January 27, 2014

You Only Turn One Once


This weekend, we rang in my sweet Oakley Girl's 1st birthday! Her FIRST birthday. Wait. WHAT?! That's right...she's ONE. ...Going on 14...

While I never thought a dog's 1 year old birthday was a big deal, actually raising our very own from an 11 pound ball of wrinkles to the 80 pound sassafrass she is made me realize her first birthday IS a big deal. 


When we brought our sweet girl home last year, I remember thinking to myself "Who in their right mind would trust us amateurs with this living, breathing little life to raise and care for?!" but it was not too long after that I realized how much I loved raising and caring for this living, breathing little life. I adored coming home to her tiny wagging tail and her little yappy bark. I loved being the one she depended on 100% of the time. I so looked forward to my lunch breaks where I would race home to see that precious little ball laying in her kennel looking up at me with those honey brown eyes that so obviously said "Mom! You're home!" knowing she secretly stashed a streak of demon behind those puppy eyes.

Though the first year of Oakley's life was probably the most frustrating of mine and Beau's lives (no...really...), I thank GOD for the challenges and for putting this sweet face into our home. Whoever said raising a puppy (read: a LARGE breed puppy) is easy is full of CRAP. LOTS of it.

From her dragging me down the street hanging onto her leash for dear life, to many, many cuts and bruises thanks to puppy teeth, to many phone calls to my mom telling her to "come get this dog", to hundreds, if not thousands, of tears shed and me threatening to put her on the street corner with a sign that says "FREE", looking back I wouldn't have had it any other way. Waking up with her head on my chest every morning (yes, she sleeps with us), having her lay across my stomach as I type this very post and her sweet "kisses" she so vulnerably saves just for me every morning and night...I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

Yes-I realize she's a dog, not a child and obviously (not from experience) I know there's a vast difference but the fact that she survived her first year as Beau and I as her "parents" is worth a celebration, if you ask me. So celebrate she did. With a 4 pound peanut butter cake. You know...because you only turn one once...

She got to the #1 before I had time to take this picture...obviously...






Sure-she may not be a real child, but she's our child and that's exactly how we treat her. Spoiled-freaking-rotten is a better way to put it. I mean, you try and resist that face and those wrinkles...

Happy HAPPY 1st birthday our sweet Oakie Bear!! I promise to buy you peanut butter cakes every year. :)

32 comments:

  1. Happy birthday precious Oakley!! You are one lucky girl to have the mama and papa that you have!
    Looking forward to your 2nd year of cutest faces, puppy dog eyes and mischievous activities xx

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  2. "Oh mom this cake is delicious! Thank you! You go ahead with whatever it is you're doing. I'm having this now..."

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  3. Hey! I have parties for my fur-babies too! It's more than okay! They are family too! ;) Happy brithday sweet Oakley!

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  4. We had a huge {for a dog} party for our pup when he turned one in October and even though people thought we were crazy I loved it! He is our baby for the time being!

    Happy birthday Oakley!

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  5. Awww happy birthday Oakie girl!!!! Enjoy your big day and being spoiled by your mama!

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  6. Always important to spoil our fur babies on their birthday. They give us so much in return, so totally worth it! Happy Birthday Oakley!

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  7. Aww! :) Happy birthday Oakley! And as a fellow doggy mom - she is totally your baby girl!

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  8. So sweet. Happy birthday Oakley!
    My girl turned one not even a month ago so I literally felt like I was reading about her. And I, hands down, agree that the first year with her was the most difficult (yet the most rewarding) for us too!

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  9. awwwww looks like she loved her treat!!! I cannot believe she is one already, but clearly you and Beau were fabulous parents this year! Congratulations: you made it through the first year!!! We still celebrate birthdays here too, because hey, why not?!?!

    Happy birthday gorgeous Miss Oakley!

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  10. I never believed in bdays for dogs either until Tank turned a year old. I felt such a feeling of accomplishment. That first year was so hard with house training and teaching him manners. I cannot wait to celebrate his 3rd bday this year!!!

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  11. Happy, happy birthday Oakley!! Way to keep your parents on their toes...

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  12. Happy Birthday Oaklie!! Just keep giving those big puppy dog eyes and you'll get whatever you want ;)

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  13. I love this post! Mainly because I feel the same way about my 70 pound beast. He was the worst puppy ever but we cannot and will not trade him for anything! Happy Birthday Oakley!

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  14. Oakley is the cutest thing ever!!! :) What kind of breed is she!? I figure I may be able to talk my hubs into it if I can show him these sweet photos of Oakie Bear! :)))

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  15. Your dog is so cute :) Birthdays are a big deal and we celebrated our dog's b-day this past November. They bring us so much joy it is the least we can do right?!

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  16. Aww isn't it amazing how big of a part of our lives they become? Makes me smile so big. Happy Birthday Oaks and cheers to many many more. Your momma and blog admirers love you!

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  17. She's such a gorgeous pup!! Happy Birthday Oakley!!

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  18. D'awwwwww happy first birthday Oakley!! :)

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  19. Aww Happy Birthday Oakley! My dog's first birthday was in September and yup, I did a whole post about it too, they really do become your children and watching her eat a lil birthday cake was the cutest.

    http://life-of-te.blogspot.ca/2013/09/that-time-i-bought-my-dog-birthday-cake.html

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  20. Happy Birthday sweet Oakley! Wow one already!!!

    Love Aunt Jen :)

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  21. This is so sweet! Ours are just like children too!

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  22. happy birthday sweet oakley! puppy babies are THE best! :) and one year of life together is definitely a BIG deal!

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  23. Happy Birthday sweet Oakley puppy! Quite honestly this makes me feel better about how I treat our two babies like children. I see no harm in it :)

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  24. Sweet Oakley had a better bday party than me! I love it!

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  25. Happy Belated to Oakley!!

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  26. Oh how I can relate to the raiding a large breed puppy. I've got two beasts of my own. Thankfully one was perfect. The other was a holy terror. I'd threaten to let her run away...except she's Velcro nd refuses to leave our side so it wouldn't work lol. But I love my dogs like they are kids. We ALWAYS celebrate their birthdays too. It's a must!!!! Oakley is adorable by the way!!!!!

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  27. The wriiiinnnnkkkllleeeeesssssssssss........

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  28. I am smiling at how much your dog looks like ours! She is beautiful and very lucky to have you as her parents!

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