Update on baby & Olliver

We had our 16 week OB appointment today. The baby seems to be doing well. The doctor had to really work to get it to stay still for the heart doppler. The baby was not fond of all the poking around its ever-enlarging home! It's weird to think of a little, moving creature swimming around inside of me, especially since I can't feel it yet. The heartbeat is nice and strong and I've grown as expected. The only worry is my ongoing weight loss. I'm doing my best but the parasite just takes all the food - not much I can do about that!

This weekend, my second cat, Olliver, was returned to us. He's such a cute little orphan. He's been passed around like leftover cheesecake but just remains quite the adorable little cat. However, he has this spine-tinglingly loud meow. Seriously, you can hear this cat 3 doors away. He enjoys meowing, too, and does so regularly. In fact, constantly.

My husband does not like noise. I've wondered if we should permanently stuff his ears with something so that he can tolerate the noisy world better. So, let's just say that Olliver's noisy existence has been and unwelcome addition to Dave's happy world. He bears it as best he can but then the yelling starts. Two nights ago, I enjoyed a sleepy chorus of MEOW-hiss (by Preston) - shout (by Dave). It went on several hours before I sent everyone to separate quarters. The kitten didn't mind the hissing or the yelling, but it certainly was enough to ruin my night's rest!

Yesterday, the kitten was mostly quiet until mid-day when he started his cat opera impression. After about an hour (Dave's estimate, but I'd bet it was more like 3 minutes.), Dave chased the kitten back into the back bedroom. He reopened the door when the cat quieted but Olliver didn't emerge from his hiding place in the closet.

I got home a few hours later and, after kissing my husband and petting Preston, went to check on the new addition. He pitifully meowed when he saw me. I picked him up and carried him out to the front room. When he saw Dave, he ducked his head in my arm and whimpered until I let him go. He ran back to the bedroom and hid.

"Honey, I think you hurt his feelings," I joked with Dave, who gave me the patented animals-aren't-people glare that spouses reserve for the other spouse's pets.

The evening passed. I worked to coax the kitten out but he'd come only so far as he could see Dave before dashing back into the bedroom. Finally, I told Dave he needed to go and apologize, mostly joking.

Dave rolled his eyes but dutifully went to the back room to pick up Olliver. He sarcastically apologized. The kitten looked at him, purred during his pets, then jumped down and ran out to the living room without a second thought. He happily initiated play and spent a lazy evening irritating Preston - all without more than a muted yelp.

I laughed heartily. That petulant cat just thought he was owed an apology!