Year-End Update

As 2016 is nearing an end, I thought I would use my day off to catch up on the blog. So many changes have occurred since August, so I'm well overdue for an update on our cubs.

When Pony headed off to preschool, we gained four part-timers! Teddy Bear Hamster and his brother started care mid-August on Wednesdays and Fridays so his mom could go back to school and earn her teaching degree. It's great having Hamster back and seeing how much he's grown over the past year. We've named his brother Chinchilla since they look alike but are unique in their own personalities. They bring lots of smiles, busyness, and laughter to our home. Bullfrog and Caterpillar love to push trucks around with Hamster and enjoy having their buddy back. Chinchilla recently started walking everywhere and celebrated his first birthday. He is just as sweet as his brother, and we love his cuddles!

In August and early September, we began care with Fawn and Robin. Fawn is a very sweet 3 year old who loves Paw Patrol along with all the boys. She loves to giggle and when you ask her to take a picture, she sticks her little tongue out and makes a goofy face. She fits right in with the crew and is super helpful when it comes to clean up time or helping someone with a need. Unfortunately, her dad lost his job in October, so Fawn's 3 days per week have changed to drop-in care. We sure do love her visits though!

Robin is our sweet and quiet little toddler who is now 18 months old and comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She is very laid back and very mellow around all the kids. We are told by her mom, one of KylieBird's childhood friends, that she talks all the time at home, but here we are lucky to catch a few words from her. She tends to be shy yet very interactive with us. Her first few days were an adjustment for her in leaving Mama, but now she gets dropped off and loves to jump into playtime with the others.

So, our crew has grown. Our part-timers join our full-timers, Bullfrog, Caterpillar, Butterfly, and Ladybug. They are all learning a growing each day and building some special memories with each other. They especially enjoy puzzles, toy cars, building activities, singing and dancing, and train tracks on a daily basis.

A few more changes are coming in January with Hamster and Chinchilla coming on Fridays only and another family potentially starting care on Wednesdays with their two little girls. We also hope to have a new little one starting care in February. It's been a lot of work but also a lot of fun having all of these blessings in our care! We are thankful to be a part of each families lives and look forward to what 2017 has in store for us.

Meet the Cubs - Season 8

It's fall, and we've had some changes in kiddos, so we thought we'd put together another slideshow to show you what's been going on lately around the den! It captures our last year with Pony and our time with Bunny, Wolf Cub, Horse, Giraffe, and Starfish. We love each and every one of you and are so glad we got to make some fun memories with you.

Pony's Off to Preschool

Seasons continually change around our home. Some kids we care for are here for a short time and others tend to stay a lot longer.  Aside from Puppy being with us for six years so far, our little Pony friend holds the next steady record. He has been with us for three years, and we started caring for him when he was just 13 months old.

 

It's been fun watching him learn and grow over the past few years. One of my favorite little sayings of his is how he calls daddy long-leg spiders a "daddy-daughter dance". Pony has been our biggest adventurer and often led the other kids on a new mission each day. Sometimes they would find worms or catch grasshoppers. Other days were filled with pretending to make sand pies or watch a "movie" in the clubhouse. His creativity will definitely take him places! 

August 12th was his last day with us, as he now begins a new adventure in preschool! His sister, Horse, spent his last week here with us, and we were able to capture some highlights.

 
You will be missed big guy, and we wish you the best in your new stomping grounds! Can't wait to find out what kind of leader you will be in your future!

Mid-Summer Update

Well, we had our last day with Giraffe and Starfish on June 1st. We will miss having our little friends around but are very thankful that they live not too far from us. In fact, KylieBird has babysat for them a few times, and it's fun to hear all the great stories of their adventures!

On June 3rd, Caterpillar returned to our care! He was with us for a month last year for temporary care while his sitter was on leave. He's now joined us for long-term care, and we are so thrilled to have him back. He's grown quite a bit and is now a happy, cute, and chattering two-year old. He fits right in with the other kids, and Butterfly just loves to give him bear hugs. He also enjoys watching Little Einsteins, AKA "Wocketship," and now all our little cubs enjoy chanting "blast off" with him during snack time!

On June 10th, we had the privilege of having Wolf Pup join our pack! He is 18 months old and reminds us of the little wolf pup from the newest Jungle Book movie and looks a little like Mowgli with his dark hair and complexion. He's been coming two days a week for the past month, but unfortunately he's had a lot of sickness lately. His doctor is advising he waits on being in daycare until his immune system can get stronger and healthier. So, we just found out this week that Grandma will watch him awhile longer until he can return in the near future.

We've had a great time this summer playing with water and trying to beat the heat! The kids have really enjoyed getting wet and have even discovered the joy of playing in mud. Our hope is to do a slideshow soon to capture our season with Bunny, Giraffe, Starfish, Pony, Bullfrog, Butterfly, and Ladybug, and we look forward to the adventures ahead with Caterpillar joining the crew.

Lady Bug and Bunny.... Lots to update!

It's been awhile since we've updated the blog.... After our last slide show we've had many life events occur such as a surgery, the holidays, goodbyes to loved ones, our anniversary, and birthdays!

As usual, life in the den does not always stay consistent. Little ones come and go. We've had to accept the hard fact that for every hello, there will someday be a goodbye. We will only remain in each child's life for a season. That is the hardest part of caring for little ones that are not our own, yet we love them as such. We have to remember though, that we do create memories with the cubs and hopefully, somehow, these little ones will know in their hearts that they were very special to us.

In December 2015, we started part-time care with little Bunny, who was born in August. In April, her family's circumstances and needs suddenly changed, so we had a very short season with our little friend.

The four months we spent with her were very special as we watched her grow and learn to crawl! We gave her many cuddles, and she will hold a special place in our hearts! I didn't get a chance to introduce her on the blog, but we will fondly remember her little grunt/growl she gave each time she was hungry or tired. She was one of the most easy-going babies we've known. Most importantly, she gave smiles instantly with her little tongue hanging out. It brought us so much joy and made some more challenging days much brighter! We will miss her dearly, but we do plan to keep in touch with her family so we can keep up with her journey.

    

In January 2016, we started care with another little one, also born in August of last year. Lady Bug has been a joy to care for as well since she came to the den. She is very dainty, with long delicate fingers and great big eyes. Due to personal preferences, her parents do not want to post pictures of her yet, but we can give you a hint of her sweetness at least. Lady Bug had a rough time when Mama first went back to work and had some fussy days. She has made  a lot of progress in adapting to her home away from home. We've grown to love her little coos and fascination with faces. She recently started saying "bye, bye" and loves to be cuddled. We are very thankful for her sweetness and the blessing of having her here three days a week.

Giraffe and Starfish have been with us since August. They will be staying home with Mom starting in June since she will not be going back to work in the fall. Once they transition back home, Caterpillar will be joining us again for full-time care! Pony, Bullfrog, and Butterfly are also still with us. We've had a lot of fun playing with playdough, train tracks, tools, puzzles, bubbles, and all our outside activities. These little cubs keep us on our toes! We look forward to sharing another slide show this summer of all the great pictures and all the great faces in our den.