Today is my Cooper Boy's birthday, so I'm writing this post to remember life with him just as it is.
The truth is, I wanted this post to be perfect. The perfect lifestyle shot of the three of us, looking like the cover of Golden Retriever Weekly ( I have no idea if this is an actual publication, but if it isn't....it should be) and laughing effortlessly in unison. Yes, in unison. Even Cooper would be laughing in my perfect world.
But then it took 457 tries for us to do a self-portrait. And Coop never did look at the camera. He just covered us in dog fur and then ran away to chew on his birthday hat. We tried carrots. No, not like the figurative carrot a la the carrot & stick approach. An actual baby carrot. That Justin scotch taped to the top of the camera. Hey don't judge us. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
On try number 458, Cooper head butted both of us in an attempt to give kisses, and we decided to take another approach.
So we brought out his annual birthday yogurt, lit the candles and sang. But when he nearly singed his whiskers off, we decided that maybe fire and golden retrievers don't mix.
So in a last ditch effort, we hid some food under his hat and that seemed to do the trick.
Cooper, my boy. Life with you is not perfect. Not in the Golden Retriever weekly sort of way, anyway.
Our floors- and our clothes- are constantly covered in tumbleweeds of golden fur. You go crazy and like to maul new people just to show them how much you love them. Last night you chewed up a dollar bill, just because you could. And if we ever let you off leash, I'm pretty sure that you'd just keep running like "yellow dog" in that Chevy Chase movie Funny Farm.
But when you come and put your head in my lap and sigh, all is forgiven. We often tell you that you're lucky that you're cute, but the truth is....we are the lucky ones. You have filled the past 7 years with more laughter, stories, an abundance of cuteness, antics, and yes, headbutts than we ever could have imagined.
And even though we have to buy stock in lint rollers now, every time I see that golden fur I'm reminded.....
I would rather have our imperfect life with you than perfect any other way.
So Happy Birthday Coo-Coo-Kachoo. Here's to you!
xoxox
Me
PS: you also let us know exactly how you feel about having your picture taken
Life with J&M
