Tessa Day

Today is Tessa's 4-year anniversary with us. April 21 is "Tessa Day."

Four years ago, we brought a 3.8-lb. puppy into our home and she changed our lives forever!

I can't handle the cuteness of the pose. This is when she was still known as "Little Red."

She and I spent the first afternoon getting to know each other, but it was like we had an instant bond. She knew I was going to be her mama, and truthfully, favored me from the very beginning.

Coming home to a new family is exhausting!

(I nearly died when she first rolled over in my lap and slept like this. SO. CUTE.)

The first few weeks with her were rough. We were actually really lucky because aside from the very first night, she started sleeping through the night immediately. Can't ask for much more than that! But when we had to go back to work after that first weekend, we'd come home to a puppy who was completely energized and would NOT. LIE. DOWN. until she completely wore herself out just before bed. Also, we had to watch her like a hawk because even though she was pretty good, she could pee on the floor at any moment. Ahh... I do not miss the days of potty training.

But look at how little and adorable she was! As big of a pain as she was, I was in love.

The other thing she would do that was super annoying was that she would attack my pant legs. I couldn't put on pants. I couldn't take off pants. I couldn't walk down the hallway. Not without her biting at my legs. I could've kicked her into the next county, it was so frustrating.

But we stuck it out. Through the potty training. Through the ankle-biting. Through the exhaustion from trying to keep up with her.

There were a lot of nights like this. After playing with her, desperately trying to wear her out, I would eventually "force" her to lie down with me, and well, a mama-puppy dual nap would result. THANK GOD.

Things got better. She grew older. She stopped attacking my pant legs. She got the hang of potty training. And although she loved us unconditionally from the very beginning, we learned to love her unconditionally, too.

Today, we look back and can't believe that it has been four years. We look back and can't believe it's ONLY been four years. We look back and can't quite remember what our lives were like before her.

Happy Anniversary, Tessa girl.