merry merry christmas!

Despite the fact that Claire was less than enthused about posing for this picture, I can assure you that she is quite excited about Christmas!

May your days be merry and bright, friends! See you in the new year!

sweetness.

My lovebug!

I had to take advantage of Claire's obsession with squirrels in order for this photo op to happen. We've been super busy around here lately, but we'll soon be back to regular posts! For random (and shorter) updates, keep tabs on the happenings over at our Facebook page, too!

snuggles.

Everyone needs a good snuggle after a long day.

here's the scoop on our upcoming (brief!) hiatus.

Well, for the first time since I started this blog two years ago [wow!], the time has come for me to take a little break. It's not because I'm getting bored, or losing my vision, or running out of stories [not possible with Miss Claire], but it's actually because I'll be spending a good part of this month in Uganda with Visiting Orphans. I'll be back at the end of October, but I'll be starting my new job as soon as I return, so I figure I should give myself a week or so to get settled, you know?

While I'm out of the country, Claire will be spending time at overnight camp at Bark-O-Lounge. To my friends who also bring their pups there, would you please check on her and give her kisses for me while I'm gone? The average of kisses that Claire gets per day is somewhere around 49,230 and I really don't want her to come up short. Thank you!! Clearly, I'm going to have a hard time being apart from her. Seriously, I'm already going through anticipatory withdrawals...

I'll be hanging out over at our FB page until I go to Uganda, so feel free to stop by and say hello. Otherwise, we'll see you guys in November! Here's a little something for you all, in case you miss us already [my new favorite photo of CBB]:

  

our bucket list.

So, by now, most of you have probably heard about this sweet story of a boy who created a bucket "lick it" list for his terminally ill service dog. When I read it, of course it got me thinking about all of the things I'd like to do with Claire in her lifetime. I have my own bucket list that consists of 90+ things that I'd like to do in my life [getting a puppy was one of them], but I decided to put together a separate list for me and Claire. Here are some of the items, in no particular order of importance.

1. Fence in the backyard so that Claire has more room to run when we're not at the dog park.
2. Go on a vacation to the beach, just the two of us - spend our nights staying at a dog-friendly hotel and spend our days playing by the ocean.
3. Share a cone of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.
4. Walk a 5k together [I'd say that we'd run, but that would be a nightmare because she would think we were playing a game of chase, and I would die of either exhaustion or of embarrassment].
5. Have my friend and fellow photographer Erin do a photo shoot of me and Claire.
6. Let Claire lead a walk.
7. Have a birthday party in my backyard with a cake from See Spot Eat, and invite all of her friends. Send out real invitations, hand out party favors, and have decorations fit for a queen!
8. Go for a ride in a convertible. [I'll have to hold on to her so she doesn't jump out].
9. Take a picture of Claire in a field of sunflowers. Print it on a canvas to hang up in the house.
10. Get a tattoo of Claire's paw print.
11. Get 100 followers on Google Friend Connect, and reach 200 followers on our Facebook page. [This is obviously a personal goal, but I still felt that I needed to add it!]
12. Create another masterpiece and sell copies to raise money for the Nashville Humane Society.

What should I add to this list? What's on the bucket list for you and your dog?

  

TGIF.

It has been a busy few weeks around here. I'm sure that most 27-year-olds are out on this Friday night having a grand old time with their pals and staying out until the wee hours of the morning, but not this girl. Nope. I can honestly say that there is nowhere else I'd rather be than in this bed, snuggled up with Claire. Let's give a quick recap of recent happenings, yes?

