It's been two weeks since Casey came home with us and it's amazing how one little puppy has changed our lives!  It's been great to see his personality develop too.  He is a very sweet boy that loves meeting people and other dogs (although most dogs we've met haven't been too thrilled to meet him, except for the other puppies in his puppy class).

When we went to pick him up at the breeder's house, there were only two puppies left.  Casey's brother was very confident and very independent, while Casey was very curious and more laid back.  It was definitely hard to choose between the two, but Casey's laid back attitude won us over and we are very happy we chose him.

We've learned that he takes on new experiences really well. He ended up loving his first visit to our vet where they gave him lots of cookies, so I'm sure that helped!  We also went on a weekend trip to a convention in Richmond, VA last week and it ended up being a great socialization experience for him.  He met people dressed up in costumes, masks and makeup for Halloween, people in wheelchairs, people of different ages and ethnicity, and he was absolutely loved all the attention he got!  

We've finally settled into a schedule, and potty training is still a work in progress, but it's getting better everyday.  He does great in his crate too. He does whine a little when he's in at first, but then settles down and usually ends up napping.  He has slept through the night since we brought him home, so kudos to his breeder, Gigi Fitzgerald, for doing such a wonderful job crate training her pups. 

This past week has been really hard for me though.  My aunt and uncle were in a car accident (hit by what we assume was a drunk driver), and my uncle passed away from his injuries while my aunt is still in critical condition.  On top of that, my grandmother's health is failing, so we're all pretty stressed.  What has made this week easier is coming home to Casey's kisses, watching his goofy puppy antics, and the occasional stubbornness and frapping.  I'm truly grateful for his company to keep my mind occupied.

This is our first puppy and so far it has been such a great experience.  We're excited to see how he'll turn out as he grows, but we're trying to cherish his puppy-hood as much as we can. =)  

Here's a video of his 1st day home with us - http://youtu.be/nayEdTYAcss