Part Pirate/Part Caretaker

My son wishes he could be a pirate. Anything made of wood is fair game to become a sword or hook - rhythm sticks, train tracks, cooking spoons, twigs . . . the list could go on and on. "Arg!" is a common phrase you're likely to hear bellowed across the house for no good reason (that I know). This drives me absolutely crazy, especially when Little Sister gets too close to said pirate weapon and gets whacked. And then you'll hear ME holler "ARG!"

As we get closer to Kindergarten registration, I get more worried that we'll be sending a pirate off to school, not a good-natured, run-of-the-mill likable kid. Imagine what his teacher will think about US as parents when holds his classmates at pencil-point while warning them, "Back off, ye scurvy dog, or I shall make you walk the plank!"

No joke, that happened the other day when Little Sister tried to swipe his pirate puppet!

But then, when I least expect it (and most need it), Mr. Music's true nature shines through, and I know that he will be fine.

Yesterday was show-and-tell at preschool. His little friend forgot to bring her "e" item and was feeling sad. Without hesitation he said, "Don't worry! I'll take care of it for you." He found paper and colored pencils and proceeded to draw her a picture of an elephant so she'd have something to share.

The amazing thing about that little scenario is that it was totally unprompted and he did it in front of her father who was trying to problem-solve with her. Her dad was so impressed with Mr. Music that he had his wife be sure to share the story with me this morning. Last night at dinner we asked for a show-and-tell report, but all we heard was that his friend showed an elephant - with no details about how it was an elephant that HE drew for her.

While he totally saved the day for his friend, he was humble enough to just be satisfied with being a helper without tooting his own horn at home. In 4.5 years of parenting, it seems we have done SOMETHING right and I couldn't be more proud of him.

If this is the kid that goes to school, I think it will go just fine! Though having a pirate in class could keep things interesting for the teacher . . .

Oh - one more thing! If you haven't sent me your dog's bit of wisdom about running for my We Are Dogs Who Love to Run adventure, please be sure to do so by February 11th so I can compile the quotes to share with you all on Valentine's Day!

We Are Dogs Who Love to Run - 2nd Installment

Albus is proud to continue his influence on my writing of We Are Dogs Who Love to Run. Be sure to read the 1st Installment of We Are Dogs Who Love to Run before you read further.

And now I give you:

We Are Dogs Who Love to Run - Part 2 (a spin-off of We Are Girls Who Love to Run)


by Brianna K. Grant (c) 2009


"I take care of my body.

I gulp down the nutritious kibble provided by my family, supplementing my diet with only the most flavorful morsels that fall to me under the table. I sleep peacefully several times a day and all through the night, dreaming that my swift paws are racing across the fields at the dog park to retrieve balls. My health radiates from my bright eyes and fast-wagging tail.


I express my feelings.


I sing and bark with friends when we meet to walk the trail with our humans. I retreat to my crate for alone time when I'm feeling overwhelmed or frustrated by the high energy of the children in my house. I show compassion when others are in need, brightening them up with gentle kisses or climbing into their laps for snuggles.


I am strong.


My body becomes more flexible as I run. My ears flap and my spirit soars. I gently pull on the leash to encourage my master when she starts to feel sluggish on a long run and acknowledge her fortitude with nose nudges when we cool down. On days when I am not chosen as a running buddy, I offer my support with a welcome home wag upon my human's return. I let myself take extra long naps in the sunshine to let my body recover from its physical exertion.


I am lovable.


I share my energy with everyone around me. I can fly over a bush in a single bound as I play chase with my family in the yard. I splash muddy water onto innocent bystanders after glorious swims in the river with my fellow canines. I have the patience to have my wiggly little humans crawl on top of me to read me their favorite books and the creativity to work my cuteness for extra treats."

And now, Kind Readers, I'm collecting "quips" from dogs who love to run to complete the book. The 3rd (and final) installment of We Are Dogs Who Love to Run will be posted on Valentine's Day. If you would like to contribute (on behalf of your dog) a statement about why he or she loves to run, please email me your submission for consideration by Wednesday, February 11th: brianna@balancedsteps.com.

We Are Dogs Who Love to Run - 1st Installment

Saturday our trusty dog, Albus, joined me for a run. It was glorious. After weeks of having him give me sad looks while I ran on the treadmill and the kids climbed on him in his own bed, we were both thrilled to get back outside. The fresh air was just what we both needed. It took him a full day to recover from the adventure (he is eight years old, after all), but he'd be the first to tell you that it was totally worthwhile!

This reminded me that I commented ages ago about a silly spin-off of my book that I'd call We Are Dogs Who Love to Run. Over the next week, I'll be sharing a few blurbs of this fun little treasure from dogs' points of view, modeling it off the text of We Are Girls Who Love to Run (Albus is on the cover of it, so this version is long overdue!).

Here we go.

We Are Dogs Who Love to Run by Brianna K. Grant

"I am a dog who loves to run.

Some days I run quickly, my padded feet carrying me swiftly like when I chase squirrels out of my yard. Other days I walk, allowing my master's children to run their fingers through my thick fur while they pretend to lead me with my leash. Whether I run, trot or meander, the time with my humans is mine to enjoy.

I am beautiful.

When I am happy, my eyes brighten, my muscles flex and my tail wags for the world to see. My tongue droops out of my mouth as I pant excitedly for playtime. My coat shines in the sunlight.

I am a good friend.

I love to be boisterous. My family counts on me for waggly dances, welcome home kisses and lap running around our big back yard on good days. I'm a good listener, and my family counts on me for knowing looks, lap time snuggles and comfortable silence when they have bad days. I value my family's feelings and take time to apologize when I let my nose take charge of my decisions."

Stay tuned for the next installment of this blog-only version of We Are Dogs Who Love to Run.

Happy running to you and your four-legged friends!