• Work. Work is always crazy busy, but especially when you're covering for a coworker. [Elizabeth, next time you go to Switzerland, don't forget to pack me in your suitcase. Just kidding... or am I?]
• Preparing for a conference. I have a little over a month to do some research, make a powerpoint presentation, and come up with an hour's worth of pediatric social work goodness to present at a national conference. [I'm really excited about this opportunity, and I've got some great material. The only hitch is that I have a slight phobia of public speaking...]
• Uganda. The missions trip with Visiting Orphans is three months away, and it's coming up quick! We've been doing a lot to prepare, both individually and collectively. A lot of the planning has been for our fundraising event that is tomorrow night [if you're in Nashville, you should come!]
• Dog-sitting. I love my friends. I love dogs. So, it just makes sense that I help 'em out by doing this, you know? Also, Claire loves it! She gets to hang out (a) with me, (b) explore new places, and (c) hang out with her puppy friends. What more could she possibly want? [Answer: an endless supply of Nylabones].
• Photography. My other job. You know, aside from being a social worker and blogger. I absolutely adore photography, and I cherish the times that I get to use this creative outlet - especially when getting to take pictures of people's beloved pets! [That being said, I'm booking shoots into the fall, so let me know if you're interested!]
• Working out isn't my favorite way to spend my time, but it's important. You know, for my health and all that. I try to go 2-3 times a week, which gets a little tricky now and then, but I try to make it happen. [Unfortunately, in this case, it's not the thought that counts].

Even with all of this great stuff going on, the most important thing is that I get to spend some solid time with Claire each day. She goes to school with her friends on my busiest days, so when we get home, we usually just get into bed and cuddle [and there's no complaining from me about this!] while I blog or read or watch a movie. During the other days of the week - the less busy ones - I rush home, pick her up, and we go for walks and hang out at the park for a couple hours. Lately, I've been trying to squeeze in some time to teach her some new tricks, too - she loves to learn, that's for sure!

Claire is one of my main priorities, and because of that, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I'm always up for a quiet night at home with my best friend - especially with the busyness that has been going on throughout the past few weeks. It's no sacrifice at all. :)

    

a little something sweet for you.

Here is who I'm snuggling with right now.

I know you're jealous.

This, my friends, is Post-Daycare Claire.

Look at that sweet face.

I'll give her a kiss for you.

[You're welcome].

   
 

the need for speed.

I've been holding on to these gems for awhile - well, since Christmas, really. So here they are: pictures of my baby running. Claire loves to run. She likes to be chased more than she likes to chase [mainly because she can outrun any dog at the park and likes showing off]. And now that she's older, I find that the lab is coming out in her, and she loves running after tennis balls [she has about a 60% success rate of bringing them back because she's very picky about which ones she'll actually fetch]. I'd wanted to take some pictures of her running for awhile, and I finally had the perfect opportunity at Christmas while we were back at home in Massachusetts at Bourne Farm. Here's Claire in all her glory!

This picture depicts her happy ears!

She's running so fast in this picture

that the wind is blowing back her jowls so you can see her teeth.

I'm telling you, she's quick!

Dog or kangaroo?

 Getting chased by Lexie.

Charlie's Angels!

    

 

"flowers" by claire.

Among the many activities that filled up our weekend, Claire and I painted a picture together. I am completely serious. You see, I'm really good at painting large spaces with one color - a canvas, or even a wall, perhaps. It's very cathartic. But I never know what to do after that. This time, while I waited for my blue background to dry, I enlisted Claire's help. I painted her paw a lovely shade of fuchsia and stamped it on the canvas to make flowers. Then I dipped her tail in green to make the stems. The finished product?

Gorgeous, isn't it? It's certainly original. I've decided to sell it in the form of prints and stationary - proceeds will go to Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue here in Nashville! If you're interested in donating to the cause (and getting your own copy of a masterpiece by Claire) go to Lauren Elizabeth Photography and check under "My Sessions" for pricing! Eventually I'll have the kinks worked out so that orders can be placed on the website, but for now, leaving a comment or emailing me will have to be good enough!

  

bourne farm.

My sister Andrea, me, and Claire at Christmas.

(Please check out my sister's amazing slippers. They are awesome!!)

When Claire and I went home to Cape Cod for the holidays, I was thrilled to find out that the town recently built a dog park less than three miles away from my mom's house. Claire was less than excited, however, when the rocks that covered the ground kept getting stuck in her paw pads. [Seriously, people, why didn't you think of that when you built the park?!] Not so comfortable. My mom had a much better suggestion, which Claire and I are both ever thankful for: she told us to go right down the street to Bourne Farm. They have a huge open field, trails throughout the property, a pond... and it's absolutely beautiful.

