The sad side of motherhood

I went to bed last night (or should I say early this morning) knowing that I was going to have a sad and broken hearted little boy come morning. See Orion has had this little teddy bear hamster for just over 2 1/2 years, his name was Bounce because his butt bounced in a funny way when he ran in his wheel. He lived in a glass cage with a metal screen top and liked to climb on top of his house and hang off the top. Last night he was doing just that when he fell and hit his head on the roof of his house under him.....poor thing didn't get up and I knew it was going to be bad. At first I thought it was dead, but then I saw his chest rise and fall so I knew he was still alive but he didn't seem to be able to move. Honestly I didn't think he would make it through the night.

This morning Orion got up early, I knew it was going to happen since I had gone to bed so late (murphy's law) so I knew I had to get up and deal with the situation. I was amazed to see the little guys chest rising and falling, but he was in the exact same position he was in last night. I explained to Orion what happened and Orion wanted to hold his critter so I helped him carefully pick him up and he sat on the couch holding his little friend, petting him and talking to him while I took the dog outside. By the time I got back Bounce had passed, taking his last breaths in Orions hand. I swear that little critter held out for his boy so that he could say goodbye to his friend.  We found a little box to put him in with some of his bedding and then locked him up in the garage until this afternoon so that we can bury him afterschool.