Too Many Rodents!

Did you know that a guinea pig can get pregnant again within the first couple of HOURS after it gives birth? US EITHER!


To be fair, they are even cuter than the last bunch, and at least there was no male in the cage after about a DAY after she had the last set, so we should officially be done with guinea pig babies now. These guys were born yesterday. So cute!

Baby #1
Baby #2Baby #3Needless to say we will be looking for some more guinea pig homes in about 2 or 3 weeks...

We also, ironically, bought two new rodents for Steve's classroom last Saturday. And of course, after a year of killing mice in our home and his classroom, we bought - mice! But, these are clean, and they have a purpose I promise. Steve is going to use them to teach genetics and punnett squares. They reproduce so quickly that he can have the kids predict what the babies will look like and then have the kids go back after the babies are grown and figure out which genes are dominant etc. And, even though some of you may think I'm crazy - these guys are cute too! The black one is the female and then we have an albino male.

This Monkey Rolls!

Ellie has been ridiculously strong for as long as I can remember. Steve could feel her kicking in the womb before I was supposed to be able to feel little flutters. She picked her head up for the first time when she was a day or two old, and at about a week old half rolled over. She can push us away with her arms, keep her legs so straight we can't dress her, and she now pretty much controls her head completely. For a while now she pushes herself up on my shoulder by standing on my legs, and yesterday at play time she spun herself 180 degrees by scooting around. Well, as of yesterday, our Monkey rolls!

Only one way - she still totters on the edge when she's going from back to front. This was her 4th roll and I finally got one on film! Too bad today both rolls were pretty quick from when she was put on her front, so I think she's starting to realize she can do it. Well, so much for the "lump" stage!

Way to go Monkey!

Sleep like Mom

So, after seeing that Ellie has Steve's cowlick, hearing everyone talk about how they think she looks like her Dad, and fearing she has the Bennett temper, we have been looking for something that makes Ellie like me. What do you know? Like someone we know...

She can sleep anywhere...
Through any amount of noise - such as at a football game with screaming fans, right next to the cheerleaders, and ignoring the air horn that announces the end of each quarter.
And in strange positions. (still need to get pictures off my phone if I can figure out how...)

And motion puts her to sleep.
I also came into her room to check on her the other day to find this...
Ellie has been able to get up on her side since she was about a week old, but usually just when she was flailing around or grabbed something. Apparently now she has started deciding that sleeping on her side when she's in my lap is not enough and has taken matters into her own hands.

Speaking of hands, Ellie is starting to take a liking to hers when they find their way to her face.
Ok, so I know most of the sleeping stuff applies to any newborn, but don't wreck a new mom's dreams. Even Steve doesn't want to think about how much trouble we're in if she's just like him!

One thing is for sure, just like Mom AND Dad, this girl likes to sleep.