Our Baby's Birthday

A very special Happy Birthday to our beautiful baby Grace this past weekend. She turned the big 2 (14 in human years), which is supposedly the gateway to adulthood. We have loved every single minute of her being a puppy and can't believe how big she has gotten. Mandy and I often poke fun at ourselves for being a bit obsessive when it comes to our little furball, but the joy and love she brings our still-growing family is more than I ever imagined. Having never had a dog growing up, I was expecting the usual (poop, fetch, sleep, shed, etc.), but it has been more than that. She continues to amaze me with her intelligence for words, her emotions and happiness. She is the perfect companion.

So, we treated (spoiled) her to a perfect dog day on Sunday. No dog likes to spend their birthday in the kennel, but after a quick trip to Chicago, we saved her Saturday night and promised her a load of attention on Sunday. She got off the traditional food, and enjoyed scrambled eggs and toast with us for breakfast. After a trip to Petsmart for a new batch of toys (more below), we headed to Broad Ripple park for a cold and windy afternoon in the leaves. It was a perfect fall afternoon, if you like it really cold!

Because the park was so empty, we let her romp around in the leaves and chase us under and around trees all afternoon. And that freedom allowed her to do the ultimate Grace outdoor activity, the Super Plow! This is where she scratches her face and gets properly "outdoorsy" by rolling around in everything nature provides. Oh, to have no hygene instinct:



Well, you can imagine how much energy she exhausted from the day, so we came home to warm up and Grace got to properly introduce herself to her new toys. Dino the Dinosaur is the current hit. And, in traditional Grace fashion, she passed out with her favorite new friend. Dino will last about 7-10 days, and then will be consumed. We don't know why she waits, or what the toys do to her to deserve a tragic and chewful end, but it always happens.

Happy Birthday G!