The Redhead Riter - Witty, Intelligent & Addictive: Bella

Showing posts with label Bella. Show all posts

Interrupted Sleep

Unmoving and...

sleeping peacefully until...

"Why are you bothering me?
Can't you see I was sleeping?"

"I can't believe you keep snapping that camera!
The noise is annoying me!
Please go away.
I love you, but I want to sleep!"

"I guess this is payback for eating a hole in your
olive green pajamas
and
your light blue slippers?"

"If you can look at a dog
and not feel vicarious
excitement and affection,
you must be a cat."~Author Unknown

Although Bella is "officially" my daughter's dog, I spend the most time with her. Actually, every night you can find Bella in the same place, doing the same thing with me.

When I get home from work, the last thing I want to do is remain "properly dressed," so I immediately transform and start my pajama party with Bella. By the time I begin to blog, she is a little worn out from our fun partying - dancing with Turtle and exercising my abs. After I sit down at the computer, Bella jumps on my lap and rests her head on my left arm, wrist or hand.

It is actually quite hilarious because as I type, her head bobs up and down. With each keystroke, her head wiggles which in turn makes the fur on the top of her head shake. It is almost like she gets a thrill out of me bobbing her head!

As you can tell, Bella's red head has started to turn white. She is still so young, but apparently it is a common occurrence in redheaded poodles. I wonder what Alyssa would do if she came home to find that I dyed Bella's fur.

That is SUCH a funny thought!.

Anyway, I actually enjoy Bella sitting on my lap - she's warm, comforting and quite hilarious. Seriously, why in the world would she want to rest her head on my wrist as I type?

Sometimes when I try to move her head off my arm, she will press her chin down harder. Bella is such a silly dog.

For the record, when I said I had red Winnie-the-Pooh pajamas, I was serious!

One final thing...Isn't Bella's nose cute?

Go ahead. You can tell me because I know Bella has an adorable nose!! However, you can not say anything about the freckles you see on my hands or arm!

Hush! Not one word!

What?!

Put your pen away! You can not play connect the dots!

The Redhead Riter Is A Little Strange

Yesterday, I gave Granny (The Redhead Riter) your messages. She was very grateful for your care and concern. Since I'm a dog, I was just grateful that I was able to type and publish a post. Think about it...that's rather an awesome task even for a pure bred poodle!

Obviously, this is Bella again because Granny is still quite under the weather. I thought while I had the opportunity, I would tell you about one of the strange things that Granny likes to do which drives me crazy.

Like I told you yesterday, Granny loves to take pictures. Every weekend, she snaps that camera hundreds of times and at least half of them are of me, sweet Bella. I call myself sweet because that is what Granny says all the time. I hear her high pitched voice saying, "Where are you sweet Bella?" which is my clue that she knows I'm up to mischief.

dafwoer;ldzoxkfi <---Sorry, I stepped on the keyboard and I don't know how to get letters off after I type them.

Anyway, the strange thing that Granny does is take pictures of my nose. She is obsessed with my nose! I just don't get it. What is so phenomenal about my nose? (touching nose with paw)

Granny always has a pair of scissors within reach because she is snipping my fur here, there and all around my face. Then she brushes me --- Oh, I hate it! I squirm all over the place hoping to frustrate her efforts, but she is relentless and never gives up! I even try softly biting Granny, but she just laughs at me! But after brushing my whole body, I stretch out on my back and Granny rubs my tummy for hours...literally hours. Granny likes touching stuff and says that my fur is silky soft. (blushing)

Don't tell Granny that it drives me crazy that she photographs my nose so much. I guess I don't really mind sacrificing a few moments for her since Granny does so much for me.

Right now Granny is comfortably resting on the couch again and I don't want her to get too used to me typing her posts, so I better end for now.

Enjoy your day!

Yap! Yap!

adkflasdjflsdjzo <---Sorry! I did it again.

Hi.

As you can tell, Granny (you know her as The Redhead Riter) is not writing this post today. I'm Bella and "officially" Alyssa's dog. But Alyssa is young and always occupied with friends, so I sit home with Granny every night.

Since Granny is home and somewhat incapacitated, I thought I would help her out by keeping her readers aware of the latest update. She gets so worked up if a post isn't published. I think Granny is obsessed with this blogging stuff, but I don't complain because it makes her happy. When Granny is happy, I'm happy.

