A Golden with Luxating Patellas Part 2

August 1^st- X-Ray Day

The first step to getting a firm diagnosis was to get x-rays of Brinkley’s knees. It would be a day long event to knock Brinkley out, get the shots they needed, and get blood drawn to test for any complications. I picked Brinkley up once I got the 'okay' and worked from home the rest of the day to keep an eye on him. I worked while he made faces like this:

The dude was out of it.

On August 2nd I got the phone call with the x-ray results. The vet said that he definitely had Luxating Patellas and that he would need a consultation with a surgeon. When I called the surgery center they explained the following:

“You’ll have an 8 AM appointment. Bring the x-rays. The surgeon will look at the x-rays and talk over his plan of attack with you. If you agree, then you’ll leave Brinkley here and he will operate that day. We will keep Brinkley overnight to monitor him. You’ll be able to pick him up at 5 PM the following day.”

BAM. Just like that I’ll find out how they will fix Brinkley’s issue. I’ll find out if it will be one leg or two. I’ll find out how much it costs. I’ll find out the recovery time. And I’m supposed to nod my head and send him on his way. And that’s exactly what happened.

August 6^th- Appointment/Surgery Day

My brother joined Brinkley and I for moral support as we met with the surgeon. We discussed how Brinkley’s leg is working now, what he will do to fix it, and how it will work after the fact. They can only focus on one leg at the time so they planned to do the surgery on his left leg, which was giving him more grief. Fingers were crossed that fixing the left leg would make the right one get better since it wouldn't have to work so hard. 

The doctor explained, used fancy plastic molds, and big words that showed off his education. He attempted to comfort Brinkley who knew someone was wrong and wasn't happy about it. While I listened, Brinkley sat on the padded bench with me keeping an eye on the surgeon. While all the right things were said, and everything made sense, all I could focus on was the knot in my stomach from the thought of leaving Brinkley overnight. 

On August 6^th, I had officially spent TWO nights without Brinkley. Both nights were due to out of town weddings. For both of those weddings, I would get picture updates with hilarious captions from my mom who treated Brinkley like a king.  It made it easy. Picturing Brinkley confused and in pain was not easy. I knew it was for the best so I signed off and it was time to say goodbye.

August 6^th was probably one of the longest days of my life. I stared at my phone waiting for the phone call saying he was out of surgery. I waited so long for such a quick phone conversation. I attempted to console myself by saying that less time on the phone meant more time making Brinkley comfortable. The night was longer than the day, and also full of wine. 

August 7^th- Recovery

Brinkley was picked up from the surgery center the next day and it was obvious he was ready to be at home. While obviously sore, he moved as quickly as he could. He couldn’t use his back leg so they provided a sling to help him carry his back weight. He wore the cone of shame, which brought back the embarrassing days of his neuter. 

It was important to keep Brinkley from moving as much as possible for the next 8 weeks. 8 WEEKS. He could only go outside twice a day and other than that he should be in a confined space with his cone on.

The surgeon had explained that the best way for him to heal was to have nothing covering the wound. It would keep it aired out. Luckily it didn’t look as horrible as I had imagined. 

The first night he was home I slept on the floor with him since he was used to being on the bed with me. I couldn't handle the thought of him attempting to jump on the bed. I made a pallet for the both of us and was hoping to catch up on sleep as the night was sleepless. Apparently Brinkley had hated being apart as much as I had because all he wanted to do was have our heads right next to each other....with the cone on.  …..It was a long night. 

Week 1 & 2

The next few weeks were all about the same. I turned my bathroom into a space for Brinkley. I had a lamp in there so he wouldn’t have bright lights on all day and night. I added a small fan to keep him cool and calm. I kept his nearly twin size bed on the floor for him to sleep on. It was a boring few weeks as can be seen in Brinkley's face....

Two weeks later, he got his stitches out. All seemed well, but the cone stayed on. About a week later, it seemed like his wound was opening up a bit. I took him back for a follow up and they gave him some antibiotics. They continued to leave the wound open and able to breathe.

