Caleb's First Pet

Well it's finally happened. The McKinstrys got their first pet.

Caleb has been interested in getting one for a while, and each time we made a visit to the pet store, he always wanted to check out the Beta fish. Very specific about which color fish he wanted, Caleb would beam as he talked about his hope to get one. He'd look at the variety of tanks, planning in anticipation of the day that Mommy and Daddy finally would cave and let him take one home. 

My sister - the animal lover - wanted to get Caleb a fish for his birthday or Christmas a while back, but at that point, I just felt like it was too much for me to keep up with and he was a bit young. This year though, I mentioned to her that if she wanted to, I thought it would be okay for him to finally have his pet. 

Knowing that he had a special fish already picked out in his mind, Courtney and I plotted for Caleb to have a special day with her to go to the pet store and choose exactly what he wanted. Not only had Caleb been wanting a fish, he'd also been requesting a day out with Aunt Courtney, so this whole adventure was over-the-top exciting for him. Though he didn't know where she was taking him, all morning until she arrived he kept looking out the front windows expectantly.

When she finally arrived, there were Christmas gifts for all three of the kids (always fair - that Aunt Courtney :)). Little did Caleb know though that the present he was unwrapping was just a piece of the special treat that awaited him that day.

At my mom's house, Courtney had found the old fish tank that used to be ours when we were kids. He was so excited! 

Dresses for Hadley's new doll...What a sweet smile.

From getting to ride in Aunt Courtney's truck for the first time to the excitement of going off to the pet store to get his long awaited fish just the two of them, Caleb could hardly stand the excitement. He didn't even bother to put on proper winter footwear and a coat before he was out the door. And, of course, he came home smiling just as big as when he left, if not bigger!

Hey what's that on your face? Courtney, did you give that boy some chocolate? At least wipe off the evidence!

While at the store, Courtney let Caleb pick out more than just his Beta. Rainbow colored rocks, a couple plastic plants, spring water, a bit of fish food - and they were all set. They went to work as soon as they got back setting it all up so that "Blue Peacock" - as Caleb named him - had a nice new home.

What a smile!

There he is folks. (My favorite part about this photo is the joy in Caleb's face.)

Good choice, Buddy. Mommy had a fish named "Blue Boy" when I was little.

The excitement wasn't limited to Caleb. Hadley and especially Reid were thrilled to have a pet too. I could barely keep them off the counter and had to find a very safe place for our little guy's tank after they had a while to check him out first. Since then they've discovered they can pull a dining room chair into the kitchen and up to the counter to watch this interesting creature as he swims, which has been a bit stressful for me - especially the time I caught Reid with his arm in the tank, saying "I touch fish."

The next morning Caleb woke up saying, "Mommy, I woke up so early this morning because now I have a pet." Little did he know that he hadn't woken up any earlier than normal, but his enthusiasm made me smile. Down the steps he went to admire his fish. 

At one point even he told me he thought maybe he should make a little Christmas present for "Blue Peacock" and went to work drawing a picture on a C-shaped posted note, which he ended up taping to the side of the tank. 

While he was excited at first about feeding his friend, as were all the kids, he definitely needs reminders frequently from Mommy and Daddy now. Sometimes it is tempting to just feed the little fella myself, but I don't want to start that habit. It is his pet, and over time, I think it will be a good lesson in responsibility. 

All in all though, the excitement about this Beta is still high. Thanks, Aunt Courtney, and how appropriate that you, my animal loving sister, would be the one to buy your nephew - a fellow animal lover - his first pet.