Today should be the post for her great food. Can everyone tell that she is quite passionate about food? Granny actually cooked the food earlier for the recipe tutorial post, but she just couldn't sit at the computer and type all that stuff with a million pictures today. She is so addicted to that camera.

Anyway, Granny is getting better and I am either sprawled on top of some part of her body (head included) or scrunched up next to her. She says that I bring her comfort. Gosh that makes me feel good!

So Granny will try to post again tomorrow. I better get back over to the couch to cuddle her. Nice chatting with you.

(licking the keyboard)

Toilet Paper Surprise

I have a toilet paper obsession. Actually, I'm obsessed with not running out of toilet paper which is why I always have a billion extra rolls toilet paper available. I'm pretty sure it all stems from the purchasing practices of my mother when I was a teenager, so I guess she scarred me for life. (wink) I once told you about a very fancy toilet paper that I would love to have in my own bathroom. We all went "oooohhhh" and "aaaahhhhh" over it. I also explored the art of Junior Jacquet and his relationship with toilet paper. I found his work to be totally innovative and quite phenomenal. Both of them are intriguing and satisfying to my unusual appreciation for toilet paper.

However, there is also another aspect to owning toilet paper that I have taken for granted one time too many. The toilet paper holder hangs on the wall unappreciated except for a few minutes out of each day. I never thought that it was too close to the floor until now. The most common discussion, usually, isn't the holder's location in relation to the floor, but instead is whether the roll it holds has the paper fixed to be pulled over or under. Today, neither of those things are my concern.

In my rush to get to work, I didn't take the time to put the toilet paper on the holder. Instead, I sat it on the holder and then sped out the door. That evening when I got home, I had completely forgotten about the "chore" that was undone. Happy to be with Bella and home, I sat down at the computer and began to type out my latest post. Everything was just dandy until after about ten minutes, I realized that Bella was too quiet.

Way to quiet.

Calling her name and walking towards my bedroom, I expected to catch her up to no good. Oh, the damage one tiny dog can do! After the third time I said, "Bella!" she ran out of my bedroom looking very guilty.

You might be thinking, "How does a dog look guilty?"

A sheet of toilet paper dangling from her mouth is a sure sign of guilt and damage ahead.

Why she wants to chew dry toilet paper totally baffles me. Regular notebook paper is one thing, but thin toilet paper? Bella easily accessed the toilet paper roll that had not yet found a resting place "on" the holder. With her sharp little pearly whites, she bit and chewed the toilet paper roll into a mess.

It looked as if she had shredded it one piece at a time. Bella, of course, tried to act like she had not caused the mess that was scattered from the bathroom to my bedroom doorway. Small and large pieces of toilet paper were strewn like leaves in the Fall.

Bella pretended that she had no idea how the toilet paper ended up in pieces all over two rooms. Even without the expertise of CSI or NCIS, I found forensic evidence tying her to the scene. One small strand of fur shouted "Bella did it!" and so did the small piece of toilet paper stuck on her tongue.

Bella and I love toilet paper for completely different reasons, but obviously she is as obsessed as me. I'm not really into the toilet paper surprise that she gave me, but how can I be mad at a "redheaded" dog who has a passion for toilet paper?

I can't.

Desperately, in a jealous obsession, I probed every fold of his wallet, frantically searching for any sign that my husband was cheating on me. My heart was racing from both fear that he would catch me pilfering and that I might find evidence which proved I was unlovable. Breathing with quick, small breaths, unhappy fingers finally admitted defeat...or was it success? Nothing was in the wallet except a few dollars, a driver's license, credit cards and a picture of me.

Twenty-four years ago I was at the peak of my jealous obsession with my first husband. He was oblivious to my spying adventures, although they took place almost daily. I was so insecure and filled with self-loathing. My mind raced constantly with images of my husband and other women even though they were completely unfounded. He had never done anything to provoke my jealousy, so obviously it was all my own doing.

After years of this very tiring behavior, overcoming jealousy became my goal and I sought counseling. I needed a trained professional to teach me how to cope with all the overwhelming emotions that welled up inside of me and escaped in tears of panic. I needed to know why I acted in this manner and what I needed to do in order to banish it from my life.

How Overcoming Jealousy Can Improve Your Life

The therapist taught me so much about why I was jealous, the triggers of my jealousy, and how to cope with the emotions that caused my jealous acting out...better known as spying. I mastered the art of stealthily spying on my husband and even though it intrigued me into checking into a career as a private investigator, I'm glad that wild hair of an idea dissipated.

