Little Frog Green Jumper

While Justin was mowing the lawn on Saturday he found and caught the smallest little frog. He told the girls that he had a pet for them. They were ecstatic because they love animals---but know we can't really have pets because Daddy is allergic to most animals. So, we put the frog in a big container with some water and "lilly pads"...just regular leaves were the best we could do! By the end of the day there were also some flowers the girls had picked from my porch and added for the frog to enjoy.

The girls love the frog and we decided to name him. This is how that conversation went"

Me: What should we name him?

Taylor: Lets name him Little Boy Blue!

Me: Well, he isn't a boy and he isn't blue. What about something like...Jumper?!

Taylor: I know....Little Frog Green Jumper!

Me: OK...that's a great name

Little Frog Green Jumper (LFGJ) was not hurting for attention throughout the day. The girls checked on him continually and loved to just laugh and watch him jump and swim around. Taylor was brave enough to hold him a few different times but Brooklyn only did once (for the picture--yeah!).

We told the girls that we might have to let LFGJ go because we didn't know what he ate and we didn't want him to get sick. This did not go over so well...tears!!! We tried the compassion route explaining that LFGJ was very little and his family probably really missed him. This didn't really work...Taylor was adamant that frogs do not have Mommy's & Daddy's. So in efforts to change the topic we asked, "If you could have any pet what would you chose?" Taylor, of course, said a baby pig would be great because Daddy isn't allergic to pigs! Then she tried to convince us that pigs don't really get all dirty in the mud. (We were definitely going down the wrong path here...at this point we are just continuing to disappoint the girls because regardless of whether a little pig is dirty OR if Daddy is allergic...we are not going to get a pet pig!)

As Taylor cried at night in her bed because she was mourning the future "goodbye" to LFGJ she pulled on Daddy's heartstrings. Justin called from work the next day saying that for FHE we were going to go to the pet store to find out what equipment/food/training we would need to keep LFGJ. So we went and then after finding out that LFGJ who isn't even an inch long would require close to $100 in equipment (seriously...it even needs a special light bulb to shine on it!) AND I would have to buy and feed him up to three crickets a day...we decided that finding LFGJ a great new home outside somewhere would be best!

We drove up a little canyon in Alpine and found a great little river in the mountains. We all agreed that it was a great new home for LFGJ. The girls were sad but brave and said their goodbye's. We let him go and got in the car to drive home and guess who started crying and throwing a fit!? Brooklyn...so cute! In her little toddler voice she was saying "Frog...Frog" and pointing out the window in protest.

Lesson: We can never have a pet! Unless Justin can get some great medication for his allergies we will just continue to enjoy other people's pets. My girls just love animals way too much to have to say goodbye!