MY BABY’S NOT A BABY ANYMORE…

By Sunday, May 19, 2013 10 Permalink

When I tell you this has been an emotional post for me to write, I am telling you the “doodle truth.”

Leo turned three this month, (my goodness, it’s even difficult to see it in print!) and time has flown by so fast it feels as if I’ve missed a year.

When I realized his birthday was near, I actually got confused about his new age. I had to calculate the dates on my fingers because I was positive I was wrong. But I wasn’t.

Leo was born on May 13, 2010. One of a large litter, he sort of got lost in the masses of doodle puppies running around and missed opportunities to join a family. I’d like to think he was waiting for me – at least that’s the version of this story I prefer to tell!

Leo and his brother “Jake” lived several months with the breeder and her family, showered with kindness and affection, just loving a doodle’s life.

It was late September that same year when I came across this picture on the breeder’s website…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I quickly shut my lap-top and began talking to myself: “No, Cathy, you can’t do this. Don’t open that computer again…” But it was too late – like HTML codes, his face was embedded in my heart.

A few days later I thought of the perfect remedy for my “doodle-itis” – I would go to DH, tell him I wanted another doodle, and he would straighten me out “doodley – split.” I plotted and schemed  and decided to interrupt him when I knew it would be most irritating – during Monday Night Football!

A few minutes left in what seemed to be a close scoring game, I skipped into the room stood in front of the television and asked him what he thought about another doodle – a playmate for Harley. His speech wasn’t slurred, he spoke in a normal tone, his words were not hurled at me like arrows, he merely said “that would probably be okay.”

“Doodle-sticks!”

The one time I actually wanted to hear a loud resounding, booming “NO” – it didn’t come. Why couldn’t that have happened decades ago when I asked for a new Mercedes Benz Convertible Sports Coup? – MEN!

Convinced he really didn’t hear or understand me, I waited several days before bringing the subject up again. On a different day when I had his undivided attention, and we had time to talk at length, he still thought it was a good idea. At the end of October, after countless calls to the breeder, I left for a four hour journey to “look at” Leo (yeah right!).

Half way home I called my family and asked them to run to the pet store and pick up a few things – Leo was in the car with me!

When we pulled up, Harley was beside himself with excitement…

Leo was trying so hard to figure things out…

I suggested we take them both in the back to get acquainted…

Hard to believe when you look at how close they are in size that Harley was almost 18 months his senior! That’s when DH said: “Cathy, I think he’s gonna be a bigger dog”...

Those first few days, he stuck to me like glued macaroni on construction paper…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harley gave him some space and watched him a lot. Leo not knowing what he was supposed to do – watched Harley…

But by the end of the first week, he started to come into his own…

And the rest as they say, is “history”, AND the birth of “Chronicles of Life with Harley & Leo”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What melted my heart that very first day, still does. His face! So celebrate with this video, and that adorable doodle face…

I LOVE YOUR FACE

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Thanks so very much for reading – feel free to share our stories and make someone smile.

10 Comments
  • Caren Gittleman
    May 20, 2013

    Hi!! I am Dakota and my Mom told me she met your Mom at BlogPaws!
    She thinks your blog is adorable and wants to follow and is asking if you will please add a “follow by email” link on your blog? That is the only way that she follows blogs.
    Please let us know,
    Thanks!
    Barks and licks and love,
    Dakota and Mom

    • Cathy Bennett
      May 23, 2013

      Paws up Dakota! Please tell your mom that our Doodle Mom said she will have the subscription widget back up by the end of the week, and she can sign up for email notifications. I think it’s great that they met, and I sure hope they will keep in touch! Take care furr-end…

      Harley & Leo

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  • Sammy
    May 21, 2013

    Have you ever considered publishing an ebook or guest authoring on other websites?
    I have a blog based upon on the same subjects you discuss and would love to have
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      May 23, 2013

      I love to write, and could possibly be interested. Please email me (Contact page) and send me your blog website address. Thanks so much for reading and contacting us.

  • Yvonne
    May 22, 2013

    Really enjoyed the story about Leo coming to your home. Took me back to the day we brought our dog Sandy home it was so wonderful!!!

    • Cathy Bennett
      May 23, 2013

      Thanks so much for sharing – Leo means the world to us, he’s such a special doodle.

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    • Cathy Bennett
      May 23, 2013

      Great! Check back in a few days, and the subscription widget will be available to sign up for email notifications. Happy to have you as our ani-pal!