2010s: The Decade of the Bunny

Mary Jane Learns a Lesson in Charity

2012-01-16T12:44:00.000-08:00

Mary Jane was initially unwilling to give up her precious apple to Cherry Bugg even though the bunny hopped all through the den and living room just waiting for that one moment when Mary Jane might drop the apple. She never did until this point when MJ felt enough sympathy for the bunny to let her have it.

Too bad this video is extremely blurry. But as director Billy Wilder once said, "Johnny, keep it out of focus. I want to win the best foreign picture award."

The Happy Eater

2012-01-16T11:12:00.000-08:00

"Give me more food," says Mary Jane.

Mary Jane Stays Up Late

2012-01-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

For some reason Mary Jane decided not to sleep early tonight. She kept waking up and making all sorts of random noises and words. With either the chants of "Momma" or "Up" from the other room, Daddy had to go in and pick her up. Then she'd lift his shirt and say Baboo! (That means Belly Button)

Silly Mary Jane. Singing when she should be sleeping!

Back to School

2012-01-08T22:31:00.000-08:00

Mister John has to go back to his teaching tomorrow morning. His three weeks of bonding with his wife and two daughters is over now. Hmm... replacing two infants with 125 sophomores. Yuck. At least he doesn't have to change diapers during the day.

He did have to change litter pans for the rabbits tonight though. Cherry Bugg was quite put out when he moved her out of the way.

Cherry Bugg on the Loose Today

2012-01-04T21:35:00.000-08:00

A picture from almost a year ago. At this point in time Mary Jane would be chasing her.

Cherry Bugg had a day to hop and be free this afternoon. While this is not always the best time of the year for the rabbits (shorter days mean shorter times out), there is one major plus: oranges. The orange tree is ready to produce right now so every day Mister John grabs an orange and opens it up, leaving it on the ground. The rabbits love the taste of fresh orange. So does Mary Jane who has also been know to walk over and steal the orange slices from the rabbits.

Rabbits Try and Dig Hole to Korea

2012-01-03T21:34:00.000-08:00

The rabbits are still quite angry that so much attention has been given to Mary Jane and Betsy Jo (and not to them!) that they are undertaking a massive digging project. According to an unnamed source, three rabbits are plotting to dig all the way to the other side of the world -- which they believe is Korea -- so they can sneak Mary Jane back there. Alas, this is wrong on many counts. North/South Korea is not on the opposite side of the world as Dewey Street. Furthermore, Mary Jane was born in Victorville. And honestly as her father, that kind of insults Mister John that the rabbits have such a lack of geographical knowledge and care for a little girl who some day will be in charge of feeding them. One must respect those who will ultimately be in authority over you.

Mister John has already filled a brick into that whole which seemingly has perturbed at least one rabbit. A particular brown furred rabbit sniffed at and hopped away from the brick with a great deal of disdain. While no rabbit has claimed responsibility for this whole, Mister John checked Phillip and Root Beer Float -- who both have predominantly white fur -- and witnessed no dirt marks on either their fur or their claws. Ruby Jane, the self-proclaimed "Brown Bear" denied any digging of the hole and did not want to be subjected to any sort of spot check.

Miss Jill has stayed away from all of this conflict by saying it's not within her purview to make a comment.

Some Extra Pictures from Christmas

2012-01-02T20:10:00.000-08:00

Nothing quite like going back and downloading all sorts of pictures onto the computer. Since we use two cameras: the small pocket camera and the "good" camera, they don't always get downloaded at the same time. In fact, sometimes it's a matter of finding the right connecting cord. Yeah, hate it when that happens... have a great photo and then can't find the right cord.

Anyway, here are some great photos to enjoy as well. Yes, many are on Facebook but somehow these come with just a little more personality.

To No Avail

2012-01-01T20:20:00.000-08:00

Alas, after a long hard-fought season, the Spanish Inquisition lost in the championship game tonight. I'm still stuck at three titles and haven't won one since 2006. Argh... three lost titles since then. At least I have a cool shirt to show off my team name.

And I do have to give mad props to Matthew Stafford, QB of your Detroit Lions, who represented in a big way today. It wasn't enough but I shall officially re-christen him Beowulf.

Bowling for Grampa

2012-01-01T17:16:00.000-08:00

Where's the 16-pound fingertip grip?

Yesterday the Erb family went out and bowled for Grampa's 79th birthday. All had fun including Mary Jane who was checking out the bowling balls. Afterward, Daddy was holding Mary Jane and Betsy Jo at a restaurant.

More exciting information later.

Betsy Rolls Over

2011-12-28T20:45:00.001-08:00

It took a while in this video... a full 30 seconds or so... but Betsy rolls from her belly to her back. She's been wiggling and moving her arms and legs for weeks now but she had never quite put it together for an all-encompassing roll. Sound and fury signifying nothing up to this point (what, can't a Brit lit teacher bust out some Macbeth from time to time?). Do note that in this video, the voices that are in the background are of Grampa Kendall talking to Mary Jane. In the meanwhile, Daddy has the camera focused on Betsy waiting... just waiting... for the right moment.

This was actually the third time that Betsy rolled. The first time was only for Daddy's eyes. Then he recruited Grampa Kendall to come over and watch the rolly-polly girl in action. Alas, Mommy, Gramma Kendall, and Aunt Nita were out shopping and missed the action. That's OK, that's what this blog is for. That and blaming Cherry Bugg for things like biting through our sound cord for the computer. Argh! Cherry Bugg!

So Far Just Sleeping and Napping

2011-12-25T12:19:00.001-08:00

Mary Jane has wandered around with a few new toys and dolls in her hand. She does like the toy cell phone as she now feels sooo adult. As for Betsy, it's still a bit too much for her. She's napping again... as I should be... now!

Do They Know It's Thumpmas?

2011-12-24T19:15:00.000-08:00

Thumpmas time is back again! Time to get out your cards and give them to your favorite neglected rabbits. What? You don't know about the most significant event in the rabbit calendar? For shame! And a thump at thee! You need to know these important events!

Let me recount the backgrounds of this hallowed day of Thumpmas. On that night of December 25th so many years ago, a tired Joseph and a quite pregnant Mary were trying to find a place to stay for the night. There was no room in the inn so they had to stay out in a nearby stable. All the animals all were allowed to stay: sheep, donkeys, raccoons, dolphins (I mean dolphins? really?)... everyone except the rabbits! They were forcefully moved out by the Shepherds. Then the Magi later came by that night and tried to eat them! How intolerably rude!!! Thus the rabbits on the scene were quite upset and rightly so. The birth of the Baby Jesus startled them with His commotion. With all the Seraphim singing and the Choirs and Hosts rejoicing, the rabbits could do only what they knew: they THUMPED. And with that thump, that startled the Baby Jesus and He cried with His mellifluous voice for the very first time. Granted a few windows broke -- most windows in the Bethlehem area were not Divinity-proof -- but still the upset rabbits helped create one of the seminal moments in Jesus' life. The rabbits look back on Thumpmas with mixed emotions. Yes, the great Jesus was born but they were also kicked out of their home, thus starting a tradition in many nations: the chasing of rabbits out of hutches on December 25th.

