jack's three ways to test drive a beta fish

We have a new pet. No, it isn't a cat, as you can plainly see above. (Unfortunately, John thinks they are possessed). We have a fish. After going to the beach a few weeks back (pictures to come), Jack has become obsessed with everything that swims in the sea. He has a new book (thank you Nenna!) that goes through the alphabet with undersea creatures and gorgeous illustrations that he learned after just a few times through. Every day he has been asking to go see the fish "like at the beach." I have taken him to Cabela's, the doctor's office and even Petsmart. Husband and I finally decided to get a dish fish. No tank to mess with. No drain on electricity. So off we went. Jack loved the goldfish, but the Petsmart folk did say that betas are the most resilient fish. So a beta we have. And I am convinced that Jack understood them since he has been testing their fish suggestion ever since. And without further adieu, and further background, here are Jack's three best ways to test drive his fish, whom he so aptly named... wait for it... Mister Fish.

day 1, test #1: plastic fork fishing

As fish are Jack's favorite thing in the world right now (yes, he really can identify everything from a nautilus to an manta ray), I was shocked to turn around from doing dishes to find my boy trying to skewer his brand new pet. I asked him what he was doing (not altogether calmly, I admit) to which he sweetly replied, "Go fishing? Poke da fish!"

day 2, test #2: give the fish a drink

Again, with the dishes. I had just given Jack some chocolate milk. And put a wax paper cover, with punched holes, over the mason jar this time so he could still watch Mister Fish swim. I turned this time and saw that the water was cloudy, Jack leaning over the jar. I'm sure you can figure out what he managed. Jack pushed his straw through the top wax paper and spit chocolate milk into the fish dish. Sad. He said he wanted to share with Mister Fish. Sweet, but after a quick rescue with a ladle and into a new mason jar, Jack and I had another chat about what you can and can't do with a pet fish.

day 2, test #3: would you like lemon with your water?

Yes, this actually happened the same day. I put Mister Fish and his dish (I've been reading way too much Dr. Seuss lately it seems) on top of the island in our kitchen. With a new wax paper shield. "Jack can't reach there," I convince myself. Young man was playing with cars in the family room and I went into the front room for a few minutes to practice hymns for my church responsibility. All of a sudden, I didn't hear any more sound effects for his crashing cars. I came in to the kitchen to find Jack had pulled a chair over to the counter, found a lemon from our fruit bowl, pushed the chair over to the island and rammed the lemon whole into the mason jar thus pushing Mister Fish into tighter, and decidedly more citrusy space at the bottom. (yes, this was a huge lemon and was a bit of a challenge to get out) Again with the fish rescue. Again with the chat. And now, with a very skittish fish.

But. He isn't dead yet. There are a few morals to this story: one, keep fish safely out of reach for both the fish's and your sanity; two, never think that wax paper will keep out a two-year-old; three, and this is to Husband, I think it is time we mount the wall-hanging fish dish... and soon.

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