Myrtle My Turtle Mommy!

No big boys.  Just me and the little one on a morning exploration this week.

We get to partake in some of my little guy's favorite activities, but the treat really is being an only child, even if only for a few hours.

A stop off at Chick-Fil-A for his favorite snack: hash browns, bagel with cream cheese, and a fruit cup.

He asks for ice cream.  I answer back that it is still a little early.  He calls his hash browns chicken nuggets.  I guess they sort of look like them...

We go to his favorite toy store Science Safari, a locally owned toy store that offers educational toys, science classes, and features some exotic creatures.

There's Iggy the iguana, a python, a corn snake, chinchillas, and Myrtle the turtle.  My two year old really loves that turtle.

He watches Myrtle with gleaming eyes and a curious stare and says, "Wook at it mommy.  It wook at me.  It has long neck.  It wuvs me mommy."

"Mommy turtle go home with me.  I buy turtle"  He looked at me as if surely I could make this happen.

"No turtle stays here."  I say. "Myrtle lives here.  She wouldn't be happy at our house."  I hoped he would care about Myrtle's personal happiness more than his own.  One can always hope.

"No, no, no... turtle wook at me, turtle love me, turtle go home with me!"

And with that he put his little head down on the rail of Myrtle's pen.  He looked up at me with these sad eyes and the beginning of a tear glimmering in the corner.

Boy, he's good.

I try to convince him that we can come back and visit Myrtle later.

"Myrtle my turtle. Myrtle is my turtle!"

I sigh that really tired sigh.  Huhhh...  Patience is coming hard and I'm eyeballing the door and planning our daring escape wondering if I should pick him up with the football hold or two hand cradle, and then...

 I see it, Silly Putty.

"Look at the egg, it's Silly Putty!" I exclaim holding up the red plastic egg, as if it is the best thing since sliced bread or yellow belly slider turtles.

He comes closer and eyes the egg and looks up at me and starts grinning and says, "Illy Putty, Illy Putty, my Illy Putty!"

And with that Elvis leaves the building under his own will, but now I have "Illy Putty" stuck to the car seat, but it has to be better than leaving with a turtle who probably will out live me.

Small sacrifices.