The kids found a bird's nest in our backyard yesterday. It isn't your typical in-a-tree nest but a little cup-like depression in the mulch with four little eggs in it. And it's not in a very safe location either, like under a bush or near a tree, but right out in the middle of a bare patch of ground. Even more interesting than the nest, however, was the mama bird guarding it. As soon as we got close to the nest, this little bird ran out from under a shrub and started yelling at us. The closer we got, the more excited she got, chirping and shaking her tail and playing injured. After watching her antics for a few minutes, we decided we'd better move away before she had a heart attack, and as soon as we started leaving, she calmed down and went back under her shrub. Bryce has taken to calling her the "mean bird" because every time the kids pass the nest walking to the back gate this little bird freaks out.
I guess the protective instincts of all of us mamas are pretty strong. Bryce had to have two baby teeth pulled at the dentist this week and it was not easy for me to watch. (We have been telling Bryce that he must have some shark blood in him because all his permanent teeth are growing in behind his baby teeth.) The morning of the extraction, I was surprised that Bryce did not act more scared. When I asked him if he knew what was going to happen at the dentist's office, he calmly told me the dentist said he was going to put some "sleepy juice" on his tooth to help it come out. (I love the terminology of "sleepy juice" and "help" here. I guess the dentist knows better than to tell an 8 yr old that the "sleepy juice" will be shot into his gums with a needle and that the "help" is pliers!)
Bryce was very brave and still during the procedure, but I could tell that it was much more than he had expected. Watching him tense up and clench his fists while little tears leaked out of his eyes just about broke this mama bird's heart.
After it was all over, Bryce had two nice baby teeth to take to school and show off. But, I think he will be much more worried next time the dentist calls him in.
2 comments:
That little bird is probably a Killdeer ( I am not so sure I spelled that right). They build their nests on the ground and protect them by distraction enemies and faking injury. I have seen several in the spring time when out on my morning walk.
I am glad Bryce has only shark blood and not 'tiger blood'. Let's hope the next set of teeth falls out on their own.
and i might be going out on a limb here... but i'm thinking the "mama bird" is really a metaphor for you, cindy
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