I had a problem with jealousy inside that manifested itself outside and kept me extremely busy with pointless actions and activities. Once I recognized the root cause and worked on healing the crack in my personality, my jealousy disappeared. It was sad to discover how much time I had wasted on this frivolous, pointless emotion.

Jealousy is negative thoughts and feelings brought about because of insecurity, fear, worry and anxiety over a an undesirable loss of something valuable, especially a relationship.

Dealing with jealous emotions rationally helped to make it quite clear that my husband was not cheating on our relationship by seeing other women. Jealousy had proven to be a very undesirable companion and I obliterated its existence in my life. I spent many years after therapy practicing and observing myself to ensure that jealousy did not return to plague me.

Without all the turmoil caused by the erratic jealous actions, I had much more time to pursue my own interests. The nagging feelings had disappeared and freedom to explore, flourish and enjoy life had taken their place. There are not many emotions that can suffocate one's mind as quickly as jealousy. It also can make the object of your obsession absolutely miserable.

Bella the dog

How To Recognize Jealousy

Every day when I arrive home, the dog barks and the turtle swims back and forth in the tank like he's lost his mind. They both vie for my attention by making every noise possible. Bella, the dog, barks incessantly while jumping all over me and Turtle kicks up the pebbles at the bottom of his tank and bangs his shell against the glass. With each noise from one, the other tries harder to make even more of a commotion.

At this point, it appears that both creatures are just excited to see me, however, it goes a little further. I have a large recliner next to Turtle's tank and after depositing my belongings in a heap, I sit down to relax a bit with the rowdy bunch. Peace can not be found, however, because both creatures are extremely territorial and I'm the territory.

If I reach toward the tank to "fake" pet and touch Turtle through the glass or to run my fingers back and forth so he can chase them, Bella leaps on my lap positioning herself between me and the tank so that I am unable to see Turtle. If I move Bella away from my face, she will leap on my back, hang her head over my shoulder and lick my eyes. Through trial and error she discovered that my eyes are the only place she can lick that will deter me from playing with Turtle. Yeah, Bella, my eyes are rather important.

Turtle, on the other hand, is rather trapped because of the constrictive nature of his tank. When Bella monopolizes my attention, Turtle will dig the pebbles so frantically that the little rocks bounce across the bottom of the tank. He also swims back and forth, close to the glass and bangs his shell against the sides of the tank too. All the while, his eyes never leave mine.

Turtle and Bella have a jealousy problem. Actually, it isn't a big problem because they make me feel wanted and needed. Jealousy looks the same no matter what creature exhibits the behavior. It is cute between this turtle and dog, but in humans, jealousy is extremely unappealing. A spouse who acted like Turtle or Bella on a human level, could drive another person stark raving mad.

Is there a solution to this jealous behavior between Turtle, who lives under water and Bella, who lives quite happily on land? I don't know if I can solve their jealous problem, but I have found a way to give each the needed attention at the same time. Instead of sitting in the recliner, I now sit on the floor in front of the turtle tank. One arm rests by the tank to play with Turtle. Bella sits in my lap and plays with her toys while I try to grab them. Bella is oblivious as to what my other hand is doing and Turtle has no idea my opposite hand is playing catch with Bella. I have found the win-win in this welcome home committee and a positive spin on the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.

Rockin' Friends Spotlight of the Week

This is the weekly post where I spotlight my Rockin' Friends who are the Top Nine active participants and loyal followers in my community! If you want to be mentioned here next week, then all it takes is to come in and start chatting with everyone in my community.

Jealousy hasn't reared it's ugly head in The Redhead Riter's, Witty, Intelligent and Addictive Community. Instead, there are wonderful people sharing life, laughter, friendship and love...really.

With a big, heartfelt thank you for their participation and friendship, here are the Rockin' Friends this week in order of most participation.

Joan at A Bad Marriage Is Fattening

Katlupe at Homesteading On The Internet

Bev at eBlebco

Paula at This American Life

Aleta at Paws For Thought

Marlene at Marlene's Many Hats

Carol at ArtMuseDog

PJ at PJ's Prayer Line

Zany Housewife at Zany Housewife

I'm so glad that I've been able to become friends with these lovely ladies who are so active in my community. I encourage you to add their blogs to your blogroll, but also come over and chat with us in my community.

For everyone mentioned in the top nine this week, feel free to grab the Rockin' Friend badge below (Yeah, we do crazy poses like that too because we are stylish LOL) and thank you for your participation!!

