Thank God we Gotcha Dog!

{  He's celebrating on the inside. He's just concerned about losing his street cred by showing how excited this hat makes him.  }

Dear Norbert,

Happy Birthday, doglette!!! Today is your Gotcha Day (your birthday was technically 3 or 4 months ago), but today is the day we celebrate! You are seriously the BEST dog. You are quirky and cute and you have the best staying capabilities I have EVER seen in a dog.

You are so well behaved, in fact, that it's pretty easy to forgive you for your random bouts of chewing things up... and that you've decided you're allowed on the couch any time you want...

Watching you and your dad snuggle is hilarious! I love it when you try to sneak into his lap ever so slowly, like maybe he won't notice you're there... Why don't you ever try to snuggle with me like that? I know I'm not your favorite but, I'm the tough one who does the training, but I still love you too.

It's fun to have you under my desk as I work. I don't think I've told you this, but you are the BEST co-worker I have. The aloe plant isn't very good company, but you sure are!

This year... You have taken to sitting on the window sills when you want to come inside. You've overcome your fear of tape measures. You got 15 seconds of fame when you were featured in BuzzFeed.

I know things have been tough to adjust to the past year and you don't feel like you get quite as much love as before, but you've been a really great sport about it and I can tell you love your sister a lot. Especially because you let her pull your eyebrows without much more than a groan and a shuffle to the other side of the room.  ...And you did teach her her very first word, "woof!" She even mimics your under-your-breath gruffness.

You love to lay under Hazel's highchair as she eats. But you are literally DIRECTLY under her, so most of her dropped food gets caught in your back hair!! You don't even realize it until you stand up and it falls off of you.

Oh, Norbs... you really improved our lives when we got you 3 years ago, and I don't think any other dog will ever compare to your regal excellence. You are a supreme fluff dragon and have the sleekest ear hairs of anyone anywhere. Thanks for being you and being the dog pookie in our family.

Enjoy your special day. A special walk and treat are in store for tonight!

Love you,
Momma

{  Outside Hazel's door in the morning, waiting for her to wake up.  }

{  On the window sill outside my office, ready to come back inside.  }

And a throwback to his first day with us 3 years ago...

Also, I swear he lives a happy life despite the fact that he looks utterly depressed in practically every picture. He's not a fan of cameras. 

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