Awww...My sweet darling

After my bunny Lulu died a few years back, I swore that I would NEVER have another small animal in a cage.  I just hated the idea of a small animal that I couldn't let run free in my home due to having larger cats and dogs that might harm it.  Needless to say that I said NEVER prior to having kids.  I said NEVER prior to my four year olds big beautiful brown eyes looking at me as he pleaded his case in that oh so cute monotone voice.  I said NEVER before I realized I was a sucker who just told her son yes to getting a hamster.  So, I was hating myself yesterday as we were driving home from the local pet store for saying NEVER. 

It all started because I needed cat food and decided it was time to take my aspie to a new store.  This weekend, we set off to go to the pet store, never dreaming that he would see anything in there that he liked.  When we went in, he saw fish in the aquariums.  "FISH" he exclaimed and went running in the direction of the fish section.  "Oh wow, look at these fish, mommy," he said pointing to the feeder fish.  There are so many fish, he said in his low tone.  He went running back and forth looking at the fish.  Of course when the little girl in the section asked if he needed anything, he looked down at the floor and hid behind his Daddy, but he didn't run away from us, so score one for the aspie.  He spent the rest of the time in this section as I went and got the cat food and some toys for the dogs.  When I arrived back to tell them I was done, I got the I want one look from my aspie.  I looked at his dad and we had one of those conversations via exchange of looks that parents have when they don't want to talk in front of the kids, and in a matter of minutes we had a five gallon aquarium and some fish in our cart.  Our aspie kept wanting to hold them for the rest of the trip until finally we got home and got them in his aquarium.  He could barely fall asleep that night due to his excitement, and as soon as his eyes popped open the next morning he sprang out of bed and checked on his fish.  "MOMMMMM they are floating!!!"  Those are words by the way which are not the best to hear when you are in a dead sleep.  After being confused for the first five minutes, I finally remembered our fish adventure the day prior and hopped out of bed to see what he was talking about.  Yup, he was right, all the fish were dead and floating on the top of the water.  My aspie was so upset.  "I killed them!"  he said crying.  "No honey, they must have been sick fish and something happened."  After Daddy checked them out and agreed to the time of death, we told our sad son that we would get ready and go get more fish.  After some convincing off we went back to the pet store for some more fish. 

Are you confused as to how then we ended up with a hamster?  Yeah, me too!  When we went in we went straight to the fish section where he and the hubs went through looking at more fish.  I walked the baby around to entertain him and ended up looking at the hamsters and guinea pigs which were moving and made the baby happy.  Aspie and Daddy found us in that section when aspie spotted this fawn hamster who was running in the wheel.  "Oh, isn't he the cutest!  Awwww, he such a sweet darling!"  My husband looked at me, picked up the baby, said its your call and walked out the door leaving me to deal with the aspie and his sweet darling. 

My son started talking in this high pitch tone that I have never heard him produce before.  "Well hey there lil' cutie. Aren't you precious.  You look like Jerry."  These were the things he was saying in this high pitch tone.  I was getting mad because I could feel myself cracking under the pressure of my 4 year old.  No, I kept thinking to myself.  No hamsters, I will end up taking care of the hamster.  "Mom, isn't he cute! Doesn't he look just like Jerry (from Tom and Jerry)? I think we should take him home and I can be his daddy and I can feed him and I can play with him and I could..........five minutes later of repeating......to finally, Mom, can I keep him?"  And then it happened.  The words floated out my mouth so effortlessly even though I was screaming NOOOOO on the inside.  "Yes, sure honey, you can take him home."  And there you have it.  How we got Jerry the hamster. 

There is so much more to tell you about Jerry that I am going to publish part II to the Jerry saga!  Stay tuned!!!