Ironically, Miss Jill and Mister John are with two new children this Thumpmas. But no rabbits were kicked out. Instead they shall be fed at home by a bunny sitter.

Rumor has it in the bunny community that Miss Jill and Mister John adopted a second beautiful baby girl this year for the sole purpose of not bringing a bunny out to Arizona for Thumpmas. Not to worry, Mary Jane and Betsy Jo will learn the true meaning of Thumpmas when they return home... and a rabbit steals an apple from them!

In an inglorious turn of events, our dear Miss Bugg had her e-mail hacked and spam was sent from her account the day before Thumpmas. Talk about having no respect for rabbits on their solemn day of contemplation (and irritation).

The Shadow Chaser!

2011-12-23T15:23:00.000-08:00

On a supposedly simple walk to the mailbox and back, Mommy and Daddy were delayed for about ten minutes by Mary Jane who decided to follow her shadow in the opposite direction. Whether it was a mistake by the Postal Service or an error on behalf of Mommy and Daddy, the shadow pointed the exactly opposite way. Maybe the mailbox was emitting strong energy beams which caused such a shadow. No one is quite sure but that delayed a very simple walk. Meanwhile, Betsy was quite calm and was carried without issue. Well, unless her face was turned directly into the light of the mailbox... er, sun.

Hopefully the brief video of Mary Jane chasing her own shadow will be downloaded momentarily. Otherwise you'll just have to imagine it. I have faith in your imaginative abilities.

Tea Is Good

2011-12-22T20:21:00.000-08:00

Hate getting a sore throat. Or anything like a sore throat. Then again to take some time off from talking is good. And go figure this happens while I'm on vacation. Good thing I guess... nothing like giving students some in-class silent reading.

Then again they do have silent reading over the break. Murder on the Orient Express for the mainstream track and The Turn of the Screw for the honours track. Good luck with that! And dare I say, COUGH!

Zone Defense?

2011-12-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

I finally made it back to a UCLA home game over at the Sports Arena. Yeah, that's a bit of a drive and most of the home games coincided with baby functions. Gee, didn't have those issues most of my first 15 years of having season tickets. Wow, have I become one of those old, grizzled season ticket holders who complains about everything? I hope not... I only complain about poor game performance, coaching errors, and overpriced food at the concession stands.

I might drag either Betsy or Mary Jane to one of these games. There is absolutely no one there so I might just go to the upper deck and sing a few lines of "Wheels on the Bus" between dunks, free throws, and Josh Smith fouls. Or hunt down Joe Bruin get a picture taken with him.

I'll bust out Mary Jane's UCLA cheerleader outfit. She looks soooo darn cute in that. That will get us on the Jumbotron. That's what life is all about: getting your mug on the big screen. Oh, don't deny it. You probably proposed hoping that the pressure of the thousands of people would coerce your significant other to make the optimal choice.

Anyway, enough of my meandering words for the evening.

Mary Jane v. Cherry Bugg, a Postscript

2011-12-20T07:50:00.001-08:00

This morning it was a brief chase over a carrot. Alas, this video only shows the ultimate triumph by Cherry Bugg but she and Mary Jane did have a brief face off over the almighty carrot. Cherry Bugg was wise enough though that as soon as the carrot finally hit the ground (which occurred right before this video started), she hopped off with her prize.

If only parents had a camera attached to them at the hip. Then again that might be difficult to get a doctor convinced enough to do that.

Anyway, today is a Daddy's day... Mary Jane, Betsy Jo, and myself. And it's 7:57 and no one has raised a fuss yet! I know... long day ahead.

What I Will Be Watching on Christmas Night

2011-12-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

These are not the droids you are looking for.

Since my wonderful fantasy football team, the Spanish Inquisition, will be in the playoffs, that will be my must-watch game. Yes, I have Aaron Rodgers as my quarterback. Unfortunately Greg Jennings, my trusted wide receiver also with the Packers, is out for the rest of the regular season which really puts a cramp into winning my fourth EFL title. Not to worry, I'll find some other jedi mind tricks to vault my team back to its apex.

Ten Days Till My Next Doctor's Appointment

2011-12-15T20:17:00.000-08:00

Alas, I don't think Ma and Pa Kendall have BBC America on their cable list. I guess I'll just have to record it and wait to watch it back in my home state.

Everyone needs a little more Doctor Who in their life. Unless you're a Dalek.

Busy Sunday for MJ

2011-12-11T17:48:00.001-08:00

Today was still quite the fun day for Mary Jane as now she got to play with her birthday presents. Yesterday after the party, she was wiped out and took a long nap and only played with a few things. Now she's all over the house playing with cars, guitars, etc.

Poor MJ woke up early this morning --that's what you get for eating too much the previous day -- and was singing her Apple Song. She laid in her bed and sang nothing but "Apple apple apple" for a few minutes. That was quite humorous but hopefully it didn't wake up Aunt Juanita too much.

Today's fun accomplishments: pulling off her socks and throwing her binky over the edge of the crib (this shows her obstinate side).

Tomorrow's fun accomplishments: TBD.

As for Betsy, some sleeping, some eating... even some noise-making (not crying).

Pictures from Mary Jane's Party

2011-12-10T21:00:00.001-08:00

Here are a few pics from today's party. It was quite the busy shindig this afternoon as family members from both sides represented. Ironically enough, the closest relative on either side, my sister Pat, couldn't make it due to illness (never good when other children are there) but my other sibs from the Inland Empire and Jill's family from Arizona made it. Lots of tables there and all were occupied. Good thing we rented all of those chairs!

Hmm... cake!

Mary Jane tried cake for the first time and shivered quite a bit at it. She had a little bit but not much. She much preferred all the other food that people were giving her. I think she really likes meatballs. Then again you can't wear meatballs on your face as well as you can with cake.

Betsy is only eight months away or so from her first birthday party. Wow, she's almost four months old herself!

Hopefully Mary Jane will have a much healthier Christmas this time around. She'll grab a stick like she did on the right and smash any illness that dares try to confine her.

Perfect weather today... always have to wonder about December birthday parties but this was ideal.

Mary Jane didn't quite hit the pinata all that well but give her a few years. Then she'll really be able to give it a whack. I'll work on that swing with her.

Doljanchi

2011-12-10T19:11:00.001-08:00

According to a Korean tradition, one-year-old children are sat in front of many symbolic items. Whatever they choose will show what their ultimate profession will be. Our options for Mary Jane were Education, Law, Medicine, Religion, and Sports. Sorry, no Music (sorry Francis). The following video should show her selection.

Yes, she is destined to be a lawyer. That should make Pete and Lillian smile. And also my sister Pat who was too sick to be here today. Of course Mommy and Daddy sighed thinking about future student loans. But wait... grad school is on her! Haha!

Mary Jane Has Fun at Birthday Party

2011-12-10T19:05:00.001-08:00

A whole bunch of people showed up for Mary Jane's first birthday party. Pictures will be up shortly.

The bunnies were not as happy as Cherry Bugg was chased in the den while Ruby Jane and Root Beer Float were petted by countless young children in the back yard.

