Star, the Baby, and the Big Bowl

Last night an old friend came to visit with her daughter and new grandson (three months old!).  Zaphy and Mister Kitten were brought out to meet the baby (Thomas was asleep on my bed).  They immediately went, "Oops!  Gotta go!  Something to do!!"  Star, however, was fascinated.  He watched as my children cooed and played "beep" with the baby.  He looked up while I was playing peek-a-boo, "Wow mom!  Look at that, that is so cool!"  When it was time for the baby to leave, he was very very tired.  And, as babies are wont to do, he didn't want to go to sleep and was crying.  Star immediately jumped up into my lap where I was sitting next to 'Gamma', who was holding the baby.  Purrrrrrrrrr, "Don't worry baby!  It's going to be okay.  I am sending you purrrrrs."  He was so cute! 

He reminded me of my late cat Christopher.  When my children were born I had my family cradle (which has been on rollers for years) by my bedside.  Of course we had already introduced all of the cats to the baby's scent.  We let them look at the baby while I was holding her/him and praised them.  The minute I put the baby in the cradle, Christopher jumped into the cradle and took up a spot at the end of the cradle, purring.  The other cats came to see what this new 'kitten' was lying down in my bedroom.  Christopher would let them look and take a sniff but the minute one put his paws on the edge, he would give them the 'Top Cat' stare, letting them know that this was his kitten and that he was protecting it.  He did this until the baby moved to a regular crib.

 "Okay mom!  I need to have a nap now!"

This morning, Star wandered into the kitchen.  He looked up at me and yawned.  He almost looked like he was about to ask for a cup of coffee!!  Then he trilled at me, "Mom?  It's time for breakfast!"  I walked him over to the food bowls and pointed out that there was already food in them.  He touched his nose to the Big Bowl (if you're not sure what that is, it's a locking lid garbage can bought for the purpose of holding cat food!).  "Star, there is already food in the bowls, it's perfectly fine."  He looked at the bowls, looked up at me with distain, and touched his nose to the Big Bowl again.  "No, mom.  I want fresh food.  Out of the Big Bowl!  Pleeeeease!"  ::rolls eyes::  "Okay Star." and I proceeded to give him a wee bit of fresh food on top of the old, which was really all he wanted.  I mean, how can you resist such a cute baby?!

It's just cupboard love!  ::grin:: (value t-shirt)