I've been sitting here with this photo on my computer screen for the last week or so.  I have it arranged perfectly to the side of my internet windows so that I can see it always.  This is the essence of my little guy.Minus the puppy.

I used to like animals.  Until I got scared one day as a little girl and came home crying, "Dog!"  Ever since then I have been nervous around dogs.  Then when I was a teen, I cuddled a kitten for an hour and swelled up like a blowfish and found myself at an allergist's office twice a week getting shots for the plethora of animals and environmental treasures that I was allergic to.  Even bunnies.  I'm allergic to bunnies.I have tried to overcome my fear of four-legged furry creatures.  I steel myself when a little dog yaps his way up to my shins.  I resist the impulse to run when I see a big dog not on his leash, eyeing it to not come any closer as we pass by each other.  I'm trying to get better, more comfortable...but it hasn't worked too well.This is a problem.  I want Cole to love animals.  I don't want him to feel the same fear and trepidation that I do.  Unfortunately, unless we get a hypo-allergenic poodle, we will never have a dog because of my allergies.  So, I'm hoping that his experience with animals in other places will be enough for him.He doesn't naturally cling to animals.  That's fine.  I just want him to feel comfortable around them.  So when Nikki, our neighbor (and Cole's babysitter) got a darling new puppy, I was thrilled. Please, Nikki!  Please give Cole lots of opportunities to love Diddy! Maybe if he grows up along side this little fluffy guy then he will become more at ease and possibly even learn to love doggies of all shapes and sizes.We've made progress, thanks to Nikki and her patience.  Last year, while taking a walk in the stroller, a little neighborhood dog jumped up and started barking eye to eye and nose to nose with Cole.  Who wouldn't be a little freaked out if that happened to us?  Since that startling event, we've advanced from Cole cautiously hiding behind me when he sees Diddy to now hiding near me as he tells the puppy, "ComeMeer!"We're working on it.  In the meantime, I love this picture.  That grin.  Those chubby hands "holding" a furry ball of fun.  Can it get any cuter?