Fiona.  She was a rat, a cute little black and white rat with black eyes and a long black tail with a touch of pink at the end.  She would jump around her cage at all times of the day and night, and watch you as you passed by.  When you would open her cage, she would be there ready to go.  And if you had a yogurt drop handy, she was in heaven.  She would come and grab it out of your hand and sit up on her hind legs, and go to town with it.  She loved fresh corn, and peanuts too.  



When we first brought her home, she was so little.  Kimberly had bought her with her birthday money when she turned 8.  We made her do research on owning a rat, and write a report on what it would need and how to take care of one.  She picked her out and cared for her since the day we brought her home.  This was her first pet, her baby.  (We didn't like much the idea of being grandparent's at the age of 29, but we played our parts.)  



The first time Unlce Sean came over to visit after Fiona came home, she peed on him!!  (He was the only one she ever peed on.)  We all laughed and thought it was funny.  He took it well, seeing as he had a pet rat also when he was a young boy, her name was Nosey.  He could relate to Kimberly's excitment at this new adventure.  "Itchie" (aka Aunt Erica) also shared with her excitement because of her pet rat Penny.  It was a family affair of sharing stories.



She died during the night last night, peaceful, with no pain.  Kimberly was heartbroken, it broke my (mommy's) heart too, to see my little girl upset.  Fiona will be missed.  We are holding a memorial tonight for her, and we will mark her little grave with a homemade stepping stone with her name and dates in it.