pumpkin perusals

As this incredible year slowly barrels to an end, I'm often struck by just how different my life was from a year ago... or how it could have been. I talked a little bit in my bday post about the changes that I am proud of / thankful for in my personal life, but I haven't mentioned one of the best things that's ever happened to me: Pumpkin.

Of course, everyone knows that I love her to pieces, and everyone knows how much my life, and my attitude, has changed because of her. But as her 1st birthday gets closer (its this Friday), I started to wonder what things would be like if I had gotten a puppy, but just not P. I was this close to actually getting a sweet little doxy girl named Jan, when I ran across Pumpkin's sassy little picture on the web.

Even though pics on the web are always a crapshoot, I knew that I wanted a puppy with a lot of character. And boy, did I get that and more with my bunny! She's such a silly, silly girl, with her funny faces and shameless "pet me" belly flips... I am always just laughing. Last night, she got a hold of this bow that came with a package I received, and spent a good 10 mins on her back playing with it. I could not help cracking up.

I wonder... if I had gotten Jan, who is quieter by nature, would my personality have influenced her, or would she be completely different from P? Would I have been as amused and in love?

I'm sure as a mommy, I would have still loved her. But, I might not have gotten some of the most memorable Pkin moments, like when she got her head stuck in my sneaker and couldn't get it off :-)

Happy birthday, P! Mommy loves you!