The Missaroo

The Missaroo
Ready to Take on the World

Friday, April 30, 2010

Unapologetic

I often describe "The Miss-Adventures of Me and the Missaroo" as our funny, little blog. And I really do hope that's what it is overall. But more than that, it truly is about out lives; what we do, and think, and feel about our world everyday. I do get very personal in it and that's also the point. This blog has become an outlet for me and sometimes I write things I don't have the courage to say. If someone asked me how I was doing I don't think I would reply with, "well Webmd says I'm depressed." Maybe I've written some things that have been hurtful, for that I'm sorry but I don't take one word back because it's my overall view magnified in certain situations.


Here's a few cases in point. I wish I could tell this guy how much he hurt me, broke me, made me sleep under my desk I was so depressed. I can't and won't. Does it make anything I've written about him untrue? No. Do I hope he never reads it? No. I wish he did know what I have to say about him, I just don't have the courage to do it. So I write it.

In the last blog "Life Adventure," you might think I was being too harsh on my dad, he probably thinks so from the conversation we had about it. I love my dad. I never really tell him that because I don't have the courage to. Does it make that any less true? No. But my dad and I have a very interesting relationship. We don't talk about real stuff, never have, never will. There is no one who makes me more upset, leaves me frustrated, ((ok well maybe my brother on that one)), or who makes me laugh more than my dad. I think he can be completely ridiculous when it comes to priorities and getting things done. Sorry but I do. I wish I could tell him that, but I can't so I write it. But he's also probably the smartest, honest, and humblest person I know. I don't have the courage to tell him that either, so I wrote that too.

I am overall unapologetic about what I have to say in this blog. I don't want to hold back, but I also don't mean to attack. What I do want is an honest way to share my feelings. My mom often tells me that I'm weak because I cry. But I'm unapologetic for that too. I think everyone has a right to feel however they want. That's what this blog is about. It's why I love Missaroo so much.

Missy is her and unapologetic about it. Missy barks because she feels like it, licks because she feels like it and jumps on you because she feels like it. She is going to make me deaf from that barking, is annoying with the licking, and recently cut the side of my hand open when she scratched it while jumping on me. All of it hurt me, but it's a part of who she is as a dog. I think it's A OK to feel the way you do and so our blog will continue to be unapologetic.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Life Adventure

Missy and I had what I like to call a life adventure today. It actually started last night.


On my way home from class my phone wouldn't work. I had just called AT&T about a problem I was having with my phone two weeks before and now this time I couldn't even get into anything on my phone. I don't have a land line or any other phone so I stopped by work. I have to pass work in order to get home and there I can use the phone. I feel stupid coming into work for any reason on my day off but what else was I suppose to do? So I called my dad first to get the 800-number to call AT&T. He tells me, "dude they might not help you because the bill is overdue" What? Awesome. Of course they'll help me, and they did. They told me my phone was cashed, but the good news is I'm eligible for an upgrade, once the bill is paid of course. I call my dad back and tell him, "pay the bill my phone is cashed". He tells me he'll try but he's pretty busy in the check cutting room tomorrow.

Now, for anyone who knows anything about my dad this is pretty darn typical. Doesn't have his bills paid on time, can't diverge from his schedule in order to make this work for me. I complain that I can't find a 28 to 32 year old man with his crap together; well I'd take a 56-year-old dad with his crap together as well.


So at the same time my phone died that night, the check engine light came on in my car. Because that's exactly how life happens. Today Missaroo and I got up early and headed to the Quality Care place down the street. The best part about where I live on the hill is everything is within walking distance. So we drop the car off and walk, in the rain of course because once again life, and head to the AT&T store which is across from my apartment. So I tie Miss up outside and go in to see about my phone. Bill still not paid. Are you kidding me? My dad is two hours ahead of me and three hours into his work day. This is not happening. So I leave and walk home. I get a hold of my brother via his girlfriend and the internet and tell him to call dad because he can pay the bill over the phone right this second. Dad doesn't have his phone on him in the check cutting room. Of course he doesn't. So after a few emails and other phone calls later I just decide I'm going to pay the darn bill myself and he can mail me the check. I head back out into the rain to get my phone.

Two hours later I have my shinny new Blackberry. It's so awesome I don't even know how to use it. Thank goodness my old phone cashed out because this baby rocks! By the time I turn it on I have five voicemails, two from my mom because she doesn't know about the phone situation and three from the Quality Care guy. My car needs a lot of work. Of course it does, I just bought a $300 phone. So I tell him go ahead let's do it, walking in the rain sucks.

By this time it's after 1pm and nothing has been marked off my "to do" list. I shower but still haven't eaten anything. So Missy and I head out on foot again, this time the rain has stopped. We walk to McDonalds which is next to the car place and then go pick up the car. The nice old fellows even let her wait inside with me so I didn't have to tie her up! How great is that!?!

At 3:45 pm we're ready to pull into the garage, but oh! we can't! There is a moving truck parked outside my apartment and it's blocking exactly two parking spots and one of them is mine, of course it is! So I park in the middle of the lot and take Miss upstairs, get the guys to move the truck so I can pull in. WHAT A DAY!

