a growing son, a happy family

[slayers_desire]

It was another good day for April and Jonathan. Their growing infant was learning more words, which was good since they didn't have to explain the S'man as much anymore.

Right now, Jonathan was trying to play with Shelby. But the older dog was just lying there, as he rolled a ball towards her. And called out... "B'll!"

April watched with interest. Definitely there was a connection there, between infant and dog. But the disconnect was that Jonathan had a lot of energy, while Shelby did not.

Comments

[slayers_desire]

"With all the baby time he gets, he is used to it." When Clark goes to work, it is generally just the three of them at home.

"B'll?" Jonathan looks at Clark.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"He's pretty patient though. If he didn't want to put up with Jonathan, he wouldn't." Clark gives the dog an extra scruffing around the ears.

"Ball?" he repeats to Jonathan. "Where is the ball?" He knows perfectly well, of course, but he loves testing their son to see what he remembers.

[slayers_desire]

Jonathan squirms slightly in his arms. He wants down, so he can show daddy where the ball is.

"He is pretty patient with me too."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark obliges, putting their son down on the floor so he can go get it. Or try to, anyway; it's hard to hold onto things and crawl at the same time, for someone Jonathan's age.

"We are pretty lucky to have him. Not all dogs are so well-behaved."

[slayers_desire]

The difficult part will be remembering where he put it, and Jonathan pauses when he is placed on the ground. Looking around for the ball.

"We are lucky. I dread the day when we don't have him anymore."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Me too. He probably has at least a few more years in him." Clark's a bit worried that Jonathan will be old enough to understand that Shelby's gone, by the time that happens. He wants to keep their son sheltered from that sort of concept until he's older, but he knows that it isn't likely to happen, and he has to learn sometime.

"I think this place would feel emptier without a good dog like him around."

[slayers_desire]

"Definitely. Jonathan has bonded so much with him."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Maybe we should consider getting a puppy." This was most certainly not something Clark had considered before this very minute, nor something he expected to suggest. Their apartment is spacious enough for another dog, having been bought with a family in mind, but he hadn't thought about needing another dog before.

[slayers_desire]

"A puppy?" April smiles softly. "Definitely the right age to grow with Jonathan."

"But what would Shelby think?"

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark looks down at Shelby, who simply wags his tail, then trots over to pick up the ball that Jonathan is looking for. The dog lies down next to the baby, setting the ball down on the floor and nosing it towards him.

"We could always take him with us when we... 'interview' our candidates."

[slayers_desire]

"B'll!" Jonathan is so proud of himself, he found the ball. And he picks it up and waves it at his dad. "B'll!"

"Another good idea."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"Good job, buddy!" Clark figures Shelby won't mind letting Jonathan take the credit for it.

"Do you think that the babyproofing we did will be enough to double as puppyproofing?" This apartment was chosen and decorated with a child's reach in mind, to keep the more dangerous and breakable objects out of reach until he's old enough to know better. Puppies, however, grow a lot faster and don't necessarily learn at the same rate.

[slayers_desire]

"We will adjust things when we need to, but for the most part, I think so."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark smiles, though he's under no illusions that raising and training a puppy will be easy. Shelby came to him already trained and socialized, and they're going to be having to deal with puppy messes as well as baby messes. "I'll keep an ear out, see if maybe I know someone with some dogs for sale."

[slayers_desire]

"An ear out... ha ha ha." April pokes him gently.

"B'll!" Jonathan tosses it, baby-style, at his dad. It doesn't get very far.

[kalel_ofkrypton]

Clark kneels down and picks up the ball, gently tossing it back so that it rolls to a stop in front of Jonathan. "I wonder what he'll think of a new dog."

[slayers_desire]

Jonathan laughs, grabbing the ball, clumsily.

"He has been around other dogs. He would just be curious. Grabby."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"I guess we'll have to take him along for the 'interview' too."

[slayers_desire]

"Of course, the whole family should be included."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"We'll have to think about names again," Clark says with a chuckle. It's almost like planning for their future children all over again, except without the worries about which superpowers they'll inherit.

[slayers_desire]

"Should we worry about finding the puppy first?"

[kalel_ofkrypton]

He grins at her. "Probably. You know me, always thinking ahead."

[slayers_desire]

"You plan everything." She teases him, gently grabbing him by his tie. "Mr. Organized keeping things in line."

[kalel_ofkrypton]

"I do my best," he says, leaning in for a kiss.

[slayers_desire]

"And I do my best to provide a little spontaneity to your life."