Happy 1st Birthday Allie!!!!

It is hard to believe that my baby is 1!! I can not believe, and am a little ashamed, of how attached I have become to her. I always had dogs growing up, but I remember my mom having to force me to go outside and play with them. We were never allowed to have dogs in the house, maybe that is the difference. I know that sometimes Chris rolls his eyes at me for the way I treat her, but she has brought me so much joy over the last year. I remember when we went to pick her out. I had been hinting about wanting a dog for about a month and one Friday night Chris said that he had picked up a Thrifty Nickle and they had an add for a Dorkie. He had already called the lady and he said he really wanted to go check them out. I was shocked. We decided on the way out there that we would hold hands and squeeze the others hand if we wanted one. I know we are retarded with the hand thing. We have lots of little hand squeezes that mean different things. Anyway, as soon as we sat down and Allie crawled into my lap Chris gave my hand a good squeeze. I was instantly attached. Her first year has been full of many new adventures and I can not wait to see our future kids fall in love with her as much as we have.

I rationalized my desire to make Allie a birthday cake by blaming it on Delaney and stating that "I thought it would be a fun project to keep her entertained for the evening." I have attached the recipe I found online if anyone is as insane as I am and would like to make their dog a cake.

Jerky Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup corn oil
1 jar strained beef baby food
4 eggs
2-3 strips of beef jerky

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour an 8x5x3 inch loaf pan. Cream butter until smooth. Add corn oil, baby food, and eggs. Mix until smooth. Mix dry ingredients into beef mixture until batter is smooth. Crumble beef jerky and fold into batter. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Frost with plain yogurt, cream cheese or cottage cheese. Crumble another strip of beef jerky and sprinkle on top of icing. Store in refrigerator.

Allie licking her bone/candle.

Delaney and Allie. It is hard to decide which one is more spoiled.

Dylan and Allie. I have no idea what he was doing in this picture, but it is the only one I had without his face covered.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLIE!!!!