Two years ago today, a sweet little grey and white hamster lay in soft bedding. He didn’t know that a girl with a heart open, ready to love would be visiting him in the next two weeks. That girl would love him with everything in her.
Pudgy came home with us on October 7th. He sat in a little cardboard box and slid to the other side with every turn the car made. That was the first time he saw the green eyes of his owner, me. My soft voice whispered, “ Hello Baby. Welcome home.”
Tan bedding was spread out amongst the rough blue bottom of the cage, making it feel like a freshly made bed. A wooden house, something that could have been homemade sat on the left side. A red and white wheel with a yellow knob was placed right in the middle, perfect for the little hamster to reach. Green Timothy hay hamster food was plopped in the midst of the new home and a blue water bottle went along with it. A red wooden chew stick and a pink mineral one, were placed around the area, completing the cage.
The only thing that was missing was the hamster.
The box was opened and out climbed Baby. His fluffy, grey fur stuck out and looked more soft than any blanket could ever compare too. His little pink nose was so small, and his pink fluff covered paws were tiny as well. Two big black eyes filled with curiosity and love looked around, absorbing his new life. This was the first few minutes Pudgy entered my life and my heart.
Baby sat down and let my fingers stroke him. His fur was even softer than it looked, if possible, and his floppy ears perked up, listening to all the new voices and sounds. He nibbled on his food and enjoyed the first gentle massage of many, each one more loving than the last. His little foot stuck out and my small finger inched it over, supporting his body. Something about this moment made me fall in love with my new angel and I repeated the same petting process every day from then on.
The next few days Pudgy was introduced to my glove. That glove had been used by my Dad to tend to our fire warming the family, and was passed on to me to warm my heart. Baby nibbled on the edges of it in curiosity, and the moved forward and crawled on my hand. He crawled over all of my fingers, in the palm of my hand as well as the back, over my wrist and eventually coming really close to my elbow.
The glove was a part of his life now. The glove was as similar to him as his own fur was and soon he began eating in it and then falling asleep in it. Late October approached and it was time to go back to New York to close on our house. Of course Baby came with us.
Baby was such a good hamster during traveling. He usually slept and when he did wake up, he curiously looked around and ate a few bites and then retreated back to his home. Baby has been to New York as well as Florida, he’s been through Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Through all of the hours in the car Baby slept peacefully, each time waking up somewhere new.
January approached and Pudgy was still curious to my fingers. Research was done and the conclusion was time, a couple of cardboard boxes and plenty of love. A closed in area was made with the cardboard boxes where Pudgy could run around in while I sat in there with him. As he played he got more and more used to my scent, my voice, and my hands.
Late January came and Pudgy started acting strange. He would, sleep all day and when he woke up he would be very shaky. He would hobble around, try climbing and fall off, and not eat as much. We assumed he was hibernating and as spring approached it lessened and he was back to his normal self.
Me and Pudgy bonded so much through those few months. I would tell Pudgy everything. He knew what upset me that day, what had made me smile, and what I had had for lunch. He knew every time I got an envelope in the mail and when I woke up or went to bed. He listened when no one wanted to hear and understood when I didn’t know the answer. Baby became more than a hamster to me, he became my buddy, my friend.
Summer approached and moving came. Baby was with me as I packed all the boxes and unpacked them after. He nuzzled his little face in my wrist when I hurt it and made all the pain go away. He saw all the splotches of paint on my shirt and every expression on my face.
September was filled with one visitor after another. We both enjoyed playing with my cousins, grandparents, and family.
Durning that summer Baby fell asleep in my hands so much. It was so sweet, so comforting. He was so still and let my hand cover his body, letting his tiny face stick out underneath. It was the most loving experience ever. He counted on me, on my warm hand covering his soft body and I counted on his warmth warming mine.
September 24th marked Pudgy’s first birthday. The night before I was saying my prayers and felt like saying thank you for my sweet Pudgy.
I woke up the next morning and my baby went to go visit heaven.
I was devastated at first but then my parents helped me realize that it’s not that day that matters, but the amazing year I had with him. Within that year songs were wrote, a painting was made, tons of pictures were taken and uncountable memories were saved. I will always love Pudgy more than anything, and I will see him again one day, but for now he is watching me from above and he is with me in a special place within my heart.
Later on that day we visited PetSmart and came home with a hamster the same breed as Pudgy. He has soft white fur and the cutest little eyes. We pulled in and my voice whispered, “ Hello Baby. Welcome home.”
And within minutes, my heart opened again.