My Beautiful Baby Girl

Yes, that's right. I am a mother.

Please allow me to introduce you to my precious baby, my little Cleo.
The cat.

Well, come on now, what did you expect?
An actual human child?!? I'm the biggest wuss in the world - gimme a break!

Cleopatra "Cleo" Leander is a tan-tipped Siamese mutt with bright blue crossed eyes who talks incessantly and demands attention on her terms.

But ain't she purty?

I found cleo and her brother, Ralph, while helping my mother move to San Angelo, TX. We were staying in TLFs (temporary living facilities) while mom found a house - I was doing laundry after she and my sister went to bed. As I brought clothes back from the dryer, I heard the most demanding voice yelling at me from above, "MOM!".

I swear it was a child's voice yelling at me.

I look up and there, on the balcony above me, is a ugliest tiny grey-black kitten head leaning over the edge, mewling at the top of her lungs. As any normal teenager would do, the clean clothes hurled into our room, I ran up to the second floor to inspect the little brat. Ralph and Cleo came running right up to me, mewling and such the whole way, demanding attention and tuna THIS INSTANT.

I've never been good at telling if a kitten is a boy or a girl, so Rebecca claimed Ralph - promptly naming him Ms. Piggy and I claimed Cleo - naming her Confucious for her crossed eyes. Corrected by the Vet the next day, the adorable cats received more proper names and well, she's been with me ever since.

Mostly.

But that's another tail.