Mommy Dearest

Having spent the better part of the last two years scheming ways of stealing adorable Thai babies from their unsuspecting mothers, I finally made the decision to get my own "little one" the old-fashioned way--buy it.

And so I headed off last Sunday morning to the mother of all markets in Thailand, Jatchujak Market in Bangkok. JJ has everything you could ever look for--of both the legal and illegal variety--from kitchenware to snake's blood, clothing to endangered animals. Surely I'd be able to find an adoptable offspring.

One hour into the mission--success. Having to negotiate through the claustrophobic maze of narrow alleys amongst a mass of shoppers whose presence made the heat stifling, I found the dark, near-empty shop sandwiched between reptiles and dog grooming. After waking the shopkeepers from a peaceful nap, Laura and I chose our new loves at the exorbitant price of 50 baht each (less than two dollars).

The busride home was interesting, as we had to sneak them on and muffle their cries with loud chatter. The gods were on our side that day, as we made it home in record time. And so we welcomed Aroon (Thai for 'Dawn') and Eliza (named after Laura's sister).

Say hello to our darlings...