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From Heartbreak to Daisy: A Full-Circle Story of Family, Loss, and a Cream-Colored Puppy
Before Daisy, we were a three-dog family.
Yes… three. I know. We’re a little crazy.
Two of our dogs were older, and within a short time of each other, we said goodbye to both of them. One of them was our beloved Golden Retriever, Ruger, who lived to be 13 years old — which is such a gift for a big dog.
After they passed, we were left with our 3-year-old Lab, Gus.
The house felt different.
Quieter.
And even though life with three kids is never actually quiet, something was missing.
Maybe it was time for another dog.
A Christmas Tree, A Memory, and a Surprise
Every year, we go to the same tree farm to get our Christmas tree — the same place we got married in 2013. It’s one of our favorite family traditions.
This year, while we were walking around the farm, we saw the most gorgeous dark red Golden Retriever.
He looked just like Ruger.
It honestly stopped me in my tracks.
When we went into the gift shop to pay for our tree, we starting chatting with the sweetest woman, Liz who was working at the counter. And we learned that their dog’s name is Camden.
And then she added something we weren’t expecting.
They also had a white cream Golden Retriever named Winter.
And she was pregnant.
With Camden’s puppies.
I’m not exaggerating when I say it felt like a sign.
When It’s Meant to Be
We had looked into breeders before and most breeders were asking $3,000 or more.
They were asking $1,500.
We got on the list that day.
A few weeks later, the puppies were born.
And when it was time to choose, we found out something that made it feel even more special.
There was only one female in the entire litter.
Our sweet Daisy.
Waiting for Daisy
Once the puppies were born, the waiting began.
She was ours — but she was still too little to leave her mama.
So we did the only reasonable thing…
We went to visit her.
Every time we pulled up to the farm, the kids were practically vibrating with excitement. We’d walk in and there she was — this tiny, sleepy, cream-colored fluff ball tumbling around with her brothers.
It made it feel real.
We weren’t just talking about getting a puppy anymore. We were watching her grow.
Those visits became part of the anticipation — counting down the weeks until we could finally bring her home. The kids would talk about her nonstop. We’d scroll through the pictures after we left. It felt like preparing for another little family member.
Liz made that waiting season even sweeter. She sent us regular updates, little videos, and photos of Daisy as she grew. The kids would light up every time my phone buzzed with a new message. We’d gather around and watch her tiny personality start to show — her sleepy stretches, her wobbly steps, her little tail trying to wag.
It made the wait feel intentional instead of long. We weren’t just waiting for a puppy — we were watching our puppy grow.
We’re so grateful to Bob and Liz for raising their dogs with so much care and for welcoming us into that process. Daisy came from a place where she was deeply loved long before she came home with us.
And somehow, visiting her at the same tree farm where we got married made it feel even more full-circle.
Bringing Daisy Home
The day we finally brought Daisy home felt like Christmas morning.
The kids could barely contain themselves. After weeks of visiting her, watching her grow, and counting down the days, she was finally ours.
She was still so little — soft, sleepy, and just a little unsure about what was happening. Leaving her mama and siblings for the first time felt big. For all of us.
Introducing her to Gus was honestly… so sweet! He was so excited for the new little baby in the house!
Gus has always been the most easygoing, gentle Lab, and he immediately accepted her like he’d been waiting for her. No drama. No jealousy. Just tail wags and curiosity.
It was fun — but mostly sweet and calm. Exactly what we hoped for.
The First Night
That first night, we decided we weren’t going to just put her in a crate alone and hope for the best.
Instead, we had a family sleepover in our room.
Kids. Blankets. Puppy. Chaos.
We wanted her first night away from her siblings to feel safe — not scary. So we stayed close. Every little whimper was met with reassurance. Every tiny shuffle made someone sit up and check on her.
It wasn’t the most restful night of sleep.
But it was one of the sweetest.
Looking back, it felt less like “we got a puppy” and more like “we brought home another little piece of our family.”
Puppy Essentials That Made the First Weeks Easier
Bringing home a puppy is sweet and magical… and also chaotic.
Between potty training, chewing, night wake-ups, and managing three kids, I quickly realized that having the right setup made everything smoother.
Here are the puppy essentials that genuinely helped us survive — and actually enjoy — those first few weeks with Daisy.
Crate or Safe Sleeping Space
Even if you don’t fully commit to crate training, having a designated safe space is huge.
For us, that meant puppy-proofing our bedroom and laying down puppy pads. If you prefer more structure, a crate or gated-off area works great too. Since crate training didn’t end up being the best fit for us, we adjusted pretty quickly. Thankfully, we have hardwood floors, so cleanup was simple and low-stress. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked for our family. The goal is safety — not perfection.
If you don’t want to fully crate train but also aren’t comfortable letting your puppy roam freely, you could barricade off part of the room or use a small playpen area as a middle ground. That gives them some freedom while still keeping things contained.
There’s no one “right” way to handle those first few weeks — it’s about finding what works best for your home, your dog, and your family dynamic.
A Comfortable Dog Bed (this one)
Did I mention this dog bed is water proof?! This is so perfect for a puppy as we learned the hard way that sometimes puppies like to pee on their beds…
A dog bed might seem simple, but it makes a big difference — especially in those first few weeks.
