The first time I saw them, they were wearing matching sequined ski hats.

They looked adorable if a little ungainly taking in their first snow experience. Together. Like they ticked off all their firsts – solid food, shaky first steps, playing in the rain. They had yet to sleep apart but perhaps that sad first was coming soon.

I had to choose. Did I want Jessie or Sammie? It seemed barbaric that I could just upend their whole lives and whisk one, but not both, home to Chicago with me. That’s why we’d arranged the exchange in the mountains, to at least introduce snow before splitting the siblings.

I glanced over to the other family just pulling up in their own SUV. Three kids tumbled out and ran squeaking and slipping over to the puppies.

Jessie tried to hide between my feet – and that’s what decided me.

She was the pug for me, but the sequined ski hat would have to go.