Claire at the farm. She's very observant.

(Probably looking out for squirrels.)

We met my stepmom and brother there a couple times so that their dog, Lexie, could play with Claire. You would've thought they'd known each other forever if you saw them on the day that they met. Lexie bounded out of the car and Claire ran right on over to play.

Lexie in all her glory.

(The coonhound who thinks she's a lap dog. Loooove her!)

Of course, my little brother joined in the fun as well, alternating between climbing trees, chasing Claire and Lexie, and rolling down hills. He even followed them into the freezing cold 33*F pond when they decided to go for a swim. Needless to say, my stepmom and I were NOT pleased with him for that one...

My eight-year-old brother. I want to steal his freckles.

(Can't you see him getting away with anything?! He's just so cute!)

While we were there, I managed to get some great (and hilarious) shots of Claire running at full speed... but you're going to have to wait for the next blog post to see them. [I know, the suspense is just killing you!] No worries, they'll be up within the next few days!

To my sister Tori: I know you're more fashionista than farm girl, but I'm dragging you out with us next year. You have the next 11 months to prepare, got it?? :)

  

  

inspired resolutions.

Okay, so, as I typed in the title for this post, I remembered that my friend Lauree encouraged me to call resolutions PLANS instead - you're working toward these things, so it only makes sense. But you know what? I'm going to keep the title, simply because it sounds better! [Forgive me, Lauree?!] I have been thinking about this post for the past week, during which I sadly said goodbye to my family and drove 20+ hours back to Nashville with Claire. Now that it's New Year's Day, I'm ready to share this post with you all!

I have a number of plans for 2012, and I am convinced that it is going to be a year of growth and blessings, both of which I am excited for. I'm not going to share all of these plans with you because, let's be honest, some just aren't relevant to this blog. I am going to share a few that are inspired by Claire, though:

1. Work out every day. Even if it's a 2-mile walk with Claire, I need to get out there and get in shape. Everyone is always commenting on how lean Claire is, and that's because I make time for her to get out there and run - it's important for her health, and she loves to do it! I may not love to exercise (give me a comfy couch, a blanket, and a book any day), but it's important for my health, so I'm going to grin and bear it!
2. Spend 15-20 minutes training Claire each day. Not only will this be fun for the both of us, but it will help build Claire's confidence. My poor girl is a bit anxious, so I need to do my part to help her overcome that.
3. Be more positive. I was telling someone the other day that I wish I could be as happy as Claire is. Dogs are happy 99% of the time. I'm going to really work on reframing negative thoughts so that I can be happier overall.
4. Continue blogging at least twice a week, but work up to three posts per week on a consistent basis by the end of 2012. I started this blog to keep a journal of sorts about Claire's awesomeness, but it's morphed into something bigger - any blogger knows that a huge part of it is building relationships and sharing stories/ideas with others who have similar interests. I want to do my part to keep the conversation going with you all!
5. Work up to two photo shoots per month, consistently. I want to get my pet photography business going, but realistically, with my job, I can only do this on the weekends right now. I've been picking up extra weekend shifts lately, so I can only feasibly do two shoots a month at this time. But hey, everyone's got to start somewhere, right?

So, faithful readers, I'm going to need you to hold me accountable to working on these things hroughout the year - and I want to do the same for you. Leave a comment to share your goals/plans for 2012 below!

  

a very clairey christmas.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Love always,

(: Lauren and Claire :)

winning them over.

We made it!! We're back in Massachusetts with the family for the holidays!! It was a long drive, but it was 100% worth it! When we arrived, Claire finally got to meet my grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. She absolutely loves them! Not only that, but they absolutely love her! Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to watch out for my grandmother... she made a few comments that have me thinking that she might try to kidnap Claire when I'm not looking [Don't get any ideas! I've got my eye on you!].


