“Okay, great,” I said, and then Sam shook my hand and left Strider sitting on the porch. His tail still whipping the old wood planks, I said, “So, Strider, do you want to see Layla?” And I swear his tail started beating that old back porch like a big brass drum.

Leaving Strider, who was now whining, on the porch, I made my way to the bedroom where Maggie and Layla were sleeping. Opening the old door as quietly as I could, I stuck my head in and saw that they both were gone. I called Maggie’s name and heard Maggie from the bathroom say, “We’re in the bathroom taking a bath! Come on in!”

Opening the door, I found my girls in the huge cast iron clawfoot tub. They were taking a bubble bath. Layla, who was standing up hanging onto the edge of the tub, was covered in soap suds and with a big grin said, “Dada.”

“Wow! Crawling and now talking all on the same weekend! Good girl, Layla!”

Maggie said, “I know, can you believe it?”

I said, “Well, y’all hurry up because Sam brought Strider over to play with Layla!”