Happy birthday to our first baby

Riley is eight!  

8 weeks old, October 2003

It doesn't seem that long ago that she looked like the Poky Little Puppy.

Ever since she was about 10 weeks old she has insisted on leading the pack if we're walking. Not poky at all.

It's true what people say about having a dog (especially a puppy) gets you ready for having kids.  The shift of focus & responsibility from self to another, helpless being.  Poo immunity.  Remembering to feed, water, walk, take to the doctor, arrange for a sitter.

I'm starting to notice more gray on Riley's face, which makes me sad, but she's in great health and still as sweet as ever.

When Steve goes running without her, she howls like a hound dog.  (She's a German Shorthaired Pointer)  The neighbors at the cabin said she'd do the same thing when we'd go to Asheville for the morning. Good thing they thought it was funny.

She LOVES to swim in the pond, but won't have anything to do with a body of water the size of, say, a bathtub or kiddie pool (except stealing a drink when nobody's around).

She patrols the yard all day long to protect us from invasion by squirrels or rabbits.  Or kids on skateboards.

She loves to play fetch with a tennis ball, but no other toy. 

She curls up in a ball to sleep on the sofa next to us when it gets dark outside.

Riley doesn't love Olivia, it's more like a curious tolerance.  Riley will fetch a ball if Olivia throws it, but if Olivia walks up to Riley to pet her, Riley just dips her head in submission and runs away as soon as the petting ends.  (To Riley's credit, Olivia hasn't always been the gentlest person.)

We love you, Riley!