"The early bird gets the worm, 

but the second mouse gets the cheese!"

~David Jakovac

I woke up at 5am yesterday morning, heart started racing, butterflies in my belly, feeling like I was about to take an exam. Anxiety attack? No, not at all. Despite the heart, the butterflies, I felt a deeper sense of anticipation, 
POSITIVE anticipation.

It was PICK OUT PUPPY day! (I'd never done anything like that before!) 
AND WE HAD SECOND PICK!

pile of snoozing chocolate pups

So... we were given a ride to Haverhill, Suffolk (about an hour and a half) by S's Mum and Dad. The breeder was waiting for us and led us into a room adjoining her house. Very quickly Ruby was shuffled out of the room with some treats to the back garden (to join us later once we had a first look at the puppies), and Mrs. Breeder had taken from a pile of snoozing chocolate pups three beautiful little girls to choose from.

"Walk any path in Destiny's garden, 

and you will be forced to choose, 

not once but many times." 

— Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 4: Season of Mists 

We received photos today of the litter who are three weeks old today!!!  We did receive photos from week 2, but they didn't show much and were blurry, so I didn't post them here. Unexpectedly, receiving photos is becoming equally frustrating as exciting for two reasons: the pups eyes are now fully open, yet we have yet to see a photo showing them! Also, we still have no idea about what puppies are girls or boys so have virtually no idea which of the little peanuts could be coming home with us! 

weaning!

"I'm youth, I'm joy,

 I'm a little bird that has 

broken out of the egg."

-- J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Ruby's puppies were 1 WEEK OLD the day these photos were taken (which was the 28th October). This was the first time we were able to glimpse their precious little faces, and the brighter photos really show off the sheen and colour of their healthy little coats.



Any day now we will be receiving new photos from our breeder, once the puppies' eyes are opened up completely. No doubt the cuteness meter is going to be off the scale. I'll try to contain myself (or... maybe not.) I suppose from this point on they will really start showing their distinct qualities, both in appearance and in personality.
I wonder which one will come home with us??