lucky girl

Anyone who knows my daughter, Emily, knows that she loves dogs.  If it has anything to do with dogs - she is all about it.  Of course, we have all the "Buddies" movies, we have seen "Hotel for Dogs", she likes to watch the Westminster Dog show, or any other show like that, we have tons and tons of dog books - and a few weeks ago, we went to McDonald's to get a Happy Meal because it featured....you guessed it, DOGS.  Specifically, little stuffed dogs from the movie - Hotel for Dogs.  We even bought two Happy Meals - one for Paige - so that we could get two dogs.  But, alas, they were the same dog - the doberman, Henry.  Emily seemed OK with that.

The following week, and we don't really make a habit of this, we went back to McDonald's to see if they had any more dogs Happy Meals.  They didn't - it was Hello Kitty watches.  Emily was crushed, to say the least.  She cried - really - all the way home.  No amount of consoling would make it better...that is until Daddy offered to help.

One of the members of Daddy's train club is a manager of McDonald's - the very one we go to. Daddy told Emily he would ask Mr. Buckley if there were any dogs left over.  Emily seemed happy about that, and her sweet little smiled returned as she enjoyed her nuggets and fries.

Fast forward to last night.  My wonderful husband returned home from his weekly train club meeting, with a McDonald's bag full of all eight dogs featured in the Hotel for Dogs Happy Meal.  Eric and I placed them on her place mat, and went to bed smiling - thinking about how happy Emily would be when she discovered them this morning.  And she was.  So very happy.

We even had a photo shoot with ALL her dogs.  I am planning on making her a little scrapbook with the pictures, so she will always remember.

Their names (in alphabetical order): Ashton, Bella, Bertie, Blackie, Bongo, Brownie, Chloe, Coco, Coconut, Cooper, Copper, Douglas, Dukie, Friday, Fudge, Furry, Georgia, Grace, Henry 1, Henry 2, Joey, Juliet, Kitty Cream (the only cat in the bunch), Lenny, Libby, Licky, Max, Paws, Pink, Polka Dot, Pretty, Romeo, Rosebud, Sally, Shep, Spotty, Strawberry, Sweetie, Wolfie and Wow.  

That's 40 dogs.  Each one has a story to go with it...but that would be a VERY long post.

I believe the one that started it all was Dukie (another McDonalds Happy Meal toy)...although, there have been so many, I can't really remember.  Dukie is on the left side, second row from the bottom, second dog - white and tan with a big black nose.  Do you see him?

Her current favorite - the one she sleeps with every night - is Paws.  At one point or another, they have all been her favorite.  It's usually the newest one.
And I thought I would sneak one of Paige in here....