Who do you love the most?

It's time for bed, Rick and I played our nightly game of "see who can-not-put-the-kids-to-bed-the longest-so-the-other-one-finally-gives- in-and- does- it", Rick is the champion of this game, of course he won tonight like he usually does. So I started getting Rachel ready for bed, I was teasing her and razzing her, just loud enough for Rick to hear, about who she loves the most. Mommy, of course, should be the obvious answer. But she said, Kevin. "Kevin", I said "you mean Mommy". She corrected herself, "I love Kevin the best and Mommy the best". What about Daddy I asked. She laughed and said, "I love him the next best." She often says Tess is her best friend ever so I was a bit curious as to why Tess was left out and Kevin moved up to the tip top of "most loved" list. So I asked her why she loves Kevin the best. She looked at me like I was dumb, giggled and said, "because he has a dog." Of course - how silly of me not to know that. I told her but his dog doesn't' even live with him, she lives at Grandma's and Grandpa's. "I know"- she said like this was totally inconsequential, "but it is still his dog." That settled it for her. There is no getting around it dogs and cats are the most important thing to her in the world. She often asks me "when is it going to be my birthday- so I get big and have my own house so I can buy a cat." I am hoping such a simple thing like pet ownership will still win her adoration when she a teenager. Not that I will ever have to stoop so low as to buy a cat so my daughter will love me- but it will be nice to have that option if the need ever does arise.