We have baby bunnies!!!! Or rather... E. and her momma bunny, Clover, and daddy bunny, Toby, have babies. Clover's "baby bump" [as they call it it hollywood ] sure didn't make us think that she was hiding SIX in there!!!! We have 3 healthy babies. One of the 3 is a runt, but seems fine so far. Unfortunately, the other 3 did not live.
For those of you who need to catch up on past chapters -- you can click on the category in the side column about bunnies, and bring yourself up to date on Clover's maternal events!
Here's the story...
Yesterday, I knew Clover was getting ready because she was pulling her white fur to create a nest.
Also of note: yesterday, E. finished all her exams for 9th grade so that meant she could have today off school. That will play into the story later, I promise.
I checked Clover last night around midnight, as her last litter was born at that hour. No babies. Also last night, when E. went to bed she said, "Don't wake me- since I don't have school- I'm going to sleep in."
This morning, before waking A. and N. [for the second to the last day of school], I went to check on Clover. Just like last time, when I was the first to discover her babies, her cage looked like a white rabbit had exploded because there was so much fur pulled to soften the bunny nursery!! I got closer and heard the familiar sound of newborn baby bunnies...it sounds just like birds chirping!!
I ran in to WAKE UP E! Sorry E. It was your bunnies' fault you couldn't sleep in. She didn't mind. She was up and out of that bed quicker than she was any morning during the whole school year!!
Then I woke A. and N. "WE HAVE BABIES, WE HAVE BABIES!!"
I called J's house (N's friend) and M's house (A's friend). And minutes later they came running, sleepy-eyed from opposite directions in the neighborhood to witness the bunny birth before shoving off to school!!
1 of the 3 babies Clover let us see was dead. So sad.
E. took the poor dead one out of the nest.
A. and N. and their friends left for school. I am sure they will be at our house a lot in days and weeks to come for baby bunny visitation!
Clover couldn't get the next baby all the way out and it died. E. played bunny mid-wife and gently but difficultly pulled it out. She is so calm and collected at times like these. She really surprises me about some things.
Then I needed to leave.
1. I had to run to the grocery to buy ingredients for party punch and pick up a cookie cake.
2. Then on to school.
3. I dropped off the cookie cake to the 3rd grade class in which I teach a 40 minute lesson once a week. I took a video ( about 3 minutes long) of the baby bunnies to show them. They where SO excited!!
4. Then I went into the school gym for A's 5th grade recognition ceremony.
I'm sure it was at least 110 degrees in there!!!! Ugh!
A. was in the gifted and talented class and in the pen pal club, and she was the cross walk guard on the street in front of school throughout the year.
My punch was a hit at the reception. Everyone was parched from the heat!!
5. Then I went up to the 3rd floor to help A's teacher with some end of the year stuff in the classroom.
Ok... are you still with me????
I came home. E. told me that while I was gone. She found a runt (alive and well ) in the fur nest that we didn't see early in the morning!!! And that just after I left, Clover had yet another baby get stuck and die. E. again acted as mid-wife! E. had already had the funeral/burial while I was gone.
See! -- I told you it was a good thing E. finished her exams yesterday!!!!!
Momma bunny is fine but really worn out.
I told E., "Just wait until someday if you have babies. You'll know just how she feels."
Her response... "MOM! I'm not going to have 6 all at once!!"
I said, "Sometimes delivering one feels like having SIX!!"
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