Queen of the Dogs: Remington

I searched for Remi long before he was born. Research, phone calls and viewed a million websites. I'd get the bug every couple of years. Do the research and then decide that it would be crazy with my and Laurens schedule. Travel softball is brutal between the practice everynight to tournaments all weekend long. This went on almost every week of the year. It wouldn't be fair to a pup. I'd also think about how a puppy is sooooooo much work. Potty training, chewing, screaming crying at night. All night. ugh.

Let me start at the beginning. Jake and I moved from my parents house in August of 2007 to the East side of town. I was in my glory being within 5 minutes of the beach vs the 25 minutes where we used to live. Finally after 12 years of living near the best schools for Lauren I could live where I wanted.

Lauren left for college up in Palm Beach and Jake and I settled into our new life. Alone. No one around to bother us. My parents actually picked up and moved to Georgia. It was awesome. And then I lost my mind. I wanted a puppy.

I blamed Jake a little as I tried to justify in my mind that he was all alone now. When we had lived with my parents while Lauren was in high school he had my mother for company all day. Now he was all alone all day. I'd leave the house at 7:30am and not return home until 6:00pm. I felt bad. He needed company, a playmate, a brother. A puppy.

Like I said previously I started research long before so I had a good idea of where to find my new black lab puppy. It was just a matter of finding one of the chosen breeders that was having a litter.

Within two weeks I found him. Its kinda like once you take the plunge, there is no turning back. I found him and he was going to be mine. Plans were made to drive up to Ocala in two weeks when he would be old enough and pick him up.

Lauren came home from college that weekend to make the trip with me. We left early that saturday morning and made the 5 hour drive. I was giddy. Remington was coming home to mamma!

We arrived at the breeders house and it was all I could do to contain myself. My first look at him was when Susan (the breeder) walked out of her house up on a little hill toweling dry a squirming little black ball of fluff. I couldnt see him right away. An occasional leg would escape and then an ear. As she got closer she re-adjusted him and out popped a beautiful black head.

She walked closer yet, introduced herself and handed my baby boy to me. He was my first dog that was mine and mine alone. As a kid our dogs belonged to everyone in the family. Remi was mine. I took him from her and cradled him like a baby. He didn't move a muscle as he focused his eyes on mine. I was smiling and talking soft to him and telling him I loved him to death already. Its stupid I know, but I love animals. Dogs are number one to me. And he was sooo beautiful I started to cry. I burried my face in the fur around his neck and he smelled so good. He stayed still, still not knowing who I was. A stranger holding him and getting too close too soon.

We spent a good hour there getting paperwork done, meeting Remi's momma and his littermates. When it was time to go I did get sad for his momma. She was not overly concerned about him leaving. She sniffed him and went back to fighting off 12 other puppies that were still looking for milk even though they were on solid food. I gave her a pat on the head and a kiss on the nose. I told her not to worry and that he would be loved like my own child and live in a carefree worry, never to want for anything.

The drive home was long. He started out in the back seat of our SUV, then began crying so Lauren grabbed him and he rode the rest of the way home curled up in a ball on her lap or stretched out on her chest. I just couldnt look at him enough. He was beautiful.

His name; Remington, was picked out long ago. I've always wanted a black lab and wanted to name him Remington and call him Remi. I had my Remi. My bestest friend who would love me best.

He is my baby and does love me to a fault. lol I like to joke that he should just climb in my butt. It'd be easier than him running into the back of my legs constantly when I stop moving. He follows me everywhere. He sleeps on my head and he lays by my side everynight on the couch while I play online. I am in love. Still. Even though he is the Devils Spawn. Still. I love him.

Oh, he got his middle name because he was the highest jumping puppy I ever saw. Lauren said he reminded her of Roo. Roo was Kanga's baby kangaroo in the Winnie the Pooh series. It kinda stuck. So he's Remington Kanga-Roo. I call him Remi-roo all the time. Or just Roo sometimes. No matter, he comes running. =)

Well, today is my baby boys 3rd birthday. He's got a few problems, like a seizure disorder, but we have that figured out with the meds. He never got as big as he should have be and thats prolly because of the seizure disorder. But he's perfect to me just the way he is.

We meet...

Can I sit here?