As of last night, we are now the proud owners of a pet hamster.
We're been thinking that it would be nice to get a pet of some kind, and since Aaron's allergic to dogs and cats, we were focusing on something small, something fish/hermit crab/turtle/hamster-ish. Kieran has a pet hamster named Sylvia at school and we figured that if a hapster could survive the gawking and handling of a dozen pre-schoolers, heck, one hapster vs. out two kids should be just fine!
Kieran initially wanted to name his new pet Sylvia, but we gently suggested a more masculine name, as it's a male hamster. We briefly considered Stuart, as we had just watched Stuart Little. However, upon trying it with our last name Aaron decided it was a bit difficult to say (as if the thing would be introducing himself at parties or checked off a class roster someday).
Kieran decided to name the hamster Egon, as in the Ghostbuser (as in his favorite movie). We find ourselves calling him "Little Egon" and Kieran frequently checks on him and asks to remove him from his cage. It's been less than 24 hours since we purchased the thing and I think he's been stared at more than when he was at Petsmart!
Andie too seems excited, she's constantly pulling up a chair and saying, "Hi kitty!"