Birds

Ok - several have asked, so here is the bird update.

They have flown the coop. Aside from one getting toyed with by the family cat, I think we were pretty good hosts. I still need to address the bird poop on the front door situation, and I suspect that the wreath might not be able to be saved, but it was all worth it.

I guess the tiny nest could not accommodate two adult birds and three "teenager" birds.

Where do bird go in this situation then? Do they each build a new nest? I'm unclear on what happens next, but they are not on the front door anymore.

Good luck bird friends!

Connor Rides a Bike

Several months ago - we had what I like to call, "the great helmet debacle". Our neighbor Zander gave connor his old bike and helmet. Zander came over and the kids wanted to ride bikes. I went to put the helmet on and ended up pinching Connor's chin with the strap. This has led to Connor totally refusing to have anything to do with helmets or bikes.

Every time Zander comes over to ride bikes - we all go out, discuss bikes and the evils of the helmet, and Connor ends up playing while Zander rides his bike. My Mom recently got Connor this fancy new bike with streamers and a bell. Still...helmets are evil.

On Tuesday night, Zander came over, I tried a new method. I asked Zander's Mom to show me how to put on the helmet, because she was a professional and knew how to do it. Shockingly - Connor fell for it. He dutifully sat there while she adjusted the straps - jumped on the bike, and off he went.

It was awesome!! He had a great time.

9am vs. 9pm

Athos came home on Friday. He's still not able to walk - although they assure us he will.

He has 6 types of medications. I dutifully typed up signs and hung them in the front window, "1 time a day", "2 times a day", and "three times a day", to help keep track of everything.

Mike has made fun of me in the past, because I have a strict medication rule for the kids of reading the label twice and checking the measurement twice. Well, last night - I gave Athos the "1 time a day", anti-inflamatory drops. I ALSO gave them to him at 9am.

I was furious with myself. I called the vet, who to his credit, called me right back, and he assured me that it would be fine.

Today's parental lesson is to not only check the label twice, and the measurement twice, but to confirm the time.

UGH!!! I felt like a loser dog Mom, but he seems none the worse for wear this am. 

Mommy Snacks

Over Memorial Day weekend, I officially stopped nursing Olivia. 

Despite both of our fears, she did not perish. 

She was NOT pleased though, and I eventually had to hide the boppy nursing pillow, because she just kept picking it up and brining it over to me to nurse.

We have 4 nights under our belt so far, and so far, so good.

It's a little sad - but also means that we are turning the page to a new chapter which is fun too. She is becoming such a big girl, she loves to dance, and has a great giggle. She thinks it is the funniest thing ever when you turn around in the car while you are driving and say "Olivia!!!" in a loud/happy voice.

She runs over when we pick her up from school and is fabulous at giving big hugs.

Athos

Poor Athos had such the week last week. He went to the vet on Tuesday for tummy issues. Went bk to the vet on Friday for walking issues, and went to the vet on Monday (Memorial Day) because he was having difficulty walking.

All very very stressful and scary. The final diagnosis was that he had a ruptured disk.

The decision to have back surgery was made all the more difficult because it came with a huge price tag, but we both really love him and wanted him to be ok.

He had surgery on Tuesday night and should be home tomorrow night, Friday. He is still not walking, so there will be a lot of home rehab to manage, but it's a huge relief that he will be coming home - and will hopefully make a full recovery.

For anyone who prays - send out the doggie prayers!

I thought I heard a bird in the house...

Let's start with the basics, my husband is alive and my bird is alive.

This weekend, Mike took our dog Athos out the front door for a walk. As EVERYONE knows, we don't use the front door right now because we have baby birds in residence.

We came home HOURS later and were unloading groceries, and I was like, "I hear a bird in the living room". Mike said "No - those are the birds on the front door".

Five minutes later Mike announces that I was in fact correct, there is a bird in the house, and Mo our cat is stalking it. (And has probably been stalking it for hours.)

It is one of MY birds.

I rush in, and am able to scoop him up and rush outside to pop him back in the nest. I went outside later and he was on the mat, so I popped him back in the nest again. 

They were all on the verge of flying, and later that day I saw some of them fly out of the nest.

This is a bonus for Mike, because if the bird was too small to fly, and we got him kicked out of the nest, we would be feeding a bird with a dropper.

Great bird drama.

Grandy & Olivia

Grandy and Olivia at Dinosaur Land. Just before the dinosaur bit them...