It's a Zoo Here

So, Michael's craft store carries a wide variety of plastic animals that range in price from $2.99 - $6.99. We have almost all of them, it seems. We're forever stepping over humpback whales to get to the laundry room and the frogs seem to be guarding the line where the tile meets the wood in our foyer. Whatever. The animals provide endless hours of amusement for Kev, we can deal with the nuances of living like the Dolittles.

Until the hippo joined our happy herd.

Last week, we got a hippo. It was love at first sight for Kev. The hippo had to be his. And now, Hippo will not leave his side. Witness:

Feeding Hippo in a lake provided by the vacuum cord.*

Feeding Hippo and others later the same day.

Hippo dining with the tykes at lunch the next day.

Hippo at breakfast the next morning.

Hippo at dinner that night.

Hippo and others eating (again) that night.

Hippo impatiently waiting for breakfast the next morning.

Hippo being forced from the pond by the "Mommy Elephant".

And, as if that weren't enough:

• Mommy had to cuddle both Kev and Hippo through the Space Chimp movie we saw last week.
• Kev is currently distraught as he thinks Daddy threw Hippo away for not listening (Kev, not Hippo).
• Hippo has had several baths, due to getting sticky at breakfast but also because its' guardian (Kev) has decided it is messy.

So yeah, once again, two is a good number for us. Because really, if we had another and it had a special attachment to a toy, I'd be screwed when wanting to leave the house. Between Amiya and Kelly and now Kev and Hippo, my hands are full and the brain is fully engaged. No more wrinkles available for other paraphernalia.

*Thank you for not commenting on my crappy parenting for letting the kids make a lake with a power cord. Mind you, it wasn't plugged in, but the Christy of 4 years ago would *never* have allowed a child to play anywhere near it.