Puppies need a designated place that feels like theirs. With three kids, constant movement, and a busy household, having a soft, predictable spot gave Daisy somewhere to retreat and rest when she felt overstimulated.
We also kept Daisy’s setup simple when it came to food and water. I prefer stainless steel dog bowls because they’re easy to clean, durable, and don’t hold onto odors. With two dogs now, having sturdy bowls that can handle enthusiastic eaters (and constant refills) just makes life easier
Durable Chew Toys (our favorites linked below)
Puppies chew. On everything. Having strong, durable chew toys within reach makes redirecting so much easier. The second Daisy goes for something she shouldn’t have, we swap it out with one of her approved toys. It saves: your sanity, kids’ toys, shoes, random household objects.
- Puppy Kong Pacifier (daisy loves this one)
- Nylabone ring bone chew toy
- Benebone
Robot Vacuum (Mom MVP Award 🏆)
With a Golden Retriever, a Lab, three kids, and country dirt — fur and debris add up fast. Our robot vacuum runs almost daily and keeps things manageable, especially with a crawling one-year-old.
It’s not glamorous.
But it’s sanity-saving.
My favorite mop (I use this one)
For quick clean ups. Mud. Paw prints. Spilled water bowls. A good mop makes fast cleanups simple — and keeps your house from feeling overwhelming. I love this mop because it cleans very well and it’s honestly fun to use!
The Not-So-Cute Side of Puppy Life
Let’s be honest — having a puppy with kids is not all sweet photos and sleepy cuddles.
Puppies chew.
And when you have three kids, there is no shortage of things to chew on.
We quickly learned that anything left on the floor automatically became fair game. Tiny toy pieces, stuffed animals, dress-up shoes… Daisy has sampled it all.
It’s not malicious — it’s just puppy behavior. They explore the world with their mouths. But it does mean we’ve had to level up our “everyone pick up your stuff” routine.
It’s actually forced us into better habits as a family. Toys get cleaned up more consistently. Doors get closed. Laundry baskets are kept higher. We rotate chew toys and redirect constantly.
Is it perfect? No.
Have we lost a few small plastic accessories along the way? Absolutely.
But like most things in this season of life, it’s messy and manageable — and slowly getting better as she grows.
Having durable chew toys easily accessible has helped redirect her when she goes for something she shouldn’t. We like these ones!
Potty Training: What Worked for Us
Potty training is probably the least glamorous part of bringing home a puppy — especially with kids already keeping you busy.
Daisy definitely had accidents in the beginning. That’s just part of the process. What helped us the most was taking her outside consistently — about every hour when we first brought her home, and always after naps, meals, or playtime.
When she went potty outside, we made a big deal about it. Lots of praise. Excited voices. Positive reinforcement made a noticeable difference.
If we caught her starting to go inside, we’d firmly say “No” in a deep voice, scoop her up quickly, and bring her straight outside to finish. The goal wasn’t to scare her — just to interrupt the behavior and redirect it.
Consistency was everything.
It wasn’t perfect overnight, but sticking to that routine helped reduce accidents quickly and made the whole process feel manageable.
Now she can hold it throughout the night and we have dropped down to maybe one accident inside a day! Progress.
Daisy and the Baby: Double the Trouble
Watching Daisy and our one-year-old together has been one of the sweetest surprises of this whole experience.
It’s truly double the trouble — but somehow infinite cuteness.
They wobble toward each other with equal enthusiasm. They knock each other over. They grab for toys at the same time. Sometimes Daisy licks a little too enthusiastically. Sometimes the baby hugs a little too tightly.
It’s chaos in the gentlest form.
They’re both learning the world at the same time. Both curious. Both unsteady. Both figuring out boundaries in real time.
There’s something so special about watching them grow up together — like two little beings discovering friendship before they even understand what it is.
Yes, it means I supervise constantly.
Yes, I redirect often.
Yes, I say “gentle” approximately 400 times a day.
But seeing them toddle side by side across the living room floor?
Worth it every single time.
A Full Circle Moment
Before Daisy, there was Ruger.
Our sweet Golden who lived 13 beautiful years and was, quite honestly, magic with our kids.
He would tiptoe around the baby swing so he wouldn’t wake the baby. I’m not exaggerating — he would literally slow his steps and carefully step around it like he understood how precious those naps were.
He was there when our daughter learned to walk. She held onto his fur, took her first wobbly steps, and he just stood there patiently, steady and proud. He let her climb on him, hug him, nap next to him. He was gentle in a way that can’t really be trained — it’s just who he was.
Losing him left a space in our home that felt impossible to fill.
So when we saw Camden at the tree farm — looking so much like Ruger — and found out about Winter’s puppies, it didn’t just feel random. It felt like a little nudge. Like maybe this next chapter was waiting for us.
Daisy isn’t Ruger.
She’s her own personality. Her own energy. Her own little spark.
But watching her grow up with our kids, seeing Gus accept her so easily, and knowing she came into our lives in such a meaningful way — it feels full circle.
Some dogs are just dogs.
And some become part of the fabric of your family.
Ruger will always be part of our story.
And now, so is Daisy.
If you’re in the season of wondering whether to bring home a puppy — especially with young kids — just know this: it won’t be perfectly tidy. It won’t be perfectly quiet. But it might just be perfectly worth it.
MomlifewithKelsey 
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