As the youngest of three daughters, I always worried that when it came time for me to go to college and move away, I’d be the cause of my parents’ surefire case of Empty Nest Syndrome (ENS). They’d turn into those clingy parents from awful romantic comedies who would call twice-a-day everyday just to make sure that I’d been studying hard for my exams or that I’d had enough to eat. They’d cry every day because they’d have nothing else to do and they would have mid-life crises that left them with ridiculous motorcycles and a bad QVC habit. It was going to be awful and it was going to be all my fault.

Thankfully, my older sister Sarah graduated a semester early from college and moved her boxes back in from New York only a few short months after I’d hauled mine out to Pennsylvania. The Empty Nesters were safe—for now—and I didn’t have to worry about what they’d do with their time without three teenaged daughters to raise. Sarah couldn’t stay forever, but as luck would have it, she moved out just a few short months before I had graduated and, with diploma in hand, took back my Parental Babysitting Responsibilities. A close call, indeed.

What I never really allowed to cross my mind was this simple idea: maybe, JUST maybe, my parents were really excited to start this next phase in their life. Not because they were happy to finally be rid of their daughters, but because they were happy to finally be able to pursue their own hobbies and interests instead of mine. Since I moved out in January, I’ve been monitoring their ENS risk levels and I’m happy to report that there is no threat to be found.

Still, when I did move out, their house became empty. My mom, used to coming home to a house full of kids and pets, hated that the next phase of life for her daughters had lined up too well with the sad goodbyes to the family pets that became a part of our family a long time ago. It was time to add a little more life into the family. And when I say “a little more,” I mean it. Last week, Coaly became the newest Dougher family daughter when my mom held her teeny tiny body of fur for the first time and immediately fell in love. I’ll admit, I felt a little threatened for approximately one second at the thought of a new youngest taking my place, but then I looked at that stupidly cute face and forgot about all of it.

She’s tiny, hilarious and pretty goofy, but she’s also the cutest kitten around, so I’m sure this won’t be the last time she makes an appearance on the blog! Hope you all are having a great Wednesday, and just in case you need a little pick-me-up, here’s a mini-photoshoot with Coaly!

Seriously weird. Seriously adorable.
She’s even grown a lot in the past two weeks and she still fits in one hand!

Yea, it’s love.