Squeaks

A couple years ago, Lili's beloved cat - Peachy Roo - died a sudden and mysterious death. Since then, we have acquired some guinea pigs (the two "girls" we bought had babies) and a wonderful, black cat named Smokey. Lili picked Smokey out as a birthday present for Sophie a year and a half ago. I loved this generous act of Lili's - especially since her cat had recently died. Smokey was rescued from a shelter and there was something about him that made him irresistible. Now this post isn't about Smokey, but let me just say that I have had many cats in my life and this is definitely the sweetest cat I have ever lived with. I call him Ghandi. Let's leave it at that.

Last year Lili really wanted a Leopard Gecko for a pet and I foolishly agreed before I researched it further. I really didn't think this would be a big deal and I wanted Lili to have a pet - especially because she really knows how to behave with animals. As the oldest of our young kids, Lili is the gentlest and most kind when it comes to animal care. So last year, we drove to the reptile store and checked out the geckos. The more questions I asked the reptile guy, the less I wanted to invest time and money into a pet that it seemed obvious that I would have to take care of. I did something that I regret to this day and will for the rest of my history as a mother. I told Lili in the pet store that I had changed my mind and she could not get a Leopard Gecko. The deal was off. To say that Lili was crushed would be an understatement. I'm sure that there will be a day (I'm guessing some time when Lili is in her 20's) that I will be sitting in a therapist's office looking at my daughter and making amends for this mistake. I have apologized to Lili for the poor way that I handled this situation but I know it was very painful for her at the time.

So now, Lili is about to turn nine and has been asking for a rat for the past several months. She didn't know it, but Andy and I had discussed getting her a kitten for her birthday. But Lili has really been pushing for a rat and one day, it just dawned on me..."why not?" So this past Monday, we set out to buy Lili a rat for an early birthday present. The "baby" rats at PetSmart looked suspiciously old and rodent-y and I just didn't think I could take the leap. I knew Lili wanted a rat 'today!' and our options weren't looking very good. We got in the car and started driving and I got the impulse to check out the reptile place - even though their sign said they sold reptiles and fish. But, where there are reptiles...there are usually rodents... So we went in and asked. The guys said they had "tons" of rats (I had to resist running out right then and there) and took us into the back room to view them.

I can't describe the squalor that these poor rats were living in. Picture a wall of drawers. The guy would open a drawer and rats would pour out of the drawer. (OK, not really pour, but they would stand up on their hind legs and try and climb out, and I noticed the guy would jerk his hand back, making me think that he had just had a rat bite.) There were drawers labeled small, medium, and large and there was also one especially creepy drawer marked "guards" - which the guy assured me were the "meanest rats" of all. I felt faint. But there was one drawer that had one tiny, white rat in it. And that of course is the rat that Lili picked. This baby rat didn't look too healthy, but he/she sure was cute...and little.

Well, we got her home (Lili wants her to be a girl) and honestly, she is as cute as can be. I said a little prayer as walked into the house that this pet would bless our home with its presence and hopefully be as divinely perfect for us as Smokey has proven to be. I hoped that we would get a lot of satisfaction from this little being. And that is exactly what has happened. This rat is the sweetest little being She snuggles up and sleeps on my shoulder and Lili has been holding her and loving her since the moment we got home with her. "Squeaks" likes to wash her face and make little rat sounds at us and she seems friendly, inquisitive and smart. And the best part is that she has never bitten anyone. (Our guinea pigs have bitten us since the very first day of residence here, and have no interest in us at all.)

So, all is well in pet land for today...and that is a good thing.