Happy Birthday Diesel!

I can not believe that our little Diesel turns one today! I seems like just yesterday we went to look at the little puppies when they are only a week old. The litter was black with the exception of two brown puppies. However, those two were already spoken for. We let the owners know that we were really interested in a brown puppy if one became available but that we'd be back in a few weeks to pick one out either way.

A couple weeks later when we returned to visit the puppies, we found out that one of the brown puppies was available and that we could pick which of the two we wanted. When we took a peek at the puppies we found that they had really changed color and were no longer brown but black and brown--they melted our hearts! At first we couldn't decide which puppy to pick, but the smaller of the two kept sitting by Brandon's feet and the other kept hiding in the dog house. Diesel chose us! So even though we liked the size of the larger one, we couldn't resist the loyalty of the little one.

On the day we brought Diesel home, it was cold and snowy. He was playing outside in the snow with his siblings and was having a great time when we arrived. But when we scooped him up in some towels and started the trek home he caught on that maybe things were going to change in a big way. His little whimpers and cries for his sisters and brothers nearly broke my heart. But by the time we made it home, swaddled him in towels and laid him in front of the fire, he was out like a light.

When Diesel woke up from his fire-side nap, he never looked back. From then on he has continued to be a loyal, adorable, well-behaved little puppy. Take a peak at the slideshow below for his progression!

Here is little Diesel on the day we brought him home!

And here he is as a big one year old dog!

And the slideshow glimpse of his first year! FYI: Some of these are just quick snapshots with our point and shoot camera...enjoy!