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| Ethan meets snow. (c) 2018 MJ Miller |
Oh, Ethan, you're growing up so fast. You're not yet five months old but you've already had a brief introduction to snow. You've ridden horseback - on the horse, that is, and you've gone on day trips with me to explore some Arizona back roads.
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| Ethan and I enjoying a horseback ride. (c) 2018 MJ Miller |
You've gone hiking, and visiting Mom in the care home, and you've charmed the folks at Ace Hardware and Tractor Supply.
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| Ethan the ranch dog. (c) 2018 MJ Miller |
You're a big help when I do the morning chores. By "help" I mean grabbing the flakes of hay and playing tug of war with them when I feed ... leaping on and off the hay bales ... playing with the hay twine ... and grabbing the rim of the bucket when I carry grain. A big help.
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| Ethan tends the tomatoes. (c) 2018 MJ Miller |
You're also quite the gardener. You inspect the tomato plants with me, and you climbed all the way into the empty compost tumbler to ensure I scraped it out properly before starting a fresh load.
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| Ethan's yogurt halo (c) 2018 MJ Miller |
You also help with the kitchen chores. The Greek yogurt on your forehead is the perfect halo for such an angelic pup.
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| Ethan and I visited the historic Winkelman bridge over the Gila. (c) 2018 MJ Miller |
You've already visited some historic bridges that most people in Arizona never get to see. You walked across the old Daniel Luten bridge in Riverside (Arizona), and the Luten bridge in Winkelman, and you've helped me photograph the abandoned bridge at Ray Junction. You met strangers along the way who pulled over to admire you. Yes, you're irresistible.
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| Ethan's darker side. (c) 2018 MJ Miller |
But they do not know the pirate that lies beneath that sweet puppyish exterior. They don't know that you are the stealer of gloves and socks and eyeglasses. They don't know that we call you "Thiefin' Ethan" or that you're a book-chewy face-licky teaser of cats and shredder of toilet paper. They don't know you are the destroyer of lily pads and that you emptied out the rice heat pack I use for my sore neck so I had a kajillion half-burnt grains of rice scattered in my bed and it was like sleeping on sand. I'm still finding them, Ethan. Still.
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| Froggy lays down some paw law on Ethan. (c) 2018 MJ Miller |
And then, suddenly, there's the day you realize you're no longer the baby in the family. My heart ached for you. You looked so betrayed.
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| Ethan meets the new filly. (c) 2018 MJ Miller |
But as you grow, you discover the benefits of becoming a young man. You are maturing into a handsome boy. The ladies love you, Ethan. You are growing from an irresistible puppy into a badass chick magnet. And you're still my baby, now and always.
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| Ethan the Ladykiller (c) 2018 MJ Miller |
