i heart 2 girls: May 2014

So, the age difference between our new love and the last kid is 6 years. We really were not ready (not even a second) before now. We'd contemplated it for a long while, ever since Saylor was baby. And the girls had asked for one for a long time. Every Santa letter had a request for one and every birthday too. Everytime we talked about having a third dependent we I would start spiraling off into my ~~thoughts~~ rant of "its another thing to take care of", "it's another thing to pay mind to", "what about vacations", "what about my house and all of our things that we take such good care of" and "its just another thing to be responsible for". I just really didn't know how to work it in. I was basically saying that I would willingly be adding more work and cost and care to my plate. On purpose!

Michael and I finally conceded and agreed that it was the RIGHT time to add to our family. The BAMS were getting a d-o-g!!! The search began. What kind, what breed, what size, what color, what age, what what what. Oh course my oldest had already classified each breed on a likert scale and this scale included making decisions on weight, height and temperament. They both truly wanted a dog that they could carry...in my purse. I am certain that every christmas and every birthday, Athena visualized this for her/me......

Not happening. Not in a million years. I loved my kids, but, not this much.

The search got narrower and narrower and harder and harder to find a dog. We'd told the girls that we were getting a dog on Christmas day and it was February and still, no dog. My daughter once said to me "we're never getting a dog, are we"? That's when I realized that I was being too anxious about jumping into the ol' dog ownership and I believe I was making it difficult, and delaying, on purpose (unconsciously, of course). I think I was savoring the last bit of freedom only a dogless household leads. You know the freedoms I speak of, not worrying about having to come home or being out too late, just worrying about your own human family's food, and your own fitness, and social interaction.

We had decided on getting a rescue dog and we decided to get it from one of the many in our large city. We'd traversed the city and looked and looked and looked. This ONE in particular was extra awesome because the lady who runs it (with all of the other volunteers) goes to the pound and picks up dogs on the day they're to be euthanized and rescues and re-homes them after they've been brought back to health and been at fosters homes. We knew this is where we wanted our last baby from.

February 14th weekend comes around and I thought....that's it! They'll be stocked with pups at these places because that's what people do, give dogs as gifts :/

We left with..........a mangy mutt (no, for real, she had mange)

And we. were. SMITTEN. Simply smitten. We named her Havana Autumn and got her when she was 3 months old, full of mites and ready to be loved and cared for. Our puppies loved our newest puppy.

She was so sweet and adorable and neither of us could help but love her!

Everything she did was flipping CUTE!!!!!

I spent a shit-ton on this harness and collar set from Martha Stewart, but, who cares????

Over $400 was spent at the Vet AFTER the adoption fee and "stuff" we got for her, but, who cares????

She rides around in my car and I have to go to the car wash afterwards to get the dog smell and hair out, but, who cares??????

I took her running with me and nearly died.....but, who cares?

We even took her "Glamping" which she loved even though she is a crazy puppy and needed to stay on her leash......but, who cares???

She was itching due to the mites and I didn't hesitate to take a leotard of one of the girls' and fit it to her so she wouldn't scratch so much. This outfit lasted all of 57 seconds, BUT. who cares??????

We've given her the best care, best food and even socialized her with a bi monthly "puppy party" where we have a massive puppy social with kibbles and wine.