The Bottoms-Up Discussion

"I really don't think a picture is absolutely necessary right now... also... I don't appreciate the raucous laughter....."

"Wait 'til you see the picture, you might be a little more appreciative then!"

"I doubt it."

"Trust me... it's a good one!"

"I'd trust you MORE if you were helping me!"

"What am I supposed to do?"

"I dunno... maybe MOVE ME?? Maybe... maybe shift me over or around or... sommmethinggg so I can be comfortable instead of leaving me stuck like this??!"
"But, you don't like to be moved when you're laying down..."
"In this case I would think it pretty obvious that I'd make an exception."
"Sooooo... this is not just a new and improved position of comfy you've discovered then?"
"Do Iiiiiii... LOOOOK LIKE I'M COMFYYYYY?????"
"Actually, you look a little annoyed."
"You think?"
"Look, Day, I'm really sorry you misjudged your lay-down... but, all you really need to do is stand up and try again; it'll be way easier and way more comfortable for you than having me try to rearrange your situation."
"But... I'm just really tired....."
"I know, but you'll sleep much better once you actually get yourself turned around."
"I want you to do it, Mama."
"Okay, I'll help you... but first, let me just run and get some garland and take a few more good pictures; I'll need choices for our Christmas cards!"
"Mamas are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Tap-Shoes Discussion

"What are you? NUTS??? ..... I am NOT going out there looking like this!"
"Well, of course you're not... we still have to put your sweater on."
"Mama, come on..."
"What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?? Oh, I dunno... maybe just the fact that you're tryin' to make me go outside... in public... in these girlie kind'a tap-shoes!!!"
"Day, those were the 'manliest' style they had, I could understand your distress if I had bought you the leopard print ones."
"These aren't much better....."
"Well, you know that we're still waiting on your new corn-relieving shoes to be delivered so, in the meantime, I've padded these ones to help ease the pain in your tootsies."
"Maybe you should let meeee deal with my own tootsie pain for our walks... I guarantee you it sure won't look like this!"
"We actually did try that, Day. Don't you remember? You took care of it by stopping and demanding that I carry you."
"Walking along beside you, riding along in your arms... half a dozen of one, six of the other..... I mean really, Mama, what does it matter as long as we're out and enjoying the sunshine and fresh air together??"
"It matters because carrying you is not as easy a task as you seem to believe... Eighty-two pounds of fully relaxed, well-muscled Greyhound takes a toll on this mamas poor old body!"
"Don't be ridiculous, it's eeaaasy to carry this physique of beauty around... I do it all the tiiiiiime!"
"And thanks to those cute little toe-tappers, you're about to do it again! Now... let's get your sweater on and get moving."
"No, but..."
"It wasn't a request, Day... we're going."
"Mamas are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Sleep Discussion

"Do I look like I'm ready to get up and greet the day??"
"Really? This is how we're going to start?"
"Whaaaaaat? I'm just tryin' to get a little sleep here..."
"Beacause the last eleven hours just wasn't enough?"
"No, but that was eleven hours on my chaise lounge; now I'm on my pillow... totally different situation!"
"Day, this is getting a little ridiculous..."
"How do you figure?"
"I don't 'figure', I know! Sleep is good, I get that... but, only to a point..."
"Mama, it's not really myyy fault if our sleeping points don't exactly match up. This body is capable of greatness... professional..... greatness. But... it requires vast amounts of rest in order to maintain."
"I love how you managed to throw in your professional-ness once again."
"Well look at me... it's not like I could hide it even if I tried!"
"Okay... well then, why don't we get up and get you into your snowsuit for a good, long walk so we can keep that 'professional greatness' on-track."
"Haha... I see what you did there, Mama... funny."
"Is that a yes?"
"More of a 'the-sign-on-my-bed-will-lead-you-to-your-answer'... I'm going back to sleep now."
"Greyhounds are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Un-Fun Idea Discussion

"Did you seriously just stick your tongue out at me??"
"No, not aaatttt you... more like, at your un-fun idea."
"It wasn't an 'idea', Day, it was a 'this is what we're doing'....."
"But I don't wanta go inside."
"You've had a huge run, a wild playtime, done some whacky dance moves and now it's time to go inside for your nap."
"Well, I already know it's nap-time... why do you think I laid down like this??!"
"And you can lay down like that again..... inside."
"I think I'll just stay here."
"I think you won't."
"I think I will."
"Day, I am not about to let you get sunburned and bug-bitten by letting you nap for hours in the grass; you have no insulative protection against the elements and insects that would gladly do you harm."
"Listen to yourself, Mama... Why would anyone do me any harm?? Everybody loves me... I'm adored everywhere I go!  Look at me, I'm so sweet and funny and we aalll know I'm beyond handsome... I'm just a really lovable kinda guy!"
"Still, we're not going to give them the opportunity to try. Let's go."
"No, thank you."
"It wasn't an invitation. Get moving, Mister!"
"Mamas are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Duo-Selfies Discussion

"Hey, Mama... we need to talk."

"Is something wrong."

"It's these selfies... they're getting out of control....."

"What? What do you mean??"

"We... well, we don't need one every day..... ONE... every now and then... okaayyy, I can deal with that... buuuuut, it's gone a little beyond now."

"Too much?"

"Seriously, too much. We need to just cooooool things off a lil' bit."

"But, I..."

"It's aaaalll right, Mama... I still love you... You still love me..... We still love each other. It's just... we gotta slow down on the selfies... people are starting to talk..."

"But, I just really love our pictures together..."

"Shhhhhhh..... don't talk, just trust me... it's aaallll for the best..."

"No, but..."

"Are we good here?"

"You mean, except for the fact that my heart is suddenly hurting??..."

"No heart-hurting necessary. We still got the love, Mama... still got the looooove!"

"Greyhounds are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Dragon Discussion

"But, Dragon keeps looking at me..."

"Just ignore him."

"I can't ignore him... he's looking right at me! He won't stop and I don't like it."

"Maybe he just wants to play with you."

"Well, IIIiiiiii don't want to play with him! Don't you even remember, Mama?? Last time we 'played'..... he burned me."

"I'm sure he didn't burn you on purpose, Day. Dragon is young and learning, just like you are. Sometimes even you play a little too rough and hurt others without meaning to because you suddenly become too overwhelmed and out-of-control with excitement."

"Well, I might be young, too... but, I still know it's not nice to burn friends..... even on accident!"

"You know what else isn't nice?

"What?"

"Holding grudges."

"I'm not holding a grudge! I'm just still full of resentment!!"

"I think my point has just been made."

"What??? Nevermind... Can you just, y'know, put him somewhere else, Mama? Like, somewhere far awaayyy from me......"

"No, I'm not going to move Dragon, Day. I think you boys should work this one out on your own. Friendships aren't always easy but you may just find that the best ones are definitely worth the work of overcoming upsets."

"Mamas are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."

The Ice Cream Discussion

"But, that's the ice cream bucket."
"Sure is."
"But, you didn't tellll me that the ice cream bucket was coming out."
"Sure didn't."
"And you just went ahead and took it out of the freezer? And you opened it?? Without even letting me help???"
"Sure did."
"But, WHHYYY would you even do that?!! You KNOW how much I love ice cream!"
"Because when I do, I end up tripping and falling... a lot.
"And it's myyyy fault that yoouuu can't handle the short walk from the big freezer to the kitchen counter without landing flat-out on the floor???"
"It is, actually."
"How do you figure that??!"
"No figuring, Day, just a simple knowingness based upon past experience. Please don't look so hurt... I wasn't trying to hide ice cream time from you, I was only trying to save myself from having to failingly maneuver my way through the guantlet-like hazards of an overly-excited, gleefully-prancing hungrily-salivating and delightfully-crying Greyhound tightly circling my legs until I fall."
"Mama, listen to yourself... 'excited, gleefully, salivating, delightfully'... ALL good things!! So, even you have to see that your argument is totally and completely just... well..... UNREASONABLE!!!"
"Here's an idea... How 'bout we just enjooyyy some ice cream together instead of worrying about hoowww the icre cream actually made it from the freezer to the counter?"
"So, I'm getting ice cream."
"Of course you're getting ice cream."
"And next time I can help with getting the ice cream out of the freezer?"
"Probably not."
"Mamas are so unfair... grumble, grumble....."