It all started with a dog.  Not a real dog, but I had suggested to my husband we get a dog. Dave, in no uncertain terms, said no, and pointed out we already had a perfectly lazy cat, a guinea pig, and three kids, we didn’t need to add anything else to the mix.  I knew he was right, but I just felt our family could do with another addition, and since more kids were off the table, I thought a dog might be a good replacement.  They have personality, require lots of attention, can show affection, will cause you to spend lots of money on food and vet bills – just like a kid, but without nine months of pregnancy.  It seemed like a good idea to me.  Using these arguments, I laid my case out for a dog again.  Dave said we should ask the kids.  I thought…