We've had our share of carnival goldfish.  They all suffered the same fate.  Burial at sea (aka toilet).   I've said "no" to my son's repeated requests for hamsters and guinea pigs.

Most recently, my daughter has been hounding me for a puppy.  "We have a dog", I remind her.  "She's not a dog.  She's too humanish." my daughter complains.  Our pooch is the sweetest dog in the world.  In the world.  She's a buff cocker spaniel that I found via Craigslist.  We still can't believe someone gave her away.  She's such a gentle soul.  She lives to be loved.  "She doesn't do dog things." my daughter says.  True, she doesn't fetch, but she'll happily lie in your lap all day.  And, she's the one living being in our household that actually listens and responds to me.  That's huge in my book!

Yesterday, my son received a Christmas gift from a friend.  A test tube alien.  It's in my kitchen, now.  Growing.  Its heart is beating.  We have to feed it, and give it sunlight, and everything.  What do we do with it when we go on vacation?  Oh!  The stress of having another pet!