Remembering Bailey

On May 1 we said goodbye to our sweet Bailey. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done in my life. I wanted to write about it back then but it was just too hard. It doesn't seem possible that he's been gone for a month...sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday and sometimes it feels like an eternity.

Bailey was suffering from congestive heart failure. He had a stage 5 out of 6 heart murmur and was just really struggling to breath. Although he was on medicine to help with the fluid build up on his lungs...it just wasn't enough. He was coughing all the time and just couldn't rest. After a particularly rough night, we took him to see the vet. He weighed in 4 lbs lighter than our visit 2 weeks prior. That's when the vet said it was time.

I've never had to put a dog to sleep and I pray with every fiber in my body that I never have to experience that again. It was gut wrenching and broke my heart. I still get very emotional thinking about it. He was my first baby and a huge part of our family. I miss him so terribly much.

I got Bailey when I was a sophomore in high school (97). He was the most beautiful Dalmatian puppy I've ever seen! He was so sweet and loved to cuddle. Bailey went to college with me for my junior and senior year. It was so much fun having him there! I remember one time, during my sophomore year of college, my mom and I sneaked him into my dorm room!! Another time, my roommates my junior year dressed him up all in pink as a surprise when I got home from work. I think a lot of our family and friends remember the humping. You read that right. Bailey loved to hump stuffed animals and blankets...a lot. :o) He also really loved plush squeaky toys. It had to be plush...he wouldn't play with rubber or hard toys. His 2 favorites were a honey pot (Winnie the Pooh) and a horse that we called Bullseye.

We would take a lot of walks on the quad while we were at college...I'll admit I was kinda using him to meet guys :O) His FAVORITE thing to do was chase squirrels on the quad...and there were A LOT of squirrels. He had THE best time doing that. He also loved to play in the creek. We had one by our old house when I was in high school and he just adored it. He also loved playing in mud...I think he was determined to turn himself brown!

When Jonathan and I got married, it was just us 3. That's how our family started. For our parents...he was the first 'grandchild.' He was my Bailey-boo.

Bailey would have been 12 on September 11, 2009. He was an amazing dog, a best friend and companion.

We miss you so much darling!!

Here's a little video of some of our favorite pictures from the past 11 years.