The newest addition to the family - Mila Wait van Wyngaardt

That's a mouthful isn't it? Mila Wait van Wyngaardt. Mila, after the ever gorgeous Milas in the world, because my puppy is just the most gorgeous thing on earth. Wait, because that is my surname, and van Wyngaardt, because that is Flip's surname.

My family and I have always been huge fans of Staffordshire terriers, as they are smart and playful and they look fierce with their muscly bodies and big heads, so people tend not to come close to your yard (a prerequisite when living in South Africa). However, I can recommend, with the backing of Wikipedia, that Staffies are the sweetest breed on earth, even when mixed with other breeds. They would rather lick you to death than bite, and they make terrible guard dogs.

Mila is now the sixth Staffie in my family. We first had Bobby, a mix between a Maltese and a Staffie, and then came Liefie, who is a Staffie cross Rottweiler. She was followed, but not outlived, by purebred Jock (yes, as in Jock of the Bushveld, we are South African, we went there). Jock and Liefie made babies and along came Bea and Josh. Twinsies. The smartest dogs I have ever known, thanks to their mom Liefie's terrific smarts. Sadly, they both went to heaven.

Mila over here was born and raised for five weeks about an hours drive from here, and I fetched her on Friday afternoon, as soon as I got off work. I couldn't contain my excitement and I have already met her the week before. But, when I picked her up from the litter, I couldn't decide between her and her sibling, who had white toesies and a little white stripe on her nose.

What a mistake I would have made if I chose the sibling. This little facechild has crept right into my heart and Flip is almost like an overbearing father with her. She is sooo good, she hasn't really cried once since we got her and she has traveled with us, quite far, not moaning once. She just gets into her basket, with her teddy, aptly named Teddy and sleeps. She hasn't pooped or wheepsed in the house yet, but she makes it known that she wants to go, and when she wants to go at two in the morning, she does it on the newspapers we put out for her.  She is already a little genius.

I am simply infatuated with her and cannot believe I waited so long to get a puppy. (I had to, I lived on the Second Floor!)

We are moving to our new house on Tuesday, so she will have all the freedom and sweet grass her little mind can grasp. Don't you just want to eat her up!?