ABCZ

We knew it was coming...and that still didn't make it any easier.

Anna's pet rat Rosa died. She was getting up there in ratty years (like, 2.5) and was slowing down. We had tried to prepare Anna for it. But then, Saturday morning, I went into the back room, where Anna had been playing all morning, and noticed that Rosa was lying on the perch in her cage, peeking out, very cute. And lying still. VERY still. Too still. Uh oh.

So, we got her out and put her in a pretty little box with some pink fabric, and then told Anna. She was heartbroken. She wanted to see her, and that was fine. Then she wanted to watch iCarly with her...? Ummm, okay, so the grieving process is different for everyone, right? OK. But she watched TV for quite awhile...with her rat. The dead rat. In a little pink box of soft fabric sitting next to her on the couch. That probably sounds like a sweet, heartwarming story...unless it was YOUR couch that the dead rat box was sitting on.

(As it turns out, this all happened on the same day that we had our couches exchanged by Jennifer Convertibles and got new ones...so the dead rat couch is gone now, lest you worry about sitting here when you come to visit again.)

I think I must have scored some Mommy credit for letting that one happen, right? And I get even MORE for not visibly wincing when Anna said that she wanted ME to put Rosa's paw print in the little stepping stone she was making for her. But, then, that means I have to TOUCH the stiff dead rat, right?!! Curtis had to look away so she wouldn't see his eyes tear up...because he was LAUGHING so hard at my obvious dismay. But, I got it done, *shudder* and now there is a pretty little stepping stone with Rosa's name on it in the back yard for Anna to remember her.

True to form, Anna found a way to look at the bright side. At some point, between tears, she perked up and said, "At least now she can't pee on my when I hold her!" I love that kid.

So, there are two things I know about how this will work when the next (and final) rat, Daisy, goes:

1 - There will be no more rats. I did it. They were cute. Anna was thrilled. No more.
2 - Curtis gets to do the next paw print.