All opinions are always 100% honest and my own. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I also participate in: CJ Affiliate; eBay Partner Network; Rakuten Affiliate Network; ShareASale; Walmart Affiliate Program; independent affiliate networks.

I love animals. At least in theory. When I was a young girl, I brought home every stray—and admittedly some not-so-stray—puppy or kitten I saw. I wanted a house full of pets. I knew I'd be a veterinarian when I grew up.

My mind was changed when I had my first amazing baby girl on July 22, 1987. My world changed. Suddenly the value of a soul was apparent and I was in awe at being part of the amazing act of creating life.

Since that day, whenever I hear someone describe pet dogs or cats as “my kids”—or call a mutt “part of the family—I want to throw a shoe. Yeah, I'm hypersensitive, but seriously, it's a strong reaction. It's cute and cuddly and all that, but it's still just a pet. Let's stay focused on reality for a second. There is no way in heck they are going to get in the way of raising my children.

The other day I heard about the Puppies vs. Babies online contest—could they at least have called in the Babies vs. Pupppies contest?—and the shoe launching began. That's like saying, “Hey, gals, let's vote. What do you love more, your husband or your scrapbooking supplies?”

So, here I am asking—nay, begging—you to click on over to Puppies vs. Babies and vote up the human babies! Yessiree, puppies and cute and cuddly and smoochy-faced. But babies are more precious than anything on earth!

Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.