(This picture is last year. Clearly. I have makeup on and hair done and Kobe looks groomed).
