Happy (belated!) Birthday, Vivian!

Birthday wishes one day late for my dear daughter! To think 10 years ago yesterday I was making my poor husband smell my panty shield to see if it truly did smell like bleach...validating the smell that was indeed amniotic fluid! Then we were off to Community Hospital in Missoula, Montana. A mere under-7 hours later, my beautiful Vivian was born. To someone who's never given birth I'm sure that sounds like a long time, but for a first timer, it's actually quite fast! (of course compared to Sullivan's birth, it was an eternity!) Wow, that seems like a decade ago. Gulp! It was a decade ago!

The day actually started out with a bummer, as Vivian wasn't feeling well in the morning. Well, I guess that came on AFTER the opening of the presents and the eating of cinnamon rolls. ! I think the poor girl was just worn out from so many performances (ahh, the life of an actress!) and the excitement of everything. With the time change and all, too, I know she hadn't been getting her normal sleep. Luckily after a couple hours of rest and the surprise of a new-found friend, she was bounding around and ready to go to school.

Yes, I have another child here at the house. His name is Tyko, and he's a fish. We're a multi-species family here. Sullivan originally wanted to get Vivian a snake for her birthday, as that is her favorite animal. But Cory put the kabash on any reptilian pet a long time ago, and being the germ-freak that I am, I have to say I agree. So I told Sullivan he could get Vivian a different kind of pet--a Betta, or Siamese Fighting Fish. Oh, we've had fish before. (they died) And cats. A dog. A guinea pig. We've run the gamut around here. But after too many trial and hive-ridden error, we had the official discovery that poor Vivian is allergic to all things with fur. So, unfortunately, that leaves fish as the most obvious choice for a pet. You can't cuddle a fish, but I tell you, I am completely in love with this Tyko already.

I've been craving a pet. I especially feel that way at spring-time. Is it because my babies were born in the spring? It is just that most animals give birth in the spring, therefore I feel the need to be maternal? I have no clue. It could very well be that I simply have this urge to walk a dog in the new-found bud-filled sunshine. It physically pains me to go into a pet store and see those cats in the cages. I want to take them all home! When Sullivan and I went to Petsmart to pick out Vivian's fish, there was Rabbit, the CUTEST 3-4 month old cat ever, begging me to take her home. She was a grey Persian cat that I guess came to them all matted, so she had that big puffy face and feet and a close-shaven body. I am a sucker for any sort of funny malady like that. I remember seeing one cat in a shelter without an ear. I wanted him so badly, I had already decided his name would be VanGogh.

But! Enough whining. Cory has gotten quite used to the house without hair or a litter box, no poop in the yard--and I have to admit, that has been very nice. But I've already warned him that someday, when the kids are grown and gone (*SNIFF*!) I may just have to have something to cuddle. He of course always answers this with a "But you'll have me!!" As all you women know, of course we love our hubbies, but it's just not the same! It's that Baby Thing. Besides, when I'm helping to trim Cory's fur he can't see and cleaning up his poop the pet stuff will seem like nothing.