The first visit

January 26th, 2013.  We all piled into the cat breeder's condo, about a 1.5 hour drive from home, and the kids and I sat on the floor and immersed ourselves in kittens!  Best entertainment ever, those six little cats.  I knew from emailing with the breeder that the one with the most playful personality was a short-haired white kitten with spots on his head.  So I waited for him to come near me and carefully picked him up--and he hissed at me!  I couldn't help but laugh, this little 1 lb ball of fluff being mad at me.  I apologized and put him down and then just watched.  In front of me, one of the little long-haired white kittens had decided Hayden was a jungle gym, climbing up, down and around her lap.  She kept turning to me and saying, "Mama, Mama--look!!"  Sure enough, this little guy seemed to have picked her out.  The breeder said it was the one kitten in the litter who was deaf.  I already wanted to take him home, after reading about him and that he would do best if he was adopted with a sibling.  So it seemed fortuitous that we did not pick him--he picked Hayden.  She said, several times, "At first, I didn't want the deaf kitten.  But now I want him!"  And it sure seemed like he wanted her, too.  I have no photos of this, as she had her back to me, but I can still see it in my mind.  Wish I had taken at least one!

Meanwhile, Bryce had climbed up onto the couch and was sitting patiently, when lo and behold, he was chosen by another kitten entirely.  The kitten who decided to make friends with Bryce was my second pick, as the breeder said he was the healthiest of the bunch.

I had doubts about getting all white cats (white hair on all the furniture, tear stains to clean, never being able to wear black again), but LOOK AT THIS kitten by Bryce.  He could not be cuter!!  My doubts were quickly replaced by adoration.  Bryce said, before even knowing this was our cat, that he was going to name him Snowy (which was what I told him I wanted to name an all-white cat if ever I had one).

I got Hayden and "her" kitten on the couch by Bryce and got one quick photo.  Hayden's kitten did not want to sit still for this, as you can see!  We didn't make an official decision until later that night, but I was already pretty sure these were our cats. :)