I'm a New Woman

Grace and Cici

Jackson, Cici and Brooke

Her favorite blanket

Happy Birthday Cici!

This is our dog, Cici. Today is Cici's unofficial 1st birthday. (We don't know what day she was actually born - we've always just known it was around the first of November.)

If you know me well, then you know I'm not a dog person. I don't like the way they smell, the way they bark, and especially the way they jump on me. But, my daughter Grace LOVES dogs, and when she was four years old she asked if she could have a dog when she was eight. I said sure, figuring she would forget all about it by then. But, of course, she did not.

So, on New Year's Day (a couple of weeks before Grace turned nine) we brought home Cici. She was eight weeks old and small enough to fit inside her food bowl. She also won me over - big time. I tell people about her all the time.

Cici is a little white dachshund - which makes her a bit of a conversation piece. We can't take her anywhere without people stopping us to look at her. She's super sweet and even though she still won't fully house train, I totally adore her. She has definitely been the best thing to happen to us this year.

So, for all of you who have been waiting for me to be more comfortable around your dogs

(Jenn and Erin),

you have Cici to thank.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CICI BLOOM!