Ice, Ice, Baby...

This is Kenzie enjoying one of her favorite treats: an ice cube.

"Where's Daddy?"

And...that cuddly nature that we love so much!

Super Puggle!

Kenzie Bean was a spider web for Halloween, but that doesn't sound very exciting. Maybe we should say she was a version of Spider-Man. She wore her Halloween jammies half the day that day, but the funniest part is that they glow, too. So we laughed with the lights out in our bedroom, watching this neon green form scamper around the bed and then settle into a ball to go to sleep. I don't think Kenzie has any idea how entertaining she can be just by being herself.

Wanna play?

Kenzie the Puggle likes Football Season :)

Kenzie Makes a Move

A couple of weeks ago, we moved to a new apartment. It was quite the traumatic experience for Kenzie, who squealed from confinement in the bedroom as we carted our stuff out to the UHaul, trip after trip after trip. She just didn't understand what was going on! Before the big day, she helped with packing as she could, of course. But most exciting was the discovery of long-forgotten balls and rawhide bones and other goodies underneath our couches and dresser, where she just couldn't reach...a whole slew of "new" toys!

I must say, she has settled into her new home quite comfortably, ecstatic to have carpet instead of slippery hardwood floors — perfect for lying down for a rest at any given time, and for getting good traction when she runs around the apartment in a frenzy.

Father - Daughter Time : )

Most parents get kiddie pools for their kids ...

And we got one for Kenzie today, so she could cool off after long walks in the summer sun. She loved it, especially with her longtime favorite "Mr. Fish" toy in the water and Daddy there to entertain.

I was thinking it was a terrific idea and successful execution until dinnertime, when Ryan yelled at me from the patio where he was grilling: "Kenzie's peeing in the pool!"

JUST like a kid.

Tired Puppy

Visitors from Texas!

Today, Kenzie got a special treat! Our friends Molly and Jeremy from Texas were in town for a wedding and stopped by for the afternoon before catching a flight back. Kenzie was so excited to finally meet the parents of little Puggle Ella Belle, who they might never have gotten if it weren't for being inspired by Kenzie back in her puppy days. :) Kenzie feels honored. Ella Belle, we hear, has LOTS of energy, is a very skilled jumper (I don't know if Kenzie realizes she might be able to jump onto the couch, or off our bed, if she really tried -- but then again, maybe the non-jumping is more of a Pug trait?), likes to eat at carpet sometimes, and loves playing with her big sister, Lexi. Kenzie would've loved to meet her, but especially appreciated Molly and Jeremy coming by!

Pretty Little Puggle

Today during our brief lunchtime walk, Kenzie and I met a sweet, old Pug named Dolce, who gave Kenzie some kisses. Dolce's owner couldn't stop talking about Kenzie's cute face and how pretty she is.

"She's the cutest Puggle I've ever seen!" she said.

And to Kenzie: "Do you know that you're the prettiest girl in the neighborhood?"

As Kenzie's mommy, I have to agree. She is cute. And I think her self-esteem got a big boost today.

A little extra

My blog posts have definitely fallen off since Kenzie's first birthday, but my love for her has not! She is still my little "baby" and I'm so glad to come home to her eager little face every day.

Yesterday I took Mackenzie to the vet for three vaccinations (ouch!). She had a pretty exciting time in the waiting room, as there was a baby pug-mix (pugalier?) that looked like a mini Kenzie. Soooo cute. And I had forgotten how soft little puppies are. It was the first time Kenzie has ever played with a puppy full of energy -- this time, she was the one getting pounced on and bitten at. I think she enjoyed it, though.

Kenzie's check-up went well, but the Dr. pointed out that we need to monitoring how much we feed her because she has a "little extra" on the sides. Uh oh!! Should that make me feel like a bad parent? Nah, but it did make me laugh. Just over a year and already getting chunky (OK, not really - just about .6 lbs. off maximum weight - said we need to keep her between 20 and 22 lbs.) Sorry, Kenzie, we are going to have to cut your kibbles a bit!

Another pic from today:

Enjoying an Evening with Daddy

Kenzie's Famous!

Well, she's not exactly famous. Didn't land a spot on a television show or anything, but she is now part of the "Before & After Pics" page of Puggles on designerdoggies.com, where it shows photos of baby Puggles and then ... all grown up! Go here to find her. This is the 1-year photo we used:

Happy Birthday, Kenzie!

Evening in Malibu

We realized yesterday that Kenzie had never been to the beach before, and after a long, windy and scenic drive through the Santa Monica mountains in search of a destination I'm now not sure even exists, found a lovely little beach of off PCH and took Kenzie down just in time for the sunset.

Her favorite things about the trip:

-- running circles in the sand ... again and again and again
-- running along the water and exfoliating her paw pads
-- eating sand almost every time she came to a halt (she tends to do the same with grass)
-- climbing the rocks with Daddy
-- running from the waves as they came crashing toward her (surprisingly, she did not want to get in the water!)
-- digging a hole to China
-- sleeping in Mommy's arms on the way home, all wrapped up in a beach towel

Kenzie's First Christmas

Whew ... what an exciting couple of weeks Kenzie had celebrating Christmas in Texas with us! I won't lie and say it wasn't a bit stressful, but it was special that she got to come and meet more of the family. Her favorite relatives were Aunt Annabelle, cousin Izzie and cousin Taryn (see below). She just felt like she had more in common with them. ;) Hanging at Izzie's house:

Izzie on the left, Annabell on the right:

Meeting Uncle Grant and Taryn at the dog park at White Rock Lake:

It was adorable seeing our neices, Abbey (4) and Laura (3) play with her. They were a little scared at first (Kenzie likes to take off running sometimes) but warmed up to her with time. Laura even kissed (translation: licked) her on the back, pretending to be a dog. haha ... so cute. By the second meeting, at their house, they couldn't stop following her around.



Laura even got Kenzie a special present (a bright pink fashion bow on a lapel pin). I'm having fun picturing her picking that out and knowing it was perfect for Kenzie! And here's the rest of the gifts Kenzie got - what a spoiled puppy!

Due to the busyness of holiday plans and my being pretty sick (awful 7- to 10-day virus ... ugh), Kenzie did spend several nights boarding in a kennel. To be honest, it broke her mommy's heart. We'd never left her in any kennel before, so I was just taken aback by the barking and the smell and the thought of her sitting there alone, thinking that we had abandoned her forever. She did have her own run, though (which looked pretty cozy), with her crate and blankets and a bunch of her toys. That made me feel better ... and ... she survived and was still a happy little puppy when we got her back!

Kenzie capped off the trip with an appearance in the annual Summers family photo:

Many, many thanks to Scott and Ashley, Curtis and Crystal and Mom and Dad Summers for hosting Kenzie in their homes! She is very grateful, and so are we.

Oh, and did I mention that Kenzie rode on the plane with us? The vet had given her a mild sedative, which definitely calmed her, and despite a few barks and squeals and clawing-to-get-out-of-the-bag episodes in the airport itself, she didn't make a peep once the airplane took off. Thank goodness! I was relieved it went so smoothly.