Taylor's Rat Year

I had no idea that 2008 was the Year of the Rat when I succumbed to my daughter’s passionate Christmas wish for a rat. Yep, you heard me right, a rat. When other girls are dying for an all-the-rage-American Girl Doll, or gaggle of Webkins to add to their multiplying collections, Taylor wanted a rat. And, she wanted to name her Daisy, or Rose, or Charlotte.

How could I say no? I had rabbits when I was her age. I loved my rabbits. I tethered them to tiny leather leashes and took them for walks down our street. I gave them rides on Polly, the neighborhood pony, and delighted in grazing them in the longest backyard grass I could find. They came when I called them, were rewarded with all the goodies I could smuggle from the horse barn or the fridge, and seemed generally happy to be my friends. How could I deny my daughter the opportunity to experience that unconditional, uh, rodent love?

I just couldn’t. So now we have a rat named Daisy. She is living a charmed life in a big purple rat condo on Taylor’s bookshelf. Taylor is basking in the glow of her new furry friendship, and so far, taking on the responsibilities of her tiny charge with passion.

They say a Rat Year is a time of hard work, activity, and renewal; a good time to begin a new project, embark on a new adventure, or make a fresh start. Well, that certainly happened for me in 2008, so maybe now it’s Taylor’s turn. We will listen to the wise ones’ Rat Year advice to be patient, let things develop slowly, and make the most of every opening.

While the official Year of the Rat is almost over (January 25, 2009 to be exact), our Rat Year is only just beginning. Who knows, maybe we'll have a Rose and a Charlotte too before long. We'll see how how it goes. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that little miss Daisy can keep Taylor on her toes because I recently heard that 2009 is the Year of the Ox. Gulp.