Oreo

Introducing our latest addition...Oreo, the dwarf hamster!  I had put it off as long as possible.  Yesterday after church, Lane asked if we could go get a hamster replacement for Frankie, R.I.P., and because it was Mother's Day, why not?  On my way out the door, I told Jay that I think we have an animal control problem, and I think the problem with that is ME.  But Lane had his own money, he'd been waiting patiently and I had promised him when we brought home Frankie, if she didn't last, we would get another one.

Do you see some of my problem?  Look at those precious eyes on that little fella.  How can I tell him no?  (Plus, he had given me a home-made Mother's Day card that said he loved my hugs and my favorite food was cake:)  I caved, but secretly I was hoping for a guinea pig.  I had a guinea pig, Floyd, when I was going to court reporting school and he was so great.  I really need to dig up pictures of him and post them.  We have one of him wearing a mini Mexican sombrero, it is hysterical.  Anyway, I was hoping that once he saw the G.P.'s, he'd want one of them instead of a hamster.  No luck, this guy was not deterred.

Lane had told me on the way over that he wanted to name his new hamster, Oreo.  He was hoping to find a black and white one.  I wasn't sure that would be possible, but what do I know?  We finally arrive at the Pet Store and goodness, were they busy.  Mother's Day must be a good day to buy a pet...hhm, wouldn't have thought that.  I found the guinea pigs right off the bat.  There were several of the fat, furry things and I called Lane over.  He took one look and said, "Where are the hamsters?"  Okay, I give. 

We walk over to a huge assortment of Fancy Hamsters.  There are gobs of them lying all over each other and stuffed in their tube.  They were everywhere.  Lane found two black/gray & white ones right off the bat.  Hmm, apparently he knew something I didn't.  They were cute.  As I scanned the rest of the pack, I couldn't help but notice that a lot of the hamsters lying around had a lot of 'baggage' at the rear end.  I told Lane those must be pregnant mamas...and we are NOT getting a pregnant mama.  The last thing we need is a litter of hamsters!



He's not squeezing too hard...really.



On the other side of the Fancy Hamsters there was a cage of Dwarf Hamsters.  I lifted the lid off their little cave and there were three tiny little creatures huddled up together.  They scattered like mice, and Lane thought that was hilarious!  I could tell he liked those little ones, but we walked back to the other side to look at the Fancy Hamsters again.  I flagged down an employee and asked about the 'baggage' near the trunk area.  I was wrong, ha, they were not pregnant mamas, those were big boys!  DISGUSTING.  Okay, so we are NOT getting a male hamster because there is no way I'm looking at that every day!  Ugh.



So tiny!



Lane didn't seem to care for the excess baggage either and kept looking over to the Dwarf Hamsters, so I asked about them and the employee told us they wouldn't get a lot bigger, they were a little harder to tame, but were fun.  Lane was ALL over it.  She got one out, and although she could barely contain it, he was certain that was the one he wanted.  He's not black and white, but Lane decided that he would still name the little fella, Oreo.  (And his baggage isn't quite so pronounced.)

We had made this flying trip to the pet store in between a busy afternoon.  On our way back home, we had to make a stop at the nursing home because our church praise band and our preacher were leading worship service.  It was awfully hot outside, so we had no choice...I told Lane that hamsters need God too...and Oreo came to his first church service!  (I kept thinking of Ray Stephens and the Mississippi Squirrel!)  Wasn't Grandma Great excited to have a rodent in her room for a visit afterwards?!  No, not really, but she kept giggling.  I figure she had dreams all night about mice running up and down her legs!  And I would bet she was the only resident in the nursing home who was visited by a hamster for Mother's Day.

I forgot to ask the Pet Store how old Oreo was, but I'm thinking it may be good we don't know...then I won't have to make any silly promises like, if he dies, we'll get another one!