Loralahla, thanks for letting me know. My sim does tend to play that when she finds one so I'll make sure she has a few extra goes and hope for the best.
I'm still riddling my neighbourhood with holes in the hope of finding the caveman gnome. I've done pretty well finding ones I've already got but that one still eludes me.
I love the toddler gnomes. Now I've got a few mysterious gnomes I try to keep at least one at toddler age. Does that seem mean? A bit brave new worldy, always the flower and never the bud or the fruit?