Soft Boy

A Special Day

   I woke up feeling little. I whimper and shove my head under the covers. Mommy hears this through the baby monitor and comes in.
   "Aw what's wrong baby?" She asks.
   "Don't wanna work today," I whisper.
   "Is someone feeling too small?" She asks me. I whimper again.
   "You need to call work and say you can't make it, can you be big enough to do it?" Mama says. I poke my head through under the covers.
   "Don't wanna call," I say. Mommy chuckles.
   "Okay prince, mommy will call. You just focus on being small,"

                     Tye
   I kinda predicted this. I knew with him being so deep in his headspace last night that it would be hard to be big in the morning. Its okay, I have a big surprise for him today.
   "Coffee inn, this is Aaron," Aaron says answering the phone. I'm glad they work at the same place and he answered.
   "Hey its Tye!" I say to Aaron.
   "Oh hey girl, I take it Leo isn't coming?" He asks.
   "He woke up feeling too little," I say with a smile.
   "Of course he did, one of these days he's gonna quit and become a 24/7. That's my bet." Aaron says. I laugh. Its pretty likely.
   "I got a surprise planned for him today, so I was hoping this happened," I admit. Aaron clicks his tongue.
   "So its your fault he's not here, naughty Tye, well you'll have to tell me all about your little day," then he hangs up. I shake my head. Aaron never says bye when you talk on the phone.
   I got back into the nursery and see Leo playing with his new dino stuffie.
   "Hi mama!" he says apon my arrival. I walk to his crib and kiss his forehead.
   "Hi cutie, so mommy has a surprise for you today!" I say. Leo's eyes go wide.
   "A surprise today too!" he asks.
   "Yes! But first we have a stop so let's see if you can figure out where we're going,"
   "Like a quest! Mommy we're going on a quest!" he says.
   "Yes we are! Now let's get dressed," I say.
   I put him in a puppy shirt and khaki shorts

    Our first destination is a pet store.
   "Okay can you go pick out a collar and leash while mommy gets other stuff?" I ask. Leo nods then runs to find his items. I walk around the store and get puppy food and chew toys.
   "Mommy mommy! Look what I found!" Leo says. He shows me a green collar and leash with dinosaurs on it. I smile. Its so Leo it makes me happy.

   "Mommy, are we getting a puppy?" Leo asks. I wink at him and he gasps.
   "We're getting a puppy! We're getting a puppy!" He shouts. I shush him.
   "Yes we are, you're so smart!" I say. He jumps up and down.
   "Mommy can we go get the puppy now? Pretty please?" Leo asks.
   "That's where we're going next! Let's go check out," Leo runs to the counter and puts all his stuff on it.
   After we leave the store we go to the humane society. One of my friends works there and she told me about the new puppies.
   "Mama, do I have to be a big boy here?" he asks as we walk into the building.
   "You don't have to baby, mommy's friend works here. If it makes you feel comfortable you can," I say reaching for his hand. I already told my friend about Leo. She doesn't mind, thinks its cute even.
   "No thank you! I'll stay small!" he says with a giggle.
   We enter the building and my friend is at the counter
   "Tye!" says Opal. I give her a quick hug then she turns to Leo.
   "You must be Leo! I'm Opal, nice to meet you!" She says enthusiastically. Leo waves shyly.
   "Hi Opal," he says looking down. I smile at my shy boy.
   "So you're here to see the puppies?" she asks. Leo perks up.
   "He's been asking for so long and he's been such a good boy. I figured its time to expand our family." I say.
   "Well now is the perfect time! One of our dogs had eight puppies and we need to adopt then out. Ready to go see them?" Opal asks Leo.
   "Yes please," he says quietly. Opal takes us into a back room where all the puppies are. Leo squeals and falls to the floor. The chocolate lab puppies instantly surround him. There's a lot of them and Leo loves them all.
   "Mommy its puppy heaven!" he says gaining his confidence. I chuckle at that. I sit on the floor with him and take in the puppy love. They're so cute!
    "Mama, look at that one in the corner," Leo says pointing. I hadn't noticed it before, but there is a single puppy just watching.
   "Puppy!" Leo calls. It cocks its head.
   "Come here puppy!" he calls again.
   "Clover!" he says excitedly. The pup then runs to Leo and attempts to wiggle through the other puppies to get to Leo. When it does, he licks Leo's face.

   "Yuck, puppy slobber!" Leo says laughing. He starts playing with the puppy and I notice how well they're getting along.
   "Would you like to be in a separate room alone with this guy?" Opal asks.
   "Yes please," Leo says before I can. Opal picks up the puppy and we follow her to a meet and greet room. When she sets him down he walks over to me then rolls over.
   "Mommy he wants belly rubs!" Leo says. I reach down and rub his belly. He loves it for a few seconds, then starts licking my face.
   "Mama got puppy slobbered!" Leo says happily.
   "Mommy can we should name him Clover, he came to me when I called him that." says Leo. And almost to prove his point, the puppy runs to Leo and starts licking his face again. This melts my heart. I knew this was the puppy for us.
   "We can name him Clover," I say bringing my boy in for a hug.
   "Made any decisions?" Opal asks when she renters the room.
   "This is my puppy! We named him Clover!" Leo says proudly.
   "Amazing! Now let's fill out adoption paperwork!" She says happily. I hear a snap and turn around. I see Leo snuck in the collar and put it on Clover.
   "Now he's mine for sure!" Leo says.