Week 5

5 weeks later and Brinkley is still recovering wonderfully. He isn’t confined to a small space and his cone is off. His hair is growing back, which I honestly think he is most excited about. He is off the pain medicine and he can walk short distances.

His other leg will still give out on him a couple times a week. Fingers are still crossed that the right leg is still overcompensating for his surgery leg and will be fine once he is fully recovered.

While still on the road to recovery, Brinkley is recovering fabulously. He is back to being his goofy self and is enjoying taking it easy with his brother. Stay tuned for more updates!

More photos....

Brinkley’s First Christmas- and lots of other stuff

So, it’s been a while. Turns out that having a puppy means a lot less free time. Especially when you spend all that free time throwing a tennis ball. To be completely honest though, the biggest reason for my lack of blog posts is my lack of desire to be on my computer once I get home from work.

Needless to say, there’s a lot to catch up on. Brinkley is now around 65 pounds. I can open the door and he will go potty without me having to go watch. He sleeps in my bed, taking up most of it. Most importantly, he has found the love of his life- bacon.

Brandon and I were in line at Whataburger one afternoon when the cashier for the drive thru line saw Brinkley and Major in the backseat. She told us to hold on while she ran away. She came back with treats way more exciting than the dry but thoughtful treats Chickfila gives dogs. She came back with two juicy pieces of bacon. They were swallowed whole by the two dogs, but the taste remained in their mouths, making them lick their lips for over half an hour. It was no coincidence that the next time Brinkley saw the orange, vintage looking logo in the drive thru line he rolled down the backseat window attempting to order all the bacon they had. It was so hysterical that I couldn’t stop laughing which I’m sure convinced Whatburger that I was on crack.

Besides finding love, Brinkley has matured in a lot of other areas as well. He is usually very calm and happy unless he gets bursts of puppy in him where he runs around the house. He loves to chew bones and chase tennis balls. His favorite days are those spent at Wiggly Field- when we play fetch with floating toys in a big pond. He will swim for hours before collapsing. His disgusting and muddy self will then get in the backseat of the car and give me a look that only belongs in an SPCA commercial with “The Arms of am Angel” playing in the background. Proof found here:

Brinkley is now at the age where he can sit through movies. His favorite? Cowboys and Aliens. Let’s be honest, he’s been a Harrison Ford fan since he spent his puppyhood obsessing over Hans Solo. I’m not even kidding though. I have never seen a dog so into a movie. He couldn’t look away. He sat on the couch watching for a solid 30 minutes. And once his head got tired, he laid down but continued to watch. Not even Brandon and me laughing distracted him. What a grown dude.

While acting grown up, I have to often remind myself that he is still young and having a lot of firsts. His first Christmas was this week. I attempted to create his first Christmas card but Brinkley was being a Debby Downer. My idea was to wrap him in Christmas lights and have him pose in front of the tree. Ha. Turns out Christmas lights are another thing he is afraid of. They just made him pant, and try to run away- while being plugged into the wall. Failed pictures here:

He did enjoy lots of time with his Lady and Man (grandparents) during Christmas though. He was spoiled with two stockings filled with bones, toys and treats. While he was amused by the tissue paper, I was amused by the “My Golden Retriever is smarter than your honor student” bumper sticker and Brinkley mouse pad.

I guess it’s that time to take off his blingy, red and green jingle necklace and prepare for the New Year. Stay tuned to find out what Brinkley’s resolutions will be. I have a feeling he will stick to his much better than I do to mine.

More random photos:

Safety First

It’s safe to say my level of crazy has once again reached new heights. What did it this time?  A bone.

I don’t have kids, but I do have a dog. And right now, that is enough for me. Randomly it hits me that I am in charge of this living things life. In charge of it’s safety and happiness. I’ve got the food, cleaning, and training under control. It’s the safe and happy part that I lose my mind over. This living, breathing puppy just wants to make me happy. And I could cry when I think about it because I’m a very emotional person. Something so little, so loyal, and so harmless has latched onto me. Now I must protect it and be there for it. ….a little overwhelming sometimes.

