Caturday

 We have totally learned to share Mom in bed.  Now that we don't have any problems lying right next to each other, we can each get a petting hand at bedtime.  We both love it.  Other kinds of sharing don't always come so easily.

Emma:  Herman was mean to me yesterday.

You were playing with my favorite toy and I wanted it.

Karen Jo:  Herman, you have 12 or so of those favorite toys.

But you only get them out one at a time.

Karen Jo:  You still didn't have to whap Emma over it.

You were tossing toys to Emma and she was playing with all of them for a little while, then waiting for the next one.  The last one you tossed her was one of my favorite balls.  She was playing and playing with it.  I decided that I wanted it and I whapped her.

Emma:  I hissed at you, but then I jumped up on the sofa to get away from you.

That was exactly what I wanted to happen.  I got the ball and started playing with it.

Karen Jo:  If you had waited for another minute or two, Emma would probably have stopped playing with the ball and you could have had it without whapping her.

But I wanted it right then.  I didn't hurt her or anything.

Karen Jo:  At least you mostly get along.  You got Emma to play THoE with you this morning.

That was fun.  I chased Emma down the hall into Mom's bedroom.  Then I crouched down at the foot of the bed and started teasing Emma with my paw, waving it at her.

Emma:  I crouched down at the side of the bed and started doing my wiggle-butt.

When I saw Emma was ready to pounce, I started running up the hall.

Emma:  When I saw Herman running, I chased him all the way up the hall.  I like it that I can chase him now sometimes and not always be the one being chased.

I had been trying to get you to chase me back for weeks.  It just took you a while to catch on that chasing me back was part of the game.

Karen Jo:  I love seeing Herman and Emma playing together.  Emma has been so good for Herman.  He has even started playing with his toys by himself again.  He had stopped playing unless I played with him and even then his interest flagged quickly.  Now he will sometimes spot a ball and start batting it around and chasing it.  Tonight he even joined in playing with Da Bird.  They weren't trying to catch it together, but I would swing it near Emma for a while and let her play with it, then I would swing it near Herman and he would play with it, too.  He hasn't played with Da Bird in a long time.