Rainy Days and Saturdays Always Get Them Down

Fresh after a long morning photo shoot, Mary Jane (to the left, you silly goofballs, not the right) passed out and is sleeping quite heartily right now. Nothing tires a girl out more than taking hundreds of photos. She struck the poses quite well.

Meanwhile Chip sits in his cage... even though it is open, he is afraid that someone else will take a picture of him and steal his soul. I don't know how that's working out for him since Mister John has taken many pictures of Chippers.

Ah, sleepy time...

Thumpmas Is Coming!

Get ready. Thumpmas is only a week away!

Awaiting Mary Jane's First Professional Pictures

Ah, yes, it's that time of year. Well, I guess most people with children (or rabbits) get ready with their traditional Christmas photos for cards or whatever. But at least in our circumstance, it is also a "welcome to the family" type card. So then everyone can say, "Oh, that's so cute!" or something close to that effect. Or some unknowing friend or relative saying, "Wow, looks just like you." Hmm.

In any event, it is our second day of rain and it is supposed to rain all the way through Wednesday. That's quite alright as we need all the rain we can get here in supposedly sunny California. All this does is keep the light down for our little girl so Mary Jane doesn't have to deal with bright sunlight for a few days.

As for Miss Jill and Mister John, they both received plenty of sleep last night as MJ slept solidly with only small one hour breaks for eating and changing. I wish the bunnies would be so respectful!

Alas, poor Cherry Bugg is locked up in the bedroom cage. She's not big on pictures anyway. She claims it is all vanity. Smart rabbit, that Cherry Bugg. Such a large vocabulary: vanity, subterfuge... she'll teach Mary Jane very well.

Mary Jane Suffers Bath; Chip Begs for Food

After a long day of sleeping and eating and sleeping and eating and occasionally relieving herself, Mary Jane did not realize that she'd have to take a bath today. Tomorrow is a big day for MJ as she's going to Mister John's school for the Christmas party. Oh my, she has to look really cute for that. So Miss Jill and Mister John gave her a bath tonight. Yes, such the shiny and clean girl now.

Unlike the bunny baths, MJ didn't seem to fuss much. She kept her cool and only cried in small doses. Miss Jill attacked with the sponge while Mister John calmly kept his big hairy hand upon her so she wouldn't escape. Well, more like just roll back and forth.

Meanwhile Chip surreptitiously entered the kitchen knowing that if his two main feeders were in the kitchen, some carrot action is about to happen. Chip sat there hearing the bath continue and he had some flashbacks. Nothing worse than a rabbit getting soaked. Some of those Chip bath pictures are classics. Look at that guy over there. Doesn't he look happy? OK, he looks like he just sat out in the rain for four hours without an umbrella.

Anyway, he was later given a carrot so he was happy. Mary Jane finally was dried off and put into her night wear so she could sleep. Now it's evening and with her sleeping and Chip sitting beside this blogger, all is quiet in the house... except for the noisy computer.

Tomorrow is the last day of finals for Mister John so he'll be doing Mister Dad chores for a few days. Oh no!

First Blurry Family Photo!

Yeah, either the nurse was drunk or Miss Jill and I did an excellent job of moving back and forth to either disturb the photographer or to keep little Mary Jane quiet.

Check out those gloves! Michael Jackson, you ain't got nuttin' on me!

Bunny Civil War While MJ Awakens

A busier afternoon at Chez Erb than expected. This being a typical Saturday, the trio of Phillip, Chip, and Cherry Bugg were out and about in the back yard. Chip usually keeps to himself under the orange tree while Cherry Bugg and Phillip stay in their own territories.

Meanwhile Root Beer Float was brought inside to show off to a visitor. She was then locked up in Chip's cage. Ah... but Mister John and Miss Jill forgot something quite important... RBF knows how to escape. So she hopped up and over the 30 inch barrier (well, her father is the famous European show jumping rabbit Root Beer, Sr.) and she hopped out into the back yard to pick a fight... or two.

Alas, Root Beer Float does not get along with her younger brother Chip so they must have tussled. Then she and her aunt Cherry Bugg went at in a few different battles in the back yard. Oh those silly fur pulling battles.

Mister John got out there much too late but he saw the empty cage in the house and went outside to break it up. As he settled the rabbits' scrimmages, poor miss Mary Jane grew hungry and voiced her own opinion on this. She cried out loud demanding food which awakened poor sleeping Miss Jill who had been up for many hours. But all problems were averted as MJ got her food, RBF was put into her cage, and Cherry Bugg was assured that she was cute and smart rabbit.

Saturdays just aren't the same at Chez Erb anymore. Much more festive... Tis the season, I guess.

Second Day Home: Bunnies Still Unsure

Mary Jane has been home now for over a day and she is quietly resting while her mommy drives off for errands. Meanwhile Mr. John has asked the bunnies about the new member of the family. The comments are mixed but one concern is universal. "Does this mean less food for us?" That was headed by Root Beer Float when then proceeded to jump into a bin and hide lest the new being chase her down. Mister John had to console her that Mary Jane wouldn't be able to chase her down for a very long time but she still worried anyway.

Phillip hopped into the nursery and approved the safari layout in there. While some of the animals in there do scare him, Phillip was still committed to keeping the baby in there and not in his capacious cage. Mister John later told Phillip that babies don't sleep in outdoor cages. Phillip's quick response, "Ah, that's why Chip sleeps indoors." Ouch.

Anyway, Mister John went back to work and tested his sophomores on Macbeth. Meanwhile Miss Jill spent some home time with the baby this afternoon. All's good on Dewey Street.

Home!

Wow, the long and winding road has finally returned home. And quite soon I may add. After other possibly failed adoptions in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, it was quite a relief to add a child in California and thus avoid all the inter-state paperwork which would take over a week (depending on the state, day of the week, and incompetent bureaucracy.

Mary Jane is now sitting in the a small swinging-rocking thing with music playing. Beats the heck out of me what it is called; I only use great nouns and adjectives for term papers. Otherwise it's a whatchamacallit.

The bunnies have already hopped freely into the house and wondered what that noise making creature is. Ah, that will be the monster which will chase you in years to come!

I have no downloaded pictures on the computer yet. Boxes and bags still remain laying around on the ground. Nothing like re-coordinating things after a trek... albeit a shorter one.

The nursing crew at the Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville were great. They helped us with whatever we needed and even allowed us to stay in a room there. Hey, at least the TV had ESPN but I didn't watch it much. No WiFi though thus the slower response in saying, "It's a girl!"

Now I think I'll pull a Miss Jill and take a nap.

Mary Jane Eats, Sleeps, Cries!

And Miss Jill and Mister John are learning how to deal with a newborn infant! More pictures as soon as we return home. Until then... nothing but hearsay. Or something like that.

OK, time to go back to the hospital and help out my wife.

12 Hours of Parenthood!

And now a much longer time to go!

Miss Jill and I are quite ecstatic (and exhausted) after the first half day. Mary Jane eats quite voraciously but I guess 9 pound babies do!

I'd add more right now but it's my turn to go back to the hospital and for Jill to come back to the hotel to refresh. Ah, nothing like a good hot shower...