Until the spotlight next week...Happy Chatting Rockin' Friends!

Until next week...Kiss your family, hug your friends and don't forget to be the friend you would like to have around.

When Alyssa proclaimed, "I want a puppy," I knew that I was doomed. I've always had a very hard time telling my daughter "No" if it wasn't something that wasn't harmful.

It didn't take long before she saved the money herself and found a dog she wanted to purchase. After taking a two hour drive one Saturday, we arrived at the breeder's place. When we left, Bella was with us.

Everything in our home immediately became a toy to the puppy. My slippers first lost the bow and then seemed to become her constant companion.

Unfortunately, she was very inquisitive and chewed on things that she wasn't supposed to like Alyssa's laptop and everything else she could confiscate.

I couldn't help myself and although I tried hard not to care for Bella, the puppy, I fell in love with her.

In November 2010, Bella chewed and swallowed Alyssa's bra strap with the metal clips still on both ends. Because she is just a Toy Poodle and quite small, the clip on one end passed through her stomach. However, the other clip remained in her stomach causing her entire digestive tract to begin knotting up and killing her. After emergency surgery, lots of money, many prayers and a long recuperation, Bella lived.

With that horrible experience behind us, we are very vigilant in keeping everything up and away from the reach of her might teeth.

Bella is quite smart and very loving. She spends a lot time sleeping in my lap while I blog and bringing me a great amount of peace.

We have our own little routines, Bella and I, but she is still full of surprises. When I go into my bathroom, she always jumps up and sits on the toilet lid to keep me company. Of course, I talk to her all the time, so she is attentively listening to every syllable. I'm sure she understands each word I say. (wink)

Anyway, I had a tissue in my hand and so I walked into the bathroom with the intention of throwing it into the toilet instead of the trash. Why make more trash, you know? Bella was hot on my heels as usual. Upon entering the bathroom, I reached down and lifted the toilet lid at exactly the same moment that Bella leaped to get on top of the very same toilet lid.

Instead of landing on the lid, Bella dived head first into the toilet, bonking her head against the inside back. It kind of dazed her for a second, but I was pulling her out before she even realized what was happening. Needless to say, it scared me terribly!

After a few seconds, she was intent on running all over the place like a wild jungle animal, so I knew she was still fine.

It only reaffirms my belief that all redheads, be it human or animal, must have the same klutzy gene and we often dive head first into things. I guess I should be proud...at least I haven't dazed myself by hitting my head on the inside of the toilet...Well, not yet.

Most of my days consists of working in one form or the other.

I have a full time job outside of the home, three jobs while at home and a twenty-four hour a day job as a mother. Of course, I like the last one the most. Obviously, I have very little free, fun time.

Alyssa is very engaged in completing school and starting a career as well as all the other activities with friends, family or work. She isn't home nearly as much as she used to and so I miss her often.

However, I'm never alone.

No matter how many hours I sit in my cupcake pajamas at the computer while working at home, I have a constant companion.

Bella.

Sometimes she curls into a little ball and other times she stretches out on my lap. She refuses to go to bed until I do each night, so even now she is sound asleep and softly snoring. Not only is she very warm like my own little heating blanket, but I find her presence very comforting.

It's almost unfathomable that a tiny animal can calm the chaos in my mind and the pain in my heart, but she does daily. So while you read all the posts I type, you can imagine the scene around me...

Bella on my lap softly snoring.

Turtle's tank is making a flowing water sound as the pump keeps the water moving and clean.

The tippity tap of the keys can be heard as I type.

Sometimes there is soft music in the background, but most of the time it is just peaceful silence.

It is quiet unless someone knocks at the front door and then Bella wakes up, leaps off my lap and starts barking like a crazed animal gone wild!

Of course, that always gives me the opportunity to get up, stretch while I walk to the kitchen and eat a real cupcake instead of just looking at them on my pajamas.

"Dogs are our link to paradise.
They don't know evil
or jealousy
or discontent.
To sit with a dog on a hillside
on a glorious afternoon
is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing
was not boring--it was peace."
~Milan Kundera~

Carol at ArtMuseDogs

Marlene at Marlene's Many Hats

Katlupe at Homesteading on the Internet

Deb at Just Short Of Crazy

Paula at Love Is A Journey

Kim at The Zany Housewife

Kristi at The Child Sensitive Communication Grid

Bev at EBlebco.com

PJ at PJ's Prayer Line

Lori at Lori's LOLz

Until the spotlight next week...Happy Chatting Rockin' Friends!

