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. :)