3 Years Old Yesterday!

Last night we celebrated Prada’s 3rd birthday and release of my roommate’s book downstairs in the Multi Purpose Room (kind of a big event room in our residence hall). It wasn’t anything formal; really, more of an excuse to get friends and food together in one place and promote Kara’s book. We’re trying to get her an ISBN and she has to sell upwards of 400 copies to do this. While we were setting up downstairs I took Prada off-leash and let her run the entire MPR unrestrained. I spent about half an hour playing fetch and chase with her before it actually started and I have rarely seen her so enthusiastic about playtime. We finally had enough room to roughhouse and run around to our heart’s content. I’m considering reserving the MPR for a half-hour or so on weekends for playtime and exercise. Since I don’t get out much on weekends and spend most of my time doing homework she gets bored easily, so this should help break up the monotony, and be good for our relationship, as well. I ended up leaving her off leash for the entire party, making sure the doors to the MPR stayed closed, and everyone got to play with her (which she loved). Thanks to our friends we now have 3 new oven mitts, another bag of fillet-mignon doggy cookies, and a set of that plastic princess jewelry stuff you find at toy stores. You know, the stuff with the clip-on earrings and tiara? Yes, we got Prada into the tiara (though it didn’t last long, she pawed it off real quick) and the pictures are up on facebook on both of our profiles. Getting to run around in the MPR was the closest thing she’s had to a back-yard playtime since she’s moved in with me, possibly even since she left her puppy raisers. At home I don’t have a fenced-in backyard, and I certainly don’t have one at school.

Thanksgiving break approaches, then finals week and then we’re headed home again! Our schedule’s already filling up for our 5-week break so I don’t think Prada will lack for exercise when we get home. We also have several out-of-town trips planned so hopefully she will become more and more accustomed to eating in strange places. She really travels well, something I am grateful for, but her eating habits tend to suffer a bit. Two weeks from tomorrow, though, and we’ll be on an airplane flying back to Oregon! Look out, Mittens, doggy incoming! Pray that they can reach a mutual ignorance of each other’s presence.