So a couple of days ago, we got a new car. I’ll let you look longingly at the photo before I progress with my story…

I bought the 2008 Ford Edge.

I first got introduced to Ford when they asked me to test drive the Ford TaurusX last year. I liked it so I went back. Besides, I had two basic criteria when choosing a car. First, whomever I bought it from, I wanted the company to be around next year and Ford seems to a step ahead of the other American car makers. (We wouldn’t want those three-year warranties to be worth as much as Lehman Brothers stock now would we?) Second, I wanted a stereo that would play my iPod. I know. I’m such a girl. When it comes to cars I have no knowledge of engine stuff whatsoever. Even now, the engine could be powered by chipmunks and some rubber bands and I wouldn’t know it.

Anyway, I bought it on Tuesday and brought it home in the afternoon. When I got there Swee’Pea and TheMonk were napping. TheMonk woke up first and staggered into the living room where I was sitting. He approached me, still a little sleepy, and gave me a hug. I hugged him back and then told him I had a surprise. I had parked the car in our driveway and we have a sliding glass door that leads out to where the car was parked. I took him to the window and showed him his surprise.

The kid went apesh*t.

“Daddy! A NEW CAR! You got a new car!!! I LIKE it Daddy! It’s new! It’s little AND big! (He didn’t know how to say “medium” since it’s bigger than our old Nissan Altima yet smaller than our Pathfinder).

I invited him out to see it and I plopped him down in the front seat and he checked out all the knobs, the dash, the back seats and kept exclaiming, “I LIKE it Daddy!” He was a kid in a candy store and he was so excited to see the car that you would have thought it was Lightning McQueen in our driveway. I finally had to drag him back in by bribing him with crackers. Even while snacking on the crackers, all he could talk about was the car. “Can we go for a ride? When can we go driving? Where’s your old car?”

Soon after, Swee’Pea appeared from her nap. After receiving my hug I asked TheMonk if he wanted to show Swee’Pea the “surprise.” After seeing the excited response from TheMonk, I was looking forward to seeing how excited Swee’Pea would be seeing the new car herself.

“Look, Swee’Pea!” exclaimed TheMonk as he led his sister to the sliding glass door by holding her hand and pulling her. “It’s a surprise… LOOK! DADDY GOT A NEW CAR!” he yelled as he jumped out of the way to give Swee’Pea an unobstructed view. We both watched for Swee’Pea’s reaction.

She stood there, silent for a brief second, taking it all in. I could see her face scan the length of the car and I awaited her surely enthusiastic response to seeing this beautiful car in the drive way.

“Huh.” was her monosyllabic response.

The expression on her face never changed. Within seconds of seeing the car for the first time, she spun around and headed for the couch in the family room, climbed onto the couch and buried herself in a blanket and began watching TV. Leaving TheMonk and I to soak in what had just happened.

I guess a new car just isn’t her cup of tea.