Birthdays

January is a BIG month in the Baumann household. BOTH of my babies celebrate birthdays. Mister turns the big 04 on the 19th and then Missaroo celebrates her 6th year on this planet on the 24th. In people years Mister will be 28 ((the same age I am)) while Missy will be 42. An old lady in her own right, she recently started snoring. My hope is they both have a lot of living left to do, as in Missaroo hasn't even reached the half way mark yet. I hope they both live to be about 14 years old. I’m not ready to stop being a dogmom anytime soon.

I often get asked if I would “replace” Missy when her number is up. FIRST, I HATE to even think about it. And Second, there’s no “replacing” the Missaroo. The question should be would I adopt again? The answer, is a definite yes. However, I do think I would go about it differently. I honestly feel like I am raising my dogs. I feel like a mom with fur babies instead of infants. I love celebrating their birthdays, tucking them in at night and introducing them to new things. I love every new journey we go through. Whether it’s a new illness, new medical emergency, new scenery, new animals; whatever they are discovering for the first time, I am discovering for the first time with them. I love being a mom. And when I no longer get to be their mom anymore I’m not so sure I’ll be able to pull myself together and just start all over again with the potty training, crate training, and life training again. I will need, however, to fill the void in my heart. I think the solution for me will be to adopt a senior pet.

Senior pets don’t need to discover the world; they just need a soft place to land. They need love and affection and maybe someone who knows how to care for a senior pet. Well, after seeing not one but two dogs well into their senior years I think I’d make a pretty good fit. We might just be exactly what the other one needs, when the time comes.

Until then, I just want to think about the two upcoming birthdays with the loves of my life. I can’t wait to celebrate. Each year with them gets a little more special, a little more sentimental, and a little more precious. Here’s to a thousand more birthdays in the Baumann household.