Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Backyard Friends

When the kids and I were in Utah we stayed with my old roommate and her husband. They are both great friends with my husband and I. They have two dogs, two cats and two chickens. My kids thought they had died and gone to heaven! They didn't get to play with the chickens but they loved talking to them through the sliding glass back door. The dogs loved the kids too. They had so much fun following my little ones around hoping for a few crumbs to fall to the floor. My kids really wanted to love the cats, but alas the cats are not fond of kids.

"W" especially was sad that the kitties didn't like him. He always treated the animals very nicely while we were there. But the kitties were just a little bit jumpy. Early in the morning or late in the evening the cats would come out of their hiding places. They'd be sitting there on a couch or a chair. "W" would see the cat and slowly walk over to pet the cats. The first few times the cats would bolt as soon as he attempted to walk over to them. Eventually they'd sit still for a few minutes.

One night "W" was petting one of the cats. He was so excited he came running to me and announced; "Mommy the kitty isn't scared anymore. She's letting me pet her and touch her nose!" He went back to pet the kitty some more and she took off. Ran down the hall and hid under the bed. "W" would follow the cats. "Kitty, don't be scared. Come back! Don't hide under the bed!"

Another morning the cats were brave enough to venture out of their hiding places. One of them allowed "W" a few precious moments of petting and then got scared and scampered off again. I was reading the newspaper when I remember hearing "W" saying "Kitty, please don't run away. I'm being nice to you. I don't want to scare you. I just want to pet you. I just want to touch your nose. Please don't be scared. Come back kitty!" I felt so bad for the kid.

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We've noticed a lot of new backyard friends lately. The normal guests are here. The birds, the lizards. The other morning we noticed a bunny in our front yard in the flower bed. He was having a wonderful breakfast of something in our flower bed. The kids just stood there at the window watching him hop around. Another day "Sy" was looking at the window and I thought she was saying "doggie". She was pointing outside at something. I looked to see what she was pointing at. It was two big fat robins. She was so excited.

I've sent "W" out in the backyard on a lizard hunt. I know there's no way he could catch one, but he does love trying to find them. Our newest backyard guest is a little squirral. The funniest thing is everyday he becomes a little bit more bold. He doesn't run away as quickly. In fact this morning "W" was standing at the back door having a little conversation with the squirral. For a few minutes it was right next to the glass back door. Then he climbed the cinder block wall. I could hear "W" say "Don't be scared little squirral." The squirral sat there on the wall looking at "W" and my son looking at him in silence for about 10 minutes. This little squirral is going to be a really close friend by the end of the summer I think!
Posted by ABQ Mom :: 4/26/2006 09:21:00 AM :: 6 Comments:

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