This Guy...

 This guy right here.  This guy is my little buddy.  (Although he's over 50 pounds, so he's not exactly "little").

This is Levi, my 4.5 year old Border Collie/Australian Cattle Dog Mix mutt.  We rescued him when we lived in Ohio, and he moved all the way across the country to Seattle with us, and our 2 ferrets (both of which passed away over the last couple of years, sadly). He's incredibly social, and has an innate need to be with us, no matter where we are.  He would come into the shower with me, if I let him, ha ha.

Levi is a little high-strung, and he's a big scaredy-cat, afraid of loud noises and sudden movements.  But he's my protector, my running buddy, my naptime heater, my shadow, and my best friend.  I take care of him, and he takes care of me. 

His ears are HUGE and velvety-soft, which I adore.  And his coloring is lovely: with the brownish-red mottling all over, with various patches of white.  People stop us all the time and comment on how cute he is.  People also assume he's a girl, and say things like "She's SO cute!  What's her name???" 

But I don't tell Levi that people think he's a girl.  That might damage his sensitive male ego.  That's the only secret I keep from him. 

I'm interested to see how Levi reacts to having an infant in the house.  Levi's "pack" of humans is expanding, and I think he's going to do great with our baby!  I tell him all the time that "Mama has a baby in her belly" but he doesn't really understand.  But I tell him his little world is going to be turned upside down in about 3 months.  But I think he'll love the baby just as much as he loves us, and that's all that matters.