A Tribute to Our Little Eleanor

Only 10 more days until our baby Shelby is here. I can hardly believe it, while at the same time I am so sick of being pregnant and can no longer remember being normal. Before this new little life comes into our home, I wanted to tell you all a little bit about our dog Eleanor that brings so much joy into our home. People say you don't love your dog after you have a baby, but after all this dog has been through with us, there is plenty of love to go around.

These are the Top 10 Reasons Casey and I love our dog:

1. She's very sociable. When you come over to our house, Eleanor has to say hello. She is generally a calm dog, but she has to greet you and see what you're all about. She loves giving kisses.

2. She keeps us on a schedule. Every morning Casey will give her a rawhide bone. When his alarm goes off, she instantly wakes up and begins bugging him to get up and get her treat. To wake Casey up, Eleanor might cry, sit on his head, or begin digging at the covers. Whatever the time, when that alarm goes off, Casey has to get up.

3. She loves to cuddle. When we go to sleep at night or watch a movie, Eleanor loves to be close to us. It has actually been a little hard since I've been pregnant because she is a furnace and I can't handle cuddling with her. But still, she loves to curl up next to you and go to sleep. It's a great source of comfort when you're stressed or sad.

4. She has very stinky farts. Anyone who has sat and watched a movie with her can attest to this fact. Why do we love it? Because it's hilarious.

5. She has a sense of humor. She loves to tease us. If you get out of bed in the morning, she will instantly take your spot. Then when you come back to reclaim it, she just wags her tail. She also teases you with toys. When she starts to get tired, she no longer brings you the toy, she tries to get you to come get it instead.

6. She loves blankets. I keep a pile of blankets on the edge of our bed and she loves to burrow under them and go to sleep. She does this all on her own. She has also claimed a Simpson blanket I made Casey for Christmas as her own. She even gets a little upset with him when he tries to use it.

7. She's the best buddy. Every time we go to leave the house, she gets very sad. She knows the word "go" and waits for you to say she's coming. If you tell her she can come, she goes right to her leash. She would always rather be with us than alone.

8. She's a bottomless pit, but there are certain things she won't eat. Eleanor does not like spicy food. It makes her cough this weird noise. So she won't eat spicy dorritos or even chicken.

9. She gives unconditional love. Our little dog is very empathetic. If someone starts to cry or gets upset, Eleanor is there to give kisses and loves. We can get upset with her, even yell, and she is still there.

10. Whatever is going wrong in the day, Eleanor can fix it. This little dog makes us laugh everyday. Getting our little girl here has been a long and hard process. Eleanor has been a source of continuous joy and happiness. She is a member of our family, and our little buddy. I'm so excited to watch her with the baby as they become friends. So, if you ever need a little pick me up, come over to our house and tell Eleanor your problems. She will give you endless love and infect you with happiness.