So here's my thoughts on all of this, other than my dad is ridiculous still and my mom is a saint for putting up with him all those years. I am truly, unbelievably blessed! Today was one of the longest, most irritating ones I've had in a long time. Well then I'm doing pretty well aren't I? I have a sweet new phone, an amazing dog to trek across the hill with and a mom to tell me I know honey, you're father is nuts. I have a brother who woke up and helped me as best he could without question. I have a roof over my head and food in the fridge. I had shoes on my feet and sweatshirt over my head while I got soaked in the rain. Miss and I were almost living out of the car 8 months ago and today we have a great apartment with a garage. And even then we had amazing people in our lives that kept us from living out of the car. So the next time life gives you an adventure praise the Lord for it, because it will remind you how truly blessed you are.

"Sounds like life to me, ain't no fantasy. The only thing for certain is uncertainty"

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

What's in a Name?

Missy's full name is Missy Mae Baumann. All of my girl cousins on my mom's side have "M" middle names. Since Missy is my child replacement, I stuck with the theme. In fact, she has the same middle name as my cousin Elyssa. Elyssa's middle name is the same as her maternal grandmother's name. So there's a little fun family fact.

Missy goes by several names: Missy, Missy Mae, Miss, Missers and of course my favorite, the Missaroo. Missy is so smart that it really is the "Miss" part of her name that she response to. Most people name their pets with a "y" ending thinking that's the part they hear and understand. Not my Missaroo. You yell "Miss" and she turns her head. But there is one nickname she has that I am trying to get rid of. I mentioned it in our very first post as her most recent nickname, Shmishmishmoo.

This was not a nickname I gave her, but I'm the only one who still uses it. The man who shall remain nameless started calling her that, and well, it just stuck. I've even use Shmish and shmishers. But it needs to stop. If I can eliminate the habit of calling her by those names it's another moving on victory for me. Obviously, that's still a work in progress, because if you have to mention it you aren't over it. It might not seem like a big deal to still use it, but it is. It's me holding on.

It's one tiny step at a time. I wish I could move faster, but there's too many thoughts rolling around in my head for that. This is what happens when I don't get answers to questions I'm too afraid to even ask. Well that's another blog for another day. In the meantime, I'm sticking to the Missaroo like glue!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

We Hate the Rain

I'm surprised I haven't written about this before! Missy and I hate the rain, for different reasons of course. I hate the rain because I am not walking her in it. Sometimes, if it's not too bad we will venture out for 20 minutes or so, but that's about it. I hate getting rained on, I hate getting wet before having to look nice for work, and I hate the smell of wet dog.


Missy hates the rain because that means no long walk. She also hates coming in from the rain and having me wipe down her paws. She's always been very anti-paw touch. Teaching her to shake was probably one of the hardest things. She'll do it for a treat but not because she likes it. So if I can get a few quick wipes on each paw it's a miracle, which also means I have a wet dog wandering my apartment, gross!


So in case you haven't guessed by now, it's a rainy day on Spokane's South Hill. Missy is being extra annoying, and I'm hoping to avoid the rain. Happy Tuesday!

Monday, April 26, 2010

We Live in Doggie Hell

In The Tri-Cities, it what the mass amount of over watering sprinklers that made going outside for walks more adventurous than they should have been, in Spokane it's the massive amount of dogs. But more specifically, I'm talking about my favorite kind of owner dog comb, dogs without leashes.

Yesterday, Missy and I ventured through doggie hell because I was in need of a poop bag before we began our real walk down the road. There was a puppy wiener dog eyeing the Missaroo from across the parking lot. I told Missy, "Behave" in my stern mom voice and she was listening, staring, but moving right along with me. Well this little wiener dog was not listening. The owner is standing NEXT TO IT. The next thing I know the dog is coming after us, so I try to haul butt with Missaroo to our poop bag destination. The owner is coming with the dog but why she hasn't caught up to this stupid dog yet I can't figure out, mostly because I'm pulling my poor dog down the grass.

Finally I decide to stop. Thinking maybe she can catch up to her dog. So we stop and she says sorry and I say it's ok but she will attack ((as in Missaroo will attack)) But instead of corralling her dog in she bends down and starts TALKING to it. She says "No Izzy" in a very sweet little voice. I can't believe it! And I'm the crazy dog lady! Sheesh, I don't think so. So here I go pulling Missy's poor head off to get her AWAY FROM THIS FREAKING DOG AND HER CRAZY OWNER. I turned my head while pulling Miss and said "Why don't you just pick the damn dog up already, it's not hard" and then gave her a warning. "If your dog comes close again, I'm dropping the leash."

Missy is no perfect angel. She is pretty much a psycho when it comes to other dogs but this is why she is always on a leash. There have been two times she has gotten away from me and torn after another animal, the chicken and a cat. The cat incident turned into chasing after a dog incident however. And you bet your bum I screamed bloody murder after my dog. I yelled she wasn't friendly and when I did chase her down I picked her up, thumped her on the bottom, and carried her home in a grip of death. I did not bend down and talk to her.

