A Few Of My Favorite Things

Any "Sound of Music" fans? :) Lily Noelle is such a spunky, loving puppy; I can't help but have a few favorite things about her. Now I may be a little biased, but I love every part of her: her personality, her spunk, her naughty streaks, and her playfulness (just to name a few....). Sure, Lily can be annoying, but what kid/ puppy isn't from time to time? I am beyond blessed that Andrew and I decided to add her to our little family. :)

There are so many things I love about our Lily Noelle; here's just a few:
I love the way Lily nuzzles her nose into objects around her in order to get comfortable.

I love her floppy, expressive ears!

I love how her ears pin back to her head and her tail wags uncontrollably whenever she sees Andrew and I. It is literally the BEST way to be greeted!
I love how she smiles as well as her long, slimy tongue and the kisses that follow.

I love how she bounces here and there whenever she is excited.
I love how "helpful" she is. ;)

"Helping" Mama with some homework...

I love how smart she is. Though not always the most obedient, Lily LOVES praise and learning new tricks. It makes training a little easier!
I love that she loves to snuggle. Best. Snugglebug. Ever.

I love her random white freckle on her left shoulder

Can you see her white freckle on her shoulder?

I love how loving she is. I swear she senses others' moods and reacts to them.
I love how protective she is. I am 100% sure Lily Noelle will protect and guard any *future* Blanchard babies. How can I be sure? Watch this video (before the video was taken, Lily was sleeping in the next room!)

Of course, these are just a few of my favorite things about my LilyBear :)

Silly Sleeping Beauty

Have you ever known that one person that can sleep in any position and be fast asleep in minutes? May I present: Lily Noelle. She sleeps in the weirdest positions and will be out cold within seconds. I don't know how she does it! Whether she is laying on her back with her paws in the air or half on/ half off the couch, Lily will be fast asleep. Nothing can disturb her from her beauty sleep.

Yep, she's actually sleeping...

She actually started this strange habit from day 1 of bringing her home! On our ride home from picking her up from the farm, she fell asleep on my lap with her head tilted straight back and her legs stretched out straight.

Sleeping weird from day 1

Lily Noelle has another weird sleeping habit: she will stretch in her sleep. By "stretch" I mean, she will strong-arm anything and everything around her while being dead asleep! We were snuggling one morning, and she strong-armed me OUT OF THE BED! (Not exactly the best wake-up call, but hey cute puppies can get away with it!) Not only has she strong-armed out of the bed, but she has smacked me in the face, stomach, and neck while "stretching" in her sleep.
May I present my silly Sleeping Beauty:

Sleeping weird on the couch... 

Sleeping weird in the car...

Lily doesn't understand the words: Personal Bubble ;) 

Stretched out on the couch... again!

Our First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving. A holiday dedicated to give thanks. Let me tell you this Thanksgiving I was and still am so incredibly thankful for my little family.
Last Tuesday, we made our way to Fayette, Iowa, where Andrew's family lives. Our six hour drive was fairly uneventful. I slept, Andrew drove, and Lily watched the surrounding landscape between cat naps in the backseat and my lap.

Before we could go to Andrew's parents' house, we had to stop by the local vet's animal clinic to board Lily for the majority of our vacation. Most of Andrew's family is highly allergic to dogs, especially boxers. We stopped by the North Fayette Animal Clinic.

Lily Noelle was enthralled with the new sights and smells! We gave her over to the vet technician after saying some goodbyes. It was a hard and emotional parting, as we had never been away from Lily more than a night.
Fast forward 5 days (filled with laughter, good food, games, and lots of family fun). It was Saturday, and we could finally pick up our baby girl! Andrew and I were bouncing off the walls. We got to the animal clinic early. After paying the various boarding charges, they brought Lily Noelle to us. Andrew swears she got bigger over the five days; I couldn't be sure. Lily Noelle was ecstatic, as were we! (So ecstatic, in fact, we totally forgot to take ANY pictures!) We were so incredibly happy to be our small family once again. :) The rest of Saturday night Lily Noelle would not stop checking to make sure we were still there. She also had to be right next to either Andrew or me.

A very exhausted puppy

On Sunday, we made the six hour car ride back to Minnesota. Again, the ride was pretty uneventful. I slept and Andrew drove. This car ride, however, Lily laid on my lap the ENTIRE way home! Let me tell you, a 40 pound puppy is heavy after an hour of laying on you; after six hours, however, that puppy weighs a ton! No matter, I was just happy to have our family back together again! :)

Fast asleep and somehow comfortable?

A 40 pound puppy doesn't exactly fit well in the front seat...

