We got a puppy ...

I texted this photo to some of our family & friends announcing that we got a puppy! She is a brown & white Siberian Husky with blue eyes, born on December 7, 2011 [4.5 months at the time we got her]. 

We didn't know about her or that our family was open to the idea of getting a new puppy, until 8:30 PM the night before when I read a friend's post on Facebook. The previous owners needed to find a new home for due to allergies & a friend put a note up about it on Facebook [it wasn't that family, it was a friend of the girl who posted it on FB].

My first comment was "oh I WISH!" But then, it all felt so serendipitous, I couldn't shake the feeling that we had to have her. We had made the decision to get Daisy [our black & white Siberian Husky] almost 12 years to the date, under the same circumstances. Daisy's previous family couldn't keep her due to allergies. So we adopted Daisy, giving her the middle name "Mae" [we brought her home on May 1, 2000].  So with all that in mind, I went from 1/2 joking about asking Kyle if we could get her, to convincing him why it was a good [spontaneous] decision. 

A phone call was made that night, a meet-n-greet was set up that next morning. Hazel [she came with that name, which we LOVE & it goes so well with her big sister Daisy] ... came home with me at noon that day. Miss Daisy wasn't all that amused ... but I can't blame her. :)

 Introductions ... Daisy meet Hazel. Hazel, your big sis Daisy.

We did give Hazel a middle name ... Jean. I thought it went well with Daisy Mae. And I thought it was a good fit since her eyes are blue [blue jean]. So she's Miss Hazel Jean.

I do believe it's all the romping that spooks Daisy. She's 12. Doesn't move as nimbly as her 4.5 month old little sis. Freaks her out.

Daisy's thought bubble: "D*mn. That thing quit moving. Didn't know it was possible." [she cusses occasionally, like old, irritable dogs do. We let her as long as it's not around the kids.]

The kids were ecstatic to say the least. They have energy, puppies have energy. Win-win. And it takes the pressure off of Daisy ... since Brett keeps trying to get her to do tricks that he sees on TV & at shows. [Flashback to Summer 2009, here] He would LOVE to see Daisy jump through a hula hoop. She will NOT. But, perhaps he can work on Hazel. 

This photo [above] just might be my favorite from that first day. I think it shows their ages perfectly. Hazel's a blur in a full gallop. Daisy's grazing.  

 Kyle meeting Hazel. Love at 1st sight, for sure.

Too busy & tired to think about dinner that 1st night with Hazel [like most new puppy parents ;)], we got Chinese take-out. This was my fortune. :) Sweet Hazel ... has done just that.

So we've been busy 'round here. We became puppy parents literally overnight. I've been trying to take Hazel out more to burn off some of that energy [for Daisy's sake]. She's an excellent fitness trainer. She turned my fast paced walk into a full jog. And I didn't want to stop because I knew how good it was for her - & how good it was for me. Another win-win. 

Miss Hazel is not perfect. She makes mistakes. Like choosing to get up on my patio table & dig to China in my planter. Her favorite thing is to pluck all my planted flowers out of their pots. Every day there's a new flower that I have to replant. She doesn't eat them, just grabs a leaf with her teeth, tugs & drops it on the ground. At least I can still replant them ... [but it is getting old]. ;)

But her cute pudgy paws, cool blue eyes & all that cute puppy fat around the neck are what make the clean ups worth it.  She's adorable. Puppies are cute.

Right, Daisy? Daisy ... right? [Daisy's faces crack me up]