Come see the Babies!

Several months ago, I announced that Jackson and Priscilla, my sister's sugar gliders had their babies. We have had the wonderful opportunity to babysit and be part of the excitement of taming and training the new babies. Barney and Petrie are their names (this week), both males, both sweet and snuggly and precious.
The parents were very young when my sister got them, but there is such a difference in the level of trust and comfort with these little babies. The adults are not comfortable being held in your hand without something to hide under (little scrap of fabric or towel). But the babies will come to you and walk onto your hand freely.
They are bigger each time I see them, they change in many ways and are amazing to me.
My nieces put them in the pockets of their shorts and walk around with the babies while they sleep snuggled in a pocket full of lint and gum wrappers. Cute, cute, cute!

Babies!

The babies are visiting. Some time ago I started calling them Sugar Babies instead of Sugar Gliders..
Elvis is in the building.. and so is Jackson, and Priscilla and Tipsy - Momma needs shoe money! This is my baby, Justin, 8 snuggling with Jackson, the sweet and gentle and fun-loving sugar glider. Guess who's a daddy? Jackson! Priscilla has two little peanut sized squirming babies in her pouch! You can see them practically doing back flips in there when she holds on to the side of her cage. I have no idea when we will see a baby, but could be a few more weeks. My sister had surgery and is doing well, but needed someone to take care some of her babies until she is strong enough to multi-task through life with children, work, pets, pets, pets and housework again. So I am getting lots of time to get to know all the babies one on one.
This is Elvis. We are getting to be pals. He isn't grumpy or sassy like in the past. He is mellowing out. We snuggled on the couch and watched a movie the other day. Last night I let him spend some time in a little toy tent that he is perched on in this picture. He was being adventurous and sneaked out the top and climbed under the blanket on the ottoman and "hid" from me.
This is the little tent and his dish cloth that he sleeps on. The tear on his ear is from Jackson when Priscilla came to live with them. Jackson won the fight and Elvis and Priscilla are a couple.
This is Tipsy. She has had a long stay this time. Eleven days this visit. Here for the entire meltdown I had over the last two weeks or so over my daughter and some "teenage-life-sucks-I-hate-you-I'm-running-away-crap" that moms must go through as part of some secret "life-as-Mom-initiation-torture-session" that can only be slightly less painful than dental surgery sans anesthetic. I have been accepted into the society and recognized as a worthy party member. This photo is from my week long love affair I was having with reality TV and my sofa. Tipsy loves when I am depressed because I loaf and she snuggles. I think this was day three of my establishing my sofa empire, no care for personal hygene, no consideration for wardrobe (note the American "Pride" Tshirt- I'm pretty sure I had NO pride). Tipsy cared not. I cared even less.
Today, I was however dressed, accessorized, lip gloss flawlessly applied and on time for work for Dad - day two. One can only hide for so long and I can only be homely for so long before I snap out of it. I do have a certain admiration for women who can truly not give a hoot - permanently.. but I am far too vain. I do have to finally roll my face in the make-up trough and put on some high heels or I just can't take it.
The discord in our family has been healed for the time being and was properly celebrated by my daughter and I spending the evening shoe shopping. Glory be and thank heavens for a good Payless BOGO sale. Shopping heals many things..priceless.

Simple little pleasures

Elvis let me take his picture all curled up in his pouch. He let me feed him an Apple Jack, which he was very greedy about! While he ate it and was busy, I was able to pet him without him barking at me. We got along famously this week, Jen came today to pick him and Leah up. I will miss Elvis! Can't wait for his next visit!
Lookie-loo.. I was shopping over at Mom-o-Matic's etsy shop and found the cutest EVER Cracker-Jack's charm she strung onto a sterling chain. I never get excited about arriving mail, but it turns out that is because I wasn't participating properly in the whole shop online experience that I know so many women enjoy! I am now a believer. The package was so cute.. love the business card.. I got a little bonus charm in my package that I would never have anticipated AND, yes and there was a fantastic smelling sample bar of soap (White Tea) from Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen.
I have to tell you, my charm is a Lucky Strike cigarette package with ciggies sticking out! This was the first brand of cigarette I tried smoking as a way-too-young-lady(?). If I could just take back that day.. But for a VERY reasonable $10.00, I now have a charm to commemorate my 2 years NO SMOKING anniversary coming on April 11. I have worn it several times.
I have decided though, that really if I think of it, the charm should really be a very humble reminder of what it was like to be 16, to be a little foolish and to think I knew so much. I wear it as much to remind me of my triumph over smoking as I do to remind me to be gracious with my daughter who is now being presented with these same challenges.

Elvis is in the building

This is Elvis. He is a Sugar Glider and he belongs to my sister and her daughters, Brooke and Sam. I am pet sitting for Elvis and Leah, a sweet black Lab that also belongs to sis. Lions and tigers and bears, OH MY. This means I have two dogs, a Sugar Glider, a cat and a gheko in the house right now. Thank goodness it's spring break, the kids are home and the yard has a fence!
Elvis is a few months old, he's grown a lot since they bought him. Sugar Gliders make a barking noise when they are frightened, and Elvis used to squeal all the time, any little noise, movement or bump in the road. I started taking him several times a week and spending time with him to bond. To really be a good glider mommie, you need to spend 4 to 6 hours a day with them in close contact so they learn your scent, and start to see you as their "tree" and their pouch as their nest. It's been about a month since I have seen him. He is so much more gentle and quiet than in the past.
Jen has two other Gliders, Jackson and Priscilla. Jackson is a doll, he's so tame and gentle and such a ham.. he knows he's cool. Priscilla was purchased after they found out that when they thought they were getting a mating pair (Jackson and Milie, now Elvis), they actually had two males. Jackson and Priscilla got to go on vacation.. Jackson is a superstar and has to make appearances.
Gidget doesn't care what you call them or how special we think they are, she wants to eat them. Leah is protecting her baby. She knows Elvis is from her house, that her kids love Elvis and if Gidget doesn't watch it, she's going to be mince meat. She's trying really hard to be nice, but she has her limit.
Leah had a rough day, she just wants her people. Gidget is bossy and mean and stingy. Hurry home, Mom!