Things that Make You Go "Awww..."

Seeing as Hubby was worn out from today's sledding (pics to come later), and then coming home and snowblowing the plowing-under the end of the driveway and sidewalks got, courtesy of the borough, I agreed to tuck the kids into bed tonight. Sitting and resting most of the evening between final dinner prep and bedtime had helped ease the ache in my ankle.

Since there's no school tomorrow, the kids all elected to sleep in the twins' room. I got up there and found this:

Oh, hello, Kimo.

"Look, Mommy, she's all tucked in," Middle said.

Now, Middle loooooooooooooooooves Kimo, and recently suffered a traumatic nightmare in which Hubby and I kicked Kimo out of the house and refused to allow Middle to bring her back inside, something which nearly proved fatal to poor Kimo, despite Middle's desperate attempts to orchestrate an impressive rescue. Normally, Kimo does not sleep in the twins' room, because we are trying to keep kitties from getting stuck in there at night and doing untoward things. But knowing about the nightmare, knowing that Middle has been very scared she's going to lose Kimo the way we've lost Popoki, Keiki, and Pa'ani, I didn't object. 

I just took a picture...and tucked the blanket around Kimo a bit more.

I sang the "Goodnight Junior" song I always sing, even kissing Kimo for good measure, and gently warned that best behavior would be required for Kimo to be allowed to stay, and left the door open a crack in case Kimo needed to get out.

I hobbled back downstairs and started looking through the pictures I'd shot today during sledding fun.

Hubby poked his head into the living room. "Is Kimo in with her?"

No need to specify which her; we know who Kimo has claimed as her own.

I smiled. "Yeah."

Here it's worth noting that I didn't question how Kimo came to be in the bedroom. Kimo has pulled fast ones before, and snuck into rooms, cuddling up with stuffed animals and you almost don't know she's there. I just sort of figured that Kimo had followed Middle upstairs.

"I thought so," Hubby said, about to shoot holes in my theory. "I saw Middle carry her up there."

That little stinker.

No, I'm not sure which one I'm talking about.

However, I went up to check on Special Edition when I heard something fall while she was in the shower (she was very tired after all the snow fun this afternoon), and checked on the kids for good measure.

Kimo was still there, curled up next to Middle.

That's a devoted kitty.