Dear Mercedes,
Tomorrow night is a big occasion for your father and I. It marks our very first night away from you, together. We've each been away for overnights before, but never together! So tomorrow, for the very first time, you will be sleeping at Bubie and Zaidie's. You love going there and spending time with them, you always laugh and play and eat well and nap well! Let's hope that they can put you to bed successfully and that you don't mind going to sleep without breastfeeding! We'll miss you, but I hope that this first sleepover begins a wonderful, long-standing tradition!
Love,
Mommy
Friday, 2 July 2010
Monday, 24 May 2010
Mercedes - 15 Months Old
Dear Mercedes,
Every day it seems you learn something new. You are at such a wonderful age - discovering and learning new things so quickly I can hardly keep up. You have a lot of words now: mama, dada, pat, hat, more, milk, ball, shoes... every day you pick up something new! You know how to wipe your face and where your 'soos' go, and where your belly/foot/mouth is. You love cleaning things and throwing the ball for Peanut, and trying to do up zippers and making funny faces in the mirror. You love, love, LOVE to dance, which provides endless amusement for Daddy and I. (And out of nowhere, you even figured out how to put on lip gloss and sunscreen! Pat must have taught you those!) You brush your teeth and your hair, you help to put your clothes on - you even know where your diaper is and touch your bum if I asked you if you've pooped.
It is such a joy to watch you figure out the world around you. My heart just grows and grows, each and every day.
Love,
Mommy
Every day it seems you learn something new. You are at such a wonderful age - discovering and learning new things so quickly I can hardly keep up. You have a lot of words now: mama, dada, pat, hat, more, milk, ball, shoes... every day you pick up something new! You know how to wipe your face and where your 'soos' go, and where your belly/foot/mouth is. You love cleaning things and throwing the ball for Peanut, and trying to do up zippers and making funny faces in the mirror. You love, love, LOVE to dance, which provides endless amusement for Daddy and I. (And out of nowhere, you even figured out how to put on lip gloss and sunscreen! Pat must have taught you those!) You brush your teeth and your hair, you help to put your clothes on - you even know where your diaper is and touch your bum if I asked you if you've pooped.
It is such a joy to watch you figure out the world around you. My heart just grows and grows, each and every day.
Love,
Mommy
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Mercedes - Mother's Day 2010
Dear Mercedes,
It is Mother's Day today, only my second one as a mom, and I just wanted to say... THANK YOU for being such a delightful, funny, smart, sweet, remarkable little girl. Thank you, for making me a mother, in every sense of the word. I love you beyond compare and more than you could EVER imagine.
Love,
Mommy
It is Mother's Day today, only my second one as a mom, and I just wanted to say... THANK YOU for being such a delightful, funny, smart, sweet, remarkable little girl. Thank you, for making me a mother, in every sense of the word. I love you beyond compare and more than you could EVER imagine.
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Mercedes - 14.5 Months Old
Dear Mercedes,
If there was any question as to your walking status, it is completely gone now! You are already a pro and walk everywhere around the house, and at Pat's house also. You get better and steadier each and every day. It makes me proud to see you growing up, but also sad to see how quickly you are changing and learning new things. I just love you so much that I can't bear the thought of you becoming a teenager who says 'I hate you!' to me! I know it's a long way off, but I see how opinionated and stubborn you can be already.
In other news, you are learning more words and concepts every day and speaking more also. You can say mama, dada, Pat, ball, shoes. You love saying 'vroom, vroom' and having Daddy push you around on your new pink motorcycle.
You point to your belly and mouth and feet and try to 'help' put on your shoes ('soos') and socks and do up zippers and brush your teeth and your hair. You also love cleaning with a cloth or a kleenex - wiping the dog, or cats, or chairs. We should put you to work with a duster!
It's so much fun watching you soak up knowledge like a sponge - you are such a beautiful, smart girl!
If there was any question as to your walking status, it is completely gone now! You are already a pro and walk everywhere around the house, and at Pat's house also. You get better and steadier each and every day. It makes me proud to see you growing up, but also sad to see how quickly you are changing and learning new things. I just love you so much that I can't bear the thought of you becoming a teenager who says 'I hate you!' to me! I know it's a long way off, but I see how opinionated and stubborn you can be already.
In other news, you are learning more words and concepts every day and speaking more also. You can say mama, dada, Pat, ball, shoes. You love saying 'vroom, vroom' and having Daddy push you around on your new pink motorcycle.
You point to your belly and mouth and feet and try to 'help' put on your shoes ('soos') and socks and do up zippers and brush your teeth and your hair. You also love cleaning with a cloth or a kleenex - wiping the dog, or cats, or chairs. We should put you to work with a duster!
It's so much fun watching you soak up knowledge like a sponge - you are such a beautiful, smart girl!
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Mercedes - 14 Months Old
Dear Princess,
Today, I think you turned a corner from cruising and random steps here and there to actually walking!! You aren't exactly stead or reliable of course but you just LOVE practicing and can walk across a whole room unassisted! I love seeing the proud look on your face when you do it - you even giggle hysterically - you think it is so fun!