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-09T21:27:00.001-08:00

Mr. John played tackle-the-Christmas-tree this afternoon and lost. According to him, he was involved in some sort of Christmas tree promotion at Mary Star. But according to this picture leaked out by an unknown source, polar bears attacked the San Pedro campus and bit his finger. Miss Jill didn't seem to believe him but who knows what happens when Christmas trees appear. Heck, I know someone who had a sister who was bitten by a moose once...

Birthday Visitors

2011-12-08T22:10:00.001-08:00

Mary Jane and Grampa

Betsy with Aunt Nita

With Mary Jane turning one this week, her grandparents and an aunt sneaked into town from Arizona to say Hello. Gramma and Grampa Kendall along with Aunt Nita have graced their presence in Chez Erb and have done a great job cheering up both Mary Jane and Betsy Jo.

Miss Jill and Mister John (aka Mommy and Daddy) actually could give Mary Jane a walk around the neighborhood this evening to look at Christmas lights on the houses. That's always been a tradition for the two of them and they'd love to pass it onto their girls as soon as they are old enough to stay up late to see them. At least the sun sets early enough now that Mary Jane gets an hour or so of outdoor darkness before she goes to sleep.

Meanwhile Cherry Bugg is not amused. But is she ever?

Not to Be Forgotten

2011-12-07T20:57:00.001-08:00

Betsy Jo has had her own monthday recently. While she has not reached one full rotational cycle of the Earth around the Sun, she has at least managed to make it through three rotations of the moon about the Earth (and a little more!).

Happy little Betsy is now over three months old. She's no longer that little girl who keeps us up all night with random cries and desires for more milk. She's now the big girl who sleeps from a bit past 6 all the way to 5 the following morning! Good for you, Betsy! Mommy and Daddy get in much more sleep now which makes them much more productive at home and work. Even the amount of detentions has gone down. Good job, Mr. Erb.

Down below are both girls with Daddy. Mary Jane will smile for any photo. Meanwhile Betsy is wondering what her big sister is up to.

Happy Birthday, Mary Jane!

2011-12-07T07:59:00.001-08:00

One year ago Miss Jill and I were sitting around in Victorville... waiting, waiting, and waiting for the word. Finally hearing a late afternoon update that the birthmother would be delivering in the evening. So in a wise move, we actually went to sleep around 6pm and then around 9pm we were awakened by a call from the hospital. Off to Desert Valley Hospital we went...

Just before midnight, Mary Jane came into the world... I don't have any pictures on this computer with those but if you scroll back to last year at this time, I should have some.

We held her three minutes after she was born. When she instinctively grabbed my finger when I touched her hand, I knew that she was ours. O happy girl!

Betsy and Mary Jane at the Swing Seat Together

2011-12-06T21:58:00.001-08:00

Ah, nothing like seeing the two sisters get along. Betsy Jo likes to rock back and forth from time to time. Mary Jane likes to be wherever the action -- and the camera -- seem to be.

Meanwhile, Cherry Bugg who is off to the side is miffed by this whole interaction. Nothing irritates the Chee more than children. If she were reincarnated into a human, she'd be a grumpy old man yelling, "Get off my lawn!" At least she won't go all Gran Torino on them.

Thinking of Last Year

2011-12-06T14:05:00.001-08:00

Last year Jill and I drove up to Victorville in expectation of being parents that night. Not so fast, my friends! We waited for another full day. But not before we had our last non-parental dinner together at Outback Steakhouse. There's the answer to a trivia question some day.

I'm sure this is a dark day in the bunny history lore. Even Cherry Bugg right now stares at Mary Jane and sulks as she realizes she has moved down a notch -- now two -- in the family pecking order. Poor Chee.

Happy Girls Rest, Daddy Gets a Few Minutes of Sunday Football Time

2011-11-27T11:09:00.001-08:00

Alas for Daddy, most of his players were in action during Thumpsgiving so this morning's action is fairly meaningless. But Betsy and Mary Jane did make a wonderful guest appearance during Mass this morning. Poor Betsy had a bit of a fit early on but she calmed down by the end of it.

The Santa Ana winds are blowing today which always makes it a bit drier outside. I hope sore noses and throats don't arise from it.

Meanwhile, Daddy walks back and forth between sleeping girls ensuring that their "white noise" giraffe is on and keeping them napping for just a little bit more.

Mommy is napping too. Daddy is making sure that Gilmore Girls is on in the background so she can nap for a little bit more too.

Smile!

2011-11-26T17:21:00.001-08:00

Someone's taking a picture of you!

Awesomely Cute Video of Mary Jane ("Babu")

2011-11-25T20:43:00.001-08:00

Not exactly "Performance Art with Mary Jane" but close enough.

Mary Jane was out and about in the back yard this afternoon. Right after she started to walk oh so gingerly on the grass, she turned around and performed a little for me. She's great at tilting her head to the side these days. Nothing like saying, "Bad cough" and seeing her replying with a cough. She doesn't do it here as I was hoping she'd say "Babu" which is her current word for "Bunny."

Mary Jane admiring the bunnies

Her walking on the grass still needs a little work but that's not a problem for us. She's just as happy to stand there and watch the airplanes take off from Santa Monica Airport. Zoom!

Thumpsgiving Is upon Us Again

2011-11-24T19:14:00.001-08:00

It's Thumpsgiving once again, that time of year when all rabbits come together and thump about what truly displeases them. Yes, this goes all the way back to the earliest days of our heritage when Pilgrims and Indians when they shared their first big supper... and then gave none of the delicious salad leftovers to the rabbits. The indigenous rabbits of the New England region thumped at those careless humans and the tradition has carried on ever since.

Today Cherry Bugg clearly celebrated Thumpsgiving as an unhappy indoor bunny. The other members of the Erb clan all managed to hop outside while she stayed indoors. Nevermind that it was comfy and warm inside with Miss Jill, Mister John, and the two little girls away for most of the day. She still needs to find something to the thump about. And she always does!

The two sisters, Root Beer Float (seen above) and Ruby Jane, thumped that they were not allowed to hop in the back yard for the entire day. They were rounded up by noon and neither were happy about it. Again nevermind that they grazed for hours on the recently rain-rejuvenated grass. Thumpsgiving is for thumping and not for appreciation.

Phillip clearly thumped at the handyman who was in our back yard creating an extra fence between us and the neighbors to our west. Phillip does not like anyone in his territory; he is the alpha rabbit afterall. Furthermore, he despises any extra interior decoration without his initial approval... in triplicate.

As for Miss Jill and Mister John, it's been a long year since last Thumpsgiving. Two baby girls, an occasionally messy hours, and less hours of sleep have pervaded into their lives. But they would never thump at their lovely two daughters who have brought so much joy (and again lack of sleep) into their lives. Maybe Mister John will thump at the McRib going away so soon... but he barely even knew it was here.

Don't forget: it's only one month until Thumpmas.

Five Years!

2011-11-20T20:31:00.001-08:00

Yes, it might be a few days late but Internet access in the desert was difficult to come by. Miss Jill and Mister John have now been married for a full five years! Such a glorious day!

