Road trip!

Meet Sophia--- cute as a button.

As I prepare to get Henry packed into the car to go spend a little time drinking playing with Auntie Sarah and his new cousin Sophia, I have been reflecting on what a little road warrior Henry has become.

Obviously, our journey started on the road. (Truth time--- when I asked Chris if we could go meet "Bruiser," I might have neglected to tell him that he lived about an hour away near Birch Run. When we got in the car after a long night of "celebrating," he was less than entertained with the drive before us... until he saw that squishy little ball of puppy love.)

But after that point, Henry got to spend a lot of time in the car. You see, at first, Henry and I were crate-less. So leaving Mr. Man at home alone wasn't an option. He went everywhere with me (a true lesson on how to induce separation issues in your dog ;) ) He took to loving it!

Henry started off in the front seat. He was my co-pilot! But because it was December when Henry came home, it took two months before we had a day nice enough to do this:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10103066846516814&l=6279780852845133248

And he continued to co-pilot as long as size permitted.

At nineteen weeks old and exactly eighty pounds, Henry still fit next to me in the passenger seat just fine. On warmer days, he'd pop on his Doggles, stick his head out of that passenger window, and let his ears flap in the wind like it was the best thing he had ever experienced. 

Doggles, for reference.

As he got bigger, he tried to convince himself that he still fit. He'd cram himself up next to mom, head touching the ceiling, crushing anything on the passenger seat, leaning over the shifter and emergency brake #safetybedamned!

Finally Henry resigned himself to the back seat, an although he wasn't the happiest about not being directly next to mom all of the time, he liked being able to stretch his legs a bit more #mommasboy

Picking up falafel for dinner.

It wasn't long before we weren't able to fit the whole crew in Fanny Focus (my 10 year old, air condition-less, albeit awesome ride). Chris was promoted to head driver and put in charge of carting the gang around. And our little road warriors loved it.

On the way to Grandpa Andy's

On the way home from Grandpa Andy's, an extra little man in tow

Starting in July, Henry decided that at nearly 10 months old, he was way too cool to stick his head out of the window. He was now a big enough boy to start using the sunroof (like all of the cool kids do...) On our way to work one day, he popped his dome out of the top of the car while I was driving. For safety's purpose, there is no video. (Truth: the video didn't turn out--- I was recording and driving, just not well. Don't tell my mom...) But I was able to capture this gem when I went into the bank for a deposit slip.

Public service caption: Although it was late July, this was an exceptionally cool day (low to mid 60s) and I went into the bank for less than 15 seconds to get a deposit slip and walk out. Do not, under any circumstances, leave your pets closed in your car on even MILDLY warm days--- it takes very little to turn your car into a lethal sweat box.

Tallulah and Henry watching Mom pull out of the driveway.

Henry continues to love car rides. Although he's lost his sign for "car," nothing got him more riled when he was a baby (and we're working on getting the sign back.) It's hard to leave that cute little mug when I know all he really wants to do is slap on his Doggles and pop his dome through the sunroof. 

The next step to more awesome car rides is going to be mom graduating from veterinary school so that Fanny Focus can retire (if she makes it that long) and Henry can have an appropriately sized ride!