The most recent example of this was last night. I’d had a long day at work, and really wanted to enjoy the Cowboys game. I decided to hang out with my friends at “Monday Fun Day”, which I have never done simply because going meant putting Brinkley in his crate. When getting home from work, the last thing I want to do is think about putting him back in his crate. Nights are when we play and cuddle. I knew that I was going to be dog sitting him and Major the rest of the week though so I decided to go.

On my way home from work, I kept thinking about Brinkley’s happiness. My scale of happy for him is how much does his tail wag? Being in his crate probably wouldn’t make it wag. So what would make it better? A bone. He loves bones.

I’ve never let Brinkley have a bone in his crate. I’ve always feared he would choke on it while I was gone. But I wanted to make him happy so I put two bones in his crate to enjoy while I was gone.

Brandon reassured me all the way to Monday Fun Day that Brinkley would be fine and at first I believed him. I said a prayer out loud asking God to watch Brinkley and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. I ordered a beer to help me relax and I watched the cowboys. About every thirty minutes my mind would wander from the conversation at the table to Brinkley and his bone. The sounds of him pathetically gagging on a bone haunted my thoughts. Every thirty minutes turned into every fifteen, ten, five, two. Eventually it was pretty much all I could think about.

Brinkley don’t die.  Where is our check? Brinkley just go to sleep. The Cowboys need a new center. I will never forgive myself if he is dead. I would never have kids. I was supposed to make him homemade dog treats this weekend and he won’t be around for it. I’m going to be so dependent on antidepressants. Brinkley, please be alive.

I’m fairly confident that it was obvious that I was no longer having a Monday Fun Day by the look on my face, because Brandon took one look at me and insisted that we leave immediately…after the Cowboys get a 4^th down.

I said my goodbyes, and skipped hugging because it would take too long. I walked to the car, got in the passenger seat, and immediately started bawling. Not quiet, random tears. I sounded like a raccoon getting hit by a car. I probably looked like one too with my mascara all over my eyes. Except I would have to be a naked mole rat with raccoon eyes or something because my face gets super red when I cry. I was wailing, uncontrollably. I tried to explain to the baffled Brandon what was wrong but I could barely take breaths between the bawling. I finally was able to scream, “I DON’T WANT BRINKLEY TO BE DEADDDDDD”.

I’m sure this is shocking but Brinkley was still alive. The sight of him jumping in my lap and wagging his tail made me bawl more, obviously.  The unnecessary traumatizing night was enough to allow myself to let Brinkley sleep with me in bed all night.

To be honest, I don’t have a moral to the story. I can’t say that I won’t ever give him a bone in his crate again because I think that is irrational. But I also can’t honestly say I’m ever going to be calm when thinking about it. I don’t know how parents can be sane when letting their kids grow up, but I have a newfound respect for them.

All I know is I should probably apologize to my unborn children in advance for their ridiculously paranoid future mom.

 I'll go ahead and be a normal mom for a second and just post cute pictures of my dog:

Brothers bonding over bones

I'm soooooo comfortable

Sleepy boy has advanced to riding in the backseat!

Seriously, he sleeps like this.

"Umm, Mom, can we get me some more bones please?"

Enjoying a wonderful Sunday afternoon

The Magician

Hey everybody! Come over! Bring snacks! I have a magician living with me now!

This dog has to be a magician....not even the force can explain this dog. First of all, he is getting big, fast. I got him less than 3 weeks ago and he is massive. I keep telling him that if he keeps growing like he is, he won't get as much cute little puppy attention.

The vet said that he was going to be big, but I really didn't see it happening so fast. I think there is some kind of steroid in the Puppy Cheetos I'm giving him.

His second trick is called inhaling food. This dog is a living garbage disposal. It makes me wonder if there is crack in his dog food thoughg, because not only does he always want it, but so does the other dog, and the cat. And what’s great is that no matter how much you give him to eat, he will still go outside and eat bark. Fantastic.