For those who were there, thanks again for being there for the wedding. A great time was had by all and we truly appreciated coming out and supporting us on our big day.

As I learned on Saturday night -- a fact I long since had forgotten -- or beer of choice that night was Stella Artois. Totally forgot our tribute to the Stella.

And please say Hi to Fr. Darrin on the left and Fr. Raphael on the right. Nice tall priests for officiating the ceremony.

Mary Jane Walks!

2011-11-12T21:35:00.001-08:00

Mary Jane is now fully bipedal... for at least a few steps. She makes it around the house well enough to surprise Mommy and Daddy. However walking on the backyard grass is still a challenge. She refused to chase the bunnies on foot today. Instead she stood there flexing her toes in the grass and refusing to go anywhere. That was clearly a sign of weakness that the bunnies can manipulate.

Meanwhile in the house, Mommy and Daddy have both been nearly tackled by the silent linebacker strolling the kitchen. BAM! There goes the knee!

Rumor has it that Mary Jane will NOT run in the 5K tomorrow in Long Beach but will rather take the day off to work on other projects like smiling, laughing, and faking coughs.

Betsy Jo says Hello!

2011-10-28T20:41:00.000-07:00

Betsy says Hello

Make sure you say Hello back. Don't want her to drool on you!

Staying Alive

2011-10-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane is the Disco Queen!

Pumpkin Butters

2011-10-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

It's autumn at the Erb household and everyone is starting to think about Halloween and pumpkins.

Mary Jane and Betsy Jo went to a pumpkin patch a few days back and felt right at home. They won't be carving any pumpkins for a few more years but they sure fit in well with the surroundings.

We're not telling what they'll be for Halloween but we know you, the dutiful viewing audience, will love it.

The Big Day for Mary Jane!

2011-10-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

October 12th was a key day in the Erb family. Today was the day that Mary Jane officially (legally) became a member of our family. While there were no doubts as to her being a part of our family (ever see how she beams when Mommy or Daddy come walking through the door after a long day of work?), there's nothing quite like the specific paperwork involved in an adoption. So after ten months of caring for Mary Jane, we would be officially be claimed as parents.

An entourage of family and friends came to witness our great day. First of all, Jill's parents as well as her Aunt Nita came out from Arizona and stayed for a few days. They were out here for the surprise 40th birthday party for me (indeed a surprise) and stayed to watch the courtroom drama set for Wednesday. My sister Patricia as well as their father Mel came out to see it as well. For those who don't know, Mary Jane was named after John's mother (and Mel's wife of many years before she passed in 1996). Karen and Shannon, Jill's friends through adoption networking, were there as well to support us on our grand day. Truly until one has gone through the trials and tribulations of adoption, the ultimate joy could never be fully measured.

As most people know -- whether we told them directly or the anecdotes were passed on by others -- Mary Jane was not our first attempt at adoption. It took almost two years to get a match (the agency we originally used really didn't help us and didn't even try to expand our adoptability standards... oh well, no props for them) and then when we did, the birth mother was overdosed on opiates. We were literally packed and ready to fly to New Orleans within two hours when we received work on that. Saying No was the most difficult decision of our life. This drama was followed by two other failed matches in the fall of 2010. We believe both birth mothers kept their babies (as well as some payment from the agency) which is perfectly legal for them but heartbreaking for us. Finally when we were at our lowest point in the process and having extreme doubts, Mary Jane entered our lives. Through Jill's adoption networking friend, Shannon, we were connected to Mary Jane's biological grandfather and after a few more calls, we were there in Victorville those fateful days in early December. She was born on December 7, a date never again to be known in infamy.But of course this wouldn't be as easy as showing up and having the judge tap the adoptive parents with a magical sceptre and end happily ever after. The judge who was supposed to oversee this blessed event was out for the day (another roadblock!). Thus we were relocated to a different floor and there we sat inside the courtroom for quite a while. Tick tock, tick tock. Oddly enough no other adoptions were being finalized that day. The other people sitting in the courtroom -- lawyers, plaintiffs, etc. -- were probably wondering why a man and a woman with two babies in a stroller were with a group of 10 people in the courtroom. The State vs. Cute Girls, maybe? Maybe sticking one's tongue out at a camera is a crime in some cities, who knows?

After another relocation to the annex building we went to room K (a chuckle by all the Mary Star grads who may read this) and there we waited for another 30 minutes. At some point during this time that picture of Pat and Aunt Nita was taken. There was a bunch of jurors waiting for another room (I'm guessing 12 of them but then again there must have been alternates as well) and they walked by to take a look at Mary Jane and Betsy Jo who were biding their time outside the courtroom in the open-air annex. Clearly their boring day was enlived by the realization that at least one cute little baby girl would be finalized that day.

Finally everyone was brought into the courtroom. It was fairly quick as Jill and I stood in front of the judge's desk along beside our lawyer Jan. This was the first time we had met her in person as she's from Lompoc. Yeah, there's a drive: Lompoc to Santa Monica! But she was invaluable to our efforts. She helped expedite the paperwork problems created by the Arizona lawyer for Betsy Jo. I held Mary Jane -- who at this point was overdue on a nap by about 30 minutes and had chugged down her next bottle -- who squirmed a little bit but was quite complacent. The judge flipped through the paperwork and asked us some questions. I wasn't too nervous; I was more in awe of all that was surrounding me. Those empty jury chairs sure looked comfortable. Finally I signed a document and I couldn't even remember the date. Yes, one day after I turned FORTY (yikes), I couldn't even remember the day after my birthday. The judge then granted us legal protection of Mary Jane and she is now subject to being our beneficiary. So if Jill and I suddenly die in a horrific car crash and it looks like our brake lines were cut... hmm... Mary Jane gets custody of five rabbits, a younger sister, and two of my bowling balls.

As the judge declared us legal parents, the rest of the courtroom cheered aloud. Some people even stood up to cheer. Quite funny to think that some of them might have had their own major legal wranglings to deal with on this day but shed their own woes to applaud our efforts. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day: blue sky, slight ocean breeze (well, we were two blocks from the ocean), and my wife holding my hand. OK, so that wasn't perfect parallelism, but who do you think I am, an English teacher? Oh wait...

Betsy Jo's finalization? Hmm... to be continued.

Mary Jane and the Apple

2011-10-06T19:55:00.000-07:00

Someone loves eating apples with her four teeth. Yum!

Someone's Been in the Bathroom

2011-10-06T19:53:00.000-07:00

Mister John asked Miss Jill if either she or Chip have been playing with the toilet paper and she said No. He's not quite sure but it might be Mary Jane.

Eyes Wide Open

2011-10-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

Say hello to Betsy!

Keep the Carrot Away from Chip

2011-10-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane has a new game which is called "Keep the Carrot Away from Chip." It's not necessarily a fun game for Chip who gets hungry and would like a tasty carrot. Alas, Mary Jane also will chew on the carrot as well and their interactions can be quite comical. One of these days we'll get a video of them playing an incessant game of cat and mouse... or in this case... baby girl and rabbit.

