Meet Penny Baby

(Here is the second of four family introduction posts.  Read Copper's post here.)

Meet Penny Baby Ray.  Or Penny Babs Ray.  (Depends on the day.)



Copper and Penny with their adopted Momma, March 2009



 If you read Copper's introduction post, you'll know that it was love at first sight for these two pups.  Penny was just one of a large litter of pups (9 total in the crate when we got there), and we had no idea how in the world we were going to pick just one of those little things.  But she made it easy for us: when we opened that crate door, she made a beeline to Copper while the other 8 pups either ran to us, or away from the crate in general.  Her hyperactive leaps and bounds turned Copper into a new puppy, and we fell in love with her right away.



First Day Home, March 2009



It was crazy how instant Penny & Copper's connection was.  If it wasn't for the fact that they look nothing alike, I would think that they came from the same litter.  These two are inseparable.

Penny also connected with Andrew right away.  Ever since, she has been a Daddy's Girl (as you can see by the pictures below).  She just gives him this face that she doesn't show anyone else.  She loves him. 

First Day Home, March 2009

 

Snuggling after a swim, July 2009

Penny is very hyperactive.  I could hardly get a still picture of her as a pup.  Sometimes even now, she runs straight for the camera rather than sitting still or ignoring it.  She also still runs and leaps at our faces for smooches when she's really excited.  She smooches ALL THE TIME.  Even if you just barely pat her back, she has to smooch you.  Bedtime?  Smooch.  Breakfast?  Smooch.  Wave from across the room?  Smooch.

Playing in the sunroom, April 2009

 

Jumping for joy, Summer 2009



 It didn't take long for us to learn that Penny LOVES the water.  Her first trip to Shmimi & PePaw's (my parents) house, I thought she was going to jump in the pool- even though it was March!  When it was warm enough to swim and we were all in the pool, she would pace by the steps and dip her nose in, but she just wasn't sure what to do.  Finally, one afternoon when several of us were swimming and calling out her name, she just closed her eyes and leaped from the steps!  It didn't take long, by that July she was an expert swimmer.



Penny swimming, Summer 2009

 

Penny swimming, Summer 2010

It seems Penny has a thing for her boys.  She loves her Copper.  She loves her Daddy.  And she LOVES her PePaw!  Especially when her lets her on the couch for a snuggle.  PePaw gives the best belly rubs.

Penny and PePaw, Christmas 2009

And, oh boy, is she a snuggler!  She will snuggle up almost anywhere.  I swear, she could find a cozy spot on a bed of nails.

Penny snuggling with Momma, March 2009

Penny snuggling in the wrapping paper, Christmas 2009

Penny snuggling in Maddie & Cherokee's garden, February 2010

Penny snuggling in her corner on our deck, Spring 2010

Penny snuggling by the fence, October 2010

Penny is a good snuggler, a good sleeper and a LOUD snorer.  She will fall dead asleep with her mouth hanging wide open and snore like there's no tomorrow.  I joke that she "gets it from her Daddy".

Penny passed out, Fall 2009

Penny passed out, Early Spring 2010

Penny loves her boys, loves to sleep, loves to eat, loves to win, loves to rub her nose on trees, loves to smooch, loves to kick Copper out of the doghouse, and above all LOVES to snuggle.

But she hates snow.  She really hates snow.

Penny not letting her butt touch the cold snow, 2010

And as much as she hates the snow, she loves a good fire.  She will snuggle up so close to the fire and get so hot that Andrew and I can barely stand to put our hand on her.



Penny by the fire, Snow Day 2010



Penny always has to "give" us something.  Every morning when I get up to let them out, she has to give me a toy.  She picks up whatever is nearby and just wiggles and wags her tail and holds that toy up to me in her mouth.  She does the same thing when we go to get her out of the pen, even if all she has to pick up is a piece of hay or a leaf.  Recently, I've started taking the object and saying, "Thank you, Penny Baby!"  And she gets even more excited and wiggly.  She is just the cutest darn thing.

Penny has this look she gives us (usually she gives this look to her Daddy).  When she wants a snuggle or a treat or a spot up on the couch, this is the look we get:

Penny in the car, Summer 2010

 It took me well over a year to capture this expression, and even this photo was on accident!  Here she is in Buttons (my car), just gazing at Andrew as he was driving.  The way she completes the look is by resting her chin on a soft surface... just picture this on the edge of the couch, the armrest of the chair, the edge of the bed, etc.  It's as if she's saying, "Daddy, please.  I'm just a baby!"

And how did Penny get her middle name?  Well, for a while her name was Penny Just-a-Baby!  She's the smallest pup in our entire family, and sometimes she gets overwhelmed with all the big kids running around at our family get-togethers.  So she'll run and hide between my legs if I'm standing or curl up in my lap if I'm sitting, and I'll cradle her and say to the other pups, "She's just a baby!"  It's caught on... now whenever my Ma finds something tiny, she cups it in her hand and says, "It's just a baby!"

And when Penny is in one of her sassy moods and just has to take whatever Copper has, or steal his spot, or beat him up, she goes from Penny Baby to Penny Babs.  'Cause it's just more sassy that way.

We love this little nugget to the moon.  She has weaseled her way into ALL of our hearts.  Even Kitty Bug's.  They chat every single day.  Girl talk.