Brinkley's latest magic trick is swimming. On Saturday, I sat in the pool and put him on the first step just to see what he would do. He swam to me. Such a natural. Since then, swimming might be my favorite thing to do with the little guy. He is getting better every time, and becoming more comfortable in the water. Plus his faces are epic. I couldn’t find a way to explain the experience of watching Brinkley swim, so I had the brilliant writer Brandon Mendosa explain:

“Swimming is something that comes naturally to a dog, but to say that Brinkley was tearing effortlessly through the pool like a canine Michael Phelps would be a lie. Like a child taking their first steps, a lot of effort was exerted in exchange for not a lot of movement. Presumably grasping at the ground that wasn't there, Brinkley's rapidly moving legs began to paddle him toward his destination-- me. He bobbed above the water like an ocean buoy with a face and fur, slowly inching his way toward me until finally reaching my outstretched arms and climbing my shoulder, clinging for dear life.”

The aftermath of swimming:

Seriously, magic or no magic involved, the dog is evolving at light speed. Brandon and I go to dinner, get back, and his response is "Oh my God, he has gotten bigger". He is now running without falling in the grass every three seconds. He is finally over being afraid to jump off the couch. Getting on the couch is a different story. And now IF he does have an accident, it's right by the back door. He has learned that I flip out more if it's on carpet. He still has his puppy face, but his hair is changing. He looks like a lion with thin hair all over his body and thicker hair on his neck and face...it's pretty hilarious.

Brinkley is also becoming money conscious. His original crappy McDonald's type dog food that the "babysitter" raised him on was $10 for a huge bag. The same size bag of his new fancy dog food is $50. Brinkley feels bad so now he tries to reassure me he doesn't need new toys. Instead, he will play with the cats old toys, or my favorite, toilet paper rolls.

This week with him has been great but hard. Between Monday and Tuesday I only got to spend 5 hours with the little guy. I understand the parents who hate working late because they only get to spend an hour with their kid before putting it to bed. It's not the guilt, or the fear of them getting used to you being away, but it's that uncontrollable desire to be there, to see everything they do, to not miss anything, and to be there to help shape them.

A woman at my work had a baby a few months ago and I constantly catch her watching the daycare video monitor of her baby in the nursery. She will sit at her desk and eat, while watching the screen the whole time. The baby can't sit up, or do anything really interesting, but her eyes are glued to the screen, to feel some sort of connection, to make sure she isn't missing anything. I get it now.

While Brinkley isn't blood related, he will be the closest thing I have to a baby for a while. And sadly, he is growing at a much quicker speed than one. If I had it my way, I would have maternity leave with him. But if I can't have that, then I am happy to say I now have a full time job with Launch so I can play with him at lunch and spoil him with bones, and treats, and whale toys.

I'll leave you with the most hilarious picture of Brinkley that will haunt him forever. 

 Lots of wet kisses from Brinkley!!!

In a Galaxy Far Far Away....

Brinkley really had no choice. Whether he liked it or not, he has been submerged into Star Wars on the planet of Whatashiner. Had he come into our lives a few weeks earlier, maybe he would be more like his mom, a Harry Potter freak, but nooooo, instead he came at a time when it was Brandon's turn to choose the saga watched on Tuesday nights.

It has become a ritual that every Tuesday night is spent watching some sort of saga, paired with Whataburger, and Texan beer. This started when Brandon wanted to see the last of the Harry Potter movies but hadn't seen the previous seven. So it began. Once the Harry Potter movies ended, I felt like Brandon deserved a break before I started him on the Twilight ones. This is when Star Wars came in.

Since Star Wars has come in, I feel like it has popped up in my life way more than before we started watching the movies. I blame the force, obviously. Suddenly, people are making references to things I understand. There are all of these Star Wars themed posts on Pinterest. Not just one Star Wars themed post, but one about dressing your baby like Princess Leia, or a Star Wars themed nursury. They are constant, and they are cute.