I'm not a dog expert ofrthe perfect dog owner, but it is a requirement of the apartment complex to have your pet on leashes at all times, so just follow the darn rules people! I don't need another attack while crossing through doggie hell.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Back to Basics

Missaroo and I moved to Spokane eight months ago today. I can't believe it. This time last year I didn't think I would still be working in the business. We are loving life in Spokane and liking mom's new gig a lot better than the last one. To kind of build on the last blog, Missy has come a long way since our two and a half month hiatus of unemployment and constant moving. Things are starting to click for her again but more importantly, I've gone back to the basics with her when it comes to training.


Sometimes I get so ticked at Miss that it's hard to turn around and remember to praise her when she's not doing something wrong. But as soon as I remember this small training tip, she instantly improves. Here's an example.... I've mentioned the cat that lives next door. Missy likes to jump up by the window and say hello. She gets a stern "MISSY" when this happens but when she doesn't do that she wasn't getting a good girl. She is now and you know? No more jumping! That simple. Now every time she is on the landing by our door it's "Good girl Missaroo." Every time she stops barking at another dog, "Good girl" and when she does start to bark it's back to "Watch me's" and not letting her focus on anything else but my face, and you know what? She's a tad bit less annoying. Does she still bark? Yes. Does she still try to play with cats? Yes. But there is improvement. The consistency is back.

So what's the lesson in all this? No more lazy mom. I've been too passive with her. I blamed the move, well the move is done. A little more mom and a little less buddy will be in play for the next eight months. The Missaroo deserves it. It's all about getting back to basics, for me.

Friday, April 23, 2010

A Loss of Independence

Missaroo has lost some of her independent spirit. I really made the connection for the first time yesterday. When I was working overnight and sleeping during the day, Missy was forced to entertain herself for at least a couple of hours because it was so unnatural for her to sleep during the day. ((It was equally as unnatural for me)) She would usually sit down at the foot of the bed and chew a bone, and then she'd wander off to another part of the apartment to bury it. But then we moved, and a lot about the Missaroo changed.

Living with the wonderful Sims family was hard on both of us. They are amazing for taking us in and letting us live there, and there is no doubt we would have been homeless or at least living out of our storage unit if it hadn't been for their generosity. But we went from living in an apartment to living in a bedroom, with nothing we owned in it. Missy and I were four feet away from each other at all times. She lived on her leash when we were anywhere but the bedroom. It was hard for her. Plus, the rules had changed on her and anyone who knows a thing or two about a dog in training knows inconsistency is a recipe for disaster.

I did keep up with her training, but it was very confusing to her. She didn't have a concept of what belonged to her or where she was allowed and where she wasn't. She use to move things around the room because she just didn't get it. And she certainly went back to hating the crate. It was still never used as punishment but every time I turned around there was either a kid inside of it or the door was closed. Missy couldn't even go into her safe place if she wanted to.

Some of that has changed now that we've been in Spokane for nearly 8 months. You've seen the pictures of her going into her crate on her own. She's also reclaimed what is her's. She understands all of her things go into the crate. If it didn't start there it doesn't belong to her. We can do this again because she can go into the crate and get those things back out. But the one thing she's never gone back to is chewing on a bone while I sleep. Almost every morning she gets up bright and early to go to the bathroom, and the she waits. She waits for me to get up and does nothing but wait. Or at night, when she's not ready to sleep and I am she still won't get that bone and quietly chew by herself, she just wines at me instead.

I've tried taking her bone into the bedroom with me like I use to, but she just ignores it. It's a part of her independent behavior she's never recovered. We have definitely made strides and I'm proud of what we've survived and overcome but a lot of her training went out the window in those two and a half months. I'm not sure we'll ever get that part of her back, not to mention we'll never get our independence from each other back.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

No Room in the Bed

When I went to go to bed last night, I discovered Missy had not only beaten me to the punch but she was curled up in my spot with her head on the pillow. ((I know, I know, I should have taken a picture of it)) This is a problem for a couple of reasons. 1) I am allergic to Missy. ((See "Avoiding an Itchy Itchy Fate for more details)) 2) It makes it that much harder to move her over.

Yes, Missy sleeps on the bed with me. She's done this from the very beginning and trust me when I tell you this was never the plan. The day that I met and adopted Missaroo her foster mom told me Missy was use to sleeping in the bed. I thought, "oh no, that is NOT happening with me", mostly because of my allergies. The first week that I had her I slept in my recliner so she would hopefully get use to sleeping on the floor. That never happened. I couldn't keep her off the bed and we were still a month away from starting doggie classes. I was a new dog-mom and I didn't know what to do with my crazy dog. She had A LOT of social problems, sleeping at the foot of the bed became a battle not worth fighting.

Soon that sleeping at the foot of the bed became sleeping right next to me. Missy has to be touching me in some fashion as we sleep. It's annoying and appreciated all in the same breath. So this is why last night was quite the problem. I TRY to move her over, but that's so much easier said than done. I froze most of the night because I couldn't get her to a place that didn't pull off half of the comforter. I did get plenty of sheets however.

So there we slept, right smack in the middle of my queen sized bed. Both lying vertically like a couple of people. The Missaroo really does have it good. That's when it occurred to me there's just no room for anyone else in here, is there? Now bare with me for a moment, it's time to go off the deep end a little, unless of course the whole her sleeping in the bed wasn't already off the deep end enough for you....

