Make You Feel My "Love"

"Love" is the word of the day.  It should really be the word of the day EVERY day, don't ya think?   Our world would certainly be a happier place.  Amour (French), Liefde (Dutch), Dragoste (Romanian), Amore (Italian), Liebe (German), Amor (Spanish), Karlek (Swedish).  It's just one little word, but no matter how you say it, love is still love.  There's no feeling quite as powerful as love.  There aren't any material things that I can think of that can truly equate to love because love is something that you feel in the depths of your heart; it's not something you can buy.  I tell my husband and children every single day that I love them because I truly do.  I've never experienced anything quite like the feelings of love I have for them.   I tell Zachary and Allison that love is something you feel inside that makes your heart happy and puts a smile on your face.  Simple but true in their little world of innocence.   

Me and my two little loves!  

When I watch Zachary interact with Twinkie, I'm seeing nothing short of LOVE evolving in the purest sense of the word.   Twinkie makes Zachary's heart happy and puts a smile on his face.  Simple but true.  He loves her, and she loves him...unconditionally.  Zachary looks for her, and Twinkie looks for him.  When Twinkie can't find him, she paces and isn't relieved until we show her where he is.  It doesn't matter if he's upstairs playing in his room or in the living room reading; she just needs to know where he is.  She loves him. The other night, Zachary fell asleep on the living room couch and was buried under his blanket.  There's a surprise, huh??!!  :) Twinkie began walking around the house and pacing.  When I brought her over to where Zachary was asleep, she jumped on the couch, nuzzled him then laid right on top of him.  Thankfully, Zach sleeps like death!  Although I kept saying "off", Twinkie would not leave her boy until I came back with a piece of Pupperoni.  Even then, she left him to sleep on the couch but did so reluctantly.  If we're out and Zachary starts to move away from where Twinkie is, she starts to pull towards him.  When Zachary is outside catching fire flies and Twinkie is inside, she runs from window to window following him around the yard barking and whining the entire time.   She constantly seeks him out with her toys so they can play together.  (It's really funny to hear Zachary tell Twinkie that he can't play because he's busy.)   They love each other like best friends, and it's been absolutely amazing to watch this happen....and so quickly.

A new behavior disruption command that we introduced to Twinkie after we got home last week was "LOVE".   Everyone should experience the happy, calming feelings that love can create, so I thought calling this command "LOVE" was most appropriate when I considered what a special love they have for each other.  When we give Twinkie the "love" command, we want her to lay down and cuddle up next to Zachary so he can either pat her or lay on her/with her.  Just like with any other command, Twinkie is expected to move into this position no matter where Zachary is sitting...the couch, floor, bed, backyard, wherever.  "Love" will be used as a form of behavior disruption when Zachary is struggling with something emotionally.   It will frequently be used, though, when Zachary is already calm and relaxed so he can associate these same feelings  of calm and relaxation with Twinkie .  Trying to explain to Zachary that Twinkie will make him feel better when he's already stressed and trying to process negative emotions is more than he can manage.  Less is more at that moment.  However, if we can give Twinkie the "love" command and she's just there for Zachary without us needing to say anything else, he can lean on her as he needs to both literally and figuratively.  

We started introducing this command with lots of yummy cheddar star treats and guiding Twinkie's body to the position we wanted her to be in each time.  It took a little bit of time and lots of practice for Twinkie to understand exactly what we were asking her to do, but she did it!!  Twinkie is 100% on board with her newly learned command and happily follows through with our request each time.   Zachary is so happy, calm and content to feel the "love"....Twinkie is just as happy, calm and content.  :)  What's really neat is that Twinkie will sometimes lay next to Zachary and show him the "love" without our prompting. 


This morning (Monday) while I was in the kitchen I didn't hear either one of them which likely meant that they were doing something they shouldn't have been.  :)  But, when I peeked around the corner and looked into the living room, this is what I found...

"LOVE"...

and more "LOVE"

Zachary gave Twinkie the "love" command so she'd get on the couch with him.  He calmly and quietly laid on the couch with her for about 15 minutes.  He didn't even ask me to stop taking pictures which he usually does.  

He was in that happy place we call LOVE. 

Make You Feel My Love (Adele)  (click here)  After I took these pictures, this song was playing on my iPad in the background.  This is when "love" makes you cry.