I can't escape it, and luckily I don't want to. I'm not really sure Brinkley does either. He likes Star Wars. It's already known that Brinkley's first birthday theme is Star Wars. He claimed Han Solo, Sasha is an At-At , Major will be C3PO (because he's the worry wart, duh), Beau is going to be an albino Chewbacca, and it's obvious that Nikki will be Yoda because of her ears. Other dogs, you are welcome to claim your characters now... best costume gets a new toy!

Anyway, the Star Wars insanity continued this morning when I got on Pinterest before work. All of a sudden, I see this Darth Vader spatula. $12 at Williams-Sonoma? Aaaaand ordered. 1.Because it's awesome. 2. Because when is something ever $12 at Williams-Sonoma? Well, this got me curious of what other Star Wars themed items I could find. There happens to be a lot... but here are just a few that will be making an appearance at Brinx's birthday party.

After reading this, you will probably agree with me that it's safe to say I'm obsessed with my dog. No need to worry though, I'm still completely normal, for the most part.

I must confess I did write a letter pretending to be Brinkley that talks about how to take care of him when babysitting him. Go ahead, judge.

Lets just set the record straight and say that he has rubbed off on me in good ways too. I haven't online shopped in weeks. Okay, I take that back. I haven't online bought in weeks. I also now have a legitimate reason to sit at home and be lame on week nights. Brinkley has also gotten me very excited about learning. That's right, learning. Mostly because I feel like my dog is getting a lot smarter than me and I feel like I should do something to prove that I'm smarter again. Here's why:

On Sunday morning, Brinkley had a puppy play date with one of my co-worker's dogs, Pojay. Pojay is under a year old and adorable. She is also super smart. Alison took her inside so we could see the tricks she has learned so she got out a slice of cheese. After The Pojay Show was over, Alison handed me the rest of the cheese to give to Brinkley. I looked at him, and jokingly said "sit", sarcastically showing off his "tricks". Instead, Brinkley decided to sit, which I can't decide he did to make me look stupid for doubting his abilities or smart by making me look good. Either way the dog sat on command. And has done so every time I have told him to since. Everyone in the room was stunned when he first did that, and I got asked "wait, have you already taught him that?!". Actually, no. I'm blaming the force again.

Apparently the force is super strong with Brinkley because he has mastered sit, and is working on up, down, shake, come, and stay. To encourage this behavior, I'm going to start trying to find Star Wars themed dog toys.

In fact I think I will make Rotta the Hut squeaky toy this weekend. You too can make it. Click here.

It's crazy to think what the dog would have been like had he come earlier or later. He would have been a really great wizard had he come earlier. Definitely able to conquer Voldemort, and steal Hermoine from Ron Weasley while he's at it. I'm honestly just a bit relieved he didn't come any later. I would hate for him to have come during the Twilight saga and be a dramatic, depressed, Kristen Stewart loving puppy who just wants to get bit by a vampire so he could fit in with his friends and lover.

Current Pics of Brink:

Posing in his "big boy" collar... which is actually his small collar. He already owns his medium and large that he will quickly grow into

He thinks cooking dinner is boring...

Lazy on the weekend

Peace, Love & Light Sabers,

Bec & Brink

A Week of Firsts

Tomorrow marks Brinkley and my one week anniversary. We are registered at Petsmart, Petco, Canine Commisionary, and WOOF!.

Besides it being our first week, it was also a week of firsts.

This week was Brinkley's first vet appointment. Can I just say that I have NEVER felt like more of a grown up than at that appointment? I mean Brandon and I were really treated like absolute adults. We even got asked, "Is this your first puppy?". I'm pretty sure he could have figured that out by the stressed and panicked look on my face, but I appreciate him going ahead and amusing me with the question. The actual appointment went well. He got his first check up, his first nail trim, his first poopoo sample (I don't like the word fecal), his first dose of meds through the nose, and also his first round of shots. Brandon was there more for emotional support for me dealing with Brinkley getting shots, especially since he was so distracted by the puppy puffs the assistant was giving him that he didn't even notice that he got a shot at all. While he may have not felt the shot, he did feel the effects. By the time he was in the car, he could barely keep his head up. I regret not taking a video because Brandon was completely accurate by saying that he was the dog version of "David after Dentist". And if you haven't seen the video, then here it is.

