Our Little Girl is 2!

This past weekend, Bridger turned 2! What made it even better is that her (2nd) cousin, Sally turned 3 on the same day! Following in my standard tradition when I know the actual date of birth of my dog, I will make sure it is documented. I made some party hats for the girls before we left for the weekend at the lake. Don't they just look enthusiastic?

After the quick celebration, we decided to make all the men dig up the yard. But really, they had to dig up the drain line from the sink because it was clogged. Please note the boot/swim suit combination on both Brandon and his uncle Jon (who Brandon will be in about 15 years).

During all of this, we gave the dogs their birthday rib bones.. and they were in heaven!


Ok, so it wouldn't be a complete trip to the lake if the little ones hadn't gotten into something.. Sunday evening most of the adults were sitting in the living room visiting when Abby (age 7) and Grant (age 8) come running in from fishing. In an excited, out-of-breath scream, they say, "ok, so... let me tell you what happened to Bridger!" Knowing our dog full well, Brandon and I immediately think she's run down the bank of the lake chasing some snake or something with the kids chasing her even farther until they realize they've over stretched their boundaries and just watch her continue. So our first question is, "Where is Bridger?" Abby's nonchalant response was "I don't know, outside somewhere..." as if us asking her that imperative question totally ruined the suspense she had created for herself and her story.

Immediately, Brandon and I get up off the couch to go find her when she comes and stands in front of the glass door to the living room. Knowing that she has disappeared somewhere to never be found, so both sit down and begin to listen to the kids' screaming story. You know that kind of excited scream kids get when they just can't settle down about the story they are going to tell? Yeah, that was this scene.

So, Grant continues, "Well, I was fishing, and Bridger was watching my lure..." (totally normal, Bridger is so intrigued by fishing) "...and I was reeling it in.. and Bridger jumped in after my lure... and it hooked her ear... and then I reeled her in... and she broke the line... and now she has my lure in her ear!!" Shear satisfaction on his face as we all tried to process what he's just said.

Then Abby jumps in, still screaming, "and then there was a lure on the dock... and Bridger smelled it.. and then she shook her head like this..." (insert head shaking impression) "...and then she ran off!"

Brandon and I begin asking questions, "Is the lure still in her ear?" In unison, they screamed "YES!" By this point they've reached a decibel level, very few could even touch.

Brandon and I go out on the front porch and make all the kids stand on the inside with the glass door as a barrier. Bridger seemed fine, she wasn't trying to do anything to her ear, just sitting waiting to be pet. Sure enough, a brand new, shiny silver lure was dangling from her ear like some sort of California chihuahua's grocery store accessory.
This is a blurry picture because she was so excited still from all of the commotion of the kids screaming from their excitement of Grant catching the "biggest fish of the weekend" and me taking the picture with my phone.

Brandon went to get some cutters because fish hooks have a barb on the end of them preventing them from coming out the way they came. Luckily, the hook was nearly all the way through so Brandon only had to push it a little further to fully expose the barb for cutting. I sat holding her face and talking sweetly to her.

The only time she tried to get away was when Brandon lifted the pliers up to cut the barb off, but she did good. In a matter of seconds, we had the barb cut off and the lure out of her ear! I then joked that Bridger got her ear pierced for her birthday! Brandon chuckled a bit until he realized that the lure the kids were using was the brand new one he had bought for himself the day before, making it MUCH too big for the little ones. It was on Kirk's pole that they had just decided they could use. So then we had to come inside and make sure they were reminded that they are not to use any of the "big kids' fishing stuff" because they are too big for them.

That was the biggest excitement of the weekend... nothing a little hydrogen peroxide and neosporin can't fix. Needless to say, Bridger was relieved to sleep in the room with Brandon and I that night.

The rest of the holiday weekend, we spent down by the lake with the boat and jet ski, where I tried my skills at knee boarding (something I haven't attempted in 7 years--gosh that makes me feel old).

The drive home was nice and relaxing, Bridger stretched out across the back seat sound asleep (she'll sleep for a week) and Brandon and I watching another beautiful West Texas sunset!