Excerpts from Summer 2010
"Mama, Mama the bunnies are fighting! We need another bunny hut from Fleet Farm!" "Craig, you adopted the bunnies - you need to go get another hut. I have four children, I don't want two bloodied bunnies."
Swish, swish, splash. "Does anyone see Jonathan?" No answer. "Oh fella. No! No! You cannot keep playing in the toilet. Yucky. Germs." Ughhhh...
"Luke, let's play Build-a-Bear school." "Okay. Let's decide who the bad kids will be. Super Frog you are bad - you talk in class and you talk about poop." "Luke, now let's take them outside and give them swimming lessons in the pool." "Okay." Splash. Build-a-Bears float...or, I mean, swim.
10 seconds pass. Silence. "Jonathan. Jonathan, where are you?" Whew, not in the toilet. Oh brother. Sprint to the front hall. "Fella, you are going to get really hurt." "Ahhhhhh - giggle - screech!" "You can't climb the staircase by yourself." "Honey, when you are done with the second bunny hut we need another baby gate..."
We are having quite a summer at our house. Our smallish, urban backyard is filled with an embarrassing amount of kid accessories. Our poor neighbors. And now, in addition to the swingset, sandbox, slip-n-slide, splash table, baby pool, balls, soccer net, bikes, scooters, wagon, baby pink car, and 12 X 12 foot above ground pool -we have two large bunny huts. We adopted two bunnies from the humane society - insane only because we have about twenty bunnies hopping between our yard and the neighbor's yard. I'm not telling them about the hut - I hope they aren't reading this. The bunnies were a "reward" for Abigail - she completed her summer vacation study book. Luke and Marie completed their books weeks ago - unaware that live animals were a possibility they went to Build-a-Bear for more students. Craig and Abigail are in charge of the bunnies - I have been quoting the Bible regarding pet care to them all morning. Please pray for the bunnies - named by their previous owner Winnepeg and Zeus.
It really is amazing what you can fit into and 40 by 40 foot backyard. Of course, I am using the word "fit" with a whole lot of liberties. We started acquiring all these fabulous items because we have been home a lot this summer. In previous years we spent a lot of time at pools and beaches...this year we have a nineteen pound anchor fastening us to the backyard. Jonathan. He is so adorable...and getting smarter by the minute. He won't stay home with our wonderful babysitter without pitching an earsplitting fit. We try to leave him at home in the afternoons - when he is napping for the most part - and go the waterpark or lake. Unfortunately, during the least part of his afternoon -when he wakes up around 3 p.m. - he discovers our absence and screams until we return. I am part frustrated by his antics, and part...so proud...and thankful...and blessed. You see, at this time last year I was not sure Jonathan appreciated how vital I was to his happiness. I say it glibbly now, but it really was hard then. I just wan't sure he know I was his mama, and that, therefore, I was the single most important, favorite, special person in his world. He had been in the hospital for the first nine weeks of his life and learned to trust many loving caregivers. Well, it took him awhile, but sometime last winter he began to realize how amazing I am...and Craig, Abigail, Luke and Marie. And now? Well, we can't leave the house without him. So blessed. And, such a cluttered backyard.
Any predictions on how long the bunnies last??? Remember the hamster and princess castle cage? We have kept a betta that can apparently live without food and/or a bowl change for many, many weeks. (Until I remember the animal care section of the Bible and am guilted into caring for this most durable fish.)
Love,
Jill
