The "let's get a cat" talk

The kids and I were eating dinner tonight, when the subject of Elisea's birthday came up. Her birthday isn't for a couple of months, but the kids love birthday parties. And this is how the conversation continued
Me: "Well what do you think she would like for her birthday?"
Elizabeth: "a doggie".
Me: "A real dog?"
Ethan "Yeah a real dog, I want a dog for my birthday"
Me: thinking oh no here we go "Ethan dogs are alot of work. Zeke was a good dog but that was because daddy and mommy really worked alot with Zeke"
Me: "Maybe we should get Elisea a cat" (what was a I thinking, wish I could take that back)
Ethan & Elizabeth: "YES" with eyes gleaming
Me: "Well lets think about the positives and negatives on getting a cat"
"The positives; get the mice out of daddy's barn, get the chipmunks out of my flowers, we would have a fuzzy kitty to hold and play with" (holding my hands like I was holding a little baby kitty, to which Elizabeth and Ethan smiled from ear to ear and Elisea starting holding her hands the same way)
"The negatives; we would have to cover the sandbox, the cat might kill some of mommy's bean plants, the cat might go potty in daddy's barn (big no no), and the cat might run in the road and get hit by a car.
Ethan: almost crying replied "lets not get a cat"

How sweet is this little boy? Just the thought of his imaginary cat dying was to much for him, it is better to have no cat at all.

When Andrew got home late tonight, Elizabeth came down to give him a kiss. The first thing she said was, "so daddy about a cat". Ethan started in as soon as Andrew got to their bedroom door. We will see if the cat actually happens. I guess it will depend on how persistent the kids are. When Andrew came down he said "what's with the cat talk". After I explained the dinner conversation, he said "so would we get a boy or a girl". Elisea may get a kitty with a bow for her birthday after all.