Rosey was by my side through the biggest and hardest struggle in my life, infertility. In December 2015, I got pregnant through fertility treatments. Rosey knew something was changing about me and spent the next several weeks stepping very cautiously around me, which was strange for my crazy, energetic girl. When I was 10 weeks along Rosey jumped up on the couch with me, laid her head on my lap and got very still. Suddenly, she smiled and began wagging her tail.
I realized I was witnessing the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Rosey spent hours laying her head on my belly listening to the baby’s heart beat. Rosey was the first one to feel my son kick, and turned his kicks into a game. When I returned home from work or shopping, instead of running up and licking my hands to greet me as usual, Rosey would run up and gently nose butt my belly to start a game of “Kick” with the baby. This lasted throughout my pregnancy.
When I came home to greet her after having the baby. Rosie took one look at my new belly, wagged her tail, and started looking around for something. When my father brought my son in she got really excited. She wagged her tail vigorously and ran up to greet her new special friend, sniffing carefully as though she were checking to be sure he was the real thing and that he was okay. She would not leave his side, even to the point of sleeping between our bed and his bassinet at night. When I took Max for his first day of daycare, my husband said Rosey whined at the door for more than an hour.
Rosey didn’twant to go anywhere without Max. So much so, we began calling him her baby early on. Rosey and Max are inseparable. His first word was not “Ma-ma” or Da-da.” It was “Dog.” His first phrase was “My Dog” and I truly believe Rosey could not agree more. They do everything together and love each other so much. They are conquering all his milestones side-by-side. Rosey has even shown him how to take his favorite toys with him – carrying things in his mouth while he crawls.
I swear this child is sometimes more dog than human. I love watching my girl and “her baby” grow up together. The hardest thing is that I dread the day I will have to tell my son his best friend is gone. Hopefully that will not come anytime soon.
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from Rachel, North Carolina