David After Dentist....

Brinkley After Vet (by the way, this picture reminds me of the dying sheep in the movie Babe)...

This week was also Brinkley's first time to meet some very important people in his life. After the vet, he met Lady for the first time. My mom and dad love their granddogs very much and have somehow gotten the names "Lady" and "Man". The dogs go see their Lady and Man a lot, and get to play with them. My brother and I have become insanely attached to the names, and plan on forcing out kids to call them Lady and Man as well. Mostly because we find the idea of a 3-year-old boy waving at his grandparents and saying "Hey Lady!" "What's up Man" absolutely hilarious. It was love at first sight for the both of them and I'm looking forward to him joining the puppy family. He will now have his own stocking at christmas just like Nikki, Beau, Max and Major. Being a Lauten puppy also means the responsibility of being in charge of getting every family member underwear, pajamas or socks for each birthday and Christmas. Brinkley says he and Victoria's Secret are going to be BFF.

Brinkley also met his Godmother Becky on Wednesday. She came bearing Pupronni treats and a Petsmart giftcard! Yay for a giftcard to be spent on dog food, chew toys, tennis balls, and a puppy harness! Brinkley of course fell in love with his Godmother and they spent their night watching HGTV and playing with Mr. Lion. He was so excited about her visit, that he barely slept the night before, therefore was tuckered out by 8:30. Luckily, that meant cuddle time for Becky before she had to go home.

The first that receives the "Yay, You're a Golden!" award would be his first time to play fetch. One night, my brother saw Brinkley struggling to get something from under the couch. He seemed frustrated and very determined to get something. My brother looked under the couch and was surprised to see a tennis ball. What was more surprising was Brinkley's desperation to get this lime green ball that he had never seen before. It was almost as if there was a Star Wars type force between Brink and the ball. He become hypnotized by it, and wants to bring it everywhere with him. I started to throw it to see what he would do, and sure enough, he runs clumsily to get it, and brings it back. Hooray for finally finding a way to wear him out while still getting to watch TiVoed Grey's Anatomy episodes!!!

Now that I have mentioned Star Wars, I think I should mention now that anyone and their dog is invited to Brinkley's 1st Birthday Party! Sure, his birthday isn't until June 11th but it's never too early to plan. The theme will be Star Wars. Each dog in attendance must dress up. Brinkley says he claims Hans Solo, mostly because he likes to think he has Harrison Fords golden locks, and dreamy eyes. Don't worry, I'm already figuring out how to make him a blue vest.

Other firsts of the week that don't need to be explained are: first poop in the crate (you're welcome), first walk, first heartworm/flea medicine, first fight with the cat, and first run around the house with my underwear.

If I had to sum up the week in a word it would be exhausting. I don't get sleep as much as I get naps that are broken up by barking, whining, and potty runs outside. My new wake up time is significantly earlier so that we can play before work. My thoughts are interrupted constantly by thinking "where's Brinkley?", "is he eating a leaf, bug, or food?", and "when was the last time he peed?". But with the exhaustion comes unconditional love. It's hard to be unhappy about waking up at 5:30 AM when you have a dog licking your ear. Getting a whiff of his smell while I'm at work makes me smile. And watching him grow and learn gives me the pat on the back I need when I feel defeated. After a week with him, I am nothing but happy with the decision I made, and more excited about the years I get to grow with him.


Because Becky Long requested it (and she gets whatever she wants), here is a strand of photos from the week.


Brinkley says, "How u doing ladies"

Taking advantage of his few weeks of being small....