The Girls Say Hi

2011-09-16T21:07:00.000-07:00

Ah, our girls together. Yes, that MJ is becoming a real camera hog. But that makes her all the cuter.

First Week Home

2011-09-09T20:51:00.000-07:00

Betsy Jo did quite alright in her first week home with Mommy and Daddy. She just has to represent with her voice and then we know it's time for food. As for Mommy and Daddy... well, back to work with all sorts of errands in between. Daddy is back to running 12-15 miles a week for cross country (yikes). Mommy has a very long drive from work and then had to re-stock the shelves after our Arizona sojourn wiped out our fresh produce.

As for Mary Jane, she's still very cute. A little cranky at night two evenings in a row but she's still a keeper.

We Lost? Big Deal!

2011-09-05T21:42:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane doesn't care about wins and losses. She cares about looking cute. And I think she can score a touchdown or two just with her smile.

At Home!

2011-09-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

Everyone is finally home together. Now the Erb family can commence being a family at home. The temperature is back a very temperate 75 here. I'm hoping that Betsy can deal with such mildness.

Wow

2011-08-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

Hurricanes don't come in pint-sized.

I guess I should be quite happy with the 113 today (lowest of our 8 days in AZ). When Betsy Jo comes to California, she won't know what to feel...

Daddy, Betsy Jo Sleep after Long Draft

2011-08-27T20:13:00.001-07:00

Yes, it has taken over four hours but the draft is finally done for the Spanish Inquisition team. Betsy Jo and Mary Jane (who arrived 90 minutes ago) are both asleep now. I wish to be that soon enough.

Betsy Jo's First Fantasy Football Draft

2011-08-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

Well, technically it would be Mary Jane's first draft as well but Mommy and Gramma Carol took her to Aunt Lisa and Uncle Greg's for some swim time. Betsy Jo will stay behind with Daddy as he tries to figure out what player to draft in what round. Yes, it might be a hopeless endeavor this year as I spent my last week with my precious little newborn Elizabeth but I will try my best to vanquish my foes. At least that would my late great rabbit Jane would have said.

My team, the Spanish Inquisition (nobody ever expects them), came in dead last in 2010 even though they scored the second most points in the league. Absolutely horrific luck but that's the way it goes. At least that means I will get the first pick in the draft this season. I'm just hoping my first pick doesn't get hit by a car this weekend. I once traded a defensive lineman, good ol' Leonard Little, to Jeff's team and the very next night Leonard passed out at a restaurant and smacked his head on a table giving him a concussion. Talk about timing (or bad luck on Jeff's behalf).

Enough of this stalling... I have only 30 mintues to write down the rest of defensive draft list.

Magically Bigger!

2011-08-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

Some people might have said that the Havasu hospital did not properly measure Betsy Jo but I'd like to think that she has grown one whole inch from Saturday night, the night she was born. She is now 21 inches in length which was the same as Mary Jane's back in December. Mary Jane was one pound heavier for those who keep such statistics.

Betsy Jo has already caught the attention of Mary Jane who came by a few times this afternoon to say Hello.

We All Scream...!

2011-08-25T21:28:00.000-07:00

Ice cream is always needed after a long day. After a many hour drive through harsh desert, we arrived in Phoenix where it was a much cooler... 115 today. Nice. After that I think we all deserved a nice scoop or two of ice cream.

We all scream for ice cream, right?

Big Smile by Daddy

2011-08-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

It's 119 today in Lake Havasu City so at least little Betsy Jo will never say she's not experienced extreme heat. Meanwhile Mary Jane was swimming in a pool. Mary Jane has also noticed Betsy but hasn't quite figured it out yet. Maybe she's just a short-eared rabbit.

Now if the hospital passes along the medical records (like they should), we can drive down to Gramma and Grampa Kendall's tomorrow. Otherwise, we idle for another day in extreme heat.

Betsy Jo Looking Hoppy

2011-08-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

Betsy Jo's birth mother Jenn Wilson took a very nice picture of her tonight. This is her last night in the hospital. Tomorrow she'll be heading off with us in our newly updated family.

Styling with Betsy Jo

2011-08-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

Such a cute little thing. More photos upcoming.

Bunnies Still in the Dark Regarding Betsy Jo

2011-08-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

Cherry Bugg has resigned herself recently to being petted by Mary Jane. She would rather not subject herself to such a humbling thing but she understands that she doesn't want to upset Mister John and Miss Jill. Besides, Mary Jane is slowly getting the knack of rabbit petting down. Just no pulling on the ears, that's all.

But with Betsy Jo coming home soon to a rabbit cage near you, she'll ultimately feel the double team.

It was quite amazing when we originally brought home Mary Jane. We had her in a swing and the bunnies were let out that day and they all hopped into the den and circled her like the animals did to Jesus in the manger scene. They could smell a new member of the family. I'm guessing they weren't too happy about it (less carrots for that, I guess) but they have learned to incorporate Mary Jane into the larger family. Now that will include Betsy Jo as well.

That will be a difficult Christmas card photo.

Just Waiting Along...

2011-08-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane is staying with her grandparents while Jill and I alternate visits to her and the swimming pool. Well, it is 117 after all... the swimming pool MUST be visited.

Dance, Big Sister, Dance!

2011-08-22T20:21:00.000-07:00

One thing that Jill and I will make sure does not happen is that we forget about our lovely Mary Jane. It's been a bit odd the last few days as Mary Jane has stayed with Gramma and Grampa Kendall while we've been at the hospital with Elizabeth. It's not like we've forgotten Mary Jane; conversely, it makes us think about her all the more. When we were all together at my family's get-together (before the all-important "water breaking" phone call), Mary Jane entranced the audience with a mighty quadruple tongue thrust. :P :P :P :P

Mary Jane has been a dancing fiend again with her grandparents. Good for her! She needs to channel that dancing energy. Give Betsy Jo a few months and then she too can channel her energy into rolling, laughing, and crawling.

On an unrelated note, I really do like those M&Ms with the pretzels inside. Quite tasty.

118 Outside, Nice and Cool Inside

2011-08-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

It's quite odd to walk around the hospital grounds and think, "My feet are freezing!" Of course as soon as you leave the sliding doors at the entrance, the overwhelming heat hits you like a pro linebacker on HGH. Yes, nice simile.

While I've always been one to leave it on the Weather Channel (hey, the soothing music on the 8s can put me to sleep!), I refer to it even more so in desert climes. Nothing like seeing the searing heat of the Arizona desert.

I'm sure Cherry Bugg would not approve.

Betsy Jo Using Her Eyes

2011-08-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Betsy Jo has had her eyes open since day one! And on her second full day in the real world, she decided to try out her eyes. Look left, right, and everywhere.

First Family Photo!

2011-08-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

Together in Havasu.

Darting Eyes

2011-08-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to download the video of Betsy Jo trying out her eyes this morning. I'm not sure if she can see more than shades and shadows at this point but watching her move them to the left and to the right is quite entertaining.

Little League...

2011-08-22T10:16:00.001-07:00

As much as I think that ESPN's use of the Little League World Series puts too much pressure on 12 year olds (they have a hard enough time tying their shoelaces), I am quite elated that it's on right now. It's a quaint little background noise while I hold my little girl.