Missy doesn't share, AT ALL. I'm definitely a single dog mom in that sense. And as much as she loves the men, she's not ready for one to take up her half of the bed anytime soon. So neither am I. It would take A LOT for us to open up our lives again to someone. I'm not saying dating is out of the question because I have a child like dog, but I am saying starting to share our lives again, not happening. Missy and I both tried to open up, commit, and allow another person into our lives. It was great until it wasn't. Now I realize my mistake and we need to be even more selective than we already are when it comes to sharing. There is simply no room in the bed for anyone else.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Gunky Eyes

So yesterday it was throw up, but everyday for the Missaroo is a gunky eye day. ((Hey, at least I'm getting away from the posts that are all about me)) I never thought she would be a gunky eye dog either, but she is. You know there are some breeds you expect it from, but I guess she's a little bit of every breed all rolled into one.

All the time, especially in the morning she has gunk I have to clear out. She's pretty good about me wiping around her eyes too. It's best if I get it on the first try, if I have to go back she sees the fingers coming and tries to move her head. I'm pretty good at just grabbing her face and making her hold still. At least I win that battle.

At night, it looks like she's been crying. I'm not really sure what the gunky eye thing is all about and the worst part is I can't remember if it was always like this or its just a Spokane thing. I guess we'll added it to the weird Missaroo list and ask the vet next time we go.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Puker McPukerson

Missy is a puker, always has been. When we first moved to Spokane, she would throw up every Saturday and Sunday when I first started my 10 hour shifts. Then she would just pick one day to throw up.

Now, she has gone a month without throwing up until yesterday. On Monday she threw up four times. All over my floor the first time, all over her crate the second time. Two little puddles each time.

I can't figure out what it is that makes her throw up so much! It's all of a sudden too and then she's fine and wants to play rope. Most of the time it's just liquid. She hasn't gotten into the garbage. She's on a leash all the time outside so she's not eating something then. I even switched her food to the kind for sensitive stomachs.

Anyone have any suggestions on what it could be? I've talked to the vet about it and they aren't sure, but she seems fine. My carpet is not.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Panic Dog Mom Mode

It's time to relive an adventure we had while living in the Tri-Cities. I remembered it while laying in bed last night peeking over the covers at Missaroo. I was thinking about how much I really do love my crazy dog and my life would suck without her ((yes, you can thank Kelly Clarkson for that line, but it's true)).

It was a summer day in the Tri-Cities and Missy and I were on a weekend walk. We were headed down the street like always when two motorcycles came roaring by. I stopped to try to get a hold of Missy but she managed to slip her collar and BAM! Off she went chasing the motorcycles at full speed, and she's a fast little devil. Up and around the corner from where I stood was a four lane intersection and I knew if she made it that far and kept going at best she'd get hit by a car. I went into panic dog mom mode. I of course yelled, MISSY! And then took off running. I'm really not sure I've ever run that fast in my life, and for those of you who know me well I chose not to run 99.9% of the time.

Going through my head were thoughts like, "where is the nearest animal hospital? Do I have the vet's number saved in my phone? I could always take me little zip up jacket off and try to tie it around her to try and stop the bleeding. How am I going to carry by hurt dog all the way back to my car to get her to the vet?"

I thought for sure Missy was going to get hit. As I turned the corner, a miracle was happening. That little dog was still running full speed but this time it was right at me. Somewhere, somehow she had turned her head and didn't see me so she started in the other direction. I dropped to my knees when I saw her and she ran right into me! I think it's the only time I've ever hugged her. Missaroo does not do hugs. I told her how much she had scared the crap out of me, to never do anything like that again, and then I tightened up her collar and put it back on her. We sat in the grass for a while and played before heading home.
This might be the day when I truly went from being a dog owner to a dog mom.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Happy to Come Home to You

I write a lot about the Missaroo as my kid, but I realized today the best part about Missy is that she's my dog. Over the weekends, I work A LOT. There is no doubt that Saturdays and Sundays are the hardest days for me. Today was another long day at work. It was also beautiful outside, or so everyone who came in the door told me. Great, good to know. I'm inside and my dog is sitting in a crate. Way to rub it in. That's how I feel anyway. I trip to smile and give it my ole, "yep so I hear" reply. I don't think I'm fooling anyone with it but they kept telling me about the wonderful weather anyway. So, after all that the only thing I wanted to do was come home to my wonderful dog.

Missaroo is a disaster when I walk in the door. She can't wait to be free, to go potty, to see her mommy. I can't wait to see her. She is all I think about at the end of a long day. And the best part is, no matter how long I have to leave her, no matter what happened at work, no matter what's still to come, she is ALWAYS happy that mom just walked in the door. To her nothing else at that moment matters. I too often take those moments for granted. I'm often on the phone with my mom when I walk in the door, or I'm too busy trying to hurry up and get her collar on her. Next time I come home though, before Missaroo comes bursting out of the crate, I'm going to take the time to enjoy it; That exact moment when I see that happy, smiling puppy I'm so happy to come home to.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Let the Barking Begin


Missy loves to be out on the balcony when it's nice and sunny out. We've been lucky over my weekend to have some of the best weather we've seen in Spokane. Yesterday we went for a nice, hour long walk and the only thing I wore was my Coug T-shirt and a pair of shorts. It was great.