Ever since I begged bribed asked my mom if Claire could come home with me for Christmas this year, she has been adamant that Claire is not allowed on any of her furniture, aside from my bed. A few weeks ago, I told her that my goal was to get her to let Claire on the furniture by the time Christmas was over. As it turns out, I didn't even have a chance to try and persuade her. We were home for less than twelve hours before my mom changed her mind; I went out to the store real quick and by the time I came back, this is what I found:

Then we have my sister Andie who is very much NOT a dog person. She is the biggest non-dog person of all of the non-dog people who make up my wonderful family (though clearly, Claire is converting them one at a time). Andie says that she likes dogs, just not when they lick, jump, shed, or bark. Hmm. When Andie first got home, she cringed when Claire came near her. Two hours later, Claire's head was in her lap and Andie had wrapped her in her scarf.

So, as some of you know, I was really concerned about how this was all going to go. I wasn't sure how my family would react to having a dog in the house, since we didn't grow up with pets. But I obviously should've trusted Claire more, because she has been nothing less than her sweet self which won everyone over immediately. It looks like we'll be going on a road trip for the holidays every year from here on out!

  

  

decking the halls.

I love the month of December. People are happier with the anticipation of Christmas as well as time off from work around the holidays. Claire and I have been preparing for our own holly jolly Christmas: cards have been sent out [which you'll get to see right here on the blog as it gets closer], we've been working on our Christmas list, and we've been planning our roadtrip back to Massachusetts so that we can be with the family for the holidays. Joy is abounding!

To help kick off the holiday season, my very thoughtful and talented friend Beth made Claire her very own Christmas ornament, complete with glitz and glam! I can't wait to bring it home and hang it on the tree!

We've also been busy with holiday photo shoots - I say "we" because Claire has been able to accompany me on some of them. I put pictures from selected shoots on the website to try and keep the photography business and the blog separate from each other, but our mini session this weekend was with a dog who is quite familiar to this blog - it's only appropriate that I share a sneak peek here as well. That's right, it's KINGSLEY!!!! Here's a sneak peek of him wearing a very festive scarf and looking like an adorably large version of Snoopy...

So yes, Claire and I have been quite busy, but I'm trying really hard to maintain a good balance of work, fun, and rest for both of us during the Christmas season! What are your favorite ways to prepare for the holidays and how do you minimize stress around this time of the year?
 
 

working on the christmas card.

One of the many things that I did this past weekend was work on our Christmas card. And when I say "our", I mean me and Claire, of course. I always like to do two mini shoots on different days because Claire is much more tolerant of the shorter sessions, and since she is the star of the Christmas card, I figure I should do what works best for her. Now, I can't post the photo that will be used for the actual card because that needs to wait until Christmas. I will also eventually post some bloopers from the sessions because there are some that are hilarious. What I'll show you now, however, is my favorite shot from this weekend's session since I am actually using a different photo for the card. Check out my little diva. I'm biased, I know, but isn't she precious? Don't you just want to smooch her?

  

  

happy halloween!

She looks terrified. One might say that's appropriate, since it IS Halloween...

Claire isn't a fan of getting dressed up. I don't torture her by making her wear things often. I swear. Just on Halloween. (And for her first Christmas a couple years ago). I put this cow costume on her and she didn't move once. It was like she forgot how to. Or she was afraid to. She just looked at me wide-eyed. Kinda like in the above photo, actually...

But she got a delicious treat after being a model today. A photo for me, a pig ear for her. I'd say it was a good trade.

Did you dress up your dog for Halloween? Tell us about your dog's costume and/or share a picture on our Facebook page!

  

  

raising dogs vs raising children.

Lord help the squirrels when Claire is around. She saw one on the front porch when we got home today and, as you can see, was so excited about it that she stood on the end table and pawed at the window while whining like crazy. For a half an hour. Even after the squirrel was gone. Basically, Claire threw a temper tantrum. [Side note: I wonder what a squirrel smells like to a dog. It triggers the same kind of reaction that I have when I smell a cheeseburger. So, yes, what I'm saying is that if you see me hitting the window of a restaurant and whining, you'll know what I'm asking for.] The only thing that could get Claire to stop whining about the squirrel was something equally delicious: a marrow bone. When I'm craving chocolate and don't have any, my friends typically "distract" me by giving me something else that's yummy instead. There is much to be said about the power of distraction - I'm just saying!