I'm still trying to figure out why Aruba and South Dakota are in the same bracket. Sounds a little off to me.

As I wrote yesterday, Betsy Jo is sleeping well and eating well... good for a little two-day-old girl. I'm darn near 40 and I still haven't mastered the eating and sleeping well technique.

Quick pic

2011-08-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

Looking good.

On Schedule

2011-08-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

Betsy Jo seems to have the whole sleep for 1:45 and eat for 15 minutes schedule down.

And Mommy is back to say Hi.

The Surprise Call

2011-08-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

Now to backtrack a little bit here. Unknown to many people, we were matched as potential adoptive parents with a woman in Arizona. At first we thought it might be too soon as Mary Jane was just a few months old. But as we thought about it, it would be perfect for MJ to have a younger sister quite close to her in age. So we moved forward with the adoption process.

Yesterday Jill and I were at my sister's for a family barbecue. I was going to tell them at some point but then we were beaten to the punch by a phone call. The birth mother Jenn called us to say that her water had broken. Egads! Well, no hiding that surprise bit of news anymore. Nothing quite like telling your family that you're going to have to leave early because you're going to adopt a brand new child in another state in just a few hours.

Oh yes, nothing like a long drive out on the 40. It's not a bad ride... just quite full of desert, that's all. Quite coincidentally Mary Jane was born in a desert town as well, Victorville. The temperature at Betsy Jo's birth was still 102. Ouch. Conversely, it was a mere 55 or so in December for MJ's birth. We arrived just in time to hear the good news about Elizabeth's birth.

Oh, she screamed a lot the first night. But wouldn't you? Yeah, after nine months of security to be tossed out into the world of lights and noises... goodness, I'd scream as well!

Pictures will be downloaded as soon as we can get Grampa Kendall's computer for such things. More updates in a bit.

Elizabeth Josephine Kendall Erb

2011-08-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

8 pounds, 20 inches. Lots more news to come. And a pic or two if you're lucky.

Mary Jane's First Visit to UCLA

2011-08-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

As accidentally mentioned in Miss Jill's blog, I took Mary Jane on a tour of UCLA this afternoon with two former Mary Star students of mine. I tell my sophomores every year that if they get accepted to UCLA and plan to attend there, I will give them the tour myself. And I did that today will Mary Jane tagging along.

Boy, she was tired by the end of the day. So am I... nap time here as well.

Mary Jane Dances for Grampa Kendall

2011-08-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

Ah, look at her go! This is from Mary Jane's visit to Gramma and Grampa Kendall in northern Arizona a few weeks ago.

Photo Shoot Video

2011-08-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

Poor Mary Jane. It's so difficult to be eight months old and sit still for a photo shoot. Who doesn't want to get up, wander, have a cup of tea, and visit the rabbits?

The Pengoon Returns from Extended Vacation

2011-08-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

The Pengoon can no longer rest idly in the back yard or sleep in the purple room during the summer. It's school time again! And the valiant penguin needs to return to Mary Star to lead his Academic Decathlon team to victory. Well, it's mid-August so maybe it's just leading them to study well. In any case, the Pengoon has left Chez Erb to return to San Pedro leaving certain unnamed stuffed animals quite relieved. They feel overly threatened by the fish-eating giant.

Family Picture after Pat and Brent's Wedding

2011-08-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

Wow, so long ago.

Easter, Mister John's First Bunny

2011-08-13T20:35:00.001-07:00

She was the first rabbit officially given to Mister John as a pet. Yes, there are some random photos of a bunny named Snowball beating him at tetherball. Lies and subterfuge indeed. Easter Grey Erb was her official name. She had a somewhat stressful life as she was the only rabbit to be bitten by a dog. She was also the only female rabbit to have a litter. According to tradition, Patricia allowed Herbie, clearly the male rabbit, to be on the couch with Easter. All they did was "sniff each other" as Pat said. Well, three months later there were many many bunnies. I do recall The Original Mr. Erb questioning Pat on her knowledge of rabbits and sniffing.

Good ol' Easter was remembered well. The first of the modern line of rabbits to claim they were not fed enough.

Cherry Bugg Idles in Her Cage While Mary Jane Stands Everywhere

2011-08-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

Cherry Bugg has been idling in her cage for the past week while Mister John and Miss Jill have claimed to vacate Chez Erb temporarily for a cabin in the woods of northern Arizona. But while Cherry Bugg notches off each day of solitude with a scratch mark on her new cage, the other rabbits have been in iso as well. Chip though remains the undaunted happy bunny with the den to hop about.

Meanwhile Mary Jane has proven herself to be the expert stander now. When Mary Jane left Chez Erb last week, she was barely crawling. But then she far surpassed mere crawling and moved on to advanced standing and dancing. Supposedly she and Commute Bunny went to a dance club in Flagstaff last night while Mommy and Daddy were asleep. Daddy might have been working on a jigsaw puzzle but who knows...

Thunderstorm Keeps Mary Jane form Prolonged Swim

2011-08-02T16:15:00.001-07:00

Mary Jane is on her swim-a-day vacation as she splashed about in the Munds Park pool for about ten minutes. Unfortunately the weather got just a bit dark and nasty as large thunderclouds came overhead with lightning strikes. So Mommy, Daddy, and Mary Jane all fled the pool but they were in it long enough to show off their swimming strokes to Gramma and Grampa Kendall. Well, Daddy doesn't have great swimming strokes but that's never stopped him.

Earlier in the day Mary Jane decided to skip a nap and go straight to her 1pm bottle at noon. But the swim and a busy afternoon allowed her a ninety minute nap. Yay for Mary Jane!

Eventful Week

2011-07-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane has had a most impressive week at Chez Erb. For the past few weeks, she has been dabbling in the dark arts known as crawling. Her efforts were truly half-hearted as she would crawl for a step, lunge for a step, and then raise herself up before wiggling for another step. But now she can get from A to B in a strong (usually) straight-lined crawl.

Not only that but she also has learned her first mimicked hand gesture. She now raises her hands in glorious triumph knowing that we will cheer in response. Ah, first she raises the roof, then what?

Touchdown indeed!

Much Better Nap

2011-07-25T13:16:00.000-07:00

Hmm... over an hour of sleep is much better for Mary Jane. It cuts back on being a Miss Fussypants.

And that hair sure does stand up. Someone must have rubbed a balloon against her head!

Sleepless in Mar Vista

2011-07-23T20:41:00.000-07:00

Someone in the family isn't sleeping well again so Daddy is lying beside the now sleeping/cranky one in the family bed. The poor girl had a rough time of it. Hopefully she keeps up the snoozing.

Hungry Girl Finally Naps

2011-07-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane fussed for much of this morning but finally has taken a substantial nap. But is that related to Ruby Jane and Root Beer Float being in the house? Hmm... there are no coincidences.