So in the mornings when I get up I take Missy's new bed and put it out on the balcony for her to lie in. But it's not long before the barking begins. Missy pretty much barks at anything to begin with, but it's worse now that we live in dog hell. This is probably the nicest set of apartments on the South Hill that allows dogs. Trust me, I'm paying through my nose for this place and I don't even want to talk about the deposit I had to give them. But they have the market cornered, nice place meets pet friendly. So everyone here has a pet, and most of those pets are dogs.

Now a lot of these dogs are barkers like the ole Missaroo, and that's the problem. They are all out on their balconies, or patios and when they hear Miss start to bark or vice versa they start to bark, and it becomes never ending. And of course, nine times out of ten it's Missy starting the dog bark-athon.

The worst part might be that I just kinda let her. As I've mentioned before, there are few activities Missy engages in that don't require my attention and energy, the barking happens to be one of them. I'm sure she really pisses off the neighbors though. I mean she pisses me off when she stares out and starts in with the barking anytime before 9am. Sometimes I try my best to kick her from under the covers!

Now yesterday when she started barking all I could do was laugh. I was sitting out on the balcony reading for class and Missaroo was inside. She then comes running out and she's not barking she is straight up howling! She paced along the balcony sticking her nose between the bars and then would howl. She was barking at a smell. I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair. So add that to the list of things that make Miss bark, movement, wheels of any kind, other dogs, cats that won't play with her, and smells. Let the barking begin!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

There Really is No Embarrassment Like Kid Mom Embarrassment

Missaroo freaks out the most when she is on her way home from daycare. I think a large portion of that can be contributed to the fact she just got done running around with a ton of other dogs, and now she thirsty, hungry, and all riled up. She barks A LOT on the way home. It's super annoying and embarrassing. Today we were at a stoplight when a man came kind of half running half jogging down the street and cutting through the stopped cars to get across. Now it was also very warm and sunny today, so as you can imagine my windows were down. That's when Missy started in. The guy couldn't help but laugh, the driver behind me couldn't help but laugh. I'm sure a lot of other drivers were also laughing at my freak out dog. I didn't noticed, I was too busy hiding my head behind my hand. It's the equivalent to a kid throwing a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store.

A few blocks later, after Missy had calmed down, I saw a mom pushing a stroller up the street near a very busy park. The speed limit there is 20, and trust me when I tell you, everyone goes 20 or LESS down the street. So traffic is slowly moving up the hill while this woman is going down the hill. As we get closer, I see a two or three-year-old a few steps behind her. As we inch closer, I notice the kid is SCREAMING CRYING with his pants down around his ankles. Mom finally turns around and sees her kid, pants down, waddling up the street. The same head to hand motion I had pulled a few blocks earlier is now the one she's engaged in. I LAUGHED ALL THE WAY UP THE HILL. As embarrassing as Missy is there is no dog equivalent to turning around and seeing your half naked child screaming after you as traffic slowly laughs. Thanks Miss for not being a kid.

Dog Mom vs. Kid Mom

This is a topic I know I visited at least twice before, and has probably been alluded to or mention almost weekly. But now I'm talking about it head on, plus I want to clear the air about some things. So are you ready? Because here we go, this might be a long one, but hey, there are pictures.

First, what is a dog mom? Well me, duh, but there's more to it. Missy is the center of my world. Her grooming and vet appointments, along with her daycare schedule are planned out and put on the calendar first. My day is organized around when she gets walked and fed and now when her blog and facebook page gets updated. My personal life takes a back sit to her potty breaks. Now there are plenty of people who love their pets too much. They put them on Christmas cards and dress them in silly outfits but that does not make these people dog parents. Missy is not my over loved pet, she is my child replacement. There is a difference.


So in this world, you can't be a dog mom and a kid mom. Your dog and your kids cannot compete with each other for space on your calendar or your to do list. Your kid better win, every time. I mean it. This is where the notion of the anti-kid mom mentality comes from.


When I say, dog moms are anti-kid moms this is not a knock on kid moms, at all. My own kid mom might kill me if I thought that. I happen to have one of the best kid moms ever and she helps me to be a good dog mom. Instead, this is just to differentiate. There are two states of mind and because it is socially less unacceptable to be a dog mom we tend to take more crap, I think, from the outside world as viewing us as not being moms at all. I went into this topic in earlier postings so I don't want to revisit it here. There's too much ground left to cover, so let's move on.


As a dog mom, I'm almost using Missy as my warm-up to parenthood. It's kind of like starting in triple A ball hoping to one day get to the major leagues. And for me, that's really all I have, hope. Some women might grow up thinking, "I'm going to have kids someday". That is a definite statement. I hope I'll have kids someday. I want nothing more than to be married and start a family. But as the years continue to pass, men I want to have kids with pass me by, and the few health problems I've run into that have doctors telling me, "it might be harder for you to get pregnant than most women, good thing you're young" the more scared I become that a trip to the majors just isn't in my future. Now lots of ballplayers spend their entire careers in the minors, and some women spend their whole lives without kids. That's a reality. So I have Missy.

