They aren't breeding, but they are multiplying

Shane greeted me in the garage as I got out of my car Friday (6/3). 

"Hi Dad! Do you like surprises?" Shane asked. 

"You realize you gave away there's a surprise by asking that, right?" I replied.

Shane's eyes widened. "Don't tell Mom I let it slip!"

I went inside and Shane said, "Ta-dah! Look at all the cleaning Mom did!"

It was a good recovery. There really was A LOT of cleaning done! 

"Are you trying to butter me up for something?" I asked Carrie.

"No, the house just really needed it," said Carrie.

She wasn't wrong. It put me at ease, but a clean house wasn't the only thing Carrie was waiting to drop on me.

"What...is...that?"

A better question might have been, "Why is it in our house?"

Bunsen is a pygmy dwarf Netherlands rabbit. "Bunnies don't do well solo, so I got Hopkins a companion. I was always planning on it," Carrie said.

"What happened to no more animals?"

"This is it! I swear!"

Which seems to be what I've heard most of the other times.

Carrie set Bunsen up in the 'bunny air-lock' that keeps Hopkins in the office. "They can't go in together?" I asked. "Aren't they supposed to be companions?"

Apparently, no. It takes time. Hopkins tried to attack Bunsen through the cage when he realized another bunny entered his territory. He didn't mind cats or dogs, but his long-eared, hopping, rodent 'friend' was a different matter.

I asked Carrie why we couldn't just get a bunny from the yard. We have tons! I see them all the time even if Loki doesn't!

Oblivious dog is oblivious.

Loki still didn't spot the bun even as I crept forward to get better pictures!

Shane's on Carrie's side, of course.

He's been going on that baby bunnies are cuter than puppies (False).

All the other animals have taken it in stride. Aria sniffed Bunsen once as she made her way through to Hopkins territory.

It's like they're all used to Carrie's Dr. Doolittle ways.

I'd be more annoyed, but the bunnies will literally stay in the office together and I don't go in there. I have no chores related to taking care of either of them, so it's one more long-eared, hopping, rodent that's out of my sight and out of my mind ("They're not rodents!" -Carrie).

Bunsen made for some good photo ops and a blog post, too. 

Don't worry, Loki. You're still my favorite.

Bunsen's borderline small enough I thought a cat's hunting instincts could awaken, but so far I've been wrong.

Will Bunsen truly be the last animal to enter our house? I hope so.

I've been saying no to a second dog, but I wouldn't put that past Carrie at some point. She's talked about Loki needed a girlfriend. His developing allergies might've cooled her on that, though.

Maybe.