Our fur baby just turned two! Or 24 months if I wanted to be one of those moms…
Loki Bear,
How did we get here so fast? You are the king of head tilts and judgmental looks, my little bear. You’ve come a long way from eating our socks and running away from your own projectile vomit.
You’re hands down the best (and only) thing we’ve bought off Craigslist that instantly made us parents. We rescued you from that sad cardboard box, your eyes infected from Dove soap and your belly swollen with sawdust. I was so love-struck I didn’t even notice how horribly sick you were and how your fur was dyed brown from the awful conditions you were kept in. The vet said you might not make it and that we’d wasted our $600, but we refused to believe that and we did the only thing we could – loved you back to health.*
Your first few months on this earth – and in this new family – were anything but ordinary. You spent six weeks of your little life in a creaky old van, waking up to a new view every few days, and even though we had no idea what we were doing with our lives, you were totally down for the ride. You slept in a space just big enough to fit your little body and barely complained, content with this makeshift home and the love within. You were never just a house pet. You slid so effortlessly into our tribe, like the place was being held just for you. You were the missing puzzle piece we never knew we needed.
You’re mischievous and spicy, and you test my patience daily. I get the feeling that if I can raise your sassy little butt, I might be able to kinda sorta handle the weight of an actual human one day. Never have I ever met a dog with so many odd quirks. You’re like a piece of all your ancestors wrapped into this one fluffy being (with some other stuff thrown in, too.) You’re young yet you’re ancient. You sing to me when I’m in the shower, you whack me with your toys, you bite our toes no matter how many times we tell you to stop, your eyes shining and your cheeky little tongue poking out – the puppy in you evident.
Yet you’ve taken to sleeping in the closet and have a strict bedtime of 9pm, sighing loudly if we are not adhering to it. Even though you are very, very capable of jumping into the car on your own, sometimes you hop your little front feet up and look back over your shoulder so I’ll pick you up and put you in like you’re 100 years old… Proof you need me just like I need you.
You can be so blissfully unaware of your surroundings, completely unable to read the vibe of a room because you’re just so excited to be there. Something you get from your dad. Something I kinda wish you’d grow out of. I’m in awe every time I watch you walk up to the biggest dog at the park and try to put your little paw on their back like you are their father. It almost never ends well, but your confidence is admirable. What did we expect bringing another Taurus into this pack?
You’re wild yet tame – a perfect mirror of your parents. You may be fiercely stubborn, but boy are you loyal. You might be the only husky in the world that doesn’t try to bolt at every opportunity. The other day when you got out at 7am, I awoke to you sitting outside my car in the parking lot barking, “Let’s gooo, woman!” You could’ve easily ran into the road or gone on your own little expedition, but you wouldn’t want me to miss out. You’re always down for adventures, which I love. You’re also equally down for naps, which I love.
You are stubborn and skeptical like me. You almost never come on the first call. You look at me and tilt your head, and I can see the gears grinding and contemplating, “Is this worth my time, and what do I get out of it?” Sometimes we just need to be coaxed with treats. The peanut butter and beer kind.
Sometimes I just stare into your cute little face, and I’m like HOW ARE YOU EVEN REAL?! I do the same with your dad. I am so hashtag blessed to share my life with you crazy, messy, beautiful boys. Loki, you are so much more than ‘just a dog’. Your energy is so unique and tangible, and there is such a void whenever you are not close to me. You’re the best sidekick a girl could ever ask for.
Happy Birthday, little troublemaker. Thank you for everything.
*Looking back, I so so so wish that we had gone to a shelter and adopted instead of contributing to the disgusting trade of puppy-mills. Even though they denied running an operation, it was apparent once we got there. I don't for one second regret saving Loki from that environment, I just know that in the future we will only go to shelters.