A couple of Sleeping Beauties :)

My People Watcher

Lily loves people (as you might have picked up on from previous posts). She loves to be around people; she loves to play with people; if she can be with people, she will do anything and everything to be with people. Lily's new favorite hobby, though, is people watching. She LOVES to people watch! We live on Main Street of our small town, so there are always people milling around on the street. Since we live on the second floor, Lily gets a pretty good view of all the people coming and going! There are two windows that give Lily the perfect vantage point: the kitchen window and a living room window. Lily is finally tall enough to jump up and stand on two legs to look out the kitchen window.

For the living room window, Lily has found a way to stand on the couch's armrest with two legs and look out!

I actually took the two pictures above when we got our first snowfall of the season. As I sat on the couch doing homework, Lily raced from window to window, watching not only the snow but also the people bustling about on the street below. Gotta love my little people watcher :)

A Girl Needs Her Accessories

Or rather a PUPPY needs her accessories. Her winter accessories to be exact! ;) A few days after the first snow, we visited Lily's vet, Dr. Stacey (BEST. VET. EVER. no joke). We told Dr. Stacey about Lily's snowy adventure, and she thought it was great exercise and fun! She did mention, however, if Lily was going to spend a lot of time outdoors this winter, we should get her some winter accessories. To help protect Lily's paws from ice getting stuck in between her pads, Dr. Stacey suggested doggie booties. To help keep her warm, Dr. Stacey suggested either a jacket or sweater. When she said this, I was screaming inside. We were going to be THOSE pet owners that dress their pet up.... ugh. All of these reservations disappeared when I saw Lily Noelle shivering uncontrollably and lifting her paws because she had ice in them. *Laura melting*

Mama to the rescue! We went to Walmart and tried to find booties and a jacket. Unfortunately, Walmart didn't carry doggie booties, and the only jackets Walmart carried were either extra small or extra large. We went with the extra large jacket, so Lily could at least have something when we go outside. The jacket was pink, reversible, adorable,... and giant. Lily Noelle did NOT like the jacket. She normally spins in circles, trying to tear off said jacket. (Andrew distracted her just long enough for me to get a good picture!)

Lily liked her doggie booties even less. The little smarty-pants figured out how to undo the velcro and kick the booties off! I would put all four booties and by the time I finished the last one, she had the first three off already! Needless to say, the doggie booties did NOT last long. (Trying to get a picture of Lily -sitting still- in the doggie booties would be a neat trick... I settled for a picture of the booties instead...)

The last resort was a sweater. We found a cute knit sweater from Walmart. This sweater actually fits Lily Noelle like a glove! Plus she is warm AND even cuter! ;) 

Lily sitting for me in her ADORABLE sweater :)

"Are we done yet Mama?"

Lily's First Snow

Last Monday, southwest Minnesota got hit with our first (of many) snowstorms, and it was like a whole, new world appeared! *cue Aladdin soundtrack* Anywho, Lily Noelle was ecstatic! The white fluffy stuff didn't seem to phase her. Gone were the crunchy leaves to pounce on; hello, white foreign matter covering the ground! Lily couldn't stop running through the huge mounds of snow. She loved diving through the piles and racing through the vast, white, open spaces.
I think the snow invigorates her. It doesn't matter how long we have been outside playing, Lily comes inside with MORE energy than when we went outside! It's ridiculous. Can you imagine if humans were invigorated by snow and the cold? Winter would be the most productive season! Sorry, off topic. Back to Lily Noelle and her new love for snow.

Daddy and Lily Noelle pausing the fun for a picture :)

Lily loves the snow, BUT to a point. Let me explain: Monday afternoon we decided it would be fun to go play in the snow as a family. Andrew and I put on 5 layers (each!), and we took off to the local park by the lake. Once there, the leash came off, and Lily Noelle couldn't be stopped. For anything. She zoomed this way; she zipped that way. Back and forth; jumping up and down. Slipping and sliding over the slick ground. Lily had been transformed into the Energizer Bunny: she just kept going and going and going.... After playing/ running around the snow-claden park for an hour, Lily Noelle took off again and disappeared. Andrew and I frantically called her name only to find her next to the passenger door of the car. See, Lily loves the snow, but to a point! Before she made her escape to the warm car, I was able to capture some of Lily's pure joy on video:

Half- Breed

I found this beautiful poem the other day, and I just had to share it. When I first started reading it I was a little stunned. I thought, "My boxer isn't a half-breed! We payed a lot of money for the purebred status!" But as I continued to read the poem, I couldn't help but smile. My Lily Noelle is a half- breed. It is SO true! She is my baby; Andrew's Daddy's girl; and she is most definitely a part of the family! I honestly can't imagine my life without Lily Noelle. She can be a monster sometimes (as I write this, she is under our bed destroying a cardboard box; ripping it to shreds; and eating the pieces. Oh well, a little extra fiber right?!) Other times, though, she is a snuggle-bug. Sure, she has equal parts angel and devil in her, but that doesn't really matter in my eyes. I love her no matter what she does because she is my Honey Bunny and Baby Girl!
I hope you enjoy this poem as much as I did. Pets are a part of the family and they play SUCH an important role in our lives.