In other news, we got another dog! We missed Bruiser so much that we just knew we needed to have a new member of our family. Enter Peanut! Another Frenchie, who looks kind of like Bruiser, but you definitely knew the difference as soon as we brought her home. You know her name already and we all love her to pieces.
Love,
Mommy
Today, I think you turned a corner from cruising and random steps here and there to actually walking!! You aren't exactly stead or reliable of course but you just LOVE practicing and can walk across a whole room unassisted! I love seeing the proud look on your face when you do it - you even giggle hysterically - you think it is so fun!
In other news, we got another dog! We missed Bruiser so much that we just knew we needed to have a new member of our family. Enter Peanut! Another Frenchie, who looks kind of like Bruiser, but you definitely knew the difference as soon as we brought her home. You know her name already and we all love her to pieces.
Love,
Mommy
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Mercedes - 13 Months Old
Dear Mercedes,
Today you are 13 months old! It's hard to believe it's already been an entire month since your birthday/party. You are growing up way too fast.
Unfortunately, we can no longer take monthly progress pictures of you - on Thursday, your Daddy and I had to make the most awful, heartbreaking decision of our lives. We had to say goodbye to our dog, Bruiser. You won't remember him when you are older, but he'll always live on in pictures and videos and memories. We promise we'll tell you all about him all the time, because we want you to know how much you loved him and how much he loved you. He was the best dog - so full of love and personality and charm and snuggles and kisses. He was so very patient with you - he never once growled or nipped at you - and he loved standing guard over you when you were first born. As you got older you loved sharing food with him and petting him, playing with him and holding his bone for him. You really were best buds.
Daddy and I miss him so much - we are very sad right now and of course, you don't really understand why, but you are definitely noticing his absence. This morning you kept looking at a picture of him and asking "Broo? Broo?" It broke our hearts. I know that we all will always love Bruiser.
Love,
Mommy
P.S. On a brighter note, today you took two unassisted steps for the first time!
Today you are 13 months old! It's hard to believe it's already been an entire month since your birthday/party. You are growing up way too fast.
Unfortunately, we can no longer take monthly progress pictures of you - on Thursday, your Daddy and I had to make the most awful, heartbreaking decision of our lives. We had to say goodbye to our dog, Bruiser. You won't remember him when you are older, but he'll always live on in pictures and videos and memories. We promise we'll tell you all about him all the time, because we want you to know how much you loved him and how much he loved you. He was the best dog - so full of love and personality and charm and snuggles and kisses. He was so very patient with you - he never once growled or nipped at you - and he loved standing guard over you when you were first born. As you got older you loved sharing food with him and petting him, playing with him and holding his bone for him. You really were best buds.
Daddy and I miss him so much - we are very sad right now and of course, you don't really understand why, but you are definitely noticing his absence. This morning you kept looking at a picture of him and asking "Broo? Broo?" It broke our hearts. I know that we all will always love Bruiser.Love,
Mommy
P.S. On a brighter note, today you took two unassisted steps for the first time!
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Bruiser - April 28, 2006 - March 11, 2010
2 months ago, on January 9th, Bruiser had emergency spinal surgery (to the tune of $6000) at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph to repair two ruptured discs. They were unsure if he'd ever walk properly, or at all, ever again. He surprised everyone and made a full and complete recovery - we brought him home only two days later and he quickly regained almost full mobility within a month. He went for a re-check a month ago, February 11th, and they were super-pleased with his progress. They told us to try to keep him from jumping up and down off the couch/bed and from going up and down the stairs. We did our best, we carried him, we gated the stairs, we crated him. But of course, we couldn't keep him chained up 24/7.
Somehow, someway, he ruptured another disc this week. We had hoped that the first time was an isolated incident - could happen to any dog, any breed. Now we know it wasn't. And it could keep happening again and again. We opted out of another expensive surgery since a) we can't afford it b) we weren't sure how well he'd do with this one because they discovered a restricted airway (common in French Bulldogs) and urged us to get that fixed when he was recovered and c) we're scared it will just keep on happening over and over again until he has no spine left.
The vet tried steroid injections and said that was our only hope. It didn't work. He no longer has deep pain sensation meaning the nerves are likely damaged beyond repair. He won't be coming home. We have to say goodbye to him today. He is only 4 years old. He was our wedding present to each other - our anniversary is on Tuesday. Mercedes loves him oh so much and now she won't even remember him when she's older. Some of you may have seen my monthly Mercedes vs. Bruiser pics on facebook - I didn't even make it to 13 months (which is Saturday).
Andrew and I are completely and totally devastated. We cried all night long last night, fearing this inevitable conclusion. He is/was such a wonderful little dog. Full of personality and love and snuggles for anyone who crossed his path. He touched the lives of everyone who ever met him - neighbours, doggie daycare, the vet, the OVC in Guelph, my friends, our whole family - even the cats took to him after a while.
I am so sad that my daughter won't grow up with him. I am so heartbroken that our house, and family is incomplete. I've had to say goodbye to a dog before, but she was 17 and it was sad but not tragic. This, is tragic. I'm numb.
We'll always love you Bruiser :(
April 28, 2006 - March 11, 2010
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