Since Mommy has implemented the “no pet clause”, Emme has had to get creative. First, there was our invisible dog, Barko. Now her heart’s desire has turned to pets of a reptilian nature. She can stealthily stalk most any creature, and capture it with her bare hands. Her boy cousins hold her in particularly high esteem. I would admire this ability, if I weren’t so creeped out.
We’ve been through a number of small “pets”. There was Jumpy the Grasshopper, Tina the Lizard, Charlotte the Spider, and a Lady Bug that never had the benefit of a name. She didn’t live long enough. These all were “outdoor” pets, to be sure. They all lived, and I use that term loosely, in a small plastic bug collecting contraption. Complete with a magnifying sun roof, which proved fatal to some “pets” when left outdoors. Some died of “natural causes.” As in, it’s natural for a small child to love a little too hard. Or, unhappily, shake it to death, if the little brother should happen to procure the plastic cage. Some the mommy set free when no one was looking. I’m a friend to most living creatures. Except for the spider-variety.
This morning, we added “Sticky Legs” the tiny frog to our brood. Her father instructed her on frog care after she captured the amphibian . “Don’t touch your
face Emme.” “Don’t touch your sister.” “Don’t touch your hair.” And I added, “And don’t touch your mommy.”
The frog made it to noon. I went out to the backporch to check on everyone, and noticed Emme holding “Sticky” in her hand. “Look Mom, she’s so tame,” she said.
“Emme, she’s dead.”
Bitter tears followed. “But I loved her.”
“Sticky” is now resting in peace, lying in state on some handpicked blades of grass, outside, on the family room window ledge, so that we can all pay our respects throughout the day. At one point I saw my two girls with their faces pressed up against the glass. Emme sighed heavily, “I remember this morning when she was soft and wet, and now she’s hard and dry.” Then her little sister chimes in with, “Yeah, and look, you broke off one of her legs, too.”
I suppose that someday I’m going to have to rescind the “no pet rule” and breakdown and get a dog, or a horse. Something that is a little more hearty. Otherwise, I’m afraid that I’m going to look out in the backyard to find “Alice” the alligator.
(Originally posted in November, 2006)
{ 18 comments }
Thanks for the laugh! Children are so precious and the moments so fleeting! Thank you for sharing a precious moment.
I love reading your blog! Your kids crack me up, and you always make me laugh. Thanks!!
Barko, the invisible dog… LOVE IT! My 5 year old had 2 invisible dogs. Buddy O and Buddy Top. We rescued 2 real puppies not too long ago, and sadly Callie contracted and succumbed to Parvo, and since we were financially ill-prepared to treat Maisy the vet treated her and then found her a new home. At the time this happened, my son’s Buddy Top joined Callie (and Dovey, a friend’s recently passed pooch) in heaven. Funny how children integrate and adapt to those kind of changes.
BTW – we also have a rowdy gaggle of invisible grandparents around here… Alma & Elmo (names of my real life grandparents!) As if they don’t have enough of the real ones!
he he he – SO funny! I love your blog. Sunshine
SO funny. I laughed at the pretend Barko. Unfortunately hubby loves animals so I am sharing a house with three dogs, one who will top 150 when full grown, two seperate fish tanks, and some frogs. I absolutely put my foot down when three year old announced that daddy said he could have a snake in his room. I know it’s only a matter of time.
I used to have a lady bug named Francis when I was about 3ish. The next spring I found another lady bug in the house somewhere and remarked in shock, “Mommy, Francis came back!”
Oh I am laughing my tail off at this one. Poor dear…so, so funny.
OH! Such hard child-lessons. Too much love can bring about catastrophe.
Oh, and yes! HERE COME THE BRIDES!!! That’s the one. Glad to meet another Bobby Sherman groupie. I think I am getting old when I can sing that theme song but can’t remember what I had for lunch yestrday.
That was funny.
I had a friend who fried her froggies in the sun once. The water evaporated and most of the frogs did too. We both found what was left of them on her back porch. Shriveled wrinkled blackened frog bodies glued to the fake pink pebbles in their tank. She cried. But she learned never to leave frogs out in the hot sun again.
When I was little, all our animals were stray. Mom wasn’t fond of them. Mostly not fond of cats, but I always managed to get food to those creatures. Some were dogs.
But I have fond memories of Freddie frog. I had him in a cage of sorts and took him to school with me. I can’t remember how long he stayed there. I also remember when my dad stopped along the road and picked up turtles. He’d put them in the back seat with me. It’s hard to keep a turtle in a blocked in area in the back yard. It either climbed over the bricks or dug down in the ground, but either way, I lost him!
There was a starling that showed up at our house that was pretty tame. He always wanted to land on either my hand or my head. I learned to wear a hat. It wasn’t THAT tame. All we had to do was yell out “Rosenthal” and he flew to our screen door.
Ahh. The joys and heartaches of having “pets.”
The children always look at me accusingly when someone asks if we have any pets. “No” they say in unison, “Mom’s got ALLERGIES” I might as well sew on the old scarlet A and ring my bell before me saying, “Unclean, uncelan”
I DO have allergies, but that isn’t the only reason we don’t have a pet. It’s just the only reason that can’t be met with a statement like: “But I PROMISE I’ll take care of it!” Yeah, right.
Wait til they find out I can take allergy medicine . . . .
honey… it’s dead… That will keep me chuckling all day, with all due respect to the frog!
Oh I am laughing so hard right now! I am sure Emme doesn’t think it’s all that funny, but I sure do.
I am right there with ya on the “no pets” rule. Please don’t rescind it! You’re my hero.
(Eight years of cleaning up after cats was enough for this lifetime.)
That is soooo funny- thanks for the laugh today. I have a boy and I’m so not ready for all the icky animals he’ll want to bring home.
My son has loved many salamandars just a little too hard, too. You have to keep your hands wet for those froggy and salamandar types, you know. Oh well, lessons learned.
Hey! I tagged you for a meme. No pressure. Only if you want to
Now that is just the saddest thing I have ever heard! I have to admire your daughter though. Brave soul.
ROFL! STILL crackin up……Just tryin to stifle my laughs so I don’t wake up my little boy…hehe
Trina
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