snap, crackle and pop no more

This past saturday night I was feeling pretty crummy. So Ryan took Ava out for a Daddy/daughter night on the town.

One very excited little girl came home with a bag of 3 goldfish (for the record, fish are the only type of pet that are acceptable surprise pets in our house :) ).

Ava and Daddy got to work right away putting the fish into their new home.

Ava proudly displays her new pets for mommy and the camera

Checking things out - I think we have this too full Daddy!

We surnamed them Snap, Crackle and Pop, respectively and watched them explore their new home.

Of course, we had to give them a welcoming meal.

Eat up little fishies!

Sadly, by the time Ryan and I went to bed saturday night, one fish had surcumbed to "new home shock" and a second fish was close behind. So only Snap was still with us as we went to bed saturday night.

When we woke up sunday morning, Snap had gone to join his fellow fish friends in the land of Nemo as well. Given the explanation that her fishy was "sleeping," Ava would point to Snap, put her finger to her lips and tell us, "Shhhhhh."

Since we couldn't allow our daughter to experience the traumatic loss and absence of a pet so soon in her young life, sunday night we headed back out and brought home two more fish (as well as some water drops to further prevent our new fish from experiencing "new home shock" as well . . .hey, we never claimed to be fish experts here!) And when they sell for 15 cents each at Meijer, you can afford to be "extravagant."

Here's Ava giving her new fish a welcoming kiss.

Happy with her new pets!

We're excited to report that 24 hours into their new home, fish number 4 and 5 are still swimming merrily around their home. Here's hoping for no more "napping."

Our only current dilemma? We can't settle on names for our new fish.

Any suggestions?!