Emily turns ELEVEN and we have a new addition to our family!

For months Emily has been telling us the thing she wants most in the whole world for her birthday is a puppy of her own. She kept reminding me that she is the only one that sleeps alone in the family and she's had enough. I had to endure an endless bombardment of  "The boys share a room, you've got Daddy and who do I have?" and then answers with the all drama of a teenager......NO ONE! So after much debate, Weston and I caved. We're pathetic I know but we realized that making our daughter happy and providing a companion for Coda will not be such a bad thing.

So for about 2 weeks before her birthday, I let Emily search Craig's List for a puppy. We found many but every time I called, they are already taken. The Saturday before her birthday I had taken the kids swimming at the Mesquite Groves Aqua Center where we spent most of our summer. While they were playing I found her a puppy and called Weston to go get it. As soon as we got home from the pool, Emily jumped on the computer and found the puppy Weston was picking up. I had to pretend to call and report that it was already taken. This one she cried about. She even called Weston to tell him how upset she was because she knew "this one was the one". She was already so in love with him! It was heart breaking to see her so crushed but I knew the surprise that was coming.

While we were waiting for Weston to get home, I suggested that we should scare daddy again. We do this a lot. It's really funny all the ways we hide and scare him when he comes in. Really I was trying to find a way to pull the camera out without tipping her off. I told them daddy had just pulled up and we needed to hide. At the last moment as he opened the door, I turned the camera away from him and pointed it at Emily to capture her expression when she saw him holding her birthday present for the first time. I love this photo!

So meet our little "Marley" and yes, Emily named him after the movie. He's part Labrador and part German Short-Hair Pointer. His mom was sick when she delivered so he was bottle fed on goat's milk and is quite cuddly. He sleeps in Emily's room so she's not alone anymore and let me tell you, she is one happy child!

Smiles don't get any bigger than that! Oh how I love my baby's smile!!!

Here are some photos of our first trip to the park where we let the dogs run in the baseball fields. Marley loved it and tried really hard to keep up with Coda. He's such a little squirt and it's so cute the way he runs right now. I know it won't be too long before he can keep up. I still can't believe we have two dogs now but he's been really good for Coda already and Emily too.

Coda getting some love. Weston does this with him all the time. I can't make sense of why but it cracks me up just the same.

I just love my family!!!

We sure love our little Emily. Actually, she's not so little anymore, sniff, sniff. On July 1st she turned ELEVEN years old and is now only one short year away from Young Womens. I can't believe it! Time, please slow down, p l e a s e !

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!!!