 Poem found at: http://agcpetservices.blogspot.com/2011/11/they-call-me-boxer.html

Unorthodox Bath Time

Andrew and I live in a [smaller] apartment which is located on the second story above 3 different businesses (a salon, photographer, and massage therapist). Its quaint and cozy atmosphere has been perfect for our little family of three. However, there are times it feels like we are living in a shrinking box! We especially feel like this whenever we have to give Lily Noelle a bath... {Thankfully boxers have extremely sensitive skin, so bath time happens maybe once or twice a month.}

Anywho, our bathroom is no more than a 4 foot by 5 foot box complete with a meager stand shower with a glass door. Cramped is an excellent describer for this bathroom. No bathtub. No yard with a hose. Can you see how bath time becomes a little unorthodox and a hassle?

Our very cramped bathroom

So we've had to become creative for bath times. Our solution? A 15 foot hose, a sink faucet to hose converter, and a hose sprayer. 

Let me explain: Lily and one unlucky owner are locked in the shower. The hose is connected to the bathroom sink via the handy dandy sink faucet to hose converter (available at your local hardware store!). The hose and hose sprayer are lifted over the shower door, and water from the sink is turned on. Sound easy? THINK. AGAIN.

Our creative contraption 

Andrew smiles despite being the unlucky owner ;)

Pink Lemonade Shampoo (because every puppy should smell pretty!)

Lily usually freaks out from being stuck in a tiny box with water being sprayed on her from the sky. The unlucky owner is cramped on the shower floor, trying to wrangle a spastic Lily AND the hose AND the dog shampoo. It is NOT an easy-peesy process! *understatement of the year right there*

Why human do you do this to me?! 

Did I mention it's kind of cramped???

Puppy hugs from a soaking wet puppy :)

After Lily has been cleaned by the now soaked unlucky owner, the beast is released for the OTHER unlucky owner to try and dry her off. (Again NOT an easy task!) Lily begins to attack the towel (which includes the other owner's hands amidst the towel material).

Release the beast!

All in all, this process can take anywhere from a half hour to an hour. Either way... it's an adventure! :) 

One Puppy, A Million Names

Lily Noelle has quite a few nicknames from quite a few people. When Lily first came home, Andrew and I called her Lily Noelle or Lily most of the time, so she would learn her name. Then I got in the habit of calling her "LilyBear" instead of Lily Noelle. Andrew finally said, "If you keep calling her LilyBear, she's going to think that's her name!" So that nickname got put on the back burner for awhile (but only for a short time!). When we first brought Lily home, she was incredibly tiny, and her color was a very pretty tan. Her small size and color led Andrew to start calling her "Peanut" (which I thought was ADORABLE!).    

When my family first met her, Lily was almost three months old and still very tiny. She was coming out of her shell more and more everyday. That being said, when Lily met my family, she could barely keep her excitement in! Her tail started to wag so uncontrollably fast... her whole body started to wiggle! This lead to my dad and brother calling her "Wiggles"! :) My dad also came up with another nickname for Lily based on the television show, "How I Met Your Mother". In the show, there is a character named Lily who's husband nicknames her "Lily Pad". When my dad found out that our puppy's name was Lily, naturally he thought of Lily Pad.  

Lily Noelle has many more nicknames including: Baby Girl, Daddy's Girl, Mama's Girl, Little Bear, Little Noelle, Lil, the Lil-ster (Andrew's creation), Goober, and Honey Bunny (my latest nickname for her). Even though she has many different nicknames from many different people, she will forever be our Lily Noelle.  

Peanut working on her big girl bone :)

Our little explorer

Sitting pretty for the camera!

My Not-So-Little Little Bear

This past week, our Lily Noelle turned six months old! :) We couldn't believe that our once 6.7 pounds, two month old puppy is now 36 pounds and six months old!  

 

Lily Noelle at two months old.

Lily Noelle at six months old!  

This past week also marked four months of having our LilyBear, and it has been nothing less than amazing to see her transformation from a little pup that could fit in the crook of your arm to a beast that takes up half of the love seat!  

Lily Noelle has not only physically grown up, but she is so incredibly smart and has such a fun personality! When we first brought Lily home, she was incredibly shy and quiet. She became startled easily and would not like to play. As the weeks of owning her drew on, she slowly came out of her shell. She has grown to LOVE playing and snuggling with anyone and everyone within her reach. She has grown into a spunky, loving and energetic puppy. 

