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I think I just gave my parents a heart attack with that title.

It's not a baby--repeat, not a baby--that we're expecting around here. It's actually a dog. It's Coco and Terri's dog Hobbs (yes, named after Roy Hobbs from The Natural) to be precise.

See, Coco and Terri had a child last year and although things were fine with the kid-pooch combo in the beginning, things aren't so wonderful right now. Hobbs has never really warmed to children to say the least (I think he's bitten or at least nipped at a couple of kids over the years). From what Coco tells me, Hobbs doesn't like being cornered or surprised and children sometimes have a tendency to do that to dogs. So now that little baby Kennedy is crawling all over the place and on the verge of walking, Hobbs has been exiled to the baby-gated kitchen on an almost-permanent basis. Poor old Hobbsie. That's certainly no way for a dog to spend his days. But you can't blame the Cocos for keeping him cooped up like that. I mean, if Kennedy crawls up behind Hobbs and pulls his tail unexpectedly, Hobbs might...well...you get the picture.

So in light of the difficulties of having a dog-loving child and a child-fearing dog in the same household, the Cocos sadly asked us if we'd take Hobbs. Hobbs stays with us all the time when the Cocos go out of town and since Hobbs and Luke get along great (they're each other's only friends, pretty much) it's certainly not a problem for us to take him. I actually enjoy it when he's here. So Beth and I discussed it and we came to the conclusion that we'd like to be a final option for them; if they absolutely couldn't find anyone else to take Hobbs, we'd take him. But why a Final Option and not a First Option? Well, we're planning on having kids ourselves one day, so...

As of today, though, it looks like the Final Option has been exercised. No one else could or would take Hobbs so he's gonna be a new member of the ol' dysfunctional Arnold clan. Terri said that she'd like to leave him here on a "trial" basis (whatever that means) but I think we all know that Hobbs is here to stay.

I've got sort of mixed feelings about the whole thing. Although I look forward to having another doggie around (and know that Hobbs will be better off) I can't help but feel very sad for Coco and Terri. I know it must be extremely excruciating for them to give up Hobbs. That must really hurt. And I'm sure it won't be the greatest thing for Hobbs either, losing his family and all. But we'll give him lots of love.

And what will happen when Bethy and I have kids? I'd like to say that Hobbs will get better around children in time, but since there ain't exactly a gaggle of kids in our house to begin with, it's a little difficult. I guess we'll just have to cross the our-kids-and-Hobbs bridge once we come to it. Taking in Hobbs may not be the long-term solution--for Hobbs or us--but it's the best thing for right now.

So welcome to the family, Hobbs. Enjoy your stay and feel free to bite Luke anytime you'd like.