Fireworks! Barbecues! Desserts! And ALL FOR ME?

It's my SEVENTH BIRTHDAY today and, of course, the WHOLE country is celebrating with me. This is a new photo of my in my BIRTHDAY DRESS. I actually got it a few years ago but it looks much better on me now that I have trimmed down to under 15 pounds.

I love my birthday. It is full of happy family times and great food. The weather is generally warm enough to stay outside until dark and make s'mores and bbq chicken. I get some of the latter but NEVER any of the former.

This year, though, something not so good has happened. It has been getting increasingly worse as the week wore on and last night it has reached a PEAK!!! It was awful with these big loud booms and accompanying crackles. I had no idea what it was all about. In the past, the booms have been LOUD but FAR AWAY and last night I felt they were in my BACK YARD.

I couldn't help but jump off the couch, BARK and pace about like a crazy pug. I WAS A CRAZY PUG because I was so unnerved. When Mommy let me outside to do my nightly bidness, she only did so when she thought the BOOMS had stopped. No sooner had she closed the door so Molly and I could do our THANG, when suddenly the BOOMS started up again. Oh they were so LOUD. And only two streets away. Mommy RAN outta the house because she was afraid I would FAINT. But no, I was standing at the fence BARKING at the sound and the resultant sparkly lights. I was a madPUG. Mommy called me to come in (Molly went right away because she was terrified) but I refused. Oh my! I was so scared. All I could think of was I needed to protect my Mommys from the loud noise and the sparkly flashes.

Finally through the din I heard a familiar word which brought me out of my DAZE - TREATS. I turned and there was Mommy holding the treat bag in her hand. I dashed to her, she lifted me up into her arms right when another big boom went off. She hugged me and told me I was safe while she fed me a treat.

Then she put this on me

A THUNDER SHIRT. . . No pug should have to endure a THUNDER SHIRT on the greatest day of the YEAR - my Birthday - but that is exactly what happened and is going to happen. If LAST NIGHT was bad and it WAS NOT the 4th of July, can you imagine what tonight will be?

This is all so new to us. We are used to firecrackers - don't blink and eye. We can handle the sight of sparklers and the occasional BOOM of cherry bombs. But those show quality fireworks were a new thing to our 'hood and not a welcome one. They are dangerous and they really make little critters like myself shake and cry and bark in distress.

I hope you all have a great Fourth of July and that you celebrate with family, friends and BBQ, like the holiday should be celebrated. And don't bring those big fireworks into the 'hoods because they scare little ones, including me. Save the big booms for the pros.

WHAT WAS THAT????

And I promise I will save a little birthday cake for all of you. I know it will be yummy, it usually is.