What a Difference a Year Makes

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Libby has grown up!  Let me first say as a family we love the Holidays and decorate for both Christmas and Hanukkah. We put up three trees, two Menorahs and all the decorations to go with them.  Many people find it hard to believe these two Religious Holidays can come together in one family, but we have been married for forty years, have five children, six granddaughters and we all look forward to each and every memory these holidys bring to us.

Now to get to my point about the "difference".  Last year when we started to decorate and Libby was nine months old,  she decided she would help us in her own way.  I would put something out or on the tree and she would remove it.  She would grab things and run as fast as she could to hide and then give us the "look".  We would talk to her, remind her of her training, put her in the crate (which we hated to do) and try to bargain with treats. Nothing worked.  After a few days of tears from Doodle Mom and Libby so confused she didn't know what was going on, broken ornaments, searching for the ornament hooks, which we always found (thank goodness) and Doodle Husband who was getting very frustrated with both of us, we moved most of the decorations into the living room and up went the gate to the family room and kitchen.  I actually dragged the Disney Tree (all decorated) from the family room to the living room while Libby was tugging the tree and me the entire time. Libby now is looking at me like I am nuts and sitting at her gate watching with sad eyes. The Holidays went well but Libby was very confined to two rooms and it made us all very sad for her and us!

This year out little girl has "grown up" and we are so proud of her.  We just finished our decorating with her watching our every move and she has been an angel.  While I decorated one tree she sat at my feet and watched.  While other decorations were going up she followed us from one spot to the next "never" touching or grabbing a thing.  Our Menorahs are up and candles are everywhere in this house and she is as excited as we are for the Holidays.

What a difference a year makes!  Oh, one little footnote:  We gave her a soft little Reindeer to play with from the beginning of our decorating and she has not let go of it since.  We are truly amazed and so proud of her.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

ribbons instead of hooks is a great idea, Lonny.  thanks 

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Nancy, our Libby is a stuffed animal lover too and this little Reindeer is her prize posession right now!  We do have to be careful though because sometimes her little animals end up all over the floor totally pulled apart!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

She is so cute.  Our dogs leave the decorations alone, but the stuffed animals/pillows - not so much.  They seem not to know the difference between their stuffies and our stuffies.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Thanks so much both of you!  It is much easier this year and we are very proud of her.  These Doodles are just so precious and amaze my DH and I every day!  I cannot even put into words how much I love Liiby and how fortunate we are to have her in our family!

[BG and Gavin]

Isn't she cute!  What a good girl!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Great blog. So glad this holiday season is easier for you!!

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Thanks Sheila and it made a BIG difference!  Hopefully the cats will be a good influence on Finnley:)

[Sheila & Finnley]

Well, I guess I'll be looking forward to next year. I already know that Finnley, at 7 months will be a tree terrorizer. Haven't planned my exact strategy yet, guess I will just have to figure it all out when the tree goes up. Could it be to much to hope that she just takes her cues from the cats who have never bothered the Christmas tree ? Aaaah I suppose not !
Glad to hear a year made a difference for sweet Libby Lu !

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Very good idea Lori.  This year the bottom ornaments are on with ribbon instead of hooks just in case Libby tries to check them out!  We had a few very scarey moments when we could not find those hooks last year. 

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

I remember how our lab puppy was around our tree and am thinking that my 6 month old labradoodle will probably not be quite as rambunctious, but probably will keep us on our toes.  I plan on decorating the bottom half of the tree with non breakables!