Hippo McDonalds

A year ago we got Sam some hermit crabs in the hope of instilling some responsibility in a kid who I'm sure will grow up surrounded by animals. Little did we know that crabs require ZERO care. The silly things would burry themselves under the sand and we would go weeks at a time without seeing them. Not once did we witness them eating. Somehow they survived and when we took them back to the pet store yesterday, the employee said that they looked really healthy and active. What?

Lamest pets ever. 

So anyway, we were at the pet store dropping off the dogs at the groomer when we noticed a very happy guinea pig during our rounds. 

She came out of her igloo to see us and Sam asked an employee if he could hold her.

We instantly fell in love and it melted my heart to see Sam so happy. 

After sort of talking Daddy into the idea we got all that we needed to take her home!

She is a year old and apparently came from a family of 3 little girls who moved out of he country. So she is very tame and super social. 

Sam didn't hesitate when I asked what we should name her. 

Hippo McDonalds. 

I have NO idea where this came from, but Hippo it is :) By the way, she is as obese as her name would suggest. She's currently on a diet.

Hippo's previous home must have included dogs because she has no fear of the pups. They are pretty intrigued with her but once they get a good sniffing, they leave her alone. 

 We have only had her for 24 hours now, but Sam is constantly holding and playing with her. She doesn't seem to mind the attention at all.

 He introduced her to all of his toys and oddly she seemed interested. She's the perfect little pet for the perfect little pet owner! I am so thrilled to have accidentally found her :)

Neither Matt nor I have ever owned a Guinea Pig so if you have any tips or facts for us, please share!

Our Journey to 4 or more

We have started an adoption blog. This is a way for us to spread the word about our hopes to adopt.

mattandhollyadoption.blogspot.com

I met with an adoption attorney last week who gave us some great ideas on how to independently go about the adoption process. I liked the idea because the one thing I hate the most about the process is the lack of control I have had. This way I have something to do while we wait for our match.

So, please share our blog with anyone you may know that has a pulse!

Weekend woes

During our adoption process we have had a few disappointments and hard lessons. But this weekend was by far the hardest experience we have had in our journey so far.

(The sky on Friday night)

Friday morning we got the call that we have been waiting for. 

A birthmother had given birth the night before and we had been chosen to adopt TWIN boys.

Elated, we prepared for our trip to Colorado to pick up and bring home the tiny babies. Car seats, preemie clothes, diapers, formula and even names. We were ready for our dreams to finally be coming true.

Then the birthmother stopped answering her phone. 

We waited around all day Saturday hoping for a call. Nothing. 

Our adoption agent had left numerous messages but none had been returned. 

Discouragement set in. 

Still, we waited all night. 

Today we got the call that we were fearing, but expecting. The birthmother had been discharged and had taken the boys home with her. 

We are heartbroken. Frustrated. Tired. Sad. 

Its been a tough day. 

I returned all of the baby items this afternoon hoping it would be therapeutic, a way to put an end to this chapter. I can't say it helped, but it needed to be done. 

Then we took Sam out to the Children's Museum to get our minds off of things but there were babies and bellies everywhere. At least Sam had fun. 

We will heal. Hopefully those boys will be cared for as well as we would have. We will try again. I will continue to pine for little babies. Matt will continue to assure me that it will happen one day. Sam will go on calling his dogs his brother and sister. 

For now, anyway. 

Flooring

Uh! Don't you just hate it when 2 dogs, a cat and an alligator pee on the carpet in your living room? 

Well we do. 

So we finally replaced our downstairs carpet with wood floors. 

It was a ton of work but so worth it. We went with a dark bamboo since it's the hardest material we could afford. It took us a few weeks but it's finally complete and we couldn't be happier with the result. (or the lack of urine smell!)

We have been updating a few of the other rooms as well. Our bedroom went from being cramped and all turquoise to a nice light brown and green room.

Then of course when Sam turned 3 we had to upgrade him to a new bed and layout in his "big boy" room. He requested a giraffe theme, and we agreed. 

 His room is so long and skinny that it was really difficult to find a way to fit all his things in there. We did what we could with the small space.

We have a ton more projects we are planning on tackling very soon. First to come is our entry way where we tore out a closet and some walls to install a nice stair banister. We also hope to add some much needed lighting and a new deck. Its nice having a handy husband around :)