We have some new faces to introduce to you, and they are: Tiger, Brown Bear, and Meerkat.
Tiger is three and has lots of energy. He came to us the end of October and from the start we knew he was a good fit. He adores trains, especially Thomas the Tank Engine. We've set up an area in the family room especially for him to tinker with trains to his heart's content. He loves interaction, especially giving hugs and receiving them. Our favorite phrase that he says is, "Can you pix my banklet?"
Next comes Brown Bear. He is big and brown. He came to us in December at 6 months of age, and we were only planning to watch him on a temporary basis for three weeks until his Grandma could come from California to take care of him. Well, plans changed and sweet little Brown Bear is here to stay. He is now 9 1/2 months old and weighs 24 pounds. He has yet to learn how to crawl, but actively loves to stand up and bounce around if someone has the time and muscle power to hold him steady. He has a very sweet smile and often laughs at random entertainment. He is very attached to KareBear and will loudly express his displeasure if she leaves the room, especially if his teeth are bothering him. We've learned that Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, In the Jungle, and Praise Baby are the keys to calming him down. It's been a lot of fun watching him grow and develop over the past few months. He's gotten stronger every day!
Last, but not least, is Meerkat. He is the littlest of the bunch, but not the youngest. Meerkat came to us in January after a friend and mentor had to close her daycare due to a family health situation. Meerkat was in her care since birth, and we decided to take him under our wings. He received his name based on the way he stands in one position with his arms in front of his tummy and looks around the room. He also has big blue eyes which are very attentive to everything around him. He is light as a feather compared to Brown Bear. He and Keegaroo have become best buds, and he helps fill the "little brother" need that Keegaroo has. He also has captured Lion's heart by crawling to the end of his recliner, begging to be picked up.
In the midst of the three boys, enter Canary. She arrived before all of them and has become known around the den as "Little Mama." Not only does she carry around her own baby doll with bottle and blanket, but she's right at KareBear's heels whenever Brown Bear or Meerkat need their bottles, blankets, or diapers changed. She is extremely helpful (sometimes overly helpful) and is quick to pat the bottom or back of a fussy baby. She also gives the sweetest kisses to their heads and helps sing "Twinkle Twinkle' and "Jesus Loves Me." Her most favorite songs to sing are "The Wheels on the Bus" and "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" over, and over, and over, and over again. Her and Tiger also spend a lot of time being a choo choo together.
On occasion we still have the privilege of watching Puppy. She is a delight to have around and is very eager to help with the babies or wherever there is a need. We are continually amazed at her servant's heart and very blessed by how she pitches in to help out without complaint.
Little Lamb has recently moved to a different city. We will miss her a lot, but hope to have a visit with her this summer.
We are very thankful for the new set of cubs that God has brought to us over the past several months. Each one of them has their own unique gifts and special abilities to make us laugh and grow. We had some adjustment having four full-timers, but we've seemed to adapt to our environment now and have fallen into a bit of a routine each day. We miss the cubs that have moved on and pray blessings on them often. Thanks to each and every one of you for being a part of our lives.