The Battle of the Carrot: Mary Jane v. Chip

2011-07-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

The mornings provide the most entertainment in regards to Chip/Mary Jane interaction. Chip is wont to sit in the "tropical island" in the living room that has lots of flashing lights on the top of it. Of course if he accidentally bumps the side, any number of children's songs will play. But nevermind that, he loves resting on it. Meanwhile that little bit of heaven is Mary Jane's focal point in the living room. Every time she fashions a long crawling trek, she starts from that location. The cushiony bottom does hinder her scooting/crawling ability but as she as she gets to the wood floor... zoom!

So this morning was a little different as Mary Jane somehow made it into the kitchen. Methinks Miss Jill (aka Mommy) air-dropped MJ into the kitchen but let's not probe too deeply into such metaphysical musings. Anyway, MJ and Chip were both in the kitchen and Miss Jill fed Chip a carrot. Oh, good ol' Chip needs his almost daily carrot (if he had carrots too often, he'd get an orange chip and orange bottom but let's not go there). As the picture on the left shows, Chip is trying to eat his carrot calmly without any territorial griping from Cherry Bugg (his aunt and ultimate nemesis) when Mary Jane appears.

Now Mary Jane and Chip get along quite well. Let's not recall that mini head-slap she gave Chip a few days back. He's still dutifully fond of her and sleeps beside her crib every night (in a real coincidental bit of timing, Daddy just tripped over Chip as he went to check out why MJ let out a few mild cries). But when it comes to carrots... or at least shiny orange things, MJ is just as intrigued as that intrepid boy rabbit who wishes he were a man. Or at least an adult rabbit.

Mary Jane sees the carrot and then grabs it away from the bewildered Chip. How dare she do such a thing, he must wonder. Naturally MJ tries to a bite of it herself but with only two teeth... only a long gumming ensues. Chip is still aghast and wishes to complain to the management. Poor Chip, this final photo shows Mary Jane holding the carrot hostage with her right hand and Chip with no alternative but to hop away and beg for a carrot some other day. Oh, some day, little Chip, you too can become an adult rabbit. But not when little 7 month old girls can take carrots from you. It's not like taking candy from a baby but rather like a baby taking candy from a rabbit.

Scooting Through the Back Yard

2011-07-22T22:06:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane loves to get from here to there. In fact in the picture to the left, she scooted ten feet to try and catch Phillip. Well, not really to catch Phillip, but to move next to him and ask him for the fifth race at Del Mar this afternoon. OK, maybe not.

MJ moves quite well on the grass. And she has a much lower chance of head-butting the grass and feeling sore like she does on the wood floor inside. But she's quite the sturdy girl who feels no pain and crawls on. Good for her!

Misunderstood Woman in Rabbit History

2011-07-18T20:47:00.001-07:00

For some reason the rabbits thought that Mary Jane Erb, the original and not the little girl in the house currently, was the original conspirator against the rabbits of Mar Vista. This was untrue but certain rabbits like Easter, Carmel, Herbie, Pete, and Shirley all thought she never delivered food to them with an adequate smile. Now look at that smile, rabbits, isn't that a classic bunny feeding smile?

Meanwhile Chip is getting a bit afraid of the Mary Jane on the right. She pulled/crawled her way to him this morning and as he looked up, she excitedly swatted him on the nose. He felt confused and then hopped away. But how can bunnies not like a happy smiling Mary Jane? Then again they seem to have it out for Miss Jill as well.

The psychoanalytic rabbits out there would say that Mister John married someone who was just like his mother. Too bad, he loves them both.

Family Survives Carmageddon

2011-07-18T13:49:00.001-07:00

Although Mr. John and Miss Jill drove their MJ down to Orange County for an adventure, traffic did not arise as a problem. Wide open roads on the Westside. Monty, the family car, was quite appreciative.

Dodgers Do Well in All-Star Game

2011-07-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

While the Dodgers may be scuffling to stay out of last place (thank you, Padres), at least their three All-Stars came through tonight. Kemp and Ethier both came up with hits and Ethier had an RBI as well. Meanwhile Kershaw pitched a clean inning with one strike out.

It might be a long painful season for Mister John but at least tonight was a brief reprieve from the madness. It also helps to have a cute little girl smiling at you every day. That overwhelms any need to check the box scores every morning.

Hanging with Paul

2011-07-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane was a bit cranky this morning so Daddy knew what would improve her demeanor: some panda time! Her favorite stuffed animal is Paul the Panda. He was originally a Christmas present given to the family by the Phoenix Children's Hospital while Mary Jane was suffering from RSV. She received many gifts over those few days (poor girl was in there on Christmas Eve through the 27th). Paul the Panda has quickly elevated to the favorite animal status. She tackles him every time he is introduced. Sometimes it looks like she's even trying to suck on his nose.

"Dude, she tackles me so hard I, like, hurt my neck, man," said Paul this morning. He's quite a chill panda; not your average high-strung panda. He does crave bamboo like all pandas but Mary Jane doesn't know any dietary concerns of animals. Considering pandas are endangered species, I shouldn't even mention that we have a panda at home right now. But Paul is a good soul and gets along with the other animals. He does have conflicts with Max the Monkey because Paul loses his patience with the monkey from time to time.

Mary Jane actually napped in her parents' bed this morning. She laid down beside her dear ol' dad during "panda time" and then she was out for about 40 minutes. Good for you, Mary Jane! Everyone needs their "panda time" to get to sleep.

Carmageddon Is Coming!

2011-07-11T21:50:00.000-07:00

Ooh, nothing like the end of the traffic world! Since we live less than two miles from the 405/10 interchange (where it will be closed!), we'll get to see how badly traffic backs up.

Do note that's an old picture of the 405. The carpool lane has long since been installed through that section but it is only a few miles from Chez Erb.

Coming Soon: Rabbit Sonnets

2011-07-11T21:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, Mister John is going to tackle a new literary endeavor this summer: the rabbit sonnet! You're thinking to yourself, "Self, that is daft! Besides, how many words rhyme with carrot?"

Fourteen lines. Iambic pentameter. An occasional volta. Bring it on, I say!

Another Week with Daddy

2011-07-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

Some day Mary Jane will say, "Daddy, you have never spent a summer with me." Au contraire! Her first summer will be with me. She gets some nap time (30 minutes is pretty much her average, sigh) and plenty of floor time with me. She crawled up to eight feet to get to me today. OK, it was a partial crawl, partial pull the body.

Chip did come by and say Hello as well. He really does care for Mary Jane's well being. Not that the other bunnies don't but he spends a lot more time around her and making sure that she keeps an eye on him.

Family Visit for MJ and the Bunnies

2011-07-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane was visited by Aunt Pat, Uncle Brent, Grampa, and her cousins Garrett and Trevor this evening. Nothing quite like the giggling bundle of energy that Mary Jane has become. She is soooo close to crawling. Right now it's more of a slow scoot followed by fits and starts to get in a particular direction. She's also close to sitting up by herself but she still needs a bit of help as the picture on the right can attest. Not to worry, Mary Jane will be quite strong soon enough to do all the sitting up and crawling that she needs. Of course that means that Mommy and Daddy will have to be on major alert for all of that.

