Happy Birthday, Lupe

Lupe's three years old today. She's my first dog.

I was just telling Husband that Lupe and Carmen really don't look like dogs to me. They look like aliens or fictional characters. Or little humans with heavy make up. I think their personalities have transcended their species.




Right?

I got Lupe from a friend of a friend's neighbor who had mated her beloved pets. She had extra puppies and did I want one? Of course I wanted a baby pug! Husband didn't want a pug, didn't want a dog at all really because he's Mr. Practical and did you know what a huge responsibility a dog is? But if you can resist this, your heart is made of ice cubes.
I had to drive an hour to pick Lupe up. I put her in a tiny little crate and she got car sick half way into the drive back. I thought I had broken the dog already. I brought her to work to show Mandy and we died over her. Lupe followed me everywhere. Didn't even let me go to the bathroom without taking her too. I brought her to work everyday until we closed the doors to our company.
I fell so hard for Lupe that I begged the Pug Lady to let me get another puppy if she were to mate Lupe's parents again. A year later we got goof ball Carmen.

Lupe is a cool customer, but her tail gives her away. She plays aloof, looks off to the side ignoring us, but her tail will wag vigorously. We say, "MmmHmm," and she comes running shaking the entire back side, smiling even.

Lupe likes chest rubs, kale and cucumbers. She likes a reachable, unattended trash can so she can spread all kinds of garage love through the house. She likes to sleep under the covers. She puts herself to bed with Maya around 10 and comes back to our bed around 7, even if we're getting up. We have to kick Carmen out of the bed late at night-- she feigns sleep hoping we won't -- and she's back at 5:30 if she thinks we'll let her. Lupe loves Carmen, loves the girls, loves Mami & Papi best. Guess who loves Lupe the most? Yea, Papi.

Ah man, I don't blame him. Look at our girl.