My mom likes to tell me, "oh it will happen for you one day sweetheart." But I can name at least two women off the top of my head, in their 40's who never married and never had kids. Hey look at Jennifer Aniston.  Once again, fact.

My mom somehow thinks the fact that I am not certain about having kids and getting married means I have a negative attitude. But for me, it's about not getting my hopes up. That's what all the, "kids scare me, I'm glad I just have my dog," talk is really about. Not letting myself get too disappointed if it never happens. I love my Missaroo, she is my world and at the end of the day if I wasn't completely ok with that I would cry a lot more than I already do.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Drepression Helps the Missaroo

Whenever I'm having a tough go I sleep on the floor. For some reason it seems to be the only thing that keeps the nightmares at bay. I know it probably sounds weird but my mom and brother do it to.

Last night after finishing my work at the computer, I turned around and Missy was lying in her bed. I thought, instead of making her come to me, tonight I'll go to her. So I grabbed a bunch of blankets and joined her near the floor. She spent the entire night in her dog bed, and for the first time actually slept in it. She probably prefers sleeping in my bed, but I think it was nice that I went to her. I wanted to be near her. That doesn't always happen. I'm usually pushing her over or off me. The Missaroo can often be a pest.

Now this isn't anything to new for her either. We spent the entire month of February on the floor, for the exact same reason actually. But this time she was there first and I just kind of joined her. Hopefully that made her feel pretty special, mom is coming to hang out with me and I don't have to even leave my bed! And yes, she did get a nice long walk in yesterday after work too.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Depression Hurts the Missaroo

WARNING: Our funny little blog gets deep and personal.

Have you ever seen those ads on TV asking things like, "Where does depression hurt, who does depression hurt? Well depression hurts the Missaroo.

Although I've never been diagnosed with having depression, WedMD seems to agree with my gut. It told me I should talk to my doctor. Well I don't have one of those, just a gyno. I already visit her every 6 months, and that's already 6 months too soon in my book. I think my depression comes and goes, but recently I haven't been able to shake it. I've been wearing the same WSU sweatshirt everyday for the last three months if that tells you anything. Now, I'm not suicidal so nobody panic, just sad, all the time. And it hurts. It hurts to move, it hurts to be in my own head, it hurts to walk into work every weekday, it hurts to do anything other than pet the Missaroo.

Today is a prime example. It actually started last night when I burst into tears and decided sleep at 9:30 was the only cure. Missy wasn't happy about that decision but faithfully followed me into bed anyway. Then today I got up pretty early, but that's about it. I got up. That's my accomplishment for the day. I look at the poor Missaroo wanting so desperately to go for a walk but even the thought of putting my shoes on hurts, and I mean real, physical pain. Like an ache. She doesn't deserve this and I know that. She deserves a happy energetic dog mom. This is truly my biggest dog mom fail. But I just can't do it, and lately I've been having more bad days than good.

The fact that this state of being is hurting my dog only makes it worse. I feel like I can't do anything right. I fail as a woman because I'm not "girlfriend material." I fail as a dog mom because I'm so depressed I can't even take the Missaroo for a walk. Those are some pretty important things in my life to fail at. Even as I write this, Missaroo is wining at me and I'm crying. If she were my child protective services would probably be at my door. She still is getting her potty breaks and food and love. I would never just stop taking care of her. But I wish I could shake this fail feeling, if not for myself but for the sake of the Missaroo. My depression is hurting her too.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

In Case You Doubted the Crate

Recently, I wrote about Missy's crate. I think it is the best thing for both of us and she really doesn't mind it. Well in case there was any doubt Miss has a problem being in her crate....


The proof is in the pudding.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Missy Gets a Real Dog Bed

I finally broke down and got Missy a real dog bed. Up until now, she's slept on dog cushions in her crate or just the furniture. Miss ruined both of the cushions I bought her due to the extensive amount she threw up on them while I was gone. You can only wash foam so many times. So now she sleeps on a rather comfy blanket in the crate. She can throw up on that as much as she wants. But I thought it was time she had a little spot of her own on the floor.
I found a relatively cheap one, considering I bought it at a pet store. It's just the right size for the Missaroo too. I put it under my desk by the heating vent where she seems to lay the most. There was only one problem; she just started lying in front of it. Hmm....

I tried putting it in her crate to show her is to belong to her. I usually put all of her toys in there and anytime she is given a treat it's also put in the crate. Therefore Missy equates the crate with her property. That still didn't work. Then I received some great advice from my own mom. She told me to put my scent on it, then the Missaroo would know it was A ok to sleep there. So while Miss spent the day at daycare, I spent the day smelling up her bed. I used it as a pillow while I read for class and warmed myself up by the vent. As my family, and more specifically my dad, can attest nothing says home like a blanket in front of the heating vent to me. Well, I even managed to do one better. Not only did I use her never been used bed as a pillow, but I actually fell asleep and drooled all over it!

The next morning as I was getting ready for work I noticed Missy wasn't laying on the floor in the doorway watching me put my makeup on like usual. I peer around the corner and there she was napping in her very own bed! Thanks mom!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

The Great (Potty) Outdoors

WARNING: Our funny little blog gets a tad bit gross.

