May I introduce...

 Gimli! The cutest little bundle of fluff ever! 

A chance conversation at Breastfeeding Support group last Monday got the wheels turning. I mentioned to Stuart that a woman at the group had got a long haired kitten that was going to be ready for a new home any day now, and he suggested we got in touch with her. 

Lots of secrecy, a viewing whilst the boys were at school.  Then buying food, litter, and digging out all the old cat things we had kept just in case we were ever blessed with another cat.  Resulted in some wonderfully surprised children when they came home from school.  Stuart had said that we had a surprise for them at home, they were thinking along the lines of sweets, or perhaps a game.  When they came in and I asked them not to dump their bags down in the usual place, as their surprise had just taken up residence under the shoe rack, the look on their faces was classic.  The excitement, the puzzle, the questions!  Is it a pet? Yes.  A puppy? No Alec not a puppy.  A hamster?  No. A kitten?  Yes!!!

 I retrieved Gimli and introduced him to the family, but really all he wanted to do was sleep and hide.  He seemed happiest in the dining room, as that is where the kittens had been kept with their mother. But as the evening wore on, he started to play, and then another nap, play some more, another nap! A bit of an explore followed by yet another nap!

 The children are lovely with him.  And last night as they were going to bed, they were so grateful for us getting them a kitten.  I can see that Gimli is never going to be short of playmates!

Welcome to the family Gimli!