Raising a puppy has definitely pushed my patience to a whole new level. They eat a lot, they poop a lot, and they are curious about everything. While puppies are adorable, they are also a lot more work than I had anticipated. Over the summer, I got a Great Dane puppy from a local litter. His name became Buster shortly after picking him out because of his markings. This is Buster's story:

Day 1: Buster is the tiniest little guy ever and just oh so sweet. He loves to snuggle. He weighs 10 pounds.

Day 2: He sleeps all of the time.

Day 3: And he wants to lay on someone every chance he gets.

Day 5: Buster is getting bigger every single day. I can't believe that one day I won't be able to hold all of him in my arms.

Day 8: So, we are about one week in, and his personality is starting to peak through. Potty training is tough, but who could ever get upset with that cute face.

Day 11: Buster met my mom’s dog Rex, a 10 year old Lhasa Apso, for the first time. The two hit it off at first, but Rex soon realized that Buster was more energetic than he wanted to deal with.

Day 14: Happy Independence Day! Buster loves his ‘merica bandana, but not the loud fireworks—maybe next year.

Day 15: Today Buster went to the veterinarian for the first time! He wasn’t so sure about getting on the scale, but he didn’t even budge when he got his shots! He now weighs 18 pounds.

Day 21: Well, today was an odd day. I couldn't find Buster for quite a while. I eventually found him napping under my bed.

Day 30: One month down and no major mishaps! Buster met our friend’s Great Dane, Gunner. They played the whole time we were over there. Buster even chased Gunner around for a while.

Day 42: “What do you mean I’m not supposed to unroll all of the toilet paper?”

Day 52: I got Buster a kiddy pool to cool down while we played outside. He wasn’t a fan.

Day 57: After puppy training, we swung by Starbucks and Buster ate his first ever puppuccino. He licked the whole cup clean.

Day 61: Tell me why my dog looks like he should have a beer in one paw and a bag of chips in the other.

Day 63: GRADUATION! Today Buster graduated from his Puppy Level 1 class.

Day 65: “Oh, you mean your chapstick isn’t a treat?” I don’t even know how he got this thing open, but he did.

Day 72: We went to Bark In The Park tonight at Werner Baseball Stadium. Buster got to meet a lot of other dogs. He got his first crush on a blue-eyed Husky.

It was quite the exhausting night. We didn't make it out of the parking lot before he crashed.

Day 89: Buster’s new thing is giving hugs—just sharing the love I suppose. He is 4 months old and now weighs 50 pounds!

Day 93: One cannot simply sit on the floor.

Day 101: Buster is much bigger than Rex now.

Day 123: Lap dog. It must be a great dane thing.

Day 131: May the force be with you!

Day 139: Buster graduated from his Puppy Level 2 class today! He is now 6 months old and weighs 73 pounds

Day 149: Buster is almost as tall as me now when he stands all the way up.

Day 160: If you want on the couch, move the Dane.

Day 172: And he still thinks he is a lap dog.

Day 175: I swear, there is no such thing as personal space in my house.

Day 177: Buster is enjoying all things Christmas: the snow, his sweater, and the food (duh). He is 7 months old and now weighs 87 pounds.

There have been many ups and downs over the past 7 months. Buster has torn up many socks, ruined an expensive dog bed, and had a tough time with potty training. However, he has also brought an immense amount of joy into our family. I am extremely blessed to have such a sweet puppy in my life. Here is to many more years of fun, excitement, and bliss.