Happy Birthday, Ali!

Today is Ali's first birthday! It is so hard to believe that a year ago, I just happened to look on Nichole's website and saw that a brand new litter of pups had been born that very morning, AND they were chocolates!! I had decided that Bama needed a sister, and I wanted a chocolate or a blue, so this must've been meant to be. John wasn't as keen on adding another puppy to our household, but as soon as he got home, I made him look at the sweet babies on her site. I think he knew it was hopeless at that point. hahaha We talked about the two females in the litter. I had picked out the runt, but John liked the other one better because her blaze was more centered on her face. He said I could call Nichole to see about getting her. Well, that one was already on hold, but the other female was still available. I told her to put HOLD on her and that I'd be there in about 15 minutes to make the deposit.

Nichole always names her puppies herself, and since the momma and the daddy of this litter were Cocoa and Candy, all the puppies had candy/cookie names. I THINK Ali's might have been Oreo, but I had already decided on Ali, so from the minute I saw her, she was Ali.

She was absolutely the tiniest thing! Nichole got the other female to show me the comparison. Ali was half the size. Because she was so tiny, Nichole said that if she didn't make it, I could have first choice out of the next litter. I had no doubt that this little girl was going to make it. I could just tell that she was a fighter. I would call or email Nichole about once a week, and I would go to her house about every couple of weeks to see her. She stayed tiny, but she just thrived! The first time I got to hold her, she gave me sweet little puppy kisses (and she hasn't stopped yet!!)

We didn't actually bring her home until she was 8 weeks old. Those were some long weeks! The minute she walked into the house, she knew she was home. She ran over to John, jumped up in his lap, and kissed him. Then she began her job as tormentor to her brother. :) Bama wasn't too sure about her, and even now he acts like she's just something he HAS to deal with, but he gets just as much enjoyment out of her as we get out of them. Yes, she aggravates the snot out of him, but he does his fair share of instigating.

So a year later, how does John feel about having two pups in the house? HA He is 100% smitten with both of them. He tells them he loves them all the time. He pretends to be the big tough "daddy" but that is so not the case. He spoils them rotten!

Ali Bug, happy, happy birthday!! We love you!