Coo Coo and Millie's Big Adventure

I suppose when you have 2 small hamsters in a house with 2 little kids and 4 cats it's inevitable that the hamsters will get out somehow. This morning was that very special day. (for the hamsters, not us)

All I can say was thank goodness Kieran actually slept in for a change. Jenna normally does but not Kieran. Tripp came running into the bedroom this morning to tell me that Coo Coo and Millie's cage was wide open and they were gone. GREAT. Did Kieran wake up in the middle of the night and take them? No, Coo Coo hates him. She'd have bitten him and we would have heard him screaming. Hmm...did I not close the cage door completely when I went to bed last night? I swear I closed it! Did KITTY learn how to open the cage? She is the only one of the 4 cats skinny enough to slip through the baby gates we keep locked at night at the top of both staircases....there is bedding all over the place. As I sat evaluating the crime scene (minus blood-good sign) Kitty came up to visit me. She was overly affectionate and talkative this morning and kept rubbing her face all over the hamster cage. Uh oh, a suspect. I watched her carefully for the next few minutes and kept asking her where the stinking hamsters were. Like I'd get an answer anyway. What was I going to tell Kieran?!?!

As I'm sitting on the floor with Kitty she starts batting at the cage. Pop! The cage door opens. Aha! Let's cuff her. Great. I'm going to find smooshed hamster bodies somewhere around this house. I got the flashlight out hoping to come across them before the kids did. I called Tripp who was on his way to work, to tell him I've got a break in the case. As I'm talking to him I realize, boy, I'm hungry. I've got a splitting headache and I really should have some breakfast so I can go on with my detective work before the kids wake up. I head to the back room where I have my breakfast bars. As I'm opening my breakfast and complaining to Tripp about the situation I look down and there's Millie hiding behind a box! Thank GOD!!! One down, one to go. A minute later I realize that Coo Coo was right behind her. How did they get all the way downstairs and survive?!?!?!?! AND they stuck together! What luck that I found them both together and within a few minutes of each other.WHEW. All before the kids woke up. Case solved! I'm sure Coo Coo and Millie are a little disappointed to be back in their little plastic, wire and now duct taped cage after spending the past 6 hours exploring the big new world they've discovered. Sorry girls.

Now if we could just find Tripp's alarm clock.....