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!