Ten!

 

When Anna and I were deciding what to buy Anders for his tenth birthday we landed on a brand-new bike.  So, the day before his big day, Anna took Anders to a local bike store and told him the plan.  Anders had another plan that didn't include a bike.  So, the bike idea was scrapped and then and there they decided to carry on with Anders preferred gift idea and to not tell me until after the deed was done.  Right after school on his birthday they set off to get this very special birthday gift.  He so wanted me to be surprised, which I think added to the utter and complete joy he felt.  I was so curious and tried prying - but everyone's lips were sealed.  Three citizens with a birthday secret.  HA!  I just love that.   I happened to be home preparing for his family birthday dinner when they returned.  They made me close my eyes, plug my ears and look away.  I could hear the boys scurrying up the stairs and I could make out the sound of rustling paper.  When they came down and asked for a large pot, I begged Anna (who was in the kitchen with me) for reassurance that it wasn't another turtle or a fish or something else that involved water and the cleaning of a filthy tank.   She assured me of that.

And then he made us all wait....until after dinner....to show us!  All nine of us had to close our eyes and cover our ears while the boys ran upstairs and brought the gift down.   Imagine the sound: excited voices, running feet, something heavy, and TA DA!  We opened our eyes to a see a large aquarium filled with wood shavings, a spinning wheel, a straw woven hut and a cute little furry gerbil.  A GERBIL!   Not a bike, nor a bird, fish, dog, or hedgehog!     Nope, an adorable gerbil named Tenzi.    My even more adorable son chose a pet for his tenth birthday, and I couldn't be more happy for him!  We are still debating the dog idea in this family so the gerbil is not a substitute.  Stay tuned for a dog story sometime in the future, because I am sure that is going to happen eventually.   I think I'll know about that one though, right from the get-go.