Tales of the Dog Park: Chapter 1

I'd heard from some fellow dog walkers recently about a nearby dog park, so Ryan and I decided on Sunday to drive over and check it out ... thinking, of course, that Kenzie would love it because she generally has sooo much energy.

Overall, she did have a great time! The dogs (big and small, shy and outgoing) were friendly for the most part, although there was this one HUGE 9-month-old Alaskan Husky puppy that kept chasing Kenzie around and running her over and biting on her (eek!) that made my heart skip a few beats ... several times. So, we had to keep a close eye on them, and anytime they got close, someone was running over to separate them. Kenzie doesn't know not to initiate "play" with big dogs like that (her Golden Retriever friend Ari is so nice, after all), so I guess you can't blame the other dog. But nonetheless ... we must protect our puppy! So, I think next time we will go for the designated "small dog only" hour — I like the idea of that much, much better.

Here's a recap of her visit:

Can we meet?Following the crowd:The English Staffordshire Bull Terrier was, by far, Kenzie's favorite playmate at the park. I was surprised to learn it is only 4 months old; it's a stout little thing that will no doubt get bigger and stronger!

Some mediation:
Drying off at home after bathtime!

Kenzie's so spoiled!

Kenzie is so pleased that Mommy had a birthday recently, because she got gifts, too! (Really cute ones, I might add.) Here's a quick rundown.

What I like to call a "Kensington Bear" outfit from Gma and Gpa Jones (Love the ear holes!):


Do I have to wear the hat?

A pug puppet that she has loved so much it isn't really fit for photos — may have to throw it in the washing machine soon! The idea is for Ryan or I to put the puppet on our hands and squeak it and play with her. She likes that ... but overwhelmingly prefers sticking her head inside the puppet and attempting to turn the whole thing inside out!

An adorable photo frame from Gma and Gpa Summers with Kenzie's picture in it, which now sits on my desk at work so I can see my sweet Kenzie Bean all throughout the day:


And a cute hand-me-down sweater from her poodle friend Gidget, who had a lengthy photo shoot (glamour shots?) with Kenzie when Ryan and I were gone to Santa Barbara for my birthday this weekend. What a surprise! Those Brannons always have something up their sleeve. :) I'll post some of those photos when I can ... the ones I've seen are really cute. It really does look like Kenz and Gidg are best buddies.

This past Thursday I had a day off of work for Yom Kippur. In the midst of my errands, dishes, laundry and the few hours of work I had to do in order to make the day feel productive, I took a trip to Target to check out their doggie gear. My coworker, Elba, had pointed out that the store has great Halloween costumes for dogs, and upon seeing how cute they all were, I nearly decided that Kenzie would be a fluffy little bumblebee this year (cute, right?!):I even carried the outfit around with me for awhile, but a darling autumn sweater caught my eye while I was strolling ... and it won me over. The owl sweater, I figured, Kenzie can get more wear out of, and it will be perfect for Thanksgiving!


The sweater couldn't fit Kenzie more perfectly, and I don't think she minds it ... too much. :)

Sometimes Kenzie Gets Headaches

But don't worry ... we don't really let her take the Advil.

On another note, Mackenzie is now 8 months old! And I've been thinking about how it is such a fulfilling experience being puppy parents. No, it's not always easy, of course. Kenzie has peed in our bed a few (several?) times at night, costing us extra quarters for all the loads of laundry, has given us a scare running down the stairs outside our apartment without her leash on, we've had to clean up some things that we'd rather not, she can be a bit over-excited b/c she's so personable, and she tends to balance out her cuddliness with play bites that don't feel good!

But, even in the frustration, I know that I love her. Even when she's disobedient (every day) or difficult to deal with, she's still our puppy — the one we thought was so cute (and a little frail-looking) online as a tiny baby, the one who licks Ryan's face in the morning to show how much she loves him, the one who snuggles under the covers next to me and curls up with a sigh, the one who has the cutest expressions and the softest, floppiest ears that will forever endear her to my heart, the one who still whines and whimpers a bit when I let her out of her crate at lunch time, the one who takes off running in a crazed frenzy when she's actually exposed to a yard full of grass, the one who loves to run off with my socks and various "unmentionables" when I'm doing laundry, the one who wants to be petted and rubbed and feels like it's the end of the world if she has to be separated from us (especially for discipline!), and the one who depends on us, daily, for ... everything.

I love our little Kenzie, and feel so blessed to have her! If this is how I feel about a dog, I can't imagine the wealth of emotions and blessing that come with actually having a child. This is just a tiny glimpse, I'm sure, of how God's miraculous creation, and the cycle of it, enriches life so much.