One of the most annoying things about Missy is how long it takes her to go to the bathroom. As I've mentioned before, she is great about waking me up to take her out and if she has to pee it's usually only a matter of seconds before she goes. Poop is another story. She has to find just the perfect spot. I tell her, "Miss you're a dog, the entire outdoors is your bathroom, just poop already." As a dog mom, I can tell she has to go just like any good kid mom can spot a potty dance before it starts. Missy will even walk around squatting because she really, really has to go right now but still hasn't found that perfect spot. Why that perfect spot also has to be three feet into someone's yard and/or the darkest place she can find I'll just never know. Just once I'd like it to be directly under a lamp post. Fat chance. I bet we are quite the sight too. Me all bundled up in the cold night, poop bag in hand waiting for her to do her business mumbling about how she should just pick a spot and go. Her sniff, sniff, sniffing around and then walking around in a squat in someone's yard. Either way, I bet you're pretty happy this post didn't come with a picture.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Fans of the Missaroo

In case the blog wasn't enough, I started a "Fans of the Missaroo" group on Facebook. I think by now you've figured out this blog was started mainly to help me re-focus after heartbreak. I wish I could say the group started out of a happier place, but that's simply not the case. It started maybe out of spite, sadness, and the overall feeling of "anything you can do I can better" because most of the time I feel just not good enough. 



So here's the deal: I wish I had a consistent "code name" for this man, it might make these blogs simpler. I don't want to go with something like "the one that broke my heart" that gives him a little too much power, don't you think? But he shall remain nameless ((although there is a HUGE part of me that just wants to post his picture in one of these blogs)) Anyway, he happens to have his very own "fans of" page as well. I was once a member up until the very recent disappointment scenario happened. That was the final straw. I had already deleted him from my Facebook friends and stopped following him on Twitter, but I thought hey, I'm still a fan of his, I'll stay in the group. Nope. So I created one for Missy instead. To rival his. And since all of you happen to also be members of our page, I'll let you take a wild guess at how many of these fans he has.

Sometimes I wish life was a little bit more like Facebook. At the click of a mouse people who have done you wrong are gone, never to be seen again. You never have to hear how their life is going or who they're dating. And just think, if life really were more like Facebook, Missy might one day rule the world.

I kind of feel a little like I'm using the poor Missaroo. But then again, she is a dog. A GREAT dog by the way. And the blog helps me deal and the fans page makes me laugh so it serves a very real purpose. I can't thank everyone enough for their support of the blog, of our page, of me and her. It's been overwhelming. Maybe that's what I truly need more than anything right now, to surround myself with fans of the Missaroo. Good thing that's exactly what I'm doing.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

And I Thought I was Being Lazy

If there's one thing I hate, it's dogs NOT on leashes. It is one of my biggest pet peeves. I can't tell you how many times dogs have gotten up into Missy's grill with their owner no where in sight. Missy is NOT friendly. She wants to rip those other dogs' heads off, I kinda feel the same way about the dogs' owner.



So today, Missy and I were going for our usual potty run around the block. Once again, a dog without a leash came running up to her, no owner anywhere. Well luckily this happened to be a pretty laid back dog. She just looked at Miss as if to say "what's with the growling?" and then continued to sniff the ground. Missy of course was into attack mode and I had to drag her down the rest of the street. Well as we're approached maybe the fifth house or so away from the dog her owner COMES OUT OF THE HOUSE! At first she thought maybe Missy was her dog done with her business and coming home. Nope. I couldn't believe it. She had purposely let her dog out of the house, closed the door behind her, and then a few minutes later was SURPRISED her dog was down the street!?! Then she just stood on her porch calling for her dog, who was not listening to her.


I always feel pretty lazy in the morning when I only take Miss down and around the block so she can do her business, but at least I actually take her. I don't just open up the door and the check back on her a few minutes later. As someone who works at least 40 plus hours a week and goes to grad school, let me vent this: YOU HAVE TIME TO WALK YOUR DOGS!!!! And please, please, put your dog on a leash. It prevents them from getting into things they shouldn't and prevents my dog from attacking them.

Monday, April 5, 2010

No Miss, This is Sleepy Time

Probably one of the most quoted lines from any movie in my family has got to be "No wakey, need sleepy." If I have to tell you WHAT movie that's from, well we just can't be friends.


 
I am convinced Missy is just a nap-er. She thrives on four hours of sleep. I thought maybe this was a phase she was going through when I first got her. I blamed it on my overnight work schedule, her adjusting to a new home, her being pretty young. ((Missy turned two in January in case you were wondering)) But it's been more than a year and this dog still isn't big on sleep. Last night was another prime example.


On Sundays, I basically feel like I got hit by a freight train by the time I get home from work. If I can make it passed 60 Minutes it's a miracle. Yes, I magically turn into a 70-year-old on those days.

