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.

 

Meet Our Cubs - Season 7

We've been working on an updated slideshow in honor of the cubs that have moved on this year: Duck, Pony, Hamster, Caterpillar, and Bumblebee. We've enjoyed having you with us, and we'll cherish our time with you. In addition, we've captured highlights of the new cubs that have joined us. We've experienced some new memories, and we hope you enjoy watching the show!

Bumblebee Takes Off

It has been quiet around our house the past two weeks while I've taken some time off to recover from surgery. We've missed all of our cubs and their smiling faces! One little cub, Bumblebee, will not be coming back next week because her grandma is going to watch her now.

Busy Bumblebee has been a joy to watch since February, and we have seen her personality blossom from infant to toddler. Her spunk and flare will be missed, as well as her beautiful curly brown hair! It was fun to watch her be a diva and still fit right in with all the boys. She also figured out how to go down our big slide not too long ago and felt so proud of herself! My fondest memory of her though is how she carried around sand buckets one day on her arm and looked like she was shopping like her mama!

We caught this picture on her last day here, and it looks like she's taking a selfie.  You will be missed, little one, and we pray you continue to grow and thrive in your new environment.

Meet Starfish and Giraffe

We want to welcome Starfish and Giraffe. They are siblings and come two full days a week and one half-day. Starfish is 5 months old and pretty laid back. Her name comes from the use of her zippy (sleep sack). She loves her hands and can't easily fall asleep since they distract her quite a bit. So, her parents use a sleep sack with triangular arms. When she wears it, her limbs spread out, and she reminds us of a starfish.

Giraffe is the big brother. He turned two in May, but is a very tall boy, so he looks like he's almost four years old. In fact, he is taller than Pony and Bullfrog, so it's easy to forget that he's only two. He's a big thinker and learns words quickly because he imitates things we say. He plays well with others, has good manners, and reminds us of a safari dude with his cool hat and bright red hair. His dad is a taxidermist and his mom's a counselor, so it makes sense. He loves the outdoors.

We look forward to getting to know these two as they join Bullfrog, Butterfly, Pony, and Bumblebee in playtime at the den. Bumblebee will be flying back to Grandma's house in a week and no longer need our care. She will be missed!