A Fuzzy Little Birthday Gift

This is what my morning looked like:

Today is Joy's birthday, and all she wanted was a hamster (and hamster bedding, and hamster food, and a hamster cage with some assembly required).  Joy has been begging for a pet for years, but until a few months ago, we were renting homes that didn't allow animals.  After we moved into our house, Joy did a bunch of research on hamster care, then started pleading for a hamster for her birthday.  Her practical parents didn't love the idea of buying a stinky rodent that likes to escape every chance it gets, but we recognized that our daughter really, really wanted the chance to care for a pet, so we decided to grant the wish of her animal-loving heart.

Joy also asked for a birthday lunch at Subway, so I checked her out of school and took her to Westford for a nice cheesesteak with a side of Doritos.  The lettuce makes it healthy, right?

Joy made sure the enderman on the shelf got into the birthday spirit this morning too . . . 

. . . then I upgraded his birthday gift while she was at school.

When she got home, the other kids were playing at friends' houses, so Joy had some nice, quiet time to read library books (Gaston would approve of that one, but he'd pass on the Artemis Fowl series she is hooked on lately).

After Joy's birthday dinner, we sang our birthday medley, then I headed upstairs to get her present. Joy kind of guessed what it was, but she was still ecstatic when she saw the hamster cage and its furry little occupant.

He sure is a cute little escape artist, isn't he?

Happy birthday, Joy!  Thank you for being such a caring and helpful member of our family.  Your creative and inquiring mind makes our lives richer and more fun!