The furry first-born I'd seen it happen with my friends who had kids. The dog was dethroned the second their baby came over the threshold. Their beloved pups became an afterthought. Once the center of their universe, the dogs became shadowy figures that roamed the backyard or peered up from the basement.
When I was pregnant, I vowed to our golden retriever, Chloe, that she would never be relegated to the shadows when the baby came home.
After all, she broke us in as parents. She taught us about the 2 a.m. crying/potty sessions, going to the doctor for shots, and that dog park politics aren't that different from playground politics.
But, with the arrival of each baby a new reality set in. The frequency of walks and visits to the dog park have dropped.
She is still very much a part of our family, but she often sends herself to the sidelines to stay out of the way of two tiny whirlwinds. I'll catch glimpses of her observing our hectic household throughout the day.
I can almost see the smug oldest sibling thought bubbles forming above her head.
"Hey, I NEVER refuse the food you put in front of me. Nor would I fling. The. Entire. Plate. Onto. The. Floor. ... Oh, thanks, kid!"
"Don't look at me, I always come when you call my name ... unless there is a squirrel involved."
