Erica, the Dog-Napper

Yes, here she is looking so cute, but don't let that dimpled grin fool you! 

Last weekend we had an incident. One of those mortifying "I can't believe that is my kid!" incidents.

The back-story will be necessary first....

Our next door neighbors recently got an adorable little puppy. I don't know what breed she is, but she is a tiny black furball of energy! Her name is Ebony. Erica is in love with Ebony! Luckily, Ebony is also in love with Erica! Every time the neighbors bring the dog outside she immediately runs to our door, barking for Erica to play with her. Erica has told Eric (I don't think there are enough E's in this paragraph!) that she no longer wants a puppy, she wants THAT PUPPY!

The plot thickens....

Last Saturday, Erica was playing in the back yard while I was doing the dishes.  Suddenly, I heard the front door slam and the scurrying sound of little puppy feet on hardwood floor. Erica came marching in saying, "Ebony is here to play with me!" I thought the dog must have slipped in through the front door on accident, so I picked her up and took her outside, thinking the neighbors would be there.

The neighbors were not outside.

I took the puppy, with Erica in tow, to the neighbor's house. Just as I was heading up the walk, my neighbor, Denise, came running out her front door. I asked her if she lost her dog, to which she had a surprising response.

Denise had been sleeping on the couch. All of a sudden she was awoken to Ebony barking excitedly, then Erica walking straight in the room toward the dog. She picked her up and walked right back out the door! Denise was still half-asleep, so it took her a few minutes to realize what had happened.

I guess it was too much for Erica to wait for Ebony to come out and play with her, so she had to retrieve her herself! Luckily for us, our neighbors are good-natured and forgiving people!

I was so humiliated! I apologized profusely to Denise, then had to explain OVER AND OVER AGAIN to Erica that 1) we do not go in people's houses and 2) we do not take people's puppies!!!

Breaking and entering.....property theft.....


I am the mortified mother of a two-felony-counts criminal toddler!