Little Drummer Boy

And girl. This is about as close as the two of them get to playing together. People often ask how Harper likes her baby brother and I answer, "Well, she's pretty indifferent, actually." Even now that he is finally getting old enough to play, she hasn't altered her attitude much. Except, of course, to tell on him. She was partaking in some direct admonishment ("NO NO Hudson!) until I told her that I am the Mommy. Now she says, "Say 'not in your mouth' to Hudson, please Mommy." Hudson, of course, thinks Harper is MAGNIFICENT. He lights up at the mention of her name and does whatever he can to be near her. John Steinbeck wrote a delightful book called Travels With Charley that describes a cross country trip he took with his black standard poodle as his only companion. Charley has more personality than most humans you've met. When something meets with his approval, or he needs something, he makes a particular sound. I think Steinbeck spells it "Ftt." Anyway, Hudson makes the exact sound. When I get him up in the morning he gives me a bright smile and then "FFFttth" (he puts an 'h' on the end--poodles can't do dipthongs). I suspect he enjoys the way his new teeth feel on his lower lip. It is also a decidedly happy noise and when I tell him, after he has been changed and fed, that we'll now be going in to see Daddy and Harper he takes a breath and, "FFFFFFFFFFFFFtttttttttttth!" Some mornings Harper gives him a bright, "Hi buddy!" Other mornings, like this one, she'll say, "Please put Hudson down."