Meet Denny

Em recently had a birthday, and we just celebrated with family at our house. My brother and stepdad walked through the door, each carrying one end of a ginormous present.

Ummm... I didn't tell them she wanted anything ginormous for her birthday. What in the world??

So I asked my brother what it was. He told me it was a dollhouse.

WHAT?!?! Where am I gonna put ANOTHER ginormous dollhouse?! We already HAVE a ginormous dollhouse!!

His response was to oh-so nonchalantly say, "You'll find a place."

So then Em begins to open said ginormous dollhouse.

Only... wait, that's not a ginormous dollhouse Em is opening.

It's a cage. A freaking CAGE!!

WHAT did you guys get her?!?!?!

Lots of laughing.

Me still trying to figure out what creature I now get to care for.

Turns out, it's this little guy ::

Meet Denny

Turns out, I was totally set up.

One night before Christmas, I get a random text from my brother telling me his roommate had decided he wanted a dog for their apartment when they went back for second semester of the school year. He said he was trying to talk him into something smaller than a dog. Then asked if I was getting Em a guinea pig for Christmas because I had mentioned the idea earlier in the year. I told him I wasn't because I couldn't afford one. Okay? Couldn't afford one lol.

Then another day, he asked if I was off work any the week before Christmas. I told him I was off the Friday before then mentioned I was gonna ask to see if he wanted to spend some quality time with his favorite niece that day while I finished up some last minute stocking stuffer buying. Turns out, he was asking because "he wanted to take her to a pet store to buy Christmas gifts for the dogs my mom and dad have."

Notice those quotation marks?

Yeah.

While there, he took her to look at the guinea pigs. Had her pick out which one was her favorite. Then they bought the toys for the dogs.

Then he took her to Zip and Sip and bought her a LARGE marshmallow iced tea.

Then he ran home and told my mom which one Em picked out. My mom then headed to the pet store to get the little guy.

Meanwhile I came back to my mom's house... to an eerily empty house. My brother came out of the bathroom brushing his teeth and choked when he saw me lol. Apparently my arriving before my mom was not a part of their evil plan.

So I'm sitting on the couch and in walks my mom, holding a little box. And in that box was the guinea pig.

She took the box downstairs, where in my brother's room they had guinea pig heaven set up -- cage, food, treats, litter, toys ... it was aaaaalllll already bought.

And I was completely clueless.

Moral of the story?

Don't ever trust your brother when he volunteers to spend quality time with your daughter. Ever.

Em at first wanted to name the guy Princess lol... but since he was a boy, I vetoed it. She can't say guinea, instead says denny pig, so that's how we arrived at Denny our "denny pig."

Oh... and he HATES us.
Boo.