Finally, My Very Own Show Pony

On Saturday, August 6th, at 3:15 p.m., I laid my eyes on Brinkley for the first time. Since then, it has been hard to take my eyes off of him. The ride to get him was an anxious one, mostly filled with me either saying "oh my gosh", "this is really happening", or Brandon's personal favorite, "my fingers hurt".

It's hard to explain what I mean when I say "my fingers hurt". All I know is it happens when I am super anxious. It happened as Becky and I went through security at DFW on our way to Australia, and also on our last morning in Australia. It doesn't happen before big tests or important interviews. It only happens when my body somehow knows that my life is about to change in a big way. And the arrival of Brinkley Hanx has already been a big change. 

As I kept shaking my hands in the car on the way to Canton, I kept worrying about my decision making process...because, let's be honest....this isn't the most rational thing I've ever done. I wanted a dog. Rational. I looked through newspaper posts and online listings. Rational. I decided which one was perfect based on a picture. Irrational. I agreed to meet the owner halfway in Canton so I could exchange money for puppy without spending time with it before hand. Irrational. This all seemed fine until the drive over, and suddenly I was worried that this decision could suddenly bring more "I told you so" or "You weren't ready" comments in my life. Hence the finger hurting. 

But the hours before the fingers hurting were filled solely with excitement. I woke up way earlier than I needed to, and was instantly ready to get the show on the road. On the agenda that day was helping Brandon clean his old place, and finish moving stuff to his new place. But to prepare for the big day ahead of us was none other than Chickfila breakfast, because seriously, what gets you more pumped about a good day ahead of you more than the Chickfila nuggets covered in honey buttered biscuits?

The food was scarfed down, the cleaning and moving got accomplished at ninja speed, the drive to Terrell was the drive to Terrell, and then time was killed before getting the puppy by coloring with Brandon's niece Katrina. Finally, it was puppy time. 

As Brandon and I exited the highway and pulled into the McDonald's parking lot, things started to seem perfect as Brinkley's ride arrived at the exact same moment. His "babysitter" put him on the ground and what did he do? He peed. Perfect! He knows to take advantage of some green grass when he sees some. The exchange of goods was quite quick, and I have to admit that I think I got the better end of the deal. 

I hurried back to the car before his "babysitter" could change her mind and realize that she was selling the cutest puppy to ever set foot on the planet. Brandon pulled out of the parking lot and Brinkley was ready to get comfortable. Comfortable for Brinkley however was not in my lap. The puppy was on a mission to climb up my body and pretend to be a dead minx to hang around my neck. The two hour drive back was spent with a dog wrapped around my neck. Face on one shoulder, and feet on the other.

Proof:

The past 48 hours with him have been a blur. My goal has been to have him meet a good amount of people and animals, so that he can be a social and outgoing grown dude. His first human interaction besides with Brandon and I was with his neighbors at his apartment. As soon as we opened the door, the oohs and awws began...and they really haven't stopped since then. His Uncle Ryan, Uncle Chris, Aunt Lindsey, Uncle Jesse, Uncle Justin and Grandpa Steve have all given him lots of love. And I really can't blame them, because he is seriously the cutest thing ever. And that comment is completely okay for me to say because I had absolutely no part in creating such a cute living thing. I'm serious though, this puppy is just the epitome of cute puppies. And the good thing is that he is a classic dog. He is the apple pie of dogs. Who doesn't like apple pie?

The compliments haven't even been from just his family either, so you know they aren't just those "oh you're baby is cute (what is wrong with the shape of it's head?!) comments. A lady popped out of nowhere at Petsmart and began to ask questions about him. Brandon's neighbor holds out her hands in front of her whenever she sees the door open, ready to have him in her arms. The drive thru man at Cane's asked me to put Brinkley through the drive-thru window so that he could hold him. A cashier has asked to smell him. He is a huge hit. I have never felt so popular. 

Never have I had so many plans. I guess it's important to admit that they aren't for me, but for Brinkley, but still. This week he has Brandon come playing with him tomorrow afternoon before his vet visit. Wednesday, his godmother Becky is coming all the way from Fort Worth to meet him. Sunday he has a play date with a co-workers dog. Who knows what else is going to fill his schedule. 

