April 8, 2022

Lilly could not wait any longer to be allowed to join the rest of us in the living room. The problem was we were not yet configured to allow for Roman and Lilly an opportunity for safely regulated socialization. Her athletic leap over the baby gate and excited gallop into the room caught poor Roman cutoff from his escape route to the kitchen AND his safety zone beside Steve.

Everypup froze clustered around (and trapping) Steve in anticipation of something terrible. Lilly made the worst choice possible...she marched into the kitchen and settled back in the living room in front of the gate.

Roman looked stunned and uncertain. I leaned around Zsofia who was sitting between my knees. "Stay calm, Buddy," I softly sang. "Use your head and your heart. She is gentle but I know this encounter lacks planning. You can handle this."

He looked longingly to the kitchen. I felt him work out his solution and smiled encouragingly. "Yes, Baby Boy! You got it!" He squeezed between a stretched out Bailey and the ottoman, twisted around the sitting Opal, circled the coffee table and laid down across the front door, hunched in its corner, wary but not snarling, at the physically opposite side of the room from Lilly.

"You are awesome, Roman," I congratulated and the room took a collective breath. 

Steve stood and parted the Sea of WDA bodies. He lured Lilly into the back half of the house and snapped the gate closed. At the reassuring sound Roman dashed into the kitchen; Steve followed him whilst locking the gate there and reaching for the extra special treats. "Here you go; you deserve this."

Then Lilly was allowed to join us in the living room. In no time the incident was forgotten by all except this jubilant momma.