This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Considering mice are one of the most inexpensive pieces of technology I have in this house, you think I would at least have enough for our three laptops.
But no. Around this house, we steal mice from each other. Seriously. You will sit down at your laptop, instinctively reach your hand out, and your mouse will be gone.
And then we will usually holler, “Come ON! Who took my mouse?” And someone will reply, “That was my mouse!”
Up until two weeks ago we had two mice (and one of those worked only intermittenly) between three computers.
Why did we not have enough mice to go around? Well, a couple months ago, Susan gave us an extra laptop for Jackson (which I have now “borrowed” too since my laptop’s battery decided to call it quits and I have to remain plugged in at.all.times.) and the mouse she gave us didn’t work. (Another broken mouse. There are least two other broken mice in this house too, but that is another story. Why, by the way, do mice break so easily?!?)
BUT THEN, when we were trying to share two mice between three machines, little Miss Olivia decided to walk away with my mouse (the only one that actually worked 100% of the time) and now we can’t find it. Seriously CANNOT find it. We have looked everywhere. For two weeks. While Phil, Jackson and I steal from one another.
How on earth can an (almost) two year old lose/hide a mouse? I mean, it isn’t even wireless!
Finally, the other day Phil was running up to Staples to get something and I suggested he pick up a mouse or two. He came home with the cheapest one. It is pink and too small for my hubby’s hand.
And did I mention it was pink??? Perfect to deter my seven year old son from stealing it.
However, the (almost) two year old mouse thief is still my greatest threat. Now, she sees my shiny, cute, tiny pink mouse and screams, “PINK — I want PINK!”
Somehow I must protect this mouse from her magical mouse hiding powers! And since I think I have officially given up looking for the missing mouse and we are now back at just two mice for three laptops, I think I better get to the store and buy another mouse.
P.S. If you are wondering if I have ever tried giving Olivia one of the old broken mice to keep her paws of the working ones, I have. It doesn’t work. She is far too smart for that trick.
P.P.S. Is the plural for computer mouse, “mouses” or “mice?”
P.P.P.S. I wrote this post almost two months ago and forgot about it. I STILL haven’t bought a third mouse. My husband and son are stealing a mouse back and forth from each other. Yes, it is about time I got around to buying another mouse!
Written by Mommy Blogger Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom. Remember to sign up for our RSS Feed.
Casual Friday Every Day says
That is such a cute mouse. LOVE the pink!
Nell
Gattina says
In my case I would say it only can be one of my 5 cats ! Have a look in your fridge, maybe it’s deep in there. I once had put my slippers in the fridge.
Trish says
I just had to get a new wireless laptop mouse because the receiver on mine had a loose wire and no matter how you jostled it, it couldn’t hold the signal. Well, I found a new one that has a tiny receiver – once you put it in the USB slot, it only sticks out about 1/2 inch. So you never have to take out the receiver and it never gets jostled by children or pets.
Of course, you’d still have to hide the mouse itself, but just wanted to share b/c I LOVE it!
homemom3 says
haha my first thought was you had a real “MOUSE” loose in your house. I think the technology mouse is much better to have running loose in the house. We have two but we don’t use either of them, the computer has that built in touch thing at that bottom. The hubby hates it, says it makes his fingers feel funny. I have no clue what he means. So if we did end up using the mouse, he’d be the thief. 🙂 Hope you find another.
Jill W says
My Olivia hid my shoes-the ones I wear the most often of course. A few weeks, or a month, later, I found them in a drawer. I think I looked everywhere else besides that drawer! She has luckily never hid our mouse though!
Marj M. says
Oh my goodness, talk about a good laugh. (Sorry) I loved this article. Olivia, you are one smart little gal.
Heather says
That is hilarious. I have mouse thieves too and the ones that weren’t *stolen broke when I tried to clean them. Go figure. Now, I too find it MUCH easier to just use the touchpad 🙂
funky says
my 2 year old once stole my mouse, and two weeks later I foudn it in my good silverware drawer.
Jennifer says
That is SO funny Janice! We are the same way. We had one bad one and one good one. The bad one is totally gone, and my husband uses the good one. I’ve given up and use the touchpad on my computer, but the kids are always stealing his mouse.