Have I mentioned how smart Lily is? Lily Noelle is almost too smart for her own good; here's an example of her "smartiness": If you have seen my past post about Lily's "baby" items, you know we have a pak-n-play that is 3 feet high and can be stretched out to 5 feet. Well, our smarty pants of a puppy has figured out how to climb OVER the 3 foot gate and jump out of the pak-n-play! We couldn't believe it, but we watched her scale the gate THREE DIFFERENT TIMES! When she got out of the pak-n-play, she came straight to us! (She's definitely a "people's person/ puppy"!)  

These last four months have been an adventure to say the least, but we LOVE having Lily Noelle in our lives! :) Happy six months birthday, my Not-So-Little Little Bear.

I'm Sorry; I Can't Hear You Over My Snoring Puppy

I find it funny how much you learn about a dog breed AFTER you own that dog breed for a while. No amount of research can prepare you for the funny idiosyncrasies of the breed. Saint Bernards, for example, REALLY STINK (all that slobber and hair adds up to a lot of stinky-ness!) Bloodhounds, another example, have a lot of ear problems, and their ears have to be constantly cleaned to prevent infections. Boxers, we found, snore extremely loud! Upon finding this surprising (and loud) idiosyncrasy, we asked our vet about it. She explained that because of their short snout, boxers can have trouble with extreme temperatures and various breathing problems, including snoring!

Our little Boxer, Lily Noelle, snores like a lumberjack! I thought Andrew snored loud BUT man! Lily Noelle gives him a run for his money! Without fail, Lily will start snoring ridiculously loud every time she falls asleep. While a snoring puppy is adorable, it’s less so when said puppy is snoring in your ear or if you have to turn up the TV’s volume because your puppy is snoring so loud! :)

When we were coming home from my parents’ lake house after Labor Day Weekend, Lily Noelle starting sawing logs before we left their driveway. This video is a testament to Lily Noelle’s snoring abilities! Give it a listen :)

Working On My Roar

Fun fact: when a puppy “finds” his or her voice, they LOVE to constantly use it. Lily Noelle was an almost mute puppy when we first brought her home. Only after she became comfortable around us did Lily stretch her vocal cords. Her bark was piercing and high-pitched. It could be heard whenever Lily became startled or scared (i.e. when we first put her in her kennel--- our house became extremely loud!) Her growl was pitiful at best. Picture Simba from Lion King trying to roar at the hyenas.

Lily’s growl was just as sad and pathetic. (Luckily, as Lily Noelle has gotten older, her growl and bark has become deeper).

Then, Lily discovered howling. Man, oh, man. She loves to howl! She especially “likes” it when someone howls with her. (By “likes”, I mean she reacts to a person’s howl and tries to match it!) Lily Noelle howls at anything: the tornado siren, the train whistle, people’s singing, etc. You name it, and she’s probably howled at it.

My favorite parts of Lily’s howling is her beginning and ending. To start her howling “performance”, Lily throws her head back, like it’s crucial to a good howl! ;) When Lily is finishing her “performance”, she sort of runs out of steam and finishes with a yawn/ whine. It’s too cute and funny that you can’t help but smile. Below is a video of one of many "Andrew and Lily Howling Performances". I dare you not to smile and giggle! Enjoy! :)

Oh Baby!

As you might have picked up from my past blog posts, I consider myself Lily Noelle's mama, and Andrew considers himself her daddy. Lily Noelle is our baby; there's no doubt about that! Before we got Lily, people consistently told us, "A puppy is A LOT of work," or "it's like you will have a toddler that won't ever grow up!" Andrew and I, however, both grew up with dogs, so we were prepared for the necessary work involved with owning a puppy. What we weren't aware of was how much owning a puppy is like having a baby! (Now, I know some moms will see that sentence and say a puppy is no where near the work of an infant, but just hear me out...)
We have had Lily Noelle for almost four months now, and we have all the necessities for a baby! Bear with me as I explain... :)
We have:

• a diaper bag

Yep, it's a Mountain Dew diaper bag... don't judge. ;)

• a pak-n-play

"Folds out to five feet AND is three feet high!"

• puppy wipes (thanks to my lovely mother-in-law!)

• a MULTITUDE of toys

This isn't even all of them...

• a blankie and bed

Lily LOVES her blankie and bed!

• teething toys

We even stick these guys in the freezer to  help with Lily's hurting gums!

• AND a {makeshift} baby gate

Lily hasn't figured out [YET] how to knock down said {makeshift} baby gate!

We have also on more than one occasion have had to get up with Lily Noelle every hour of the night (thankfully she has started to grow out of this tiring habit!). She constantly demands our full attention- lest we want chewed up furniture or destroyed household items! We have to be conscious of her potty schedule, her walking/ exercise schedule, and her eating schedule. Our schedules revolve around her and her needs. Yes, a puppy is A LOT of work. Yes, comparing a puppy to an infant is unrealistic. 

BUT Lily Noelle is our baby; she takes a majority (if not all) of our time, and I wouldn't have it any other way. :)