Don't forget to add your blog URL to the Linky at Woo Us To Your Blog and learn blogging tips that will help you have a polished blog and to increase your traffic! This week it is all about getting those images and photos to load quickly! Do you know the secrets?

Until next week...Kiss your family, hug your friends and don't forget to be the friend you would like to have around.

A cell phone ringer of "Jesus Take The Wheel" sung by Carrie Underwood can be heard from the direction of Turtle's tank.

That can only be one person on my cell phone.

"Hello?"

(sniff, sniff) "Mom?! I had a flat tire and there is a huge hole in it." (crying, sniff, sniff)

"Are you hurt?" I asked because the crying continued.

"No, but my tire is flat. I am going to need a new tire," she blurted out between tears.

"That's okay sweetie. Why are you crying?"

"Because my tire is flat!"

"Well, the car is in a parking lot so don't worry. Just go on into work and I will be there in just a bit to take care of a new tire for you," I said hoping to calm her.

That meant that I would not be lounging in my pajamas all day. So I jumped in the shower and began the routine of bathing, applying makeup and drying my hair.

Meanwhile, Alyssa's dog, Bella, ran around as usual. When it was time for me to leave, I put all her doggie stuff in Alyssa's bathroom. We block her in the bathroom like a toddler so that the light of the bedroom can still shine into the room. I think it helps her feel not so couped up.

But as I'm standing at the doorway, Bella is totally motionless like a statue with a mischievous look on her face. So I look around the bathroom again wondering what she thinks she is going to destroy because she is Destroyer Dog.

Hmmm...

I decided that maybe Bella wanted the cord on Alyssa's curling iron, so just to be safe, I wrapped it around the curling iron and put it way high on a shelf. "That's perfect," I thought and left the bathroom again.

Turning to tell Bella goodbye, she still lay motionless and mischievous. Perplexed, I searched the bathroom again for the item of her obvious intentions, but found absolutely nothing!

"Maybe I'm just being fanatical," I said to myself. I walked out of Alyssa's room, paused, turned around and peeped back at Bella. With big brown eyes staring at me, she just continued to lay on her bed.

Feeling like a fool, I left the house, got in my car and drove to the flat tired car of the Damsel in Distress. Just as I pulled beside Alyssa's car, I realized that I had forgotten the key to her car!

I'm getting used to doing that stuff, so I just backed out of the parking spot and headed back home to retrieve the missing key.

It was really windy here today, so my hair flew all over the place as I stepped out of the vehicle and made my way to the front door. As I stuck my key into the lock, I heard a dog bark from within the house and it sounded like the bark of freedom.

I quickly opened the door in time to see Bella leap off the couch and run towards me.

"Oh my goodness puppy! How did you get loose?! No way could you leap three feet over the barrier blocking the door," I exclaimed as I scooped her up and scratched behind her ears. Her little tail was wagging like fluttering hummingbird wings.

When I got to Alyssa's bathroom, I realized that I never shut the barrier all the way across the bathroom doorway. Bella knew the whole time I had searched the bathroom earlier and she was smart enough to stay in the bed motionless until I left home. That little dog knew that if she had followed me to the front door, I would have realized that I hadn't closed her in securely.

Well, I locked her into the bathroom safely, went about getting a new tire for the Damsel in Distress, and then took a long nap in the sunshine after I got home.

Best part of the day was a text message that said, "thank u mom ur awesome," so you know I drifted into that nap quite happy.

Redhead Riter CAN Cook

I'm the only one awake. Why does it happen all the time? I'll tell you exactly why and how it all got started.

Cooking is a skill that requires work - more for some than others. At the ripe old age of twelve, I received my first of many shocking lessons that common sense is required to exist in this world.

I didn't used to have common sense. No, you can not ask my mother if I have it now.

Anyway, Mom had created her great macaroni and cheese meal together in a square Corning ware dish and covered it with a piece of plastic wrap. She placed it lovingly in the refrigerator while informing my sister and I that we were going to have it for dinner the next night.

We all prayed, kissed each other goodnight and went to bed.

The next afternoon, as was the ritual, I made the required phone call to let Mom know that my sister and I were safe at home after a fun day at school. Mom was quick to remind me to put the macaroni and cheese in the oven at the appointed time. We eventually said our "I love you's" and ended the call.

