"Little Women" or better yet... "Of hamsters and girls"

My 4 oldest girls are eerily similar to the 4 March girls: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, of Little Women. Ashley is the maternal eldest. Emily the fearless, tom-boy comedian. Abby, who's heart is loving and sincere but her body isn't always able to keep up with the others. And Mabry knows no other way than frills, lace and proper words. I'm pretty sure Mabry thinks she's living in the Era of Amy March. They are my own Little Women.

This is why, when Kate was born we said she would be a wild card. And what a wild card she is. ;)

But this post is mostly about my little Meg...


Ashley is maternal. Always has been. At her first birthday party, she'd open a doll, and as soon as we could break it out of the box, she's be hugging it, rocking it, and kissing its face. Not all my girls were that way. But Ashley... is maternal.

The kids have asked me for years for a pet. But because I don't need another thing in this house that eats and poops, I've said no.

But Ashley begs.

I suggested things that seemed low maintenance like turtles or fish. Something that isn't going to stink if it's butt isn't clean. But Ashley wants something she can "snuggle".

*deep sigh*

So she landed on the idea of a hamster. And she started this campaign a few months ago to raise money for one. I told her if she wanted one, it would be her sole responsibility, funding and all. So she raised some money and then ended up with a FurReal Friend instead. (Her idea not mine.)

But then she got the itch again.

So for Christmas, hamster was at the top of the list. Her Grandma and Grandpa Turner took her pick one out. Ruby Jo Spencer.

Never was a more loved hamster. She gets royal rodent treatment. She now has a cage with tubes and wheels, and all the bells and whistles. And while I don't like to admit it aloud, I sorta like the little thing.

(My phone wasn't really recording sound when I took this.)

Ruby seems to really know Ashley and goes right to her. Every day when Ashley gets home from school, Ashley goes up to her room, scoops up a sleepy Ruby from her cage (because she's nocturnal and sleeps all day while Ashley's at school). Then Ruby snuggles in the folds of their blanket on the couch while Ashley has her after school snack and watches the Cosby Show (her current favorite). Ruby comes out to play most in the evening after the four little ones are in bed. She runs laps around the living room and over Ashley's crossed legs like a huge hamster jungle gym. Occasionally being scooped up and squished up to Ashley's cheek and then given a big kiss before being set down. Ashley can't go 90 seconds before the urge hits her again, and Ruby gets swept up once more for another face-squishing kiss.

And it wasn't long before Ashley realized she's got enough love in her heart for more hamsters. She wanted... several. But I told her just one more. For now anyway.

Doing some hamster research at the library:

So once again she sold some lotions and raised money. Enough for another "Syrian" hamster and more food. So I took Ashley, her friend Ellie, and Emily to the pet store. We probably looked at 15 different hamsters til she settled on her new baby. Mary Grace Spencer.

Mary Grace was a little more, uh, nervous, than Ruby was in the first couple of days. The salesman used the word "skiddish" so that's Ashley term too. Mary Grace is skiddish. Ruby pretty much went straight to Ashley and loved her ever since, but Mary Grace is... well, skiddish. So we researched how to help hamsters warm up to you. Ashley followed everything it said to do. Except Mary Grace would not only hide from Ashley every time the door opened, but she'd lay on her back and put all four paws (is paws the right word? feet?) out, turn her head and close her eyes. Like she was afraid Ashley would hurt her. And as Ashley would work her towards eating out of her hand, just as we thought she was warming up, she'd bite Ashley's finger and run and hide.

Ashley was heartbroken. She wanted to love that little thing but just wouldn't love her back. I didn't know what to say except to tell her to keep trying. "She's just little and scared, she'll warm up..." And in my mind I added, "I hope."

After 4 days of rejection (and I warned her that it could take a week or more before Mary Grace warmed up), Ashley decided she didn't want to keep trying with Mary Grace. But Emily stepped up and said that she'd like to try. I think she felt a little left out of all the hamster excitement anyway.

So Emily's been putting her hand in the cage, trying to get Mary Grace used to her. She's been bit more than once. And cried. But she's still not giving up.

Because we can't hold her, cleaning her cage is interesting. We have to lure her into an open ball (the clear ones that hamsters, mice and such run around in), then put the lid on before she realizes it, and take her out of the cage that way. But she scratches and bites at the ball the whole time, so we have to clean the cage fast.

We'll see how it goes with Emily and Mary Grace. Emily had been saying for a while that she wanted a hamster too, but kept telling us she would name it Nostrils or Booger Face. So I assumed that was for comedic value and that she didn't actually want one. And no mention has been made of changing Mary Grace's name yet... so I'm certainly not going to bring it up if Emily doesn't. ;)

I think this whole experience is good for the both of them. My little momma and my little comedian. Both have such sweet, big hearts. I'm praying they'll learn patience and selflessness through it all. Hopefully there will be much learned.

Last night Jake and I heard what sounded like crying down the hall. I went to investigate but it was Ashley and Emily... laying in bed in the dark laughing and talking. Hamster wheels spinning and squeaking on either side of the room. These girls can be best friends and worst enemies. At the heart of all the hamster escapades, I hope that if nothing else, it brings together my little Meg and Jo. My sweet Little Women.