Nibbles

In September, we finally let Libby get a hamster.  She has put all almost all of her allowance money each week into this hamster, the cage, the hamster, bedding, food etc.  She has taken such good care of her hamster and been far more responsible than we expected.  Last Thursday night, Nibbles wasn't looking so good.  Her eyes were closed and she wasn't very active.  That night I was awake most of the night listening and waiting in vain for Nibbles to run on her wheel.  The next morning she was still not looking good and I promised Libby I would check on her throughout the day.  So, you guessed it, Nibbles died while on my watch. 

So I was ready to run out and buy as Nibbles.  Thankfully Mark was the voice of reason (although he is not the one who had to greet her after school and tell her that her beloved hamster had died).  So when she got off the bus, she came bounding up the walkway announcing that she was going to check on Nibbles.  I was so worried about telling her, worried she would think it was her fault, worried that she will associate getting off the bus with me giving bad news and worried that she would be inconsolable.  Just a week before she was hysterically crying, worrying that Nathan was going to die.  It seemed like to much to deal with this too.  I also think I agonized over what I would say because I know that this is one of those defining moments she will remember for a long time if not forever.  My sister Susan gave me the idea of writing a letter that Libby could go back and refer to and be reminded that she took good care of Nibbles.  She loved the letter and although there were many many tears, she handled it better than expected.

 

We made a box in which to bury Nibbles (more for closure than the burial process).  It was a rough "rite of passage" but we did make it through.  The next day after Nathan's Pinewood Derby (more on that later) we went and got a new hamster.  Oreo is not quite the same as Nibbles.  He is not as sociable as Nibbles who always came to the edge of the cage when someone came near.  Ironically Nibbles did not nibble but Oreo tends to bite!  Libby is not nearly as excited about Oreo.  He isn't quite as fun.  We are hoping he comes around. 

 

As we were making the box, Libby said she wished she could talk to that "Long Island Medium lady" and find out what happened to Nibbles!  And instead of a hamster, she thought she might want to get a parrot, a rabbit or a horse....uhhhh...no.