The other night Abby was laying on her tummy on her bed with her head in her hands.
I asked her what was the matter.
I want a horsey but we can’t because you are allergic.
If I kept him clean and washed him all the time then he wouldn’t be dirty and maybe you wouldn’t be allergic?Oh, thanks honey, but it doesn’t matter how clean a horsey is, I am still allergic.
Well, maybe when you get bigger you won’t be allergic?
I am sorry, I already am bigger and I am probably going to be allergic the rest of my life.
[sigh]
[Angela enters at this point. She heard enough to know what was going on and Abby at this point, seeing my protruding lower lip and the quiver in my eyelid, saw her chance to make heart-juice puddle at my feet with a real zinger]Isn’t there any pet we can get?
[I made the fateful pause, she pounced with a quavering voice and huge watery eyes batting extra large lashes]
A kitty?
[I shake my head]
A bunny?
[again]
A puppy?
[again, more weakly, my eyes on the floor, I don’t want to look]
A mousie mouse?
[I am done, she is just rubbing salt in now]
A taco-the-mouse? [guinea pig or gerbil, I don’t know which]
Let me tell you, if there is ever anyone that could make me sleep with an allergen it would be Abby.
I can’t wait till she is fifteen and I am rendered incoherent and drooling nonsense in the face of those eyes and her pout as I hand over a cell phone, the credit card, and the keys to the transportation device so she can paint the town with her friends.
Normally, I would say I am impervious, but the other night actually had me considering a pet.
blief 
Pets are so much more work than you think they are! I love Lila… but I so would not have made the same decision if I knew I was going to have to deal with all that I have to deal with… unfortunately, now she’s wrapped her little shedding-black-hair-all-over-the-house paw around the hearts of my family.
Don’t get me wrong… she’s a great dog! But I do not miss her chewing up our couch, my son’s shoes, and peeing and pooping on the carpet. I do love that I hardly ever think about all the food that falls on the floor from my toddler eating rather messily, though!
I say, don’t give in… it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be! You have plenty of other things you can give in to later on down the line! 🙂
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She can come visit Sara whenever she likes and Sara can take her for a walk.
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Margy has the solution! And maybe there are some friendly neighbors around the neighborhood who would welcome Abby taking their little Pooper for a walk.
‘Course, someone — maybe even an allergic one — might have to go along for a few more years.
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