Several hours later, I followed Mom's directions which were:

"Take the macaroni and cheese out of the refrigerator and put it in the 350 degree oven."After doing so, I'm sure my sister and I continued to watch our favorite shows which were "Match Game" and "Tattle Tales." Eventually Mom arrived home from work which meant we could eat the delicious meal that was torturing us with it's wonderful aroma.

Mom leaned down and pulled the macaroni and cheese out of the oven. Since this was really my first "cooking" experience alone, I just knew she was going to lavish me with accolades. Instead, she stood staring at it for a long time and then looking straight at me with a flabbergasted look on her face, Mom said, "Did you take the plastic wrap off the macaroni and cheese before you put it in the oven?"

"No," I said innocently. "You didn't tell me to take it off. You just said to take it out of the refrigerator and put it in the oven. That's what I did!"

"Well I thought you had enough common sense to take off the plastic wrap!" Mom exclaimed in complete bewilderment.

Needless to say, Mom didn't make the "common sense assumption" mistake too often after that incident.

Fast forward about thirty-six years.

Put a little of this soft dog food with gravy, that hard dog food, some tuna fish and a tiny bit of cheddar cheese in a bowl. Warm slightly. Serve immediately.

After snarfing it down in record time, Bella climbed on the couch and immediately went sound asleep.

Obviously, I can cook quite satisfyingly.

Rough Feet and a Wrinkled Nose

Rough pads on the feet can actually be cute.

Wrinkles on the nose with big nostrils can be cute.

Of course, those things wouldn't be cute on me, but they are very cute on Bella who passed clean out after playing with Granny a.k.a. The Redhead Riter.

"Dogs are miracles with paws."

~Attributed to Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy~

Even Though You Can't Read This Post

In the wee hours of the morning, I am the only creature stirring...well, I'm supposed to be the only creature stirring, but I'm not.

I've always had a high metabolism and required less hours of sleep than the average person. When I was a young girl, my family hated it because I didn't like naps and they usually fell asleep before I did and if I did at all. So often, I remember watching my mother fall into a sound sleep and then I would ever so carefully creep off the bed to go back in my room and play.

Mom had a good nap.

Fast forward about forty plus years and I still don't like naps nor do I like sleeping. Honestly, it just feels like a huge waste of time. Lucky for me, I still do not require that much sleep. So night after night while everyone else sleeps, I sit at the computer with the music softly playing while I type, surf and think about life.

However, I'm not alone.

Bella, my daughter's dog, refuses to go to bed unless I've also gone to bed. No matter how much Alyssa tries to convince Bella to stay in the bed with her, it doesn't work. Instead, Bella comes into the room with me and sleeps at my feet.

I can hear her snore softly and often I watch her little paws run while she is lost in dreamland. If I make an unusual noise, she will wake up and look at me.

I have no idea why this little puppy wants to be out here with me, but honestly, it is comforting and I don't feel so lonely. So even though you can't read this post, I just want to tell you...

Thank you Bella for being my friend in the late hours of the night. You often make the darkness bright and the loneliness bearable. I guess that is why I forgive you for chewing holes in everything.

Bella Is In Surgery

The Saturday Stalker will hopefully happen later today. We have been up all night with Bella. She will have surgery shortly. It's a long story, but we hope it will have a happy ending.

This year is just too hard. I'm trying to take one hour at a time.

The Redhead That Loves Me

I didn't want one.

Not because I don't think they are cute

or fun,

but because I didn't want to get attached.

Obviously, I love my daughter a whole bunch

because I relented to her wish.

That's why we have a fluffy toy that lives in our house...

Bella, the Toy Poodle.

Alyssa loves her puppy and

and plays with her all the time.

Bella loves to bite and chew on anything and is often Destructo Dog.

She is constantly in motion

and will growl and swing her head from side to side while playing.

I must admit, she really is an adorable little dog

and keeps me quite entertained when Alyssa is gone.

Sometimes I look at her fur and marvel

that it is exactly the color of my hair.

Just so weird.

I still haven't gotten over the fact that my daughter

wanted a dog with fur like her mother's hair.

What are the chances of that happening with a teenager?

Yeah, that's what I thought...

slim to none,

but it happened.

I miss my dog who was a white Miniature Toy Poodle,

only weighed four pounds,

and loved me so much.

I think about her all the time

when I look at Bella.

I didn't want to be attached to "Alyssa's dog" because

losing my dog hurt so badly,

but now it's too late.

I'm hooked,

connected,

attached,

involved with

and basically love this little dog

that refuses to go to bed with Alyssa

until I go to bed at night.