I am guessing that a lot of the same techniques that people use to train dogs can translate to teaching children good behavior. I don't have any children, which may be painstakingly obvious by my previous statement. But let me give some examples in addition to the one above, and perhaps you'll find similarities too:


Potty training
Parents typically give some kind of reward to their toddler when they are learning that they can't spend the rest of their life in a diaper. Families that I have nannied for have used candy, stickers, and positive reinforcement charts. When I was potty training Claire, I used treats.


Good manners
Parents teach their children to say "please" when they want something. Once they use The Magic Word, they get what they have asked for. Claire gets what she wants once she sits or lays down.


Naps and bedtime routine
Young children behave better when they are well rested, so many parents implement a schedule of naps to help ensure that they have a pleasant child. (I behave better when I'm well rested, too). I have had to do this with Claire, as well. Nap time is in the middle of the day, bedtime is at 9pm. And when she misses a nap or stays up too late, she gets grumpy, has less patience, and forgets how to share her toys.

Security blanket
My grandmother made a blanket for me when I was born and I slept with it all through childhood - it made me feel safe, and I couldn't sleep without it. Most kids have a special toy or blanket that they snuggle up with and carry with them when they're growing up. As most of you know, Claire has her Blue Elephant. If it's not sitting on my bed when 9pm rolls around, she will search the house for it until she finds it. [I hope I can find another one, because this one is well loved and might need a replacement soon].


Sharing
Playing nice is pretty important - for both children and dogs. Teaching methods may be different among parents, but the end result is hopefully the same: children/dogs cannot be aggressive when a friend takes their toy from them. Using their voice by talking/barking to indicate that they would like it back or that their friend may not take it because they were using it is fine - they are learning to be assertive. But no hitting (for kids), and no biting (for dogs).


Alright, so there are some examples for you. Let me hear your thoughts - do you see where I'm coming from? Yes? No? Maybe? For those of my followers who have children and dogs, what other similarities have you found while raising them?
  
  

happy birthday claire baby!!!!

Today is a very special day: Claire's birthday!!

She is now a big girl; a two-year-old in human years, and fourteen in dog years.

It seems like it was just yesterday when she was a little peanut of a thing

who was peeing all over my new apartment and chewing on everything in sight.

Little Claire at eight-weeks-old with her first toy!

Now she is a mostly-obedient, extremely sweet, incredibly loyal girl

who has been by my side for the past two years

through times of joy and times of pain.

I wonder if she knew, when she chose me,

that she was going to become such an important part of my life.

Two-year-old Claire smiling for the camera!

All this to say:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLAIRE!!!!

I love you so so so so so so much!

photo shoot with friends: whitney&norman.

This past week, Claire and I spent some time at the dog park with our friends Whitney and Norman so that we could do a little photo shoot before Norman gets his first haircut! He's a big fluffy Goldendoodle who will be two in August, and he just so happens to be one of Claire's best friends. Here are some of the pictures from our shoot!

And of course I had to get a shot of Claire as well...

The caption might read: "Does anyone see me digging this hole? I'd better hide...!"

size matters.

Some of you may remember how this was on Claire's wish list for Christmas. Well... she got a different bed from Santa, but it ended up being too small for her - she likes to stretch out! Now, let me remind you: the plan isn't for her to sleep in this thing. No no. She sleeps with me in my bed. This bed is for her to rest in while I'm in the kitchen. Every other room has cozy furniture for her to curl up on except the kitchen, so she usually just sits against the wall looking uncomfortable when we're in there. Clearly we needed to remedy this, right?! When I returned the one that she got from Santa, I ordered the microfiber quilted bagel bed - in an extra large.

This bed is HUGE. Lissa calls it an air mattress. It kind of takes up a lot of room in my little house. I mean, even I can fit on it comfortably. But Claire loves it, and that's really all that matters! Here's a picture (taken with the Holga - I just love these cameras because you never know what you're going to get out of it). Hopefully you can get a good idea of how big the bed is. Claire's a forty-five pound dog, and the size chart for the extra large bed states that it's for a dog who is approximately seventy pounds or greater...

Size matters.