So Last night we went to bed around 10:30. Whoa! That's late for me on a Sunday. So sure enough, at 4am Missy is up and has to go to the bathroom. Now, I can't complain too much. She is super good about waking me up to go to the bathroom. She has even gone as far as pulling the blankets off of me in order to get me up because she had to go. She does not have accidents in the house. But 4am! Come on Missaroo! Then at 8am it's barking at the neighbors, because once again she's awake staring out the window. This is pretty much routine. Missy wakes up between 6:30 and 7:30 every morning either to pee or because she's just can't sleep. I take her out, I feed her, but before 8:45 I tell her, no Miss, this is still sleepy time. No wakey, need sleepy!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter!

Last year for Easter, Missy watched while I colored eggs. She was pretty bored with the whole process. I guess I can't blame her. This weekend I had to work, so I decided we would just be lazy. Here's how we spent the weekend in pictures. Enjoy and Happy Easter!







Saturday, April 3, 2010

You Be the Judge

I'm pretty sure the pants I wore to work today had dog throw up on them. I'll let you decide. Such a dog-mom!



Friday, April 2, 2010

Let's Talk About the Crate, Shall We?

Recently one of my dear friends from college, Alex Degman got a new puppy. He told me all about how his dog was already potty trained and didn't really need to go to obedience class. He also asked me about putting my dog in a crate. He is pretty much against that. Now, I am a HUGE believer in dog training classes. In beginner class, I might have learned more than Missy did. It put me at ease and gave me the confidence to raise a dog. It was GREAT and I think anyone who gets a new dog should go, whether they've been through the class with a dog already or not. I also learned about crate training from several sources. At first, I was against the idea of a crate but then the Missaroo pushed me to my limit and we were there before Petsmart opened to buy her one.



 
So why crate? Like I've mentioned before, I have never, nor will ever claim to be a dog expert. BUT here's what I do know from actual experience with Missy. BEFORE the crate, she would have to be locked in a room when I left her. She would tear that room and everything in it apart. She would chew on anything, including the furniture and even the walls. She finally got so crazy she put a hole in the wall by chewing and scratching at it. I have never seen her even come close to trying to scratch a wall when I was home. Missy suffers from terrible separation anxiety. This is part of the reason we did the classes and socialization in the first place. She would also bark uncontrollably most of the time I was gone. Part of the reason for this crazy behavior was because she felt like she had to "patrol" the apartment. She was on high alert. Can you imagine being like that for nine hours a day! It was stressing her out!


Then came the crate. The crate is her safe place. She doesn't have to "patrol," she can just rest. She has never gone in there as a punishment, but rather she is rewarded. She is always told what a good girl she is, and the few times she's actually run inside her crate she gets treats. She does equate crate with me leaving, so that makes her try to run and hide, but once she's in the crate she does GREAT! The crate also makes her feel apart of the room instead of trapped inside it. Now, do I feel bad that she has to be in there? I do because she's in there and alone. That's hard. But I do believe leaving her in the crate as opposed to roaming the apartment is better for her overall health. She's not getting into anything and she's not strung out either. It's what I feel is best for both of us. Alex, get a crate.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

A Dog-Mom Who Cooks? Kinda

It's time to take a quick break from the Miss-Adventures of the Missaroo. Although I work my self into every post, this one is more for the dog-moms out there then for the fans of the Missaroo. Hopefully everyone is a fan of the blog no matter what I post!


My big thing these days is learning how to cook, and I do mean learning. For anyone who knows me well, the fact that I've even attempted to cook meat in the oven is nothing short of a miracle. 90% of my life, cooking was a skill I decided NOT to learn. I didn't want to cook, didn't want to be "domestic". It's actually something my mom instilled in me at a very young age and in so many countless ways I am grateful for. My mom raised me to be anything I wanted to be, but never anyone's maid. Now that I'm older and hopefully a little bit wiser I've learned that my mom was so right! I can be anything I want to be and that includes a housewife, IF I so choose and the opportunity were ever to arise.

The whole cooking thing actually started back in November. I had met someone ((who yes has been referred to several times throughout the blog)) and I was determined to leave my comfort zone behind in order to show him how much I liked him. There is nothing more outside my comfort zone then cooking. I decided for his birthday to make him a meal. And it worked! I did it and you know what, it was actually quite fun! So then it kinda became my thing. I would make him dinner a couple of times a month. It was fun to have someone who was willing to try anything I put in front of him, and most of it turned out pretty darn good. I kept it simple, pastas, meats, that sorta thing. Now I'm ready to try real foods and more recipes! I even started following Rachael Ray on Twitter!


There is one problem with my new found hobby. Who am I making all of this food for? The other day I made two dozen cupcakes. What in the hell am I going to do with two dozen cupcakes??? Missy can't eat them. And as much as I love my dog, the thought of cooking for her is just too over the top crazy dog lady for me at this point. Cooking kind of goes against my whole dog-mom image. Dog-moms are sort of the anti-kid-moms. At least that's how I've always looked at it. I'm not really sure what to think about it, except that I'm probably way over thinking a simple hobby. But I think you can see where I'm going with this. Am I one step closer to kid-mom, at least in my own head if not in reality? .... maybe not.

Priceless

There's nothing better than having about ten minutes go by when I realize I have no idea where the Missaroo is. These moments are few and far between and simply don't happen on non-daycare days. I'm working hard on the computer and the Missaroo, is well... take a look.