Slim-Shady

This morning as I was drying my hair and Terry was shaving, getting ready for work, Salem the dog, laid on the floor outside of the bathroom, stretched out and looking overly depressed. We joked about what a rough life she has and has always had as she looked up at us with those pitiful eyes.

But she really is always sad in the morning because she knows we are about to leave for the day. Then I got to work and was looking at my calendar and realized why she was looking so depressed. It's because I am a terrible mother! I forgot her birthday! Today was her birthday and no one (read: Terry and I) didn't sing to her or give her cake for breakfast or an extra large bone or anything. She is probably already feeling sad to not be the only girl in our lives anymore; and beyond that, birthdays are a pretty big deal at our house. Yes, even for Salem. She is used to things like:

Trips to the beach

[Before]
[After]

Swimming in the lake

Party hats and cupcakes

If I were a dog, I'd like to have Salem's life (minus my mom forgetting my birthday this morning). Well, and minus my uncle who threatens to turn me into labrador-burgers. It's okay, before I saw Salem for the first time, I didn't want a dog either - and in fact was not a dog person at all. But I just had to have her. I didn't tell anyone we were getting her and just showed up on my mom's front porch with her one day. I knew she'd tell me not to get her otherwise, and I just had to have her.

Granted, there have been days [like when she ate my planner, or bills, or picture albums, or proof book from our wedding, or her lethal tail knocked over drinks on the coffee table, or she pulled me across the street to chase a squirrel while on her leash, or embarassed us by being the only dog to pee in PetSmart during puppy training classes, need I go on?] that our decision has seemed less than wise. But all in all, even in light of these things, I could not be more glad to have her; and I'm glad that our daughter will get to grow up having a doggie friend. (Even if I am training Salem by letting her lick on all of Chris & Jen's kids to get it out of her system so she doesn't lick our newborn baby too much; or if I will be even more obsessive about the FURminator and Dyson so that there are not hairs on baby blankets, bibs, clothes, etc.) And I guess the licking isn't always bad, it's just a sure way to know that she loves us, even when we forget her birthday. Happy birthday Slim-Shady!