He's here!

He's adorable. He's snuggly. He's a little tipsy on his feet and has loads of extra skin.  He's Uli!

The long awaited day finally came! We got to make that drive to Winona one last time to pick up our little pup.  We had been getting pictures from the breeder between when we met him, picked him and when we went to get him for real. With each new set of pictures, I was happy to see him again but was also worried he was getting too big too fast. When we got there on Saturday, we found out pictures are deceiving because he was way smaller than we expected! The collar and tag we brought for him were way too big! We were pleasantly surprised that we will still gets lots of itty, bitty puppy time to treasure before he grows up and is too big for the cradling kind of love.

When we got there to pick him up, we hung around for a while and watched him interact with his siblings and his environment. And, of course, we gawked and laughed at the cute trouble a pack of puppies can get into in a matter of a few seconds.

Like, this broom they dragged over to their pillow to gnaw on.

It seems Uli is not camera shy, nor are his siblings.

Our guy is in the front left of these photos.

Paul and I split the driving time on the way home so we could each have a turn holding our sleeping puppy. That was a great feeling. He wasn't keen on the cold bathroom breaks but gladly soaked up some sunshine for the first time.

After he got home and explored the smells in the house, he was tuckered out. It didn't take long until he figured out his favorite napping spot at home: Paul's lap. Fanny hasn't been too happy about the new addition, but is slowly acclimating to his presence.

Since Saturday, Uli has been busy cycling through a variety of activities.

A large part of his life right now is napping.  So. Many. Naps. It's awesome.

He has been learning how to have a "soft mouth" (not biting too hard).

He has been exploring the main floor of the house, including his crate. Since this photo, we have sweetened the deal with a soft bed and lots of toys to try to make it a more appealing place for him.

He has also had visitors and been on one adventure outside of the house.

His first visitors were our friends Cyrus and Meg, who were in town for a visit.

I took Monday off of work so I could spend time with him.  We went into work for a little bit to say hi to a few coworkers and try out the car without a lap to sit in.  The visit went well but the car ride did not.  We have some work to do there.  The only times we have heard his voice or any stress from him were this car ride and 1 other time when we closed him into his crate when he was awake. It is safe to say that Uli is not yet a fan of confinement.

My sister Jessy and her boyfriend Jeffrey also came over for some puppy playtime and snuggles.

We have also been teaching him his name and to come when called.  The "Uli! Come!" game is one everyone seems to enjoy, especially since it involves affection and food treats for Uli.

We chose Uli as his name because we liked the tie in with his breed (German Shorthaired Pointer) and because Paul and I both have German heritage in our family.  The internet tells us that Uli is a German name that means Noble Leader and we thought that was pretty cool, too.  Most of all we like the way it sounds and how it can be said short and clipped and serious or be drawn out for a playful recall.

Thanks for the picture, Jessy!

We are really excited for Uli's life. From the young, sleepy snuggly times to the athletic, adventurous years to the distinguished, elder dog. We are going to enjoy this ride together!