The bunnies were also visited as Chip was quickly collected in the back yard and brought in for pictures. Garrett is holding Chip while Daddy (aka Mister John) holds Mary Jane. She was a tad bit grumpy but after the whole family took a walk around the block -- people must have thought we were a religious group -- Mary Jane calmed down a bit and was her typically cheery self. While MJ has seen Aunt Pat many times, it has been a while and that precious little girl is quite leery of anyone other than Mommy, Daddy, or the nanny Maggie from holding her.

Later on the family celebrated the evening with Tito's Tacos. Later on Garrett and Trevor fought over the hammock. Quite a typical occurrence as they seem to fight over everything. Alas, neither of them did their share in rounding up the rabbits this evening. Cherry Bugg was not amused by them. Then again not much amuses Cherry Bugg so that will be left alone.

Finally, Daddy aka Mister John had a picture taken with his father. It was a good head shot of the two of them and thus makes the blog post. Mary Jane fell asleep by 7pm and it's onto the next day.

MJ in Print!

2011-07-10T11:59:00.000-07:00

It might look small but by her 7th month day, she's looking proud in the local parish bulletin. Mommy and Daddy are also representing in the photo as well.

Not an Early Sleeper

2011-07-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

Alas, Mary Jane decided to stay up an extra 90 minutes tonight. Mommy and Daddy had to suck it up and go to option z: drive! So that was about 40 minutes of seeing the sites... and finally... Mary Jane went to sleep.

After that I think Mommy passed out on the bed and Daddy watched the brand new episode of Torchwood. It had been two years or so... about time! BBC shows seem to go on their own clock.

Oh well, time for Daddy to highlight more Decathlon materials.

Happy after Another Swim

2011-07-05T19:28:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane was a bit concerned about the dunking part but other than that, she was a very pleasant girl. Daddy was quite pleased on such a humid morning to get back into the pool. Splash about!

Daddy later took Mary Jane for a three mile run during cross country practice.

Now at 7:30 Mary Jane is asleep and Daddy awoke from a short nap. Good for him!

Rabbits Thump at Fireworks

2011-07-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

More info later but bunnies, like dogs, cannot stand all this idiotic popping.

John Runs Slow 5k Time; Blames It on Long Shorts

2011-07-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

Another Independence Day, another 5K run in the Palisades. For some reason Mister John has been doing that for quite a while. Whether or not he improves is up for debate. However this year he clocked in at a tad over 30 mintues which is a bit slow for him. Oh well... just because TV Turtle could run that with a crisp breeze means very little.

Pete and Lillian (as seen to the right) both ran the race as well. Pete, much like John, changed shirts as not to display his ID#. Oddly enough they had the same four digits but the second and third were transposed. Go figure.

Maybe next year John will bust out the short shorts circa 1985 John Stockton. But that would freak out his wife and his little girl... and possibly most of Mar Vista. Some legs are just not meant to be seen. Idolized, maybe, but never seen.

Happy Girl Swims on the Fourth

2011-07-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane has a new profound love for swimming. After taking two classes in the past week, she swam like a fish out at her Aunt Lisa's this past week. Nevermind the 116 degree temperatures, Mary Jane was a swimming fiend! Nothing quite like a big smile as she kicked and splashed her way around the pool. Mommy and Daddy were quite happy as well.

Mary Jane begged to go swimming today so Mommy and Daddy decided to head over to the LMU pool and give her another chance. Oh, such a lovely splashing girl. Mommy swam with her everywhere; Daddy was working on his tan. It's a bit farmer-like so he needs to even it out.

A Much Happier Swimmer

2011-06-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

Alas, no pictures right now but rest assured that Mary Jane lasted much longer in the water today. And that water was quite chilly this morning. Daddy had to hop up and down in the water just to feel warm himself.

Mary Jane didn't care for the slight dunking of her head but other than that, no problems. As for the rabbits, they have no comment on the whole matter.

Computer Still Great, Chip Ever Unsure

2011-06-29T19:30:00.001-07:00

As soon as we put the pictures onto this computer, I can show you the confused little man/bunny. For now I'll leave him in the cage so he can adjust.

Meanwhile Cherry Bugg was out all by herself today in the backyard. She hopped around like she owned the place. Well, she is the longest tenured female in the back yard.

The hammock has also thrown the bunnies for a loss. Like I said previously about Chip, change is something they don't handle well.

New Computer, Chip Unsure

2011-06-29T13:42:00.001-07:00

Mister John installed a new computer this afternoon but now Chip is all confused. He liked the last computer because it made such an infernally loud drone that it put him to sleep. Now what will happen!

Bruin It Up!

2011-06-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane and Daddy were sporting the colors this morning. Watch out when they start dressing up the same. Mommy needs to get some LMU gear ready for her precious little girl. Meanwhile the little Bruin outfit for her is almost getting too small. It may be time to drive over to UCLA and get some new apparel!

Summertime Blues

2011-06-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

One of the good things about the summer for the rabbits is that they get more time outside. With longer hours of sunlight and with no working by Mr. John, they will be let out for more time. While that's good for them, the plants rue this extra time for grazing. And then there's Ruby Jane who wishes to dig everywhere in the back yard. That's unacceptable to Mr. John and Miss Jill but she's as defiant as ever. Hot blood in the hot sun of summertime. OK, this is Mar Vista; the hot days only get up to 75 if they're lucky.

The Never-Ending Dilemma of Chip

2011-06-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

Poor Chip. Every since he came to Chez Erb over two years ago, he has been trying to find a way to fit in with everyone. Phillip, the elder statesman of the rabbits, chases him away even when Chip tries to say Hi. Cherry Bugg is his closest friend but she more tolerates him than anything else. They can exist in the same back yard or even the same room but she commands the territory and then he must run away. Even his sisters, Ruby Jane and Root Beer Float, don't command him the respect he desires. Root Beer Float, who used to be at the bottom of the rabbit pecking order, found a new rabbit to antagonize in the oft-innocent Chip. So she would chase him all around the back yard to remind him of that. Ruby Jane is much more understanding of him but she still doesn't talk to Chip when the other rabbits are around. It just isn't cool. And that's the problem with Chip. He's the rabbit who thinks he's a man but is really a boy. And he's just not that cool according to the other rabbits.

Oddly enough, Chip would remind the well-read person of the narrator in James Joyce's short story "Araby." The narrator reminisces about his youth and this girl he thought he loved. He once thought he was a man but realized at the very end of the story that he truly was still a child. Oh, what a slap that epiphany was for that Irish lad and how it must feel for Chip as well.

Chip does serve one important purpose in the Erb family though that the other rabbits do not: he is Mary Jane's body guard. When she cries, Chip will come hopping in to see what's the matter. And in the middle of the night, he sneaks into Mary Jane's room and will sit about two feet away from her crib and keep watch. It's great for Mary Jane to have a guardian because he will chase away all the bad monsters. She can sleep more easily at night with that valiant duty of his. Never mind that sometimes she awakens in the night and Mister John or Miss Jill accidentally kick him as they stagger through the darkness to get to Mary Jane's crib.

For his service to Mary Jane, that might make Chip a real man. Just don't tell the other rabbits that; they might get jealous.