As of now, I am trying to soak up everything Brinkley. The puppy smell, the little nibbles on the ear, and my personal favorite, the little noises he makes when you cuddle him against your chest. It is the most heavenly noise. My fingers are crossed that he will make that noise the rest of his life, but just in case I think I'm going to try and put a tape recorder on him so that I can have it forever. 

Since I can't stop him from growing up, I will just have to take hundreds of photos of him so that I can look back and see how much he has grown and how fast he managed to do it. Lucky for you, I am posting them on here so you can experience the amazingness of the cutest puppy on Earth with me. 

Exhibits A & B of the cutest puppy ever:

No Time for Being Original

Okay, so, here's the deal. I get a dog on Saturday. I'm naming him Brinkley. Yes, it's from You've Got Mail. Yes, he is the same breed. No, I don't care. In fact, I went the opposite way of trying to hide it, and I went ahead and bestowed Brinkley with the middle name of Hanx, in honor of my favorite actor Tom Hanks, who just so happens to be in You've Got Mail. I'm okay with all of this, and when I talk it over with Brinkley on Saturday, I think he will be too.

I went to the next level of being unoriginal by naming this blog Brinkley&Me. But to be fair, I've never watched the whole movie Marley & Me and I plan not to because I swear that a dog dying is almost always more sad than a human dying. Go ahead and judge me for saying that.

Anyway, I've been looking forward to this dog being in my life for a while. For the past year I have been constantly thinking about a dog, but I wanted all my ducks in a row. I wanted to be able to afford it, have time for it, and give myself time to grow some more patience. But I decided to screw patience and start living. I have got to stop planning and start doing. The doing starts Saturday. Until then is the last of the planning.

For having spent so much time dreaming about a dog, all of this has happened quite fast. Over the past 2 weeks, I have been searching websites and newspapers looking for my Brinkley. This past Saturday, at my Mad Men themed birthday party, Lindsey gave me a beautiful leather collar with a tag that had Brinkley engraved on it. That probably sped up the process some. On August 1st (my birthday), I came across a listing for Golden Retriever puppies for sale. I emailed and asked for recent pictures and got this in return:

She sent me other pictures, but this was the only one I was interested in. I knew immediately that this was my puppy. Brinkley, meet the world. World, Brinkley.

After 18 emails back and forth, it was decided that I would pick up Brinkley at McDonald's in Canton, Texas. And since the moment I have found that out, I have been preparing non-stop. How, you might ask?

-I have read 3 puppy specific books
-I am currently reading "Golden Retrievers for Dummies"
-I have ordered a puppy play pen and crate.
-I went to Petsmart (is it Pet-Smart or Pet's Mart?) and picked up 150 training pads (yeah buddy), a collar and matching leash, food and water bowls, training treats, and a few toys (including a super cute little lion).

I have also taken Petsmart's puppy quiz to see how well I know how to train my puppy. It labeled me an expert. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to sound cocky, but I'm doing everything I can to spike my confidence level about being able to handle this thing. My goal is to just not have my dog turn into my parents dogs, Beau and Nikki. I love the dogs, but they are clearly in charge of the house. I would tell you about it, but I think each dog will deserve its own blog post.

No matter what, my life changes Saturday. This dog is going to live a while. More than likely it will be around when I get engaged, married, and have kids (which is completely insane to think about). This change means a lot more responsibility. It means getting up earlier, dedicating my lunch break to something other than me, and more money on dog food and less at Anthropologie.

Words can't tell you how excited I am about this puppy though. And since this dog will be forcing me to grow up in a few different ways, I figured this is a good time to share those experiences with the world. This blog will be filled up with stories and pictures of me trying to cook, bake, and create. Who knows what this will turn into, but no matter what, I guarantee that Brinkley will be involved in it all.

Love to all,
Bec and Brink