I still remember that Christmas. The Christmas where I got everything on my list. The Walking Wendy Doll, Lester the Ventriloquist Dummy (yep) and an easy bake oven. I think I was 8 or 9 years old at the time. It truly was the best Christmas Ever.
Fast forward twenty-something years 🙂 and I’m the parent of an 8 year old. A pretty awesome one I must say! Early in the month, we started asking Ellison what she wanted for Christmas and she couldn’t really think of anything that she wanted. But then one night, as I was putting her to bed she said I know what I’d really like…a hamster. Now this was like just over a week before Christmas and the thought of finding a pet store and figuring out how to care for such animal did not sound like something that either Ian or I wanted to do. Blame it on being overwhelmed foreigners but our plan was to get everything at the one toy store we know of and call it a wrap.  But then it happened. I remembered. I remembered  that Christmas. The one where my parents got everything that I asked for and after some discussion, we decided to go through the work and stress and actually get the hamster for our girl. A big part of the decision was because it’s been a crazy year on this little one. In 2012 she had 3 different educational experiences- 2 of which were here in Germany and 1 in which her teacher was a stressed out mom. She moved away from everything familiar-her friends, her small group, favorite foods and candies and at the end of our packing she had to leave the large majority of her toys behind.  Really hard stuff for a little girl. And.. she has endured every single thing and done so well with each and every change. We wanted to see her smile and be really excited on her first Christmas in Germany.
Well Daddy Chadwick decided to start looking into hamsters on the internet and he felt that a guinea pig was much less rat like (thanks Honey!) and a bit more of an interesting pet. So he and his accomplice Marcel (our friend from the States) were off on the journey to find a guinea pig. After visiting a few stores they found one!! As we hoped, she was so excited about it, as were Jude and Asher. She later on said that it was the best Christmas ever.
So it’s official we now have 2 new members of our family (after some research we found out that they do better with another in the cage with them). So we have warmly welcomed Rhino and Buttons to the Chadwick Craziness! I am still….adjusting and they are growing on me. I’m trying to work my way up to holding them. I can’t deny that they have brought lots of joy to our home and they are definitely keepers.
That is such a great idea. Ellison will love having something to take care of and be responsible for. I grew up with hamsters but guinea pigs are more of a substantial pet. A lot less rat/mouse like!
You guys are doing such great job with the kids and making the transition as easy as you can.
Love to you all!
Such a sweet post, and such sweet parents. I’m not sure I could do it (pets are not my thing, and especially those of the rodent-persuasion), so I give you mad props! 🙂