Dogs ARE our friends

I don't know where the time goes.  I didn't realize I hadn't blogged since Tuesday and now it's already Friday.  Time flies for sure.

The girls and I have been having fun and enjoying the weather.  During the day we usually have been walking to the park once in the morning and then again after their nap.  There is a huge sandbox there so they haven't even been playing on the playscape - just playing in the sandbox.  And feeding the fish in the pond on our way out of the park has become part of our routine also.

When we walk - no matter where we're walking - we pass many many many dogs.  I've learned that people with dogs on a leash are very fond of their pups and no matter what kind of reaction the girls have we get the same response "Oh MY dog is friendly - he/she won't bite!"  But the fact is that I'm not worried about your dog.  It's simply that Hannah and Hailey have such a fear of dogs that they freak out when a dog comes near them.  So I always walk up to the dog in advance and make sure to grab the lead at the collar and make friends.  BUT I'm one step ahead also - we now carry a bag of dog treats.  And the YUMMY ones!  So I ask if my girls can give the dog a treat and explain we're trying to get over a fear of dogs and giving them treats seems to help.  I haven't had a single person say no yet.  And the girls have been awesome.  They look forward to seeing dogs on our walk!  Now instead of  the whining and crying when a dog is close - they are scrambling to find their bag of treats so they can get it ready.  They won't get out of the wagon to pet the dogs yet but I'm sure that time will come.  I'm just happy we found a way to ease the fear a bit.  :)

The girls are talking so much more lately.  The conversations are really intriguing.  They're realizing that not everything has to be taken literally (mostly Hannah is catching on to this).  But they also have quite the imagination.  Today Emily asked Hannah and Hailey to do something and they said no.  So she picked up her phone and said "Hi Santa.  Hannah and Hailey aren't listening to me."  LOL