I was more than happy last week to take a little detour from wedding planning and spend my time focusing on a special birthday. Bentley's first.

He was born on July 16, 2010. We brought him home on Oct. 17. Two months later, just before Christmas, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, at 5 months old and weighing not even 10 pounds, was brutally attacked by a vicious dog.

I've never actually written that. And I won't go into the painful details. Obviously my little firework survived, and he has thrived. But that incident has changed me in some ways, and anyone who knows the full story understands how much Bentley's first birthday milestone truly meant to me.


Sometimes I look at my little guy and I'm just overwhelmed with emotions. Yes, he's a dog. But to me, he's also a resilient spirit. I'm just amazed by him and feel lucky to have him in my life -- even when he nips at my toes to persuade me to play rough with him and wakes me up early in the morning by scratching my side of the bed from down below.

To match his personality, Bentley's first birthday party was nothing short of spectacular. He had mini hot dogs as an appetizer, beef and lamb chop stew for dinner and gourmet cookies for dessert. And of course he had his closest family right there with him, feeding him way too many treats and spoiling him with new toys. I still can't believe my puppy is 1!

Looking out for his guests

Birthday toys and treats for my sweet

Doggy theme to honor the birthday boy

Too much partying

Done!