Lizard Fever

Satchel and Jiro started making their Christmas lists in October. Whenever we were out and they got a case of the "I wants" I told them to put the item on their Christmas list. For convenience, we kept the lists handy on my phone.

Satchel's list included (among other things) a pet gecko (and tank and water and food), a parrot, and a generic lizard. Jiro's list included a baby lion (I kid you not), a lizard and container, and a Venus Flytrap.

Eventually they forgot about the lists on my phone and started making new lists at home. I told them that they were going to have to narrow down their lists to three things. Satchel decided on Super Mario for Wii, a stuffed polar bear, and a water dragon. (More on that in a minute.) Jiro informed me that it was his list and he could put whatever he wanted on it and that it was up to Santa and not me. His list now includes a baby polar bear, yes a real one, a parrot, and a lizard. He's actually talking in the future tense about him and his baby polar bear which totally cracks me up.

Of all the many pet options, the only one that is viable is the lizard. Our cat would surely kill a bird and I can't see how I could possibly procure a real baby lion or a real baby polar bear.

Satchel has wanted a lizard for years. Years. He took solace in the fact that his class had a pet gecko, but the gecko died a couple of months ago. I suggested buying a new lizard for the school, but he wanted none of that. "No! I won't get to play with it everyday and we'll have to take a vote to name it!" he complained.

Last night, Satchel and Jiro convinced me to go to Petco to see a water dragon in person. On the way, Jiro said he wanted to hold one of the birds. Then Satchel asked if he could hold a water dragon. I promised to ask when we got there.

Happily, they said yes!

We learned that a water dragon can grow to be 3 feet long and lives for 15 years. FIFTEEN YEARS. I guess that is a normal pet lifespan, but when thinking about a lizard that Satchel will be "responsible" for, it seems really LONG. And of course, Jiro would want his OWN lizard.


When we asked about holding a bird, there was only one option. Oliver. He's some kind of canary, I think. The name had "sun" in it. The Petco employee told me twice what he was but it didn't stick. Probably because all I could do was coo at this adorable bird and watch him go. He was so friendly and had the best personality. He even nibbled our ears! If we didn't own a cat, ironically named Oliver, I would have taken him home immediately, no questions asked.


We were eventually able to tear ourselves away from Oliver, and amazingly we left the store empty-handed. I thought for sure the kids would be all about getting a bird now, but they are still talking about lizards, specifically water dragons.

I guess we'll have to see what Santa decides. Maybe he'll take our cat to the North Pole so I can have a bird.