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Monday, November 2, 2009

Lap Dog!

When Little Boy bounced his yo-yo up and down in front of Milo, The Daughter and I exclaimed our disapproval together. It took a while before I realised that we were protesting different things. The Daughter didn't want the yo-yo string to cut Milo's gums... and I was worried that Milo's teeth might cut my son.

When Milo swallowed a chicken bone during one of his walks, The Daughter fretted for 2 days and examined every pile of his shit to see if it had safely passed through his gut. When he was tired and listless last night, she fretted again. Willingly, she wakes up early to spend time with Milo before school, comes home on time to walk him (very rare in the past), and on weekends, she spends hours lying on her side in the patio, holding Milo close to her like a breastfeeding Mom.

I have thus been relegated to the role of Milo's Grandma. The Daughter makes all the key decisions concerning Milo's health, diet and education. I provide suggestions that she mostly sniffs at ... AND... this is the part I like most - I spoil Milo by sneakily breaking all the rules she has laid down for Milo's protection. Oh naughty Grandma!! But what fun to slyly slip him a little bit of char siew, roast duck and crispy chicken skin... and toast with butter and marmalade... tea with milk... a dish of Ribena when The Daughter isn't looking!

To tell the truth though, Milo has shown me that The Daughter will be such a wonderful mother. She will be responsible, strict but very loving... and she will be doting, devoted and patient with her little ones. And like me, she will be ferocious and determined in the defence of her loved ones even against themselves.

On her part, The Daughter understands me better now... why I am so protective... why I lay down strict rules and enforce them... why I am so biased in my assessment of my children. After all, The Daughter is convinced that Milo is so good-looking that he is a show dog. Really, you can't get more biased than that because Milo is a mongrel. He cannot (by any stretch of the imagination) be a show dog!

From Day One in the hospital, I looked at The Daughter's tiny head and I saw a beauty queen (with class and a brain of course... no bikini boomz thank you very much!)... and for the last 16 years, The Daughter has always thought that I was full of flamboyant and insincere praise for her. She now understands that I mean every word of praise I heap on her hapless head. Just like she means every word when she says Milo is a show dog.

The world looks upon us both and laughs out loud at the sheer boastfulness and silliness of our thoughts. But when it's your kid, you don't care. You just believe with your heart, even though you know it may not be true.

That's love.

And of us all, the one who loves Milo most, is The Daughter. Of course, Milo knows that and makes it obvious that he loves her best out of us all.

7 comments:

Blur Ting said...

That is so sweet! And it's funny to hear that you're now Milo's grandma!!

It's somewhat similar here. YK frets ALOT when the dogs are not well. He would insist that I send him to the vet right away for the slightlest ailment. He wouldn't allow me to feed Rusty egg yolks for example, and I would sneak him some when YK's not looking. YK has alot to learn from your daughter when it comes to walking and caring for the dog.

Petunia Lee said...

Ting - Oh... what's wrong with egg yolks. Our kids should meet up too!!

Blur Ting said...

Haha. He thinks it is not healthy or tasty (cos he doesn't eat yolks himself). Oh, and the kids are always complaining that I don't cuddle Rusty enough (like the way they smother him). I'm sure they'll fall in love with Milo too!

i said...

Milo is getting more handsome now. Sounds like your daughter is getting really fond of Milo now. Dogs have a way of wiggling into our life and especially our heart.

Chee Hoew said...

Does Milo have any Sharpei lineage? It's that forehead...

Petunia Lee said...

Serendipity - Thank you!! Thank you!! I went and looked at your dog. That's the sorta fluffy thing that I wanted but in the end we got Milo instead. No regrets though!

Petunia Lee said...

Chee Hoew - Milo is an orphan. No one has seen his mom. She abandoned him at my friend's factory... probably because she knows that it is a place where people love dogs and treat them well. No one has seen his mom or dad so no one knows. He is the only one outta 3 puppies with the folds on the head. He has the temperament of a Sharpei though... very quiet, quite stand-offish with strangers but warm and friendly with us.