He/She showed up at our house this weekend.  We ignored him/her.  Well, as best as a bunch of children can ignore a kitten really.  When he/she was still here, and, as TheOldest upon waking the next morning proclaimed “The little kitty stayed!  And now it’s at our window meowing!”  We fed him.  Her.  Whatever.  No, I can’t tell the gender, I’m that animal ignorant.  Really.  No idea if it’s a boy or a girl.  I tried looking there.  It didn’t help me any.  And come to find out, it didn’t much matter when naming it.

And can I just say I’m amazed at the naming process.  How different than when my honey and I used to name animals before we had kids.  Such agony.  Such discussion.  Trying out of names.  Maybe they’ll stick, maybe we’ll change it.  Remember Chikezie? But this time, after much explaining that we didn’t know if this kitty belongs to somebody or not and that we’ll have to give it up if it does and if it shows up missing one day then we know it went back to it’s former home.  (But just between you and me I think it’s a keeper.  It was too skittish, too skinny, and just loves us too much!)  Anyway, we asked the kiddos what they wanted to name it.  And TheOldest said,”How ’bout Cornflakes?”  (c’mon, get it?  he’s quoting from the Frosty the Snowman where they’re trying to name his new wife [who's name incidentally becomes Crystal, not Cornflakes.]  The kids are all throwing out names and one kid says, “Cornflakes?”  and everybody else says, “Nah!”  c’mon, I thought it was a great reference!  Especially to come up with it in September and on his own!)  Anyway, TheMiddlest says, “No, we ought to name him Frosty!”  And so to appease both boys the new kitty’s name became Frosty Cornflakes.  Cracks me up!  And to think the name search took all of 3 minutes.

Yes, ThePrincess did get a say.  She’s in a naming pattern.  Everything has to be named Aisha.  Which might’ve stayed if the boys’ had not been so clever and stolen the spotlight.  Sorry, girl, round one of the quickest wits went to the boys this time.

Cornflakes is doing great.  So skittish.  Wouldn’t even come to us on Sunday.  Chikezie initially pretended that he was going to eat him/her.  And then this happened last night.

Now, Daisy’s a different story.  But she always is.  Lots of noise.  Lots of bullying.  Lots of makin’ sure Cornflakes knows his/her place.

As far as the kiddos ~ it’s awesome.  We haven’t had a kitten since we’ve had kids.  Daisy was almost 3 when TheOldest was born.  I had forgotten how much fun they are.  Last night while I was trying to work on the rag seat for the rocking chair renovation she/he kept attacking the strings I was trying to braid.  ThePrincess hauls the kitten around just like little girls should – in that almost drag/carry/hold “I’m gonna love him, and squeeze him, and make him mine” kinda way.  And tonight she was right at home smack in the middle of their school work.  Laying on top of their worksheets and batting at their pencils.

Too much fun!  Welcome to our crazy little life – Frosty Cornflakes!