Gilbert and Gilbert

On Sunday afternoon, we were enjoying some lazy time at the cabin.  There was a group out snowshoeing and the rest of us were hanging out inside while Livi took a nap.  Nolan was busy trying to catch flies that were buzzing around in the windows, and before too long he caught one.  <Blech!>  He told me he needed a home for his new pet, so I gave him a cup, but the fly flew away (Darn...) as one might expect.

My persistent little boy didn't give up and before I knew it, he caught another fly and demanded a better home this time.  Eric pulled out a ziploc bag and Nolan put his little buddy inside.  Never have a seen a more delighted child.  He named his new pet Gilbert and couldn't take his eyes off of him.

He was prancing around proudly when disaster struck and little buddy fell on the ground with Gilbert's ziploc bag habitat in tow.  Immediately the sobbing began......"Daddy, I killed my petttttt!!!....I loved Gilbert and I killed himmmm!  It was an accidentttttt!"  The tears shed over this fly...never has there been a more beloved insect.  It was equal parts heart wrenching and hilarious.

Annalyse suggested that he look for another fly pet, which he agreed to.  While he was looking, Eric picked up Gilbert's airtight home, and noticed the resilient creature was still buzzing around.  Gilbert lives!  In the meantime, Nolan caught another fly <Blech again> and now Gilbert had a buddy (Also named Gilbert.) Gilbert was put in the ziploc bag with Gilbert and Nolan carried them everywhere.  (Side note - it's amazing how long flies can go without oxygen...)

As we were getting ready to go, I wanted to take a picture of Lexie and Miles - the doggie cousins!  As soon as Nolan realized I was taking a picture of the pets, he confidently walked over to where we were posing and plopped Gilbert and Gilbert in between the two pooches.  "